One Snarky Chica with Issues

It is easy to lose motivation when life’s got you down. And usually right when we start to lose motivation is when we really need it the most. So, what do you do? Do you stare at your computer reading blogs or playing games when you should be doing something else? Do you sit on the couch watching Law & Order - because it’s always on. Maybe you spend time in the kitchen eating more Rice Krispy treats than any one person should (guilty!).

Here are some of my self motivation techniques, maybe you can utilize some of these in your own life!

1. Have goals that you can achieve. If you set goals you can’t reach you’re destined to be in front of that TV watching Law & Order!
2. Break goals down into mini-goals so you will achieve small victories.
3. Look for a pattern that causes your lack of motivation and then tackle it head on.
4. Write positive affirmations on index cards. Put them around your home/office and other random places you will see them.
5. Don’t have a diet full of foods that zap away your energy.
6. Start your day with exercise - it helps keep your mood and energy levels up.
7. Take breaks. Regularly.
8. Don’t forget to have some fun. You don’t have to work ALL day.
9.  Keep lists - it helps you stay focused.
10. Listen to some upbeat music and dance around. I like to listen to UPop on AOL XMRadio - it’s free!
11. Get rid of clutter.
12. Read an inspirational book.  Anything by SARK will fit that requirement.
13. Meditation. Sometimes it helps just to get your mind clear so you can get back on track.
14. Have a dream board, or if you’re me a dream wall. On my wall I have pictures of all the countries I want to visit, the house I want to build, the type of puppy I want to get when I have a house and little quotes and affirmations. And a few Dilbert comic strips
15. Recruit a cheerleader. Going it alone sucks, so see if you can find someone to sit in your corner and cheer you along whenever you start to lose motivation.
16. Don’t play the victim card. Remember that you are in control of your success so don’t blame someone else for you not being motivated and reaching your goals.
17. Journal it. You’ll clear your mind, get motivated and maybe even write your way through solving a few problems. And if you are like me, some of your best artwork will come out of that time.
18. Do some visualization exercises. Imagine your self being successful and completing whatever goal it is that you think you have lost motivation for. It may sound silly, but it works. Go ahead, do it, no one is looking.
19. Remember - Rome wasn’t built in a day. So, be realistic in the time tables you set for your self. You may just be setting your self up for failure by setting expectations that are too high.
20. Imagine the worst. Is fear what is holding you back and stealing that motivation? Well, go ahead, imagine your worst case scenario. Chances are it’s really not that bad. Once you can tackle the fear you’ll be able to move ahead.
21. Surround your self with mirrors. Okay, not literally. By this I mean, find people that are like you and have similar goals, etc. so that you don’t have a lot of negative energy around you.
22. Have the end in mind. If you set a goal date for yourself then you will probably work hard on getting the task completed since you think that there is a deadline. Otherwise it will just sit on your list forever.
23. Eliminate distractions. If you get distracted by needing to clean, etc at home then go work on the computer at the library. If the internet distracts you, disable it. Phone? Unplug it or turn it off. And so on.
24. Build in rewards. Schedule in some rewards for your self for staying on task.
25. Ask for help if you need it. No one says you have to go it alone.
26. Recognize self-defeating thoughts and stop them in their tracks.