Suddenly Unmotivated
This season is the end of the year. Everyone is busy and preparing for the holidays. I too have been busy. The days are shorter and there is less light in Kentucky right now. I was really feeling like things were getting a bit stale. This made me think about what causes people to become unmotivated. I also thought about ways to combat that. I figured I would share them with you today.
The first is thing is fear. Fear can slow people down and sap their energy. Some people have the flight symptom that worked well for our ancestors survival. The mind wants to keep your body safe. A lot of times one is afraid of what could happen. To get motivated you need to control your fear. Acknowledge each fear. You can even write a list of your fears. Create risk-management steps to overcome them. This will keep your thoughts under control.
Another thing that could demotivate can be lack of clarity. We like familiarity so much that we are resistant to change. If you don't know what you truly want then you can't make plans to get there. This will cause you to stay where you are. How can you get motivated again? Figure out what you really want. Picture what you really want and imagine what it will feel like. This way your mind will become familiar with it and feel more comfortable with your end goal. It may take time to figure out what you really want and thats okay too.
Demotivation can also come from lack of decision making. This could be because of depression. Studies show that depression makes the decision making area of the brain underdeveloped. If you use this part of the brain it can actually clear depression. Research shows that when doing creative work you need to decide when and how to do it. This ignites motivation, creativity, and finally production. Try doing something creative when you are depressed.
Another thing that can affect motivation can be grief. When you lose someone close to you through death or divorce change occurs. Massive change can cause confusion, self-doubt, and feeling very lost. How does one combat this? If you have experienced grief you can't rush grieving. It is an opportunity to make a new start. You have that rare opportunity of grabbing life and doing things differently. Give yourself time and healing first though.
Burn-out can cause one to become unmotivated. I am a type A personality. I have a history of overextending myself. If you push yourself too hard you will begin to feel mentally and physically exhausted. To become more motivated you should take a break from what you are doing. Make sure you take at least one day off a week. Get rest, exercise, and do something fun. This will make you feel better. It can also allow you to make a sustainable plan to prevent this from happening again.
