Tips to escape the demotivation cycle
A client once confided to me that long to-do lists are both a blessing and a curse. Having visual proof that she’s busy and accomplishing something brings an indescribable high. On the other hand, not being able to check off the to-do’s of the day creates overwhelming stress and frustration like no other. Like my client and many others like her, I often hear, “I wish I could stop procrastinating and find motivation again to get things done.”
You see, motivation is tricky. It’s not always going to be there. No matter how great our goals are, there are days when we just don’t want to do things we need to do. There are moments when we just want to skip that workout routine. There are times we feel excited about an important project at first, then find ourselves setting the project aside and let go of pending deadlines over time.
When worse comes to worst, this lack of motivation can continue for days, ultimately affecting how we show up in our work, relationships, and other commitments.
How do we find motivation after feeling like we’re in a slump? How do we get motivated to do the things we love doing again?
The Root of demotivation
One of the things I believe about motivation is it is always connected with our heart’s creativity.
To illustrate, think about motivation as a new kindergarten student excited for the first day of school – giddy, energetic, excited to learn new things to the point that he’s almost jumpy.
But then, he meets a stern teacher, and he loses his smile.
He stumbles upon bullies – his excitement wavers.
He gets loaded up with things that he does not want to do – his eagerness to go back to school plummets.
The cause of demotivation does not come from simply “being tired” or “losing interest.” Here are the four things that can cause you to lose motivation.
You Deal with Naysayers A Lot.
Words are powerful — they can either build or destroy, so it’s no surprise how tactless discouragements can zap out your enthusiasm to do things. You understand fully well what it means to be bullied out of your goals, and the words and lack of belief in your capacity are slowly taking their toll.
You Don’t Get Enough Support.
You belong to a circle that doesn’t seem to believe in you. Or perhaps you’re a part of a group who has settled in the comfort zone that the possibility of you reaching big goals is hard for them to grasp. You are yearning for a circle that could fuel you up, but they seem to be out of reach.
You Set Overwhelming Goals.
In this age of fast-paced, must-have-it-now disposition, it’s hard to be patient. With everyone constantly on the sprint for the finish line, you feel like you’re late, and you need to keep up. So you set big, exhausting goals that can sometimes make you feel like you’re constantly chasing something without rest. It’s exhausting and is a main recipe for burnout. You don’t want to settle for less, so you take on tasks that take the happiness and satisfaction out of your journey.
You Don’t Find Passion In What You Do.
As I age, I realize that there’s truth in the adage, “Find a task that makes you feel happy, and you won’t ever feel like you’re working.” There’s happiness in doing something you love. Doing something that feels like an obligation can slowly make tasks a pain to do. When your soul does not get the chance to do the things that set it sparkling, motivation, creativity, and inspiration can dwindle.
How To Bring Back Motivation?
If you’re experiencing a loss of motivation, it helps to take the time to rest and give your mind, body, and soul a chance to breathe. When you’re ready to go back to the game, here are some tips to bring back motivation.
Reconnect With Yourself.
Ultimately, your greatest cheerleader will be yourself, so it is vital to reconnect with your inner voice. Once you listen to your inner voice, once you are reminded about the awesome things you can do, you can drown out the discouraging voices that bring you down. When you’re at peace with yourself and sure of yourself, you begin to develop that stamina to move forward despite naysayers.
Get Inspired By Others.
I love connecting with inspirational people in person and nowadays more often online. When I find myself straying to lazy bum lane, I’m a little old school and like to catch up with my favorite people, inspirational friends, and wholesome family members. But there’s also the world of social media where you can find thought-leaders or influencers and see what they’re up to. I also love reading inspirational stories. It simply gets me pumped up! And perhaps cut off people who drag you down to give yourself more space for people who inspire you and improve the way you see yourself. It’s YOUR life, YOUR journey.
Set Small, Achievable Goals.
If your goals become overwhelming, it’s time to create baby steps so you can set up micro-goals. The big picture can take our appreciation from the little successes. When we set small goals, we have the chance to feel a sense of accomplishment that can fuel us to do more and do better.
Celebrate Successes – Big Or Small.
Cheer for your achievements, no matter how small they may seem! Treat yourself to a favorite dessert, buy that dress, go for that pamper day! If there’s someone who shouldn’t forget to give yourself that happy tap on the back, it should be you.
Release The Pent Up Stress In Your Body.
Demotivation can have a deep, emotional cause – trauma, bullying, and constant criticisms shaping your own inner critic’s voice can be some of the factors. When we are emotionally downtrodden, our energy flow – the one that sparks creativity – can become blocked. No matter what we do — if we don’t heal our energy blocks — creativity and motivation can feel elusive.
Apart from getting relaxing, calming spa sessions, you can also try a Reiki healing session. Through a Reiki session, clunky, old energy blocks that weigh you down can be removed from your body through this form of safe, traditional practice of energy healing. When your energy flow is healthy and flowing smoothly, that light, excited, motivated feeling returns.
For those who have felt unmotivated for an extended period, an Intuitive Energy Healing session could be even more beneficial to you. Intuitive Energy Healing is a blend of safe, advanced energy healing practices that target releasing specific deep emotional roots, such as ones that have shaped your inner critic’s voice, for instance.
Both Reiki and Intuitive Energy Healing are forms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
Bringing back motivation into our lives can be a struggle, but it is possible — through small baby steps. When you feel a loss of motivation, take the time to rest, focus on yourself, let go of toxic relationships, and allow healing to fill you. You’ll be – once again – ready to take on the world!
