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Have you ever felt that frustration of not being where you want to be or doing what you want to do in life? It’s seriously annoying. Am I right?
You may have a desire to do something great with your life, but you completely lack the motivation needed to move forward. And momentum? Ha! No momentum can be built without motivation to take action. So you just sit there. Stuck. Frustrated.
So what do you do?
Stimulate Your Motivation Muscle
How do you take the action steps that stimulate your motivation muscle and establish the momentum that propels you forward?
I’m going to go ahead and tell you, I’ve never been a fan of the phrase “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” (I seriously would like to see someone do that one day, though). However, the concept behind it is what I’d like to consider for a moment.
So often we rely on others to mend us, heal us, teach us, encourage us, and root for us. We don’t stop to realize that the best person for that job might just be us. You. Yourself. All you, baby!
Accept Your Hero Status
When you can accept yourself as the hero of your own life, you rule your domain, Queen!. Sure, it’s easy to be affected by others’ thoughts, words, and actions (or lack thereof) in a negative way and we all face situations that are out of our control, but we all have the power within us to take charge of our lives and get ourselves back on track.
Sometimes we just need a reminder that we can do it. If that’s what you need today, let this be your reminder. You. Can. Do it.
Taking Steps Toward Authentic Motivation and Momentum
If you have no clue where to start and you’ve never done this for yourself, here are a few steps to consider taking in order to get yourself on the path toward the future you want to create for yourself:
1. Stop. Stop dreaming, thinking, doing, striving, chasing, moving - stop everything. Just be for a few moments. Linger there. Take some time to allow your body, mind, and soul to rest. This is not laziness or giving up on a dream. This is simply fueling up for the journey and recuperating from the intense energy that life can have sometimes. It is you being proactive and pausing to initiate self-healing. It can be as simple as taking a walk in nature and taking more notice of how the trees are swaying, the birds are playing, or the frogs are croaking. Watch, listen and be still. If the weather isn’t optimal for getting outside, take a nap or just sit where you are, close your eyes and count to 100.
2. Engage your breath. If you have to put a reminder on your phone that alerts you every couple of hours to remind you to “Just Breath,” do it! No shame here - that’s what I do when I need to be reminded of something like drinking more water or repeating an affirmation (and I love it). When that reminder goes off, close your eyes and take several long, deep cleansing breaths. Allow yourself to disengage from your stress and engage the energy of peace. Peace is like a muscle. Exercise it to make it grow.
3. Clarify your vision. Ask yourself a few clarifying questions. What really makes you feel alive? What do you love doing? What activity makes you feel inspired? What do you really want your life to look like? Sometimes, it takes a long walk, spending some time in meditation and reflection, or time in nature (as mentioned in step 1) to really dig into these things and figure out where we want to drive this train. However, brainstorming and journaling can also be super helpful in restoring clarity when we fully let our thoughts and feelings flow onto paper. For those who don't enjoy writing, typing out your thoughts can work just as well.
4. Turn on the light. What lights you up (you know, those things in life that make you feel alive, invigorated, and in your “sparkle zone” where you are completely in alignment)? Do you enjoy art, writing, serving others, being a good listener, or making a positive difference in the lives of others? Are there any of these things you can begin doing now to raise your level of joy and creativity? Share your magic! Even something as small as a kind hearted smile can spread joy and help to raise the vibe of a stranger you pass on the street. Light your own sparkle then share it!
5. Don’t sweat it. Offer yourself grace as you take these steps. Rushing won’t help. Perfection isn’t the goal. Allowing yourself the space and time to fully “come about” in a natural, loving way is the best way to jump-start your progress and make it long-lasting. Let it begin with peace. Extending love, acceptance and compassion toward yourself for wherever you are in your journey will create a higher vibration for your goals and manifestations moving forward. Create an energy of love and squash that energy of self-criticism.
Breaking the Habit of Borrowed Motivation
Once you have gained some peace, clarity and gotten in touch with your sparkle, you might find that natural, unbridled enthusiasm within you that can instinctively build your motivation and momentum in a way that is right for you. You’ll find more satisfaction in your life when you are living in your own sparkle and are propelled forward by your own authentic motivation instead of attempting to motivate yourself with someone else’s motives. Authentic momentum and motivation based on grace, compassion, acceptance and self-love are important keys for manifesting your dreams and desires.
And one more time for the people in the back…
You. Can. Do it.
Christy Edwards is an Intuitive Life Coach and a Certified Emotion Code Practitioner. She is a wife, mom and snuggle buddy to her goofy pup, Royal. As a self-proclaimed "Sparkle Specialist," she loves inspiring other women to bravely tackle their mindset, self-sabotage and inner obstacles so they can unleash their sparkle and magic into this world that desperately needs it.
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