What does it take to motivate yourself? You set goals, make plans, get excited, but then procrastinate when it comes time to do something. Many of us are cursed with the ability to feel good about the planning process, but awful about acting on those plans. There’s a disconnect that few people understand how to address. Self-Motivation: How to Motivate Yourself to Do Great Things

Master this ability and you can do anything. However, if your ability to tie your planning and action phases together is poor, you’ll struggle immensely.

Enhance your motivation and your results in life: Self-Motivation: How to Motivate Yourself to Do Great Things

1. Give your attention to those things under your control.

You can’t control much, but there’s no reason to focus on anything else. Doing so will only lead to feeling overwhelmed. For example, receiving a promotion isn’t under your control. The behaviors that improve your odds are under your control.

> Put your time, energy, and attention on the things you can manipulate. Avoid wasting your resources on anything you can’t influence.

2. Find a purpose that inspires you.

Going into work on Saturday to complete a report might sound like the least enjoyable way to spend part of your weekend, but if excelling at your job could lead to the promotion you’ve been dreaming of, it’s easier to be motivated. Self-Motivation: How to Motivate Yourself to Do Great Things

> Most people don’t like to work out, but the prospect of being healthier and more attractive is motivating to many people.

> Avoid judging the task or activity in the short-term. Think about what you’ll get out of it down the road. Find a way to take inspired action.

> Your inspiration might be a product of what you’re doing for others. How does your goal benefit others?

3. Focus on small wins.

If your goal is to lose 50 pounds over the next year, it’s easy to become burned out. After two hard weeks of hitting the gym, avoiding late night snacks, and drinking only water, you’ve lost a total of two pounds. You’re right on schedule, but you realize that you have 48 weeks and 48 pounds to go. It seems like too much to bear.

> Break the goal up into smaller pieces. Depending on your ability to focus, it might be necessary to break up the goal into segments that last anywhere from one week to 12 weeks. This way your brain can experience success and logically see a positive long-term outcome. You’ll procrastinate if the path looks too challenging. Self-Motivation: How to Motivate Yourself to Do Great Things

4. Act first.

It’s a mistake to wait for motivation to strike. You might find yourself waiting for a long time. Avoid thinking too much about the work to be done. If you wait too long to get started, procrastination becomes more likely. Before you can stop yourself, get started. You’ll find that motivation is easier to experience after you’ve acted.

> Every minute you wait under the guise of “planning” or “strategizing” saps what little motivation you may already have. Jump up and get busy!

5. Enhance your mood.

It’s much harder to be motivated when you’re in a bad mood. Studies have shown that a negative mood increases procrastination behaviors. Self-Motivation: How to Motivate Yourself to Do Great Things

> Procrastination enhances your mood in the short-term, but at the expense of the future. Put yourself into a better mental state and procrastination becomes less likely to occur.

> Happiness increases productivity and success. Monitor your progress. Research suggests that nothing is more motivating than progress in a meaningful endeavor.

Without motivation, you can make spectacular goals and plans and still come up short. Learning to manage your motivation is a key component of accomplishing great things. Motivate yourself and you can do anything. Self-Motivation: How to Motivate Yourself to Do Great Things

As the old adage goes, change is constant, and is crucial to allow you to move forward and experience new and exciting things in life. When you actively work towards developing yourself, your life can become fulfilling, and you become the person you want to be. 6 Ways That Change Can Transform Your Life

Despite the benefits, change can be troubling, and many of us shy away from making changes, whether big or small. Change is, however, a vital part of our development journey, so we should do well to embrace it.

Allowing yourself to change, learning new skills, and working on your inner self can bring about transformation you never knew was possible. 6 Ways That Change Can Transform Your Life

How Can Identifying Change Areas Help You Change Your Life?

1. It helps you focus.

Identifying the areas of your life that need change enables you to focus, and work actively towards your goals.

• You may realize that you always aim to please people in your relationships, but that this makes you unhappy. By identifying this, you can make the necessary changes without issue. 6 Ways That Change Can Transform Your Life

2. It makes change easier.

It seems clear, but identifying key areas of change makes the process of change more manageable. Let’s assume you want to change your diet because you feel something you are eating triggers hormonal imbalance.

• If you can identify that dairy foods like pastries are the cause, you can switch to a healthier alternative. 6 Ways That Change Can Transform Your Life

3. It brings about progress.

When you identify the area in your life that needs changes, you make progress – every change allows you to take a step forward.

• If you can identify your career goals, you can take steps to reach those goals. You could learn new skills, apply for your dream job, or build your own business. Whatever it may be, identifying goals takes you a step closer.

4. It helps you build a support system.

When your support system knows what changes you need to make, they can support you in the right way. 6 Ways That Change Can Transform Your Life

• For example, you identify that being in certain situations triggers trauma. With this knowledge, your support system can help you avoid situations that could upset you.

5. It helps you identify triggers.

Identifying specific triggers helps you to avoid them.

• Let’s assume you realized that being in a crowded area triggers your anxiety and makes you uncomfortable. You can then avoid congested areas and busy situations. 6 Ways That Change Can Transform Your Life

6. It opens opportunities and experiences.

Identifying changes and making them will open you to new experiences and opportunities.

• If you can identify that you fear public speaking because you think you aren’t good enough, you can overcome that self-doubt and make the needed changes.

7. You realize your strengths.

The ability to identify areas that need changes and then make those changes shows a level of power. That is because recognizing that “I need to change this area of my life” takes a lot of courage. 6 Ways That Change Can Transform Your Life

• Change is challenging, but in the end, it shows your resilience, and you can get through another tough situation life throws at you.

Final Thoughts

Identifying areas of change allows you to truly transform your life. By breaking your goals down into manageable sections, you can take control, and enjoy the benefits of change. 6 Ways That Change Can Transform Your Life

Living a healthy lifestyle is challenging with so many distractions and temptations that surround us – but it’s worth it! 5 Easy Ways to Live A Healthier Lifestyle

Follow these tips, and you will be on your way to a healthier, happier life:

1. Wake up each day with purpose and set your intentions for the day. It’s essential to start each day with a positive attitude and clear goals. Knowing what you want to accomplish makes you more likely to stay on track and make healthy choices.

> Write your intentions in your journal. You can write out positive affirmations, prayers, and things you’re grateful for. 5 Easy Ways to Live A Healthier Lifestyle

2. Eat healthy, balanced meals and avoid processed foods. One of the best things you can do for your health is eat nutritious whole foods. A healthy diet improves your energy levels, skin, mental health, and overall wellness. But it also helps prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

> Choose fresh fruits and vegetables over processed snacks, and consume healthy protein such as lean chicken, fish, and legumes.

> Limit your sugar intake by replacing sugary foods with fresh or dried fruit. Also, drink plenty of water and avoid unhealthy fats. 5 Easy Ways to Live A Healthier Lifestyle

3. Exercise regularly to keep your body strong and healthy. Exercise has countless benefits for your physical and mental health. It can also help improve your energy levels, mood, and overall fitness.

> Find an activity you enjoy, such as walking, running, biking, or swimming.

> Start with small goals such as exercising for 30 minutes a day, three times a week. Gradually increase your goal as you get more comfortable. You can also stay motivated by exercising with a friend or family member.

> Exercising will increase your metabolism, reduce stress levels, improve your sleep quality and boost your energy levels. It will also strengthen your muscles and bones and improve your overall health. 5 Easy Ways to Live A Healthier Lifestyle

4. Drink plenty of water. Drinking more water will facilitate your body’s detoxification process. Water carries nutrients to your cells and hydrates your vital organs. Proper hydration is essential for your body’s health. Health experts recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water per day.

> Consume more water-rich fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, leafy greens, and watermelons, and carry a reusable water bottle to remind you to drink water throughout the day.

> Drinking more water will help with weight loss, improve your skin’s health and boost your energy levels.

5. Spend time with loved ones. One of the best things you can do for your mental health is to surround yourself with people you love. Connecting with others can help reduce stress, improve mood, and promote overall wellness. 5 Easy Ways to Live A Healthier Lifestyle

> Plan regular get-togethers and social events. You can also join local clubs, volunteer for a charity, or try a new sport or hobby.

Living a healthy lifestyle is important for your physical and mental well-being. It’s time to put yourself first, and prioritize your health! 5 Easy Ways to Live A Healthier Lifestyle

Are you sometimes surprised by your emotions? You suddenly feel very sad or angry, even when part of you knows it’s out of proportion to what’s going on at the moment. If so, you could be experiencing an emotional trigger. The Secret to Managing Your Emotional Triggers

That’s the psychological term for when your reaction has more to do with your past than the present situation. In the most serious cases, triggers can be related to post traumatic stress disorder. To a lesser extent, they’re also a routine part of life for most adults.

For example, you may like your job and enjoy working with your boss. Then, one day you want to quit because she looked in your desk drawer without asking first. When you examine your response more closely, you remember how you felt when your parents or your spouse violated your privacy in similar ways. The Secret to Managing Your Emotional Triggers

Healing your sore spots will help you to be happier and more successful. Try these strategies for dealing with emotional triggers.

Short Term Strategies for Dealing with Emotional Triggers

While triggers are commonplace, they can still wreak havoc. You want to avoid outbursts that could derail your career or relationships you care about. The Secret to Managing Your Emotional Triggers

Use these strategies:

1. Slow down. Resist the impulse to react immediately. Give yourself time to think things through. Count to ten or take a walk around the block.

2. Breathe deeply. The way you breathe can help you soothe yourself and clarify your thinking. Inhale through your nostrils rather than your mouth. Lengthen your exhalations in order to relax. The Secret to Managing Your Emotional Triggers

3. Distract yourself. If you’re still overwhelmed, you may want to think about something else until you’re in a safe place. Repeat positive affirmations or plan what you’re going to make for dinner.

4. Communicate directly. Be assertive. Advocate for your needs and enforce your boundaries. Show others the same consideration you want for yourself. The Secret to Managing Your Emotional Triggers

5. Rehearse your response. If your triggers are predictable, you can practice what to do in a neutral setting. Look in a mirror or write out what you want to say.

6. Set limits. Treat yourself with patience and compassion. You may need to avoid some situations while you’re working your way up to navigating them.

Longer Term Strategies for Dealing with Emotional Triggers

Managing triggers is important, but you need to dig deeper. Addressing the root causes will help you to enjoy greater peace of mind. The Secret to Managing Your Emotional Triggers

Try these techniques:

1. Take time for daily reflection. Increasing your self-awareness is key. Sit down and observe your thoughts without making judgements. Try journaling.

2. Accept your feelings. Acknowledge difficult emotions without blaming yourself or trying to suppress them. Stay connected with how you’re feeling throughout the day.

3. Tolerate uncertainty. Triggers often involve feeling helpless. Face the reality that some things are beyond your control and devote your energy to the areas in your life where you can make positive changes.

4. Seek support. When you’re ready, talk about your triggers with someone you trust. Let your family and friends know how they can help you. Developing close relationships also gives you a sense of security that can make triggers less intense. The Secret to Managing Your Emotional Triggers

5. Show respect. Describing someone as being triggered is sometimes an insult used to dismiss their experiences. Validating others creates a healthier environment for each of us.

6. Consider counseling. For more assistance, you may want to speak with a mental health professional. Therapy can give you greater insights into your behavior and teach you valuable coping skills. Ask your doctor for a referral or contact organizations like the American Psychological Association.

Triggers are stubborn things, but you can develop the skills to manage them. Empower yourself by taking care of your emotional health. The Secret to Managing Your Emotional Triggers