It’s easy to get into the apathetic spiral, to procrastinate and make up excuses. You fail at something a couple of times; a new project is not working; your career becomes boring; you begin to avoid difficult tasks in your life; you feel overwhelmed and slowly lose interest. All of a sudden, your Motivation and inner drive disappears and it begins to feel impossible to get going again. It happens to all of us.

Normally, I just do whatever has to be done to get through the day, with little or no interest. Every project or task set upon me is met with a ‘yeah, whatever’. It can be so, so easy to fall into the trap of feeling deflated when things have not gone my way.

Feeling low or dwelling on the problem solves nothing — we all know that. You just feel worse and ultimately even less motivated. I find that the more aware, mindful and in the moment I am, the faster I am able to steer my actions and regain motivation and control over my routine. (Good Life Habits)

Here is my list of starting points (you may only need 1 or 2) to help nudge yourself along and get back your groove:

1. Talk to a fun, happy, positive person who gets you – their energy will flow onto you and they will lift you higher.
2. Realise how lucky you really are and stop complaining to others or yourself… practice some gratitude. (Simple Things)
3. Get away from your computer and force yourself to go to that social event, a walk, play with your dog or have a proper conversation with your kids.
4. Take small steps — the most important thing is to get going again to build your momentum back and remember your passions.
5. Read, listen or watch something positive each day — I like to listen to a good podcast to renew my motivation, it feeds my mind with positive energy.
6. Play music that provides you with a positive oomph that will inspire you.
7. Only compare yourself to yourself — be accepting and acknowledge where you are at.  (Uniqueness)
8. Keep away from social media and all that crap that you may you not have been included in, remind yourself what is really important in your life. Don’t let the pixies in your head take over.
9. Remind yourself what you are working towards and the important things in your life. (Keep Dreaming)
10. Leave a nice message for yourself and place it in your wallet. (Self Talk)
11. Always look at the positive that will come out of the situation.
12. Declutter — throw a few things out, or give them away.
13. Exercise – even if it’s a brief walk, it will be enough to get your heart rate up and feel more positive.
14. Keep your routine, habits and patterns going — consistency is key. (Good Life Habits)
15. Act happy and wear your favorite outfit — focus on things that promote a positive self-image.
16. Do some planning and goal setting — place a few things in the calendar to look forward to.

Achieving your goals is not just a matter of having discipline, it’s a matter of motivating yourself, and motivation starts and ends with a decision (Mental Strength). Remember that your thoughts are in your control. It’s up to you to get into the pattern of focus and back into the mood for positive change. Take a big breath, dig deep… and overcome the hurdles you need to. I encourage you to step up and try one or two of these tips to move forward.

There will still be many days where it will seem tough, but don’t forget about the things that make you happy. Those people that seem consistently motivated are not special. They have simply chosen better habits, thoughts and patterns in their day. Sometimes, no matter how experienced we are or how much we have accomplished, we can all use a little motivational help to keep going. The first step is to really look inside your mind and see what you are thinking, and to ask yourself why. Because what’s going on inside your mind is what will determine how you feel, and your feelings become your decisions.

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