Ask the Wellness Coach
From: Danielle Messick, MS, NCC, LPC
December 01,2009
From: Danielle Messick, MS, NCC, LPC
December 01,2009
I would like to know how I can become more motivated. It seems to be hard for me to burn off fat or lose weight in my midsection. —Robert, Wilmington, NC
Robert, you are not alone. Becoming “motivated” is one of the most difficult aspects of making a healthy lifestyle change. Let’s face it, change is hard and making the choice to live a healthy lifestyle each day doesn’t always come easily. However, there are several things you can do to get the motivation jump-start you may need.
Focus on why making a change is important to you then write it down. Perhaps your motivation for beginning an exercise program is with your grandkids, or living longer and better, or maybe just to look and feel better. In as much detail as possible, write down why you are making this lifestyle change. Ask yourself these questions:
- What do I want to do?
- Why do I want to do it?
- What will happen if I’m successful?
- What happens if I’m not successful?
- How do I plan on making this change?
On days when your motivation is low or nonexistent, look at how you answered these questions to remind yourself of why this is important to you.
Set realistic goals. You know yourself, your schedule, and what makes sense for your life. Take all of these things into consideration when setting goals. Set lots of mini, short-term goals as long-term goals can tend to feel too overwhelming. Be flexible with yourself, don’t get down when life gets crazy and you haven’t met your goal. Some weeks are busier than others so set new goals for yourself every week or even every day according to what makes sense for you.
Make a commitment to yourself. You make commitments every day. Take your job for instance. You commit to being at work on time and to performing your duties to the best of your ability. Are there days that your boss annoys you? Sure. Are there days where work is the last place on earth you want to be? Plenty. But it doesn’t matter because you made a commitment. Think of your healthy lifestyle commitments in the same way. There will be days when the last thing you want to do is exercise or the first thing you want to do is smoke a cigarette, but you made a commitment to yourself, and to your health.
Give yourself a break. Like learning to walk or ride a bike, you will likely slip and fall along the way. The key to success and mastering your healthy lifestyle is to continue to pick yourself up and try again. Having a slip does not mean that you don’t have motivation and isn’t a bad thing if you take the time to learn from it and better prepare yourself for the next time you are in a similar situation.
Give yourself a break. Like learning to walk or ride a bike, you will likely slip and fall along the way. The key to success and mastering your healthy lifestyle is to continue to pick yourself up and try again. Having a slip does not mean that you don’t have motivation and isn’t a bad thing if you take the time to learn from it and better prepare yourself for the next time you are in a similar situation.
—WCA Wellness Coach Danielle Messick, LPC
