10 Ways to Motivate Yourself

So you have set a new goal for yourself, or maybe you are wishing you could get back into a old habit... hello new years resolution for the sixth year in a row. When taking on the challenge to develop a new habit, get back in shape or take up a new hobby the most common sentence to leave anyones mouth is:

"I just can't find the motivation to do it"

Well after you read through my top 10 ways to motivate myself when it comes to working out out or tackling a new task maybe you will find some motivation to tackle your own.

1. Imagine your better self

You did not just wake up one day and say "I am going to start doing ____ because I have so much free time I better fill it". You likely decided to begin working out or to take up a new hobby because you want to better yourself. However you want to picture yourself after you stick to your new endeavour make sure you remind yourself often of this future self. For me I have a dream board and on that board I have pictures of my "fitness crushes" that way when I am not feeling motivated I can look at them and their bodies and it encourages me to get up.

2. Plan out time to accommodate your hobby

Holding yourself accountable is a huge first step in creating a new habit. Often it is a lot easier to take up a new habit by doing it at the same time everyday.. a habit takes 66 days to become an automatic response. I personally sit down every Sunday and look at my agenda for the upcoming week and decide what time I can make it to the gym each day and write it down under the appropriate space. Whatever makes you visually see your plan for a week do that. Some ideas are:

- Poster on your wall in your room

- Page on the wall in your office

- Calendar on the fridge

- Agenda

Whatever method you choose make sure you see the plan multiple times a day

3. Get Organized

Creating a new habit is not an easy task. It is especially not easy when your life is a mess 24/7. I am a visual person, I like seeing my day laid out in front of me (when I work, appointment times & locations etc). I even write girls night in my planner to remind myself what days I have made plans with my friends. But by keeping track of everything you need to get done day to day all the plans may seem less overwhelming and you will be able to see where in your schedule you can fit in your new hobby. Set a regimen - strive to wake up at the same time everyday, wash your face everyday, eat breakfast at the same time everyday. By doing these things you are installing extra habits you aren't even aware of but you are also eliminating stress on your body.

4. Find your "Why"

Everyone everywhere has tried a new habit because it seems cool or they would like to be known as someone who goes to the gym, eats clean, is a vegetarian.. whatever the habit may be. But not everything is going to be interesting to you. Knowing WHY you want to take up this new hobby is extreamly motivating in its own. I know I have related this article to the gym a lot (mainly because I have a lot of people saying they can't find the motivation to go or stay on track). But in regards to the gym knowing why you want to go everyday is extreamly important. That "why" is what is going to push you for the extra rep, it's going to haul you out of your warm bed on a winter morning. For me, my why is for a healthier mind and body. I know the appearance of my body to a lot of people is desirable and I do love the way I look... but that is not what gets me out of bed. Knowing that with every workout I put in I have reduced anxiety, I am reducing my risk of cardiovascular disease, reducing inflammation in my body these are some of the reasons that force me to go. The physical appearance is just an added bonus for me.

5. Set yourself up for success

If you know your a night owl, and mornings usually go something like mine where I sleep to the very last second I can, get up rush around and fly out the door within 15 minutes of my alarm going off set yourself up for a successful day the night before. Pre pack your lunch (Hello meal prep), put all the containers you need for the day together in the fridge so you just need to grab them and go, pack your gym bag or tools you need for your hobby the night before and leave them by the door or in your car. Set out your outfit for the morning at night so you aren't stuck having a break down of what to wear 2 minutes before you need to be at work. Simplify your morning as much as you can the night before. This will eliminate stress, you won't be rushing around & you will have everything you need to make sure you stick to your schedule and make it to your new hobby.

6. Stay the F%$k off social media.

This one is specifically for my new or returning gym goers. By spending your time looking at social media, at everyones "best self" you are not appreciating what your body is doing. Not to mention people who post their progress on social media have already been invested in bettering their bodies for a while in order to have a transformation picture... By all means have dreams of what you want your physique to look like. Cheer your friends and peers on as they travel their own path of success but never discourage yourself or hate your body because it doesn't look like the person who is 15 years into their gym journey. You will get to your best self at your own pace. You will see your own progress - just stay focused.

7. Learn to love yourself, Today.

This is something I have struggled with myself. I have an unhealthy relationship with food - I binge eat treats and say "tomorrow I wont eat poorly because they will be gone if I eat them all today". I have learned to stop bringing the treats in the house to eliminate this but every time I binge ate the sweets I would hate my body. I just want to be a lean bean and today I look like a beached whale this is not cute. But learning to love your body every step of the way makes your journey much more enjoyable. For a second just take in what your body does for you everyday.. right now your lungs are effortlessly pumping oxygen to your blood which is delivering it to LIVE cells in your body. This is all happening while you read my blog and you aren't even realizing it. So you had one bad day of eating, one bad day in the gym or one bad day in general where you fell off the wagon. Tomorrow get up - reprioritize your goals Remind yourself of your WHY and try again. Don't hate yourself for your slip up instead try again.

8. Surround yourself with alike people.

You know that person in the gym that is just a monster, everything about their body is what you want for yourself or the person in the classroom that is so smart you don't even know why they are here because they already know everything.. be friends with that person. More importantly if you are truly committed to your new hobby eliminate the friends that are not supporting you. If after you break to your friend circle that you are going to try and become a vegetarian and every weekend they are inviting you to the local smokehouse and BBQ chances are you won't stick to being vegetarian very long. But if you start going to local cooking classes for vegetarians all the people in your class are vegetarian or trying to be like yourself - be friends with these people they will hold you accountable when you can't hold yourself accountable. I always strive to talk to the person in the gym that scares the fak out of me, I learn so much in one conversation with them and then I have a new friendly face in the gym for the days following our first encounter. Ultimately your environment dictates your success so choose it wisely.

9. Listen to motivational speeches or read self help books.

Y'all I am not kidding. No one wants to admit they need help but somehow in some way you do. Even just to humble yourself read a book about bettering yourself or mindset. I have the best lifts or productive days after I listen to a motivational playlist. I have put a list of playlists or speeches that have fired me up below as well as books I have read that are incredible.

Speeches:

1. Motivational Speeches: The best motivational speeches (Spotify)

2. The Secret to Self-Motivation | One of the Best Speeches Ever

3. Best Motivational Speech Ever: Secrets to Success, How Bad Do you Want it [Full Speech]

Books:

1. You are a Badass (I have gifted this book like 15 times. Everyone needs it)

2. The subtle art of not giving a F*ck

3. You are not that great

10. Fake it until you make it

Sounds crazy but you have spent who knows how long telling yourself "tomorrow i'm going to the gym" and then you never do. Repeatedly feeding yourself these thoughts creates a habit just like repeatedly going to the gym creates a habit. So no matter what - Never say you are going to do something and not do it. If you know tomorrow you aren't going to the gym then tomorrow don't go to the gym but the minute you say tomorrow I am going to the gym you better lace your runners because you are going to the gym. Feed your brain with positive thoughts after all it is our brain we need to convince we can do something, our body is already capable. Our brains are wired in a way to protect us - to prevent injury to be the devil on your shoulder telling you to not do something. Although this might be a good quality to have before you make the choice of jumping out a moving car.. it is not what we want our brain telling us while taking up a new habit. The reason your brain is saying don't go to the gym, don't sign up for that kickboxing class is because you have told yourself multiple times "I can't go to the gym I don't know what I am doing" "I don't want to embarrass myself" the minute you say "I am going to the gym" is when that portion of the brain kicks in trying to protect you because you have told it the gym is bad and is going to injure your body or ego. Really your brain is holding you back - so when it comes to taking up your new hobby you need to pretend you know what you are doing. Ignore that voice, hold your head up and do that squat. I promise once you start seeing changes in your body your mind will start telling you "Lets go to the gym"

That is all for today peeps!

- Ash