What Do You Want? One Quick Tip to Increase Motivation
I had a marvelous epiphany today. I have been severely lacking in my motivation and discipline as of late due to numerous struggles and even a few tragedies. I stopped doing many things that were important to me and life started passing me by. I couldn’t keep up, which was leading to overwhelm, and then life just has a tendency to spiral out of control at that point, doesn’t it?
One thing I have managed to not let go of was my journaling sessions. I journal every morning and night thanks to Benjamin Hardy’s Journaling Course. It has been one of the best investments of my life. (No, that is not an affiliate link, I receive no funds for sharing the link. I just legit like it.) As I was going through the things I had on my to-do list, I was overcome with exhaustion and I just didn’t want to do any of it. But I needed so many things to just be done and out of the way.
I got frustrated with this mindset. I was tired of feeling behind and exhausted. And as I contemplated reasons why I didn’t HAVE to do everything on this stupid to do list and how to get out of it, I realized that I don’t want to. These are actually things I want to do because this is the lifestyle I choose and want.
I want to do dishes, because I want my home to be clean.
I want to write an article and share things that are important to me, because I am lucky enough to live in a time and environment where I can.
I want to go for a run because my health is important and I know it will bring me energy.
The list went on and on. All things I want to do today came faster and faster and with all the things I wanted to do, it was actually hard to cut some of them out because there just aren’t enough hours in the day.
I got excited about my day rather than just wanting to go back to bed. I suddenly had the motivation and desire I have been lacking for the past few weeks and months.
Making the shift from need to want was key. Maybe it’s the stubborn and rebellious side of me, but when I HAVe to do something, I tend to want to go the opposite direction. I know I’m not alone in this feeling. There is a rebellious streak that is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. We like to question everything and challenge and change traditions.
I love this aspect of society because it allows me to remove the fluff and fillers that I don’t actually want in my life. I want my life to be filled to the brim with the most important things. Not fluff. I want to be creating the life I want and doing things that have meaning to me.
So What Is Important?
This is going to be different from person to person. But having been to so many funerals lately (see my previous article here for some of those insights), this is a prevalent thought on my mind. When I picture the life I want to live, what I would want for others if I were to suddenly and tragically pass away, what things make me happy, I don’t want to put it off. We just have so little time.
I treasure relationships. I am passionate about stories. I value time. I want to be respectful of my own time, as well as that of others, even when I am gone.
Once my parents bought a house as is from the previous owner, who left almost everything she owned in the two-story house when moving to a nursing home, where she just couldn’t take very many things. It took my parents MONTHS (if not a full year) to go through everything and try to sell it, give it away or keep and organize remaining items.
I don’t want that for whoever has to clean up after me. I want to live a clean and simple life.
What do YOU want in life? What do YOU value and what do you want to be said at your funeral, whenever that time may come?
This isn’t just important for the end of your life, but how those things are shown in your day to day life. Because if these are things you value and want in your life, shouldn’t they be present in your life? Wouldn’t that make you happier?
You deserve to be happy.
Wants vs Needs
There is an important distinction to be made here when discussing what you want. I’m not talking about a short term happy, but rather long term happiness or joy.
You may want a taco. You may also want a healthy and active lifestyle. While one taco may not completely throw off that healthy life you envision, it can if you want tacos every day. I may want to spend a lot of time with my friends, and I can justify that with the pretense of fostering important relationships, but that is not the only thing I want in life. I have to make sure there is room for the things that are important to me.
I’ve noticed if I spend too much time with people doing all the things — road trips, movie nights, dance parties, concerts and so forth — I leave no time for other meaningful things in my life like writing, cleanliness, sleep, exercise, practicing my violin and so forth.
I want balance in my life. I want all of these things, and I have to be careful and responsible with my time and how much I give to each activity because that is also important to me.
My needs are basic. Food, Water, Sleep, Shelter. That’s technically all I really NEED to survive. Everything beyond that is me building and creating a life I can be proud of and find joy in.
I am amazed at how often I am the biggest obstacle in that ideal lifestyle I want to create. I allow my own fear, guilt, shame, hurt, awkwardness or whatever else hold me back. sure, life throws in complications as well, but those are by far easier to overcome that my own self-sabotage.
But I am the one in control of my life. I am the one in control of my own happiness, motivation, and anything else really. My life is my own. I make the choices, and I do what I want! As long as what I want is for my own greater good.
But Now What?
Taking control of your life can be super overwhelming, especially when we don’t see just how much power we really have. Those things we think are holding us back? They are actually incredibly helpful getting us where we want to be.
To help, I’ve created a free guide to help you turn your biggest holdup into your greatest asset. Click HERE and I’ll send it to your email completely free.
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