Any new self-care routine, practice, or form of cross-training is always super exciting, at first. We find ourselves eager to jump out of bed and roll out our yoga mats, lace up our running shoes, or light some incense and sit on our meditation cushions. But, once the newness wears off, finding that motivation to keep showing up can be challenging. So how do we continue to stay motivated??
Well, I’m by no means an expert on this topic as I, like most humans, tend to lose my motivation fairly quickly (ie: regularly writing articles, newsletters, working on my cardio, etc., etc.), but it has been my goal for this winter season (our busy season here in Rincon) to stay committed to my self-care practices and wellness goals. Below are a few tips that have been working for me, so I thought I’d share some of them with you!
Visualize your greatness… Regularly. Before getting out of bed visualize your day. See yourself completing all of your tasks, rocking your workout, making time for your practice, feeling gratitude, walking around confidently, speaking your truth, living as only you can... Visualize the greatest version of yourself moving through your day, and let your routine or practice or training be a part of that visualization. Then, get up and do the damn thing! A day full of possibility awaits you.
Remind yourself how good you will feel once it’s done. Whether it’s a happy, feel-good song as your alarm to get you pumped, or Post-It notes full of affirmations sprinkled around your home, or dream boards and photos or support in the form of a friend… Find those things or people that will remind you why you should show up, even when you feel a little less than motivated.
Give yourself permission to take breaks. Sometimes stepping back reminds us how much our practice or training or self-care routine supports us in living our best lives. Stepping away for a brief break can create space for a shift in perspective, a spark of gratitude, and can refuel your motivation to re-commit. Keep in mind that balance and accountability within these breaks are crucial - don’t let the break linger on for too long!
Make the time. This alone has created the biggest shift for me. Having the time will forever be an excuse. It’s up to you to make the time in your day for your practice, self-care routine, or training. This is a huge part of the accountability thing I mentioned in the paragraph above.
What works for me?? Well those who know me best know that I need some order and organization, and the past few years my greatest tool has been my daily planner (I’m a big fan of using the Passion Planner, my mom gets me one each year for Christmas and I absolutely love it!). I like to sit down and fill in a rough schedule of my week (I say “rough” because ya gotta be open to things changing, and they will!). First I write in when I work or teach, any commitments or meetings I have planned, and then I schedule in my self-care time and workouts, and of course, I’m always trying to schedule around waves and predicted swells (I know surfers will feel me on this!). I like writing things down in my planner because it holds me accountable, and it feels good when I cross ‘em out and check ‘em off. But experiment, and find something that works for you!Set weekly, achievable goals. It feels good to have goals to work towards. It feels even better to achieve those goals. And sometimes that tangible progress is exactly the motivator we need to keep coming back. But again, let them be bite-sized, achievable goals. Recognize that the small goals will eventually add up to the big goals... So maybe it's practicing yoga for 10 minutes every day, or CrossFit 3x a week, or running an extra half mile, or maybe sitting for 5 minutes longer in your meditation… Create goals that take you a step or two past your edge, then go crush ‘em!
Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. We are all, after all, only human. We have our good days and our not-so-good days. Life can take us on some crazy adventures that can affect our physical, mental, and emotional bodies. If you’re not feeling 100% allow yourself to adjust your practice or workout as needed. Just commit to showing up as you are, not as you think you should be.
Like I said before, I’m by no means a sports psychologist or an expert on staying motivated, but from my experience, I’ve found that the moments where I feel the motivation beginning to wane are usually some of the most pivotal moments for my growth. It’s easy to give up. It’s comfortable to stay within your “limits.” But our ability to show up, even when we don’t really feel like it, is what will take us from ordinary to extraordinary. Showing up is the commitment that it takes to experience physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual growth.
What are your thoughts on this topic?? How do you stay motivated to keep showing up?? I’d love to hear in a comment below.