How Do I Find My Motivation?

I recently offered out 10 free sessions to help local Mumma's get moving and feeling good about themselves; in doing so I got to know loads of wonderful women in my local area. 

However, one theme kept cropping up in my conversations: many are struggling to find motivation. I figured this can’t be exclusive to just those I’ve spoken to and I want to help! My first step is to write 🙂.

So why might you be feeling unmotivated?  You're absolutely not alone in this and there are many reasons that could be behind it…

• Time Mum life is busy and demanding, finding time for yourself is just yet another thing on that to do list. It’s far simpler to prioritise everyone else, get them sorted and then think about yourself, except that you never get to the end, there's always something, always a reason not to. 

• Overwhelm

  This somewhat goes hand in hand with the above. It’s just another thing you need to think about and find time for but also, where on earth do you start?!?! You know you need to do SOMETHING but what and how??? 

• Lack of Enjoyment

  It might simply be that you’ve not found something you really like yet. It’s ever so hard to make time for something that doesn’t make you feel good. It’s just yet another chore. 

• Lack of Accountability

  Maybe you would find it more interesting if you had someone there to push you and keep you on track. 

How to try and resolve some of these challenges…

• Time 

  As a mum of 2 myself, I know exactly how difficult it is to prioritise the time for you. I think it’s natural but I often feel guilty for prioritising my workout. Finding ways to involve the kids can be really helpful. 

  You could also look at doing shorter but just as effective workouts. Find something you can do at home for half an hour or so, it's a much smaller time commitment then.

• Overwhelm

  It might help to challenge the way you think about exercise. When you’re already stressed out, tight on time and overwhelmed with your to do list; rather than a workout being yet another thing you need to tick off of your list, use it as a moment to step out of the stress, focus solely on exercising and moving your body. Afterwards you will feel happier, more relaxed and in a better position to tackle the rest of that list at lightning speed!! 

  When it comes to not knowing where to start: this is super easy to overthink but just take a moment to consider: is there anything you do that makes you feel really good, that you really enjoy? Anything that makes you feel good is a great starting point.

  Alternatively, if you want to try something new: I can highly recommend the Les Mills app. There's a whole host of classes you can try out at home (including strength). I use it for all of my cardio because I am not a runner! It even has workouts for kids, so my girls enjoy having their exercise time too.

• Lack of enjoyment 

  This one requires some experimentation to find what works for you. Have a think, what fills you with dread and what seems a bit more appealing? Seen a class at the gym you fancy trying? Go for it!!! You can always hide at the back if you’re self-conscious and you might find you love it and are right front and centre next time.

  The most important thing is to find something you find FUN! Pretty much nothing matters more. It has to be something that makes you feel good and excited. 

  Many clients of mine have found that exercising with friends makes a big difference, which feeds into the next challenge…

• Lack of Accountability

  Having a program with friends can really help with this. You are on the journey together, you hold one another accountable - many PT's (myself included) offer 2:1 training, where you and a friend can train and follow a program together, with the trainers support. Small group training can be great for this too. 

  Working out with your partner has proven to also have a high success rate. As with exercising with friends, you’re in it together. It makes it more enjoyable and you aren’t doing it alone. 

  Having a PT can also make a big difference. They are there to support and guide you. They’re also your cheerleader, celebrating your PB’s with you, pushing you to achieve more than you ever thought you could. 

Ultimately, there are many tools you can use to find your motivation but from studies and my own experience with clients the biggest things are enjoyment and having a social aspect. 

I do hope this has been helpful 💖.

If you’d like to find out more about how I can support you, please feel free to drop me a note.

C xx