“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” – Wayne Dyer
I’m sure I’m not alone with my admission that the topics of health, finances, job security and fulfillment often litter my thoughts – more so than ever before.
The burden of such thoughts occasionally leads to a sleepless night, and an impending day where it seems almost impossible to motivate yourself to do anything constructive.
At times, my mental state has been known to dip below normal levels, which renders me somewhat unpleasant and difficult to be around. This past week felt like one of those occasions and I suspect a combination of the topics above were the definite contributor.
This inability to motivate yourself during such emotional fragility is a time drainer, no doubt. Notice I didn’t say a time “waster” because I believe we must all take time to process and compartmentalize how we’re feeling, rather than suppress those feelings, and that’s never a waste of time.
Still, it does drain time from our days (which are not infinite), and more importantly, robs opportunities for us to create special memories with the people who bring our lives such joy.
For me, there is no greater way to motivate yourself out of a questionable mental state than to get off the couch and do something. Anything really.
It may be nothing more than yard work, organizing a closet or room in the house, doing a craft project, washing the car, baking homemade bread – the list is endless really.
But what each of these specific tasks do is this – they provide your body and spirit with the time it needs to rest, recover and reconnect with yourself. It’s that reconnection which helps you refocus your thoughts on all the blessings in your life. It recharges you to handle the stressors of the days ahead with a renewed sense of balance and acceptance.
While it may not always be easy, or some days possible, to motivate yourself off the couch, the personal rewards are definitely worth the effort.
Spiritual teacher and best-selling author Eckhart Tolle, writes, “You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.”
