How to Build Motivation to Change Your Life
How Can I Motivate Myself?
We are all growing and expanding ourselves, all the time. Some of us, however, are intent on doing so on purpose, and we search for any and all information we can put our hands on to help in our path of self improvement.
When we want to change our lives to the better, it is usually because we believe it will lead us to a happier and more successful life. However, that is not enough reason to build and keep motivation. And, if we are intent on pursuing a life of self-improvement, we need motivation to push us through the challenges that will surely come our way.
Why is it Important to Have Motivation to Change Your Life?
When you are motivated while working towards a set of goals you want to achieve, it makes it all much easier. You have more focus and concentration on the tasks at hand, and you stay positive despite the setbacks. Also, when you are able to keep self motivated, you will see creative solutions you might not have considered if you were not as determined to achieve the results you are aiming towards. This leads to more productivity and positive results.
But, How Can I Keep Self Motivated?
At first, it is usually easier when you have just made up your mind. You set a goal for yourself and started on the path to reach it. You’re motivated to leave your current situation behind (that you don’t want anymore). You can’t wait to become the successful person you envision, with your goal in your hands. Your desire is crystal clear. You start working towards your dreams full steam. Just like all the people that join the gym in January after making their new year’s resolutions.
However, just like the people at the gym, a few weeks in and you are not feeling as motivated anymore. You feel the weight of the effort it takes. It is just too outside your comfort zone, and you slide back into your old ways.
If that’s ever happened to you (not necessarily the gym example), here are some self motivation techniques to boost the motivation you need to change your life.
Watch What You Eat
And no, this is not related to your physical health goals specifically. Turns out your diet has a big impact on your mood. Eating a healthy and balanced diet can help you boost and keep your motivation. First, it impacts your energy, and if you’re feeling tired how do you think you’ll keep your motivation up? Right if you said not very well.
Second, when you eat and what you nourish your body with makes a difference. Skipping meals or eating at irregular times will deplete your body from the steady energy it needs to keep operating at optimum efficiency, and make your motivation fluctuate too as a result.
Nutrients you should be focusing on are: foods with Vitamin B6, such as salmon, spinach, avocado and turkey; with Iron, such as spinach (again!), read meat, pork, poultry, cashews, lentils (and other legumes) and seafood, and with Vitamin C (which increases iron absorption), such as acerola, sweet yellow peppers, kale and kiwi.
Watch Who and What You Surround Yourself with
You’ve heard the saying before: you are the average of the five people you surround yourself with. Make sure these are people who are encouraging, positive, and inspiring people.
And as we at Blissful Road highly recommend, surrounding yourself with positive objects to inspire, motivate, and bring you joy on a daily basis is also a great idea to keep your motivation up and steady!
Follow a Just-Right Plan
Determine what goals you have, break them down into smaller goals, reward yourself at each step. Celebrate, recognize and appreciate. Rinse and repeat. Establish habits and routines that support your daily tasks. Ask for help if you are stuck (I cannot stress this enough). You’re not supposed to go it alone. Get an accountability partner/buddy.
If you want to keep motivation to change your life, you need goals that are neither too easy nor extremely challenging. Otherwise, you’ll quickly get discouraged. Make your steps just right for the level you’re at. Reassess if you notice they are becoming easier with time.
Have Role Models
Having someone to look up to and get inspired by is always a great motivator. Whether it’s someone you know personally or a famous person, it is a great thing to have that role model who has achieved what you want to achieve. It shows you it is possible if you are willing to do the work. And I’d say it is mostly internal, mindset work.
Keep Focused
One way of keeping focused is to eliminate distractions and interruptions. If you are in the middle of a task that requires your full attention (like me, for example, writing this article now), make sure you eliminate disruptions that could break your concentration. I usually let family members know I’m not available for a period of time, and turn off my cell phone notifications. I’ve actually turned off all my cell phone notifications years ago, with the exception of calls and a few family members texts. It was one of the best things I’ve done to improve my productivity and concentration at work!
There are more ideas we could add but found these to be the core techniques to keep motivated. Hopefully, they will give you enough inspiration to continue following the blissful road to your dreams, and never give up! As long as you are moving forward a little bit every day, you are on the right path! Remember to be kind with yourself and that you are worth it. Your dreams are never beyond what you deserve and they want you just as much as you want them. A little bit of mindset work goes a long way!
