Where does your motivation com from?

So I have been thinking a lot about motivation lately. Where does your motivation come from? Where do you pull it from? What helps you succeed in all that you do? I love to read motivating quotes and reflect on them(I know big surprise there). But other than that how can I stick to my goals? How can I reach my goals? What is different this time than that last, and the one before that?

How many diets have I been on? How many times have I lost the weight? How many times have I put it back on? How is this time going to be different? Very easy! I am making a life style change. That means, eating right. Getting rid of temptation in my house. My next step once i have that one under control is to stop eating after 7:00 in the evening. That is a biggie. Finally eating smaller, more frequent meals.

Eating is only one step. I now have to worry about adding in exercise. That is easier said than done. If I get on a roll and go, then I feel great and I do it, but when I give up or have to miss a day for what ever reason that maybe, that is the hard part. How can I keep myself accountable? Friends. Online friends. My in person friends. This blog. I know that I have to look at my friends when I don't show up to work out and say, sorry I could not be there and give them a good reason why I could not be there. I hate doing that.

So my motivation that I need right now is strong friends that will hold me accountable for all that I do. Ones that are going to question when I am not there and ones that will make me think twice so that I show up even on the days I just don't want to get out of bed!!

Motivational Moment 12-15-07

There are two kinds of man: the ones who make history and the ones who endure it.

- Camilo Jose Cela, Spanish novelist

Anyone can just follow a path. Anyone can just play follow the leader. It is easy and can be a satisfying way to live, at least for a while. You don't have to think, you don't have to take chances; you don't have to worry. You can stay safe. There is a great feeling of security when you just stay safe. You know that you do not have anything to worry about. You know that you are doing what others have done before you. But where is that going to get you?

Making history is hard to do. You have to be brave. You have to do things that are out of your comfort zone. You have to take chances, and some of those chances are going to be scary. You have to think out of the box. Why would you want to make history anyways. Why would you want to do something outside of the box. It is so much safer to stay in the box. It is so much easier to be safe. It just is not hard to do when you stay in the box.

When you take a chance, it might be the scariest thing you have ever done. It probably will not be comfortable. It might not pay off for a long time. So why should you do that? Why not. where are you going to be if you don't take the chance? By making history, by stepping outside of the box, by tuning into your creative side, by taking chances you are able to accomplish things you never thought you could. You are able to eventually become comfortable with who you are and what you are doing. You are able to receive a feeling of accomplishment that you could not have felt if you did not do it. You may be turned down, you may be told no, you may feel like why am I doing this, but in the end the reward will pay off.

My advice, step out of the box! Just do it! By stepping out of your comfort zone and making history you will accomplish something that you never could have. Take the chance, think of the great rewards you will receive!!!!!

Motivational Moment 12-14-07

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.

- Albert Einstein, physicist


Everything is a miracle, think about it. We are given so many gifts each and every day. And by remembering that everything that happens is a miracle, no matter how small keeps us wondering were the next one will come from. Miracles do not have to be big, they don't have to be out there for everyone to see. They can be as small as seeing a beautiful butterfly fly past your window. Watching your children smile, for no reason at all. Hearing the words for the first time...I Love You. All of these are little miracles. Getting up in the morning, remembering to breath, again miracles.

I feel that it is a miracle that I am able to change the things about me I do not like. That I can loose the weight that I put on. That I have the strength to get up and go work out. Being surrounded bu friends and family that support me is a miracle that not many people have.

When you start thinking that nothing is a miracle, you start to loose hope. You are not willing, wanting to take the next step to gain trust. To keep going! Keep up the good work and stay motivated, and remember that everything is a miracle!

Keeping Motivated on the Weekends

I know that weekends are usually people's downfall, at least for me. My husband is home, we are doing different things, my schedule is very different. Things are very hard to keep on track. So how do you do it. What I am finding out is there is a few keys to success that have started to work for me.
1. Plan out your day: I get up to the same schedule every day. I plan out my day. I figure out what I am having for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Figure out if I will be able to go to the gym, or if I need to do something different for that day.
2. Stick to the plan: I do my best to make sure that my food and exercise for the day goes along with the plan I set up. I keep myself motivated by checking things off. I always leave myself some calorie room, for the little things that could come up, like eating at someones house or going out to dinner.
3. Bring water with you everywhere: I know that when I am out and about I am tempted to stop at a drive through and get a caffeinated beverage, but I find that if I have water with me (enough so that I have it for the entire time I am away. I will take more than I think I will need, better safe than sorry) that I am less likely to stop to get something to drink then order the high fat, high calorie food along with it.
4. Allow for some set backs: I allow for myself to have some set backs as I go but I make sure that they are small ones not the big ones!!!
Keeping up the good vibes on the weekend just helps me start off my week to a great start. Keeps me motivated, expecially when I step on that scale on Monday morning and see that I did not gain, I lost!!