10 Ways to Stay Motivated

We are all motivated every second we are awake. Motivation to stare at the TV, cook dinner, surf facebook, or even go to bed. Goals require us to hold that motivation. Keeping up that motivation can be somewhat difficult. Here are some ways to stay motivated:

1. Stay Realistic
    This is paramount! Stepping beyond the realm of reality can quickly deflate motivation.
   
2. Focus on the End Result
    I´m not talking about the goal, but the result of completing that goal. For instance, if your goal is to be debt free, focus on sleeping well at night or all the money you´ll be able to save. If your goal is to loose weight, focus on looking good in that hot bathing suit you saw the other day. Remember that some goals require you to take a few steps back in the beginning.
   
3. Focus on the Task at Hand
    To quote one of my favorite movies, ¨Don´t feel overwhelmed, just do one thing at a time.¨ Never focus on all the steps you still have left. This will only kill your motivation. Instead, focus on doing the current step to the best of your ability.
   
4. Change your Computer Wallpaper
    This is super simple and reminds you every time you see your desktop. $100 bills stacked into $10,000 or that hot swimsuit (on a mannequin) are good examples. Remember, stay realistic, i.e. do not photoshop your head on someone else´s body.
   
5. Avoid Temptation
    Hide anything that could tempt you away from your goal. Put it somewhere you never go and never think about. Even give it away or destroy it all together, if necessary.
   
6. Place Clever Reminders
    Putting up tons of reminders only makes you look crazy, but having a few that are well placed will keep you looking sane. Anything that may tempt you should have a reminder. Create a sleeve for your bank/credit cards using the picture from #4. Put a sign inside the fridge/pantry/freezer that blocks access to any calorie rich food.
   
7. Squash Negative Thoughts
    Staying motivated means staying positive. If a negative thought comes to mind, you have to squash it immediately with a positive one, using present tense.  Even a generic thought like ¨I´m determined to do this¨ or ¨I´m keeping on¨ will stave off negativity for at least a short bit.
   
8. Meditate
    This can bring focus to many things, motivation being one. Don´t know how? Read how to meditate.
   
9. Pray
    God makes everything happen. I think that says it all.
   
10. Talk to Family and Friends
     Talking about your goal makes is all the more real. Sharing it will others, seeing that look in their eyes that they might want to do the same can set your motivation on fire. Beware of negativity that can put that fire out as quickly as it was ignited.

Call to Action

I am your classic underachiever: I do the bare bare minimum in everything I do. When I wash dishes, I don't dry them or wipe off the counter afterward. And cleaning the oven, I use the excuse of not having the cleaner. This is how I have lived most of my life, in the shadow of procrastination.

As with anything psychological, the first step is admitting you have a problem. I have prayed almost every day this year for help and God has delivered, as the Lord always does. The Lord has opened my eyes and ignited the desire to do better.

Now comes the hard part ... change. More action. Changes don't happen overnight, but at the same time, progress needs to be made everyday. At least, not taking any steps back if possible. I'm staying off Backstep St at all costs!

Being Gay

An old lover from high school came for a quick visit a few weeks ago. He was acting quite strange during our lunch. It wasn't until a chat on facebook with him that made me realize he is very scared of being gay.

He's spent the last 12 years of his life being straight and seeing me again stirred up old feelings. Feelings that should have been dealt with years ago. Instead, those feelings have been repressed for so long that now he's started to doubt himself and has lost some of his confidence.

During our chat, he mentioned numerous times that being straight has many benefits. He sees how gay people are excluded on certain levels, how it's an uphill battle, how it's not always easy. All that's true.

What he doesn't realize is that lying to yourself, is excluding a part of yourself. Repressing a desire is not the answer. It will only cause fear and anxiety. I'm not advocating immorality here, but every desire we have must be fulfilled or resolved in some other positive way.

Be Nice!

My brother is an ass. During cookouts, he sits outside the whole time. He does absolutely no food prep or clean up. Well, today is a cookout. Currently, he's sitting outside, getting drunk while his wife, who has been working since 8 this morning, is still prepping food.

It's the same again and again. He didn't even get up today until 2 pm. Now, it's rush rush rush to get things complete. Things could have been completed this morning, if he had gotten up earlier.

The sad part is that he's gonna end up alone. His clear disregard for the happiness of those around him is gonna back fire on him ... one day. His son will graduate school in just over 2 years and then join the military. Soon after, I foresee his wife leaving too.

We must treat everyone with the proper respect. Every living creature deserves their proper amount. Even I am guilty of this disregard, as I don't try to help, but just sit back. What is one to do in this situation?

Depression

Well, the job ended. Some things are in the works, but nothing like what it was last month. I've spent the last 2 weeks pretty much on the couch. Until yesterday, I was getting off the couch enough to do the household chores. I just sit and vegetate. I have no desire to go out into the world anymore. It's like I feel disconnected from everyone and everything.

Today, an old lover and I had lunch. After almost a decade, we both felt the fire, but nothing came of it. I came home and laid on the couch for a good 3 hours thinking. In the past, I was always the initiator. Today, like every day for months, I just didn't have the spunk. The old me would have been all over that. A great time would be had by all.

Instead, I choose to sit at home alone. Not having a great time. Hear that damn Cymbalta music constantly in my head! Feeling guilty about the failed day. Knowing I could have owned today. Same day like every other day for months.

Alzheimer's

I went to sit with Grandma today. I don't go to visit as often as I should, because I can't take seeing her in the state she's in. Complete lucidity doesn't come around for her anymore. She was able to get two complete thought out, "I so mixed up," and, "I'm scared."

Twice, she talked about "a man with a cane." There was no man there, but she seemed to be looking at someone. Could it just be a memory? a hallucination? an angel? God? Maybe it was all of the above.

For the first time, I'm seeing things from her point of view and it is very scary. It breaks my heart to no end. NO END.