4 Powerful Steps to feel Motivated and Inspired.

Let's face it, we all need a healthy dose of inspiration and motivation to keep moving forward towards our goals. Achieving our goals, within our personal and working lives takes time, effort and consistent action and certainly can be a big challenge when we feel unfocused and overwhelmed.

When we feel like this, everything can seem like an uphill struggle and the way forward can seem very obscure. However what we can learn is that the longer we allow ourselves to dwell in this place of inaction and despondency , the less and less motivated we can become.

In recent years, I have found the the best solution is to take the following 4 steps.

Step 1 - Acknowledge that these unmotivated feelings and thoughts, are simply that, just feelings and thoughts. This helps to separate us from the feelings and thoughts and reminds us that we have choices about how we continue to feel and to think. We may also find it helpful to remind ourselves that all feelings and thoughts come and go.

Step 2 - The practice of watching our thoughts and noticing the feelings that arise, can be strengthened by practicing mindfulness daily. Begin by sitting comfortably and bring your attention to your breathing, noticing the mind wandering and bringing it back, firmly but gently.Next, bring your attention to your thoughts, watching your thoughts, simply noticing that they are present in our mind, and watching them as they come and go. The opposite of watching thoughts is to engage with them. We engage with thoughts by trying to understand them, respond to them, change them, judge them or react to them in any way. By engaging, reacting and responding to our thoughts, especially when they are negative this can create more tension, and deeper feelings of despondency and upset.

Step 3 - Try replacing "I am unmotivated/ I am uninspired, with, “I feel unmotivated right now,” or "I feel uninspired in this moment and that's ok" Being gentle and non-judgemental with yourself is a key step in moving away from being stuck.

Step 4 - Write down one small goal to complete in the nest hour. Start to take baby steps towards this goal. With each baby step a new pathway will unfold and further inspiration and motivation will follow.

Remember, no matter how despondent, unmotivated and uninspired you are feeling, there is light at the end of that tunnel and to glimpse the light you have to TAKE ACTION.
This seems counter-intuitive, but I promise you it is so powerful and before you know it the inspiration will follow.

I'd love to know if this has helped you and if you managed to take action, even if they were baby steps. Remember slow and steady wins the race!