How Did You Get Off Track? How to Re-Motivate Yourself and Get Moving Again

Ok so you were doing great with that new routine, that new fitness regimen or that business plan for your new dream career.  And then…life showed up.  Things happened.  You got distracted. Or just tired.  We’ve all been there and so you’re never alone.  But what now?

First, start with kindness and compassion. There are very valid reasons why you fell off the horse, and the only way to get back on it is to feel strong enough to do so. You cannot shame yourself into being motivated and confident. You can, however, stop and take a look at what might be going on for you at the moment. Let’s talk about some of the common reasons why we lose motivation in the middle of the work.

One of the first areas to look at are your boundaries. You have external boundaries and internal ones. The external ones are the nouns that exists outside of you. Have you maybe started focusing on what other people need and putting a lot of your energy there instead of on your own goals? Maybe putting things on your plate to help others that now make it difficult for you to have time for you? Or perhaps asking for help with other things so you can have a chance to do the things you said were important to you.

The internal boundaries are your self-discipline. Did you get off track with that wonderful routine that allowed you to make efforts toward your goal? Have your old friends Procrastination and Perfectionism been resurfacing lately as you become anxious about taking risks and making the changes real? Or maybe by not practicing enough self-care to where you feel rested and grounded enough to do the work.  Sometimes we can “act out” to get the need of downtime met if we aren’t consciously making time for that when it’s more appropriate.  A perfect example of this staying up too late and not getting enough sleep, perhaps because you didn’t make time for goofing off or relaxation during the day.  So self-management is key if we want to sustain motivation when the shiny wears off.

Another area to check in with is your healthy support.  Perhaps you have not been connecting enough with those folks around you who not only lovingly support you, but nudge you when you get tired, get frustrated, we’re beginning to lose hope that you will ever see the finish line. It is so helpful to have this mirroring because when we’ve forgotten or cannot see how far we’ve come, what we have had to overcome go get where we are and how much we are growing and changing we may feel lost. Mirroring from others can help us feel more confident and motivated to continue accomplishing. Empowerment comes from doing. Empowerment comes from the proof that we have done this so we can do this and therefore we can do even more in the days to come.

So if you’re feeling a bit deflated and have fallen off course, take a moment and look into these areas with loving honesty, and take a few steps to get back on track.  It often doesn’t take much to get back there, as we feel energized just by taking stock and problem-solving because that in and of itself can renew hope.