Having & Keeping Motivation in 4 Steps

By Brittany Prijatel, Sports Psychology Consultant

Motivation comes and goes, but one thing to remember is that it is possible to cultivate motivation. You can find and create motivation even when you are feeling unmotivated.

 As we move forward into the new year, we are at the height of personal change as well as establishing new routines.

Here are 4 tips to keep in mind as we approach all the changes that we are looking to incorporate into our life.

Tip #1: Identify Your Goal, Start Small and Make it Easy

It is very easy to get into a pattern of trying to change everything all at once. As easily we get into that pattern, the easier we tend to become overwhelmed. If we have a goal to exercise more start by getting to the gym one day a week not 5 days for three hours each day. Start with a goal that is attainable and make it easy to take the next action to acheive your goal.  You can learn more about achieving goals here.

Tip #2: Celebrate the Small Wins

When we say small we mean every win! When we focus in on the small wins that we achieve throughout the day, it is begging that our attention continues to shift to things for us to celebrate. It is as simple as making time to eat breakfast or make lunch plans with a friend. Focusing and celebrating each win makes every day better by increasing gratitude, which has been shown to increase our level of joy.

Tip #3: Stay Connected & Choose To Be Present 

Each time we take on a new venture, continue to connect with individuals in your family, community, or network so that you can reach out with questions, ask for feedback, and seek help/resources. When we are attaining our goals, falling short, or revamping our goals, staying connected is important because our connections become a strong foundation for support.

Tip #4: Give Yourself Permission to Create Something Better  

Give yourself permission to engage in activities or surround ourselves with things to create a better situation. Sometimes when our day is not going as planned we can trace it back to a bad couple of hours. In those moments, we do not give ourselves permission to change our mood. Whether it is going for a walk outside or watching a funny video clip or connecting with a friend asking about their day, you can use anything that works for you that can help you change your mood. You can make a list of things that help you feel better when you are in a good mood and then when you are in a bad mood to use as needed.  These may seem like small things, but these small things are actions we can take to prepare ourselves for these moments, and to create something better.

Overall, motivation can be strung together with the formation of these little habits. When we are working to cultivate a positive mindset, we emphasize that we always have a choice. We understand that success is not measured by the amount of hardship someone endures but by how they respond to that hardship. We want you to know that you can choose each moment, and you can be more empowered to have and live a better life. Similar to during treatment you are faced with difficult tasks, but you are the one that pushes through it piece by piece. In one week we can make differences

We understand that success is not measured by the amount of hardship someone endures but by how they respond to that hardship. We want you to know that you can choose each moment, and you can be more empowered to have and live a better life. Similar to during treatment you are faced with difficult tasks, but you are the one that pushes through it piece by piece. In one week, we can make differences in the brain, and that leads us to believe that in one moment you can create motivation, and you can take actions to make your life better right now.