Motivation

Laura (http://mamameltdown.blogspot.com/) wrote an excellent blog about motivation!

In the past, as a child, a teenager, college student and young adult, I have always been very internally self-motivated. Unfortunately for me, several years ago, somewhere in my middle adulthood I slowly began to lose my motivation.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 says "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good." Unfortunately that is EXACTLY where I am at. I am tired of "doing good." And I have lost my motivation, not just in fitness and health (ironically just when I need it the most! I turn 40 this year) but I have lost motivation in most all areas of life. Job, finances, home, fitness, etc.

Fortunately I recognize my need to get it back.

How or why this happened I really don't know for sure. I could guess. Maybe it is a pride thing. If someone is not patting me on the back saying what a good job I am doing, I don't want to do it. Funny though, I never needed approval before so I'm not sure that is it. Maybe it is a character test for me; What do I do when no one is watching? Do I eat right even when no one but me cares? Do I go the extra mile at work when there is no tangible reward? Perhaps that is it. Maybe it is an attack by devil to get me to give up, give in, let go of my standards. "No one cares, so why should you?" he says. (I hear that question constantly in my head.) Or perhaps I don't spend enough time with like-minded self-motivated optimistic-type individuals. That is very probable!:)

But maybe the hows and whys this has happened are not important. Which brings me to Laura's blog about motivation. She says that rather than waiting to be pulled by motivation, be the push of motivation. Awesome. I don't need to figure out the why, I need to just Do. Her quote at the end is excellent. "What you want to be eventually you must be every day."

So for the rest of my life starting with the next 10 weeks,
. . . . . . .
I commit to eating healthy,
I commit to losing 10 pounds (this may take longer than 10 weeks)
I commit to exercising at least 4 days a week,
I commit to feeding my family healthy dinners at least 4 days a week,
I commit to walking my dog at least 3 days a week,
I commit to not overspending at the grocery store,
I commit to being a more patient and "present in the moment" mother,
I commit to not letting the kid's whining, the pressure of time, dissappointments in myself and others, or discontentment with my perceived progress lead me to overeating,
I commit to never giving up and not letting the haters, the doubters, they naysayers and pessimists win!

It is worth it and it does count, even if it only counts for me.