Get a Vision! Motivation that lasts.
What gets you to put on your exercise shoes? What causes you to check out more carefully what you are choosing to eat? What helps you remember to put time for yourself on your calendar? Perhaps it’s a vision, in your mind, of you living a life that is truly healthy and well.
“Why don’t people do what they know they need to do for themselves?” Motivation, the great mystery. As a wellness consultant I’m constantly asked, “How can we motivate these people (to be well)?” Perhaps we need to be asking, “How can we help people discover what motivates them from within?”
Wellness motivation from the inside-out
External inspiration is like eating carbohydrates. A quick burst of energy, then the fire burns out. If it wasn’t good “kindling” and didn’t have something solid to ignite nearby, you don’t have a lasting “fire in the belly”. Internal motivation is all about finding that solid fuel that will sustain you when all the catch phrases, poster quips and slogans are burned up.
Fear can get you started but a vision keeps you going.
Instead of running away from death and ill-health, how about running toward being healthy and well? While fear might initiate lifestyle change, it does a poor job of sustaining it. What lasts is having a real vision of what it means for you to be healthy and well. Try this:
• Construct in your own mind, a picture (like a movie scene) of you living your life to the fullest. You’re as healthy as you can possibility be, life is fulfilling and meaningful, you’re happy and feel connected to all that is around you.
• Hold that vision in your mind. Write it down and reflect upon it.
• Whenever you have an opportunity to make a choice about doing something right here, right now to be more healthy and well, let that mental picture come into your mind.
• Realize that this simple act of wellness in the present can help you get to the realization of this vision of yours in the not-so-distant future, or even be the practice of living that vision in the present moment!
Be well!
RESOURCE: http://realbalance.com/resources/articles-a-resources/cat_view/16-articles - download the article Coaching For Motivation.
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