As "Lockdown 2.0 - The Sequel" continues and the nights are drawing in, are you finding it more and more difficult to get motivated?
Motivation levels definitely wane at this time of year, even without a pandemic to negotiate! Our desire to go to the gym lessens as it's dark when you leave work and, once you get home, heading out is the last thing you want to do. Dieting seems like something you do when you have a special event to get ready for, or when you know you’ll be hitting the beach. Meeting friends and family can often feel like a chore compared to PJ's, a movie and a glass of vino. In a pandemic when you can’t go to the gym, holidays are only something you can dream about and you can’t see your friends and family, it may seem like there is nothing you can do to influence your mood. Putting on my optimistic goggles and pushing myself to go beyond the "meh, I don’t want to", I know there is plenty I can do. Your environment is a good place to start. The longer we spend at home, and the likelihood that home working is going to be the norm for many, means that having a base that boosts your mood is SO important.
I was finding recently that on days when the weather was wet and wild it impacted negatively on my mood and my drive to get cracking. I did crack on, but I didn’t have the "zing" that sunshine gives me. To combat this I tackled my office. After all, a 10,000 mile journey starts with the first step. I knew tackling our home as a whole was beyond me but my office felt doable, and it is also where I spend the majority of my time. I assessed my space and the mess that had accumulated and decided it was time to find a home for my papers, endless notes and books etc. Once I had got these in order I looked at my walls, and they did not give me joy. Tackling this took longer than anticipated but it was well worth it. Navy background with pink flamingo wallpaper now adorns the walls. When I enter my office they make me smile and make me want to create inspiring designs for others. These combined with the obligatory string of fairy lights and room atomiser have helped me to combat the gloom of winter.
Flamingo wallpaper from I Love Wallpaper
I will without a doubt still have off days but taking charge and doing something positive for me and my environment means that I can feel in control more often than I am not. Changing up my work environment and making sure that I am eating well and getting out for daily walks have all helped me to keep a level head. If decorating is beyond you and planning is your thing then maybe looking at what you want to achieve in the next 12 months personally and from your business/work (thinking beyond COVID) is the best thing to do?. Breaking this into 90 day goals, weekly goals and then daily goals will give you back control over your life. Knowing that every day you are working towards achieving your goals is SO empowering. Now more than ever we need to dream big and not let the life of today dictate the life of tomorrow. If you are more of a visual person then creating a moodboard of your life is a fun way of representing your future, especially if you believe in the law of attraction and the power of the mind. Looking at how you want your future to take shape inspires you to push forward, and it also puts it out to the universe that this is how you want your life to be.
Whatever you decide to do; list making, affirmations and gratifications, baking, running, home improvements or a complete redesign or house move, the key is to take charge and remain positive in the face of adversity.