Healthy Reflections Newsletter
Linda Young, Ph.D., LMFT
Publisher
(850) 656-1404
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Your Mental Health Nugget:
3 Tips for Staying Motivated Toward Your Goals
It's not always easy to stay motivated when you're trying to achieve a goal. The discomforts of striving for a particular goal can sometimes cause us to lose focus. Whatever you're trying to accomplish, the following tips can help you stay motivated and on track.
Visualize the End Result
Can't you just see yourself pounds lighter and fitting into a nifty outfit? The key question is how do you imagine yourself "feeling"? Healthier? Sexier? More self-confident? When you develop the ability to visualize your goals and imagine what the end results will be, you are more likely to stay motivated.
Many people have found it helpful to compose a "dream board" which is an arrangement of images representative of the goal. For instance, if you were saving money for a tropical beach vacation, then you'd get some travel brochures or create a collage of pictures from a magazine of blue ocean, palm trees, or exotic fruit drinks.
Set Intermediate Goals and Reward Yourself for Small Victories
It's human to want results now. However, some worthwhile goals may require a great deal of effort and time to accomplish. Don't let that deter you. By setting smaller goals, you can work on each step that will eventually add up to big results in the end.
And don't forget to reward yourself when you reach small milestones along the way. Knowing that there are little "treats" along the journey to your goal will keep you excited and motivated.
Draw Inspiration from Others
Sources of inspiration to stay motivated can come from success quotes, lyrics, movies that depict people who attained their dreams through hard work or even speaking with others who have achieved what you're working toward. If they could do it...so can you!
If your focus begins to fade or you skid on a patch of discouragement, you may find it helpful to identify an accountability partner who will encourage you to stay the course. And, in instances where your partner is also striving toward an accomplishment, you'll experience the magic of motivating each other toward success.
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