Do your New Year's resolutions feel like a distant memory? Perhaps you made an intention to practice yoga every day, start running, reignite your self-care routine, or cultivate a regular meditation practice. The dark, cold wintery days don't exactly make it easy to stick to intentions when hibernation mode kicks in and the snug warmth of your beds calls! And even as the springtime sunshine begins to warm our bones (and goodness knows they need it), we can still struggle to stay energised and inspired on a daily basis.
From tracking your progress to making sure you’re acting from a place of love instead of fear, read on for four effective ways to feel more motivated right now.
1) Track your progress
Having a sense of clarity about the path we’re on and the proximity to where we want to be can help keep up the momentum that encourages us to make positive decisions. Set specific, achievable goals for yourself, break them down into smaller tasks and then reward yourself when you achieve them. So every time you say you're going to eat healthy, nourishing food that day or you make the intention to sit and meditate for 10 minutes, congratulate yourself when you do and take stock!
2) Boost your dopamine levels
Dopamine is the hormone associated with drive, motivation, learning and curiosity. Healthy levels of dopamine encourage us to keep striving and stay focused, whilst low levels are often associated with lethargy and depression. Get plenty of bright natural morning light (get out there first thing!), exercise (a quick 5 minute routine is an amazing way to boost mood and dopamine levels), listen to music you enjoy, and meditate. These are all all science-approved mood boosters 😊
3) Surround yourself with positive influences
The energy that we surround ourselves with is more important than we realise. Every podcast you listen to, every conversation you have, every netflix series you watch has an impact on your mental state and the way you feel about life in general. Choose to tune into inspirational quotes, books, podcasts, or videos that motivate and uplift you. Spending time with people who bring joy to your life, rather than drain you is also essential if you want to stay energised.
4) Focus on the things you want, not the things you don't want
So often our minds fixate on unwanted things rather than the feelings and experiences we do want. When we act from a place of fear and scarcity, we experience a sense of contraction, anxiety and weakness. On the contrary, when we connect to love, the energy is expansive, positive and strong. It is important that we take action from a place of love and frame things in a positive light if we want a positive outcome. For example, rather than saying "I need to lose weight" why not say "I would love to feel more confident (or insert other positive feeling) in my own body" and imagine the way you will feel when you wear that new piece of clothing you've been coveting. Always move towards the positive rather than away from the negative.
Ultimately, staying motivated comes from the regular integration of a few healthy habits, rather than one big one because feeling successful is an important factor when it comes to cultivating positivity. So focus on some of these small, achievable steps and see how your energy and motivation expands!
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