Finding your Motivation

What do you think when you hear the word motivation? It can make me cringe sometimes! Even doing the things that I love; scrapbooking, exercising or playing with my little boy can prove difficult to find the motivation at times.

Master A has gone through a recent bout of bad health. He’s spent time in hospital with infections. He had surgery and then got rather sick again, 2 weeks after being discharged. As you can imagine, with a really sick toddler, you don’t get a whole lot of sleep. My motivation to do anything, especially looking after myself has been sitting on zero.

{image source}

It got me thinking about the different ways I can find my motivation, even when my eyes are hanging out of my head and I haven’t slept in weeks. Motivation can disappear when you become a parent. The motivation to eat right, exercise, dress nicely and brush your hair before you pull it back into a ponytail, all go right out the window, along with your shot glasses and dancing shoes.

I have started looking at what’s important to me. What matters the most. My health and my son’s health are top of the list. Providing a stable environment for the both of us and ensuring that we have fun are also right up there. This is what to consider when I am struggling to find the motivation to cook a healthy dinner instead of stopping at KFC. And when you are really struggling, or the task you are trying to get motivated to do is particularly unpleasant (cleaning the bathroom does it for me) then set yourself a time limit and reward yourself at the end. Go and get a facial after spending an hour at the gym. Buy a new dress once you’ve finally paid off your credit card (just make sure you do it with your own cash!).

{image souce}

Reminders are also a great tool with motivation. Hang your favourite dress that no longer fits on the front of your wardrobe door to remind you of what you are working so hard for. Stick a picture of your holiday destination on your wall so you know what you are saving for, and to help with temptation when you hear of a sale in your favourite store. When I worked I had photos of Master A stuck up inside my locker so that when I got to work and put my bag away I’d be reminded why I was there.

There are so many ways to help find the motivation to do what needs to be done. What do you do when you are lacking motivation? How do you find it again?