"Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Luke 12:25. That was Jesus Speaking to his disciples a very long time ago. As someone who does plenty of worrying and stressing over the smallest things, I think about that scripture often. I don't just stress, I get so consumed by stress and worry that when something more significant happens in my life, it's overwhelming. I feel like I can't handle it. But let's face it, that is exhausting. I'm learning how I can pull myself out of that. I've come up with 4 techniques that keep me from falling off the wagon, and I think they can help you too.
1. Mindset
Spending time with God and having a thankful attitude can transform your mindset going into your day. Always start your day by praying. I know when times are very difficult, I feel like I just need someone to talk to. What better someone to talk to than my creator? Lay your problems out for God and pray for guidance.
Learn to practice gratitude in every moment. It might sound cliche, but its something that doesn't come easy in the beginning. Learning to be genuinely thankful in the smallest moments of every day can change your mindset in a big sense. Start by writing down 3 things every morning. You need to recognize that you are blessed. Not every day of our lives is going to be fantastic! I get it... But I promise, there is always going to be something good in every day. You just have to realize it. Look for it.
Recognize your blessings, otherwise, you're going to miss them completely.
2. Have a Routine & A Plan
You need to have a day to day routine in place, and you need to stick to it. If what you are going through, has caused you to stray away from your daily routine, then you have really fallen off the wagon. Get out of bed! Go make yourself a cup of coffee, eat a healthy breakfast! For goodness sake, brush your hair! Do not get so consumed by this hard thing you are enduring, that you lose your will to participate in life. The world does not stop turning because of what you are going through. Why should you stop? Keep your daily self-care routine in place even if that is the only thing you feel able to do.
Staying motivated in difficult times can be a tough thing. It's easy to become overwhelmed when we are stressed or worried. You need to feel accomplished. Feeling like I'm accomplishing and staying on top of things is one of my favorite feelings!
- Start by setting a short-term goal for yourself to accomplish that day. Pick 3 small things you know can be done easily with little effort. Make sure that even if you don't do anything else, you MUST do those 3 things. Keep those goals in the back of your mind.
- Next, write down a to-do list and incorporate your goals, along with everything else you need to get done. Again, this to-do list needs to be realistic. If you are already intimidated just by looking at your plan for the day, then you need to simplify.
- Finally, tackle the smallest tasks first, and celebrate them. Even if it is something as simple as folding one load of laundry, celebrate that as a victory. Why? Because getting anything accomplished means you are winning. Those small victories are going to motivate you to tackle whatever is next on your to-do list.
More than likely, by the end of your day, you will have accomplished so much more than just your 3 short-term goals. But even if you didn't get anything else done but those, you will still have accomplished something. This trick has helped me, not only in my tough times, but I do this every day! It helps me stay focused without getting discouraged.
3. Be Positive
Doing positive things, being with positive people, taking in positive information are all great ways to get motivated and to feel happier in general. This might sound like another cliche thing we have all heard so many times, but surround yourself with positivity!
- Take a break from your phone. Put your electronics on lockdown for at least one day.
- Spend time outside, and get some fresh air. Sitting on the porch with my coffee in the early morning is crazy therapeutic for me. The birds are singing, the air is fresh and cool... I think my coffee even tastes better when I'm drinking it outside!
- Speak to others as of their spirits are extremely fragile. Imagine the person you are speaking to is going through something difficult or similar to you because chances are, they are! Speak with extra kindness.
- Listen to music and dance! This is not only fun, but it also works! I'm a stay at home mom, and I spend most of my day cleaning, cooking, and doing housework. But I always make an effort to do something to make my toddler's day FUN. I'm a firm believer that kids need to have fun to thrive! And I think the same thing goes for adults too. My daughter's favorite thing to do is dance together, so I will turn on a happy song and we will dance to the whole thing through and through. We do this every day. Not only does she love it, but it makes me feel great too.
- Take in positive and encouraging information. Stop listening to sad music and watching Dr. Phil... How depressing! Listen to upbeat music or motivational podcasts. Read the Bible. Read self-development books. Do things that are going not going to bring you down.
4. Laugh
Don't just smile, laugh! At everything. Laugh when you want to cry. Laugh when you want to yell at your kids. Start trying to find humor in any situation. There is no reason to push through your life taking everything seriously all the time. When my daughter was a few months old, I was finally getting over postpartum depression. One night I was watching an episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S with my husband, and we were belly laughing it was so funny. I remember him looking at me and saying "Its nice to hear your laugh again". I realized that was something I had been missing from my life for so long. I had the ability all along, but not the realization, that I needed to let loose, and stop taking everything so seriously. Being able to laugh is a confirmation to yourself that everything is going to be okay. If you are able to laugh through some of your worst and toughest times, you are proving to yourself how strong you are! You are showing yourself that things are getting better.
I hope you found this motivational guide helpful. Remember to start every day with a thankful mindset. Stay on a routine, and practice self-care. Have a plan and a goal for you to focus on. And don't forget to let loose and laugh! Maybe you are going through a divorce, maybe you are having a hard time reaching a goal, or maybe you are battling with something internally like depression. Whatever it may be, don't focus on how much more there is to endure. Rest your mind in how far you have come. If you liked this, share this with someone you think needs to be motivated and encouraged through their difficult time.
Subscribe here to see similar posts in your inbox!
Comments
Post a Comment