The willingness to do something is the essence of being motivated. Sometimes we are motivated by the desire to seek pleasure and avoid pain. In other words, it feels more painful to not be motivated than to get moving! Motivation is the “why” of behavior, and it’s the thing that gets us going. It can come from external sources, but more often it comes from the inside...from the intrinsic factors that encourage, energize and drive us to act. Motivation is not too hard to find, but managing to stay engaged in this can be challenging. When we fail to stay motivated we start to lose energy, and we begin to feel lost and overwhelmed….this might mean you’ve hit a motivational slump.

Here are some quick ways to gauge if you are struggling with staying motivated:

You’re bored often.  Down time is good and much needed in order to refresh and reset, but if you’ve lost interest in all activities you enjoyed before and are unable to take steps towards alleviating your boredom, then you’ve definitely hit a motivational slump. When that “down time” starts to feel like it's tied to feelings of sadness, indifference, or apathy that are impacting your day-to-day life then you should consider seeking help.

You feel nostalgic. If your mind continues to wander to the past, and you catch yourself focusing on all that you “did” vs. what you want to do now and in the future -  then you’re probably lacking motivation. Some reflection and meditation can definitely help you gain clarity, stay present, and get excited for what’s to come.

You experience Sunday night blues. That dreaded feeling of having to return to work on Monday is not uncommon, but if you struggle with this every Sunday night, then it might be time to reevaluate your job/career situation in relation to your lifestyle.

You’ve dropped the ball on your passions. Tapping into your passions is important and it’s a task that should excite you. We tend to think of our passions as things we used to do, or no longer have time for, but making time, even if for a few minutes, to do more of the things that fill our hearts can change our lives and re energize our spirit.  

You always put others first. Helping others allows for gratitude and redirection, but this needs to be balanced with self-care. If you constantly put yourself second (or third!), then you might be self-sabotaging, and it isn’t until you’re able to focus on yourself first that you can be your best version and of greater service to others.

You’ve become a homebody. Solo time is necessary, but if you suddenly feel like you need more solo time than usual then you might be lacking motivation. Too much time alone can generate higher levels of anxiety, keeping us feeling down and in a slump.

If any of these signs sound familiar, it might be time to talk to a professional. Feel free to reach out to me, and I’ll gladly help you rekindle your motivation in life.