Maintaining your motivation

By Claire Wright

Everyone is worthy of existing and taking a break. Breathing room and giving yourself rest and recreation is one way to stay your most motivated.

At the end of the day when you close your eyes, where do you want to be? What do you want to do with your time here?

These questions are hard to think about, but keeping them near the front of your mind will help guide you in the direction of how you want to live your life.

Whether you want to further your career or you want to dive headfirst into your hobby, you want to make sure you’re not filled with regret when you near life’s finish line.

Base goals on what you want, not on what you think you should want

Often times, our loved ones pressure you into goals that aren’t necessarily what we want. You have to make sure that the goal that you set for yourself is one that you want to attain.

Just because your grandad always wanted you to be a doctor doesn’t mean you have to be.

If you’re going to spend all this energy going after something, make sure it’s something you want, that’ll make you fulfilled and happy.

Break down your goal into manageable tasks

When you look at what you want to accomplish, sometimes the whole idea can seem insurmountable. However, nothing is ever built overnight.

Breaking down what you want to do into smaller tasks with deadlines will help you accomplish them since they won’t feel so unachievable.

Balancing work, relationships and social obligations, as well as your personal goals can be a daunting task.

Combine that with the wonders of the internet and Netflix at your fingers, and it’s a wonder that anything gets done.

Before delving into how to stay motivated and focused, it’s important to note that you as a person are not defined by your productivity or how well you accomplish your personal goals.

For example, if you want to start playing the piano, start out with the goal that you’ll learn a few chords to start with. That way they can add up, and when you look back, you’ll see you actually accomplished a lot.

Share your goal with others

Share what you’re doing with a few loved ones to keep yourself accountable. Telling them you’re starting your novel is one way to make it a tangible thing – by saying you’re going to do something, you have already put the wheels into motion.

That way, they can also check in with you and keep you motivated. Positive reinforcement always trumps negative reinforcement.

Look to others that do what you love

Seeing the skill and artistry others have accomplished is a great way to stay hungry for your goal and give you something to strive for.

For example, if you want to start roller skating, viewing YouTube videos of people doing different styles of roller skating you’re interested in – jam skating, skate park skating or roller derby – can motivate you to work harder.

Be careful not to compare yourself to others. Everyone works at their own pace, and just because you’re not at someone else’s level yet doesn’t mean you’re bad at what you do. Keep at it!

At the end of the day, we all want to live a life we can be proud of. Taking tangible steps, even small ones, towards the life we want is a sure-fire way to be more satisfied with our place on earth.

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Even the most optimistic people can use a mood boost every once in a while. Taking an extra moment for yourself will make your day brighter and give you a healthier outlook on life.

Here are 10 simple ways you can bring a little happiness into your life right now:

1

Go for a walk

Just a little bit of exercise can boost your mood and give you a fresh perspective on problems that have been bothering you.