Self motivation is finding a way of transforming the energy within into energy without, allowing for one to accomplish difficult tasks, or express ideas more thoroughly.(courtesy of Wikipedia)

     This is the the time of year when people feel most tired and harried.  A large number of people who have  made "resolutions" have either given up or are finding it extremely difficult to stay motivated due to a lack of energy and the inability to focus.  There are many forms of motivation but the most important is Self Motivation. We use it sometimes to get out of a warm bed in the morning, finish a particularly tedious chore or project at work, or get us through an exercise session.  Here are some things you can do to keep yourself motivated and moving in that forward direction.

• Acknowledge your success thus far. Do you take time to stop and reflect on your current successes? Or do you always look at your failures? Take an hour or so once a week just to think about everything you’ve already accomplished. This might motivate you more than anything else will!

          Steve from Vertical Horizons and On the Trail of Alaska, has begun an exercise log to recognize his ongoing successes in his fitness goals.  I keep a running log to keep track of my exercise sessions and any advances I may make. I have also started a "Race Completed" list as a reminder to get out there and make the list longer.

• Make it fun. Dull, boring tasks can be very hum-drum and leave you devoid of motivation. Spice up your tasks by throwing in some fun and you’ll be much more motivated to finish them.

          Bobby and Mary Jo of Losing In Snow Hill spiced up their exercise routine by entering  and finishing a race (10K and 5M) in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this weekend.  I am sure this helped to keep them on their daily exercise routine, knowing they had that race scheduled.

• Give yourself an incentive. Do you have an incentive to keep moving forward? If not, then it’s no surprise if you’re feeling discouraged or want to give up. Give yourself an incentive to continue on. Set yourself a reward for completing the job.

• Think positive. You might find yourself unmotivated simply because of your attitude. If you are pessimistic, you will not be able to see the good in just about anything. Remind yourself to think positive when things get tough. 

          Jim from Air Space, gives an outstanding example of Positive Self-Talk with his FROSTY 5 K, where he convinces himself to get out of a warm cozy bed and into a 35 degree morning race.

       On the topic of positive thinking, sometimes the most important thing we can do is remove as many negative influences in our lives as possible, in order to be a self motivated individual.  This can be difficult because we must recognize and deal with the negatives in our lives on a continuous basis, but do it in a positive manner.  If we are putting energies into things that are not yielding positive rewards (bad health choices), or we  allow ourselves to be bombarded with negative images (such as seen on the nightly news), or we receive negative feedback from relationships that aren't working, then our attempts at being positive will end up being feeble at best. We need to clear the way for the positive thought processes necessary to be self motivated and that requires diligence and persistence.

...if he can do it...

  So...tell me how you motivate yourself to do the things you least want to do....

                        have a great week, will be by soon,

hugs and air kisses,

Sheila

no need to comment if you have already seen this one,

just wanted to wish everyone a happy Wednesday!

love hugs and wafty air kisses!

Sheila

FEBRUARY 1, 2008- FEBRUARY 29, 2008

NEXT RUN:  MOREHEAD CITY NC 1/2 MARATHON 5K RUN ~ MARCH 8, 2008 ~ 23 DAYS

JANUARY 1, 2008- JANUARY 31, 2008

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