5 Tips to Stay Motivated!

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn

Okay, so you believe that a positive living approach is the way to go. You’re meeting and greeting the world with a whole new positive attitude and your life is starting to show the signs of success. People are actually being influenced by your new positive attitude and are sending positive vibes your way.  Positivity is contagious after all and spreading joy really works!

Then something happens…

You receive some not so pleasant news and you feel like you’re right back where you started! The negativity spiral begins…

The grey days are there to check your resolve – remember stay focused – the sun will shine through the dark clouds and create a RAINBOW!

What can you do to start doing on a regular basis to stay motivated?

Putting together a personal motivation plan can definitely keep you on track. Motivation is, as the word itself suggests, a MOTIVE for ACTION.

Below are a few suggestions to get you started:

1) Incorporate  Motivation Daily

Is it possible to be positive and optimistic all the time? NO WAY! 

It’s true that motivation doesn’t last forever, however,  if you work at it by keeping yourself on track, then you will have many more UP days than DOWN. If you want to stay continuously motivated, you’ll need to integrate motivational tools into your life. Just like we need daily food for physical energy, we also need daily motivational tools like affirmations, positive quotes, meditations, etc. to feed our mental health.

2) Build A Motivational Base

Read or listen to motivational material daily. Check out the online bookstore or Amazon to find yourself some inspirational books, poems, or workbooks. A well-written book that offers sound advice is more motivating than reading about the latest pandemic news or market decline. Alternatively, If you have no time to sit down and read a book, then try audiobooks. Audio is valuable to listen to, simply because you have the ability to multitask while you’re listening. Spending half an hour every day listening to motivational CDs or MP3s in your car or while working out.

Check out the Happy News website or the Bobby Bones radio show (listen to the Tell Me Something Good segment!)  They will start your day with a smile and positive feeling with their fresh outlook on what’s going right in the world around us 🙂

3) Have A Healthy Lifestyle

Exercise regularly. It helps your body to work more effectively and efficiently. When the body moves, the mind shifts even more. An active body promotes a healthy mind. Set aside time each week to exercise your body. You’ll be more productive when you return to work.

4) Participate in Enjoyable Activities

Determine which activities give you real pleasure, excite you, and allow your talents to shine. The activity should make you feel good about yourself and promote positive emotions. When you enjoy what you do, you tend to automatically excel and succeed effortlessly. With each success, your self-esteem will grow and will motivate you to greater heights. 

5) Remind Yourself of Your Goals

You should have clearly written down goals or an action plan with concrete deadlines. Jot down the necessary steps to achieve your goals. Remind yourself constantly of these goals. Place sticky notes on your bathroom mirror or create a vision board to have visual reminders of your goals. You will develop a strong desire to attain your goals. Your subconscious mind will steer our daily activities and action towards attaining these goals. If you know what you want and want it badly enough, then you will surely get it. Strangely, what you do today has everything to do with where you’ll be in 6 months.

In order to get ahead, you must always be motivated. All the motivation in the world won’t do anything for you unless YOU ACT NOW and apply these steps, believe in yourself, and then let the results inspire you!

Along the way, count your blessings at every opportunity, every obstacle or resistance you encounter, and be grateful for the journey.

Inhale. Exhale.

Violet Buddha

P.S Check out these great motivational quotes to get you started!

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The Golden Rules of Motivation

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you have imagined. – Henry David Thoreau

Why is motivation so important? Let me tell you…It is the fire in your soul that keeps you yearning for the heat of accomplishment.

Whether you’re trying to achieve something yourself or lead others towards a goal, the ability to be self-motivated or to motivate others is crucial. When we meet people who are regarded as successful or high achievers, it’s tempting to assume that they are innately self-driven, or are natural leaders with high levels of motivation. This might be true, but it is just as likely that they learned and applied some motivational techniques.

The benefits of motivation to an individual are fairly obvious, since people who are motivated tend to be more successful in achieving their personal and professional goals,this internal motivation has benefits to self-esteem and confidence. 

Three Golden Rules of Motivation

Motivation does not take place on its own. In order to be motivated or to motivate others, it’s important to remember three golden rules of motivation before considering any specific approach.

Rule 1 – Motivation with Clear Goals

Motivation and goal setting are inevitably linked. Without a goal or purpose, motivation is meaningless, at the same time motivation is a vital part of intentionally achieving any goal. Two of the most basic motivators are: knowing exactly what you are trying to achieve, and striving to achieve it. Not having a clear idea of your goal or not believing that the goal is attainable will negatively impact your levels of  motivation.

Rule 2 – Motivation and Goals need to be Aligned

In order to achieve your goals, you need to be passionate about what you are working towards but more importantly, you need to do something daily that is linked to your goal.  Whether you spend time visualizing, planning, reading or just talking to someone about your goal, it will all add up to keep your motivation high and the goal at the forefront of your mind. I find it useful to keep track of my accomplishments toward my goals in a journal.  I even write down the things that got in the way that day and make a plan for how I will avoid the disruption the next time it pops up.

Rule 3 – Motivation is Fluid

Motivation is not a one-time event. Something that motivates you at one particular time may not work in the future, which is usually due to changes in your environment or circumstances. Even if circumstances stayed the same, the most powerful motivational factors will lose impact over time. For example, you may watch a Ted Talk and feel energized by a particular speaker, and feel highly motivated afterward to put what you heard into action. How long will the impact of what you heard last before you go back to your old ways of doing things?

A great place to start is by figuring out your vision, creating a plan and setting manageable goals to keep you motivated. You can find out more about Motivation and Vision or explore the FB group for support from the Tribe.

Inhale. Exhale.

Violet Buddha

15 Tips to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.

Jim Rohn

When you’re trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the holidays can be a real challenge. Watching your diet is next to impossible with so many Christmas meals and treats tempt you for weeks. Germs are hard to avoid when you travel on a train or plane in order to visit family. Even if traveling doesn’t make you sick, a little too much holidays eggnog just might cathc up to you. Follow the tips i’ve shared below to keep yourself feeling happy and healthy this holiday season and into the New Year.

1. Whether you are the host of the Christmas meal or simply a guest, try to keep yourself focused on fun traditions and activities instead of dinner and dessert.

2. Stay away from gravy or use it sparingly on your meat or vegges. Using less sauce or gravy on your foods should lead to a much healthier meal.

3. Don’t underestimate the impact of a healthy breakfast. A good breakfast can keep you from feeling hungry later in the day and increase the likelihood that you will staty away from the less-than-healthy Christmas treats.

4. Stay away from holiday stress by having a plan for events. Stress makes you feel anxious and irritable, and even has a negative impact on your immune system. Decide before hand what you plan tp eat, what time you are expecting to leave and stay out of family squabbles or omments that can lead to conflict.

5. Plan fun family activities that get you moving. Sledding, ice skating or skiing are great fitness-friendly options that everyone can enjoy.

6. If you plan to travel using public transportation, bring along some sanitary wipes and wipe down surfaces in your area. Make sure you clean the armrests, tray table, seat belt buckle or anything else you might touch during your trip.

7. Keep yourself active, even if you’re travelling. If you have to wait for your flight to be ready to board, walk around the airport terminal rather than sitting to wait. Find a flight of stairs and go up and down a few times. Remeber to strech your legs, neck and shoulder to release tension that can build up.

8. Chew some gum after eating to help resist the urge to head straight for the treat table.

9. If you’ll be staying in a hotel then try to find one with a pool or fitness center. This will give you a place to get active in between all the family functions.

10, Drink plenty of water. It’s easy to forget about staying hydrated during a busy holiday season, especially if it gets cold where you live or are visiting.

11. Instead of candy, encourage your family to eat fruits like apples and oranges. They’re a healthier way to satisfy cravings for sweets.

12. If you’re going to be drinking wine or eggnog, make sure you know your limits. A Christmas morning hangover can be devastating, especially if you’re going to be around excited kids who want to open presents. A holidat headache can really put a downer on the holiday vibe.

13. For every alcoholic beverage you drink, try to also drink a glass of water. This will leave you feeling hydrated and hangover free the next morning.

14. Consider using a fitness app on your smartphone to set fitness goals and keep track of how much exercise you get over the holidays.

15. When all is said and done it’s important to remember not to get down on yourself, in the event you “slip up” during the Christmas holiday season. After all, it’s typically the time to spend with family and friends enjoying yourself. We all deaserve a cheat day every once and a while.

You can always get back on track after the holiday is over and ring in the New Year with renewed commitment to your health focused goals. That’s what the new yearis for – right? If it makes you feel better, you can even try to be a bit more health-conscious in January and February. Things usually have a way of evening out!

Inhale. Exhale.

Violet Buddha