Find the Motivation to Start Doing
What drives you? What are the things that push you to behave in positive ways even when you don’t feel like it? The things in your life that get you going, even when lethargy, anxiety, sadness, and overall discomfort arise?
Look, we all do things that we don’t feel like doing. Do you always feel like going to work, or the gym, or the in-law’s Holiday party? Likely not, but you do it. It’s because you care about something more than being uncomfortable or tired. You value something more which helps drive you. At times, if those values are not in the forefront of our minds, our emotions tend to take the driver’s seat and direct where we go.
Once you become aware of your true values you can use them as a tool to push through discomfort and reach your goals by taking committed actions in line with your values.
I’ve spoken to people who go through traumatic events, such as motor vehicle accidents. In their minds, vehicles are dangerous and something that needs to be avoided at all costs. The best way for them to challenge those thoughts of danger is to experience the vehicle in safe ways. However getting into any type of vehicle is incredibly difficult, uncomfortable, and anxiety provoking. Finding the motivation to overcome those emotions is challenging. But let’s say a person’s family lives a two-hour drive away and since the traumatic incident they stop visiting them. Do these people now value being comfortable over their family? Likely not. But is that what their behaviors are saying? Helping people in this situation prioritize their values over emotions is an incredible motivator.
So what do you care about more than being comfortable? What are your values? If you have a goal or habit you’d like to achieve, engage with the meaning behind it. Write a list down and keep it near you. When you find your mind coming up with rationalizations for why not to do something, which it will, reference your values and remember that our emotions influence our behaviors, but they certainly do not control them.
Unwind From the Chaos: A Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness Meditation for Stress Relief
Research increasingly supports the effectiveness of mindfulness for stress reduction. Mindfulness focuses on self-management and empowering an individual to manage their own stress. So, how can mindfulness meditation help with stress, and what are the best ways to get started with your own practice? Let’s dive in.
How Do I Establish Healthy Boundaries
We often talk about setting healthy boundaries in the workplace, in relationships, with technology, and with ourselves. But what is a healthy boundary, why should you have them for your mental health, and what’s the best way to establish healthy boundaries? Let’s dive in.
Millennials in Crisis: Survey Finds 81% Can’t Afford a Midlife Crisis
Are Millennials a generation in crisis? Millennials are aging. The oldest in the generation is now 43, and the youngest is now 28. With age comes wisdom, but it also often leads to regret, nostalgia, and introspective questions about where people are in life. With the generation quickly approaching “middle age,” many are starting to feel these pressures.
What Are Practical Strategies for Managing Depression?
The number of U.S. adults who have been diagnosed with depression is on the rise, with young adults and women experiencing the most significant increases. We know that the effects of depression can ripple through every aspect of your life.