How To Get Motivated In The New Year

If you read my February Goals post last week then you know I’ve been struggling to get motivated in the new year.  I haven’t felt like blogging, or really doing much of anything but playing with my kiddos and watching Parenthood with Kellen.  

There have been times over this last month that I’ve wanted to just throw my hands in the air at all my goals and say screw it.  But then I stop and think about how unhappy I would be if I did just that.  Right now I’m working to reignite the passion I usually have for accomplishing my goals.

We’re all supposed to be feeling refreshed in the new year; ready to start the year off right.  Ready to charge full steam ahead and accomplish all of the things.  Am I right?  That’s how so many of us start off our years.  But there are times when, as good as our intentions are, we are just not feeling motivated.  

So if you are one of those people who, like me, is struggling with motivation, here are a few ways to help you get motivated in the new year, and once and for all.

Revisit your goals
For me, just re-reading my goal setting posts gets me excited again.  I start thinking about the steps I can take to accomplishing those goals, and thus my passion is reignited.  If you haven’t set any goals for yourself, do it (and read this post on how to set achievable goals)!  

Get Outside
There’s just something about fresh air that invigorates the senses and clears the mind.  Rarely do you see people spending time outside that look unhappy.  Take a long walk a few times a week.  On a nice day go to the beach, or a park, or go for a hike.  Soak in that fresh air and you may find yourself getting inspired by nature and the beauty around you.   

Simplify your life
Sometimes our mind gets overwhelmed with all the things we have going on.  Even our physical possessions can overwhelm us if they are too many.  It is very hard to get motivated when you’re surrounded by clutter and everything is in disarray.  If your calendar is overflowing with activities that have you running place to place, or you lost an important item, it may be time to re-look at your priorities and do some cleaning up.  De-clutter your schedule and your home and I have a feeling you’ll not only feel refreshed, but it will help get you ready to start accomplishing more.  If you’re unsure of where to start, make sure you read the steps I took to simplify my entire life. 

Create a new morning routine
My morning routine is crucial for me to have a successful day.  The days I’m able to do my morning rituals are usually my most productive days.  If you’re feeling stuck, or like you need a change to jump-start your motivation, I highly recommend creating a new morning routine.  

Focus on what you’ve accomplished
I think the human mind tends to focus on all the things we have to do, rather than all the things we’ve already done.  When I look back over last year, I did a lot!  I birthed a baby, I did a MAJOR home renovation, took a few vacations, wrote a lot of blog posts, worked with sponsors, got seriously fit.  I accomplished a lot!  But my mind tends to think about what didn’t get done.  Take some time and think about all the things you’ve accomplished recently.  Give yourself a pat on the back!  You’ll be surprised at how much you’ve actually done, and it will give you that push you need to accomplish more.

Give yourself a break
Y’all, life is hard sometimes.  There are going to be times when you just have to let go and let God.  Things happen that are out of our control and as hard as we try we just have to go with the flow and do the best we can with what life has handed us.  And that’s okay!  It’s times like this that we need to give ourselves a little grace.  We can’t be “on” 100% of the time.  No one can.  So if you’re in one of those times in your life right now (I know I am!), all I have to say is grace my friend.  Take the time you need and come back refreshed and ready to tackle the world.  Your mind, body and soul will thank you for the reprieve.

Some days are better than others, and yes, life sometimes throws us a curve ball and we lose our motivation.  But taking time to reflect, get outside, simplify and focus on what we can control will help regain that motivation.