How to Find Motivation in Real Life

 How often do you find yourself stuck in a rut, unmotivated to get out of bed and start the day? For many people, this can be an all-too-common occurrence. If you’re struggling to find the motivation to be healthy and active, look no further than these real life stories from others who have found their way out of the slump by taking small steps that snowball into giant achievements.

Change your perspective

If you’re finding it difficult to find inspiration, try changing your perspective. Instead of looking at problems and setbacks as evidence that you’re not cut out for what you want, consider them a natural part of life. In addition, viewing your mistakes as learning experiences can help put things into perspective.

Everyone has ups and downs

Sometimes we’re motivated, sometimes we’re not. There are lots of factors that can affect our levels of motivation, from stress at work to waking up with a hangover—but we can always find ways to re-motivate ourselves when times get tough. The key is identifying where it all starts: With you. Staying true to your motivation every day takes a lot of effort; luckily, it can also reap some major rewards. Here are a few places you should look for inspiration and encouragement on your path toward staying healthy

Surround yourself with positive people

Although you don’t have control over every aspect of your life, you do have complete control over who you spend time with. You also have control over what type of people rub off on you—and that includes family members and close friends. Surround yourself with positive people that can motivate and inspire you, or at least leave you feeling better than when they found you.

Remember your why

When we hit a low point, it’s easy to get distracted and lose sight of why we’re doing what we’re doing. To stay focused on our goals and overcome obstacles, try keeping your why in mind at all times. So when you want that cake or skip your workout because you just don’t feel like it, remember why you decided to start eating healthier, working out more often, or whatever your specific goal is.

Write down your goals

Keeping a list of your goals on hand can help you find motivation when you’re looking for it. Keep your goals short and simple, so that you can easily refer back to them when inspiration is hard to come by. If you need some extra incentive or just want something to shoot for, consider setting S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, attainable/achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals – many experts recommend writing out three specific goals every month. And don’t forget to celebrate your wins along the way – no one said it was going to be easy!

Exercise is great therapy

Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise can improve your mood and ability to handle stress. Plus, you’ll feel great about yourself for not making excuses and for doing something positive for your health. It’s also an opportunity to start learning how to take care of yourself, which is an important skill if you want a healthy relationship down the road. Think of exercise as one part of taking good care of yourself—along with eating well, meditating or practicing yoga, and getting enough sleep. You deserve it!

Do one thing at a time

Having too many things on your plate is a recipe for failure. When you have something planned for an hour, it’s important that you do just that and nothing else. This will enable you to focus on one thing at a time, making sure that you are being productive with your time, which leads us into our next point ... Don’t multi-task: It seems like everyone these days wants to be super-productive by completing multiple tasks at once, but we all know how difficult it can be not to get distracted (there’s so much going on!). Stick to what you need to get done right now and don’t try and force yourself into doing anything else when working on a task.

Make small changes gradually

It’s easy to find excuses for not getting started—I don’t have time, I’m too tired, it seems overwhelming. But starting small is a great way to kick-start healthy living habits. Start by changing one thing about your routine and doing it regularly: drink a glass of water every morning; eat an apple every afternoon; give up soda or desserts; walk or bike instead of driving... make small changes gradually over time and you might just find yourself healthier than ever before!