Rediscovering Your Motivation #GoodnessToGreatness

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The past year or so has been challenging for me in many ways.  There have been lots of ups and downs, to say the least!  I’ve had everything from weddings to new babies to having my appendix removed and dealing with a couple of other health issues.  With all that “life” happening, I wasn’t as focused on my workouts as I had previously been.  I kept up with regular workouts for the most part but now that I’ve started marathon training again, I feel like I’m struggling and I definitely don’t run as fast as I did last year.  And some days I’m just tired and unmotivated.

I could make all of the excuses in the world but I have goals.  And the truth is that I’ve worked really hard and know that my current goals are achievable.  Since I had never been an athlete, I truly started at the beginning of my fitness journey.  For me, that was walking several times a week.  From the beginning goal of walking a 5K, I set bigger goals and wanted to start running.  That didn’t start off very well but I stuck with it and, over time, got stronger and ran further.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would go on to become an ultramarathon runner.  But, with small changes in my fitness routine and nutrition, I have been able to accomplish so much.  If a non-athlete like me can become an ultramarathoner, anyone can do it!  (You can read more about my journey from 5k to 50k here.)

Even though fitness is a part of my daily life, I’m not always motivated to get moving.  To help combat the occasional motivational slump, I created this list of tips that gets me excited again.  Hopefully you’ll find something in this list to motivate you too!

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Tips to Rediscover Your Motivation

1. Revisit your why.  You had a reason for starting this journey.  What was that reason?  Do you need to revise your why for your current situation?  For me, I started running to lose a few pounds and to set a healthy example for my kids.  Now that I’m at a healthy weight and my kids are grown, I run to stay active and push myself a little more.
2. Buy yourself something new.  Nothing motivates me to get out and run more than new running shoes.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money though – something simple like a cute headband or pair of socks can work just as well.
3. Read or listen to something that inspires you.  We all have challenges to deal with in life but there are tons of inspiring stories of people doing amazing things.  Maybe your story won’t be so dramatic but you never know who you might inspire yourself.  Some of my favorite stories are about regular people who have done extraordinary things.
4. Take away the pressure.  I’ve been known to put too much pressure on myself and to slog through a workout even though I was too tired just because it was on my schedule.  Add in some flexibility and take away the pressure.  If you have a hard workout scheduled for today but just aren’t feeling it, try swapping it for another day’s work out with an easier day.  Or even take a rest day if you need it.  Missing one workout won’t make or break a goal.
5. Make a new playlist.  Sometimes a new playlist with fresh, fun music is just the thing to get you out the door.  Try some new songs that make you want to move and sing along.
6. Take a break.  Sometimes we all need a break.  If the thought of running makes you want to cry, take a break from it and try something different.  You won’t lose any fitness with a short hiatus.  Try a different activity like yoga or Zumba – or anything that excites you!
7. Join a club or find a partner.  Accountability is a huge motivation.  Joining a club or finding a workout partner allows you to motivate one another.  Plus it’s more fun to work out with someone.  There are plenty of running and walking clubs in most areas as well as mommy fitness groups.  You might even end up making some new friends.
8. Encourage someone in a different place in their journey.  Now that fitness is a regular part of my life, it’s easy to get frustrated with my current level of fitness.  Remembering where I started is helpful for me to put things in perspective.  Encouraging someone just starting out is a great way to motivate not only them, but you as well.  One of my favorite ways to do this is with a gift basket of some of my favorite treats that I know they’ll love as well.  Here’s how I like putting together a motivation basket with a few simple items from Walmart:

Select a cute basket or box.  I liked the heart on this one since fitness is so good for the heart.

Add in a workout tank with an inspiring message.  This one is my favorite because it’s one that I designed.  It’s soft, comfy and perfect for running outside or hitting the gym.  I also threw in a cute headband too since nothing is more annoying than hair in my face!

To incorporate #3, add in one of your favorite motivational stories.  I’ve read through this book a couple of times and love the inspiring stories and what a difference running makes in people’s lives.

Throw in a delicious treat.  One of my favorite snacks are these goodnessknows® snack squares.  I found them near the checkout stand at Walmart.  Sometimes the candy by the checkout is tempting so it’s nice to see a great snack option like these.

They are made with real fruit, dark chocolate and whole nuts and come in perfectly-sized bite-size portions.  Since I find it very difficult to pick just one flavor, I put in one of each – goodnessknows® Cranberry, Almond, Dark Chocolate, goodnessknows® Apple, Almond & Peanut, Dark Chocolate, and goodnessknows® Peach & Cherry, Almond, Dark Chocolate.  We all need to take time and enjoy the good things in life, and these goodnessknows® snack squares help make the little things count.

Add in a hand written note with a personal message.  So few people take the time anymore to hand write a note, a personal message can be very meaningful.

How do you rediscover your motivation when it’s lacking?  Be sure to check out more great ways goodnessknows® helps achieve goodness to greatness on our social hub and get a great coupon here. I’d love to hear about your favorite goodnessknows® snack square flavor!