Motivation, why is it so hard?

By Christina Lacey

People always talk about motivation and that either they have it or they don't. What is it? The online dictionary says motivation is the reason or reasons one has for acting in a particular way. The second notation states that it is the general desire or willingness to do something.

So why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to be motivated? If it's a reason to act a particular way what does that have to do with being motivated to diet or study? It seems it is just a word that we have attached to these types of situations.

Either way, how do we develop the drive to want to be better, to be thinner, to be stronger, or smarter? Similar to so many other things we need to have a positive attitude. A positive attitude is very powerful not only for ourselves but for those around us. When we think of something that we want and we attach positivity to it it seems more reachable. Negative thoughts and attitude actually can turn into feelings of hopelessness or impossibility.

Another thing is to not catastrophize a situation. Again many times that results and negative thoughts. It's very easy to see ourselves in a negative light, just like it's easier to frown than it is to smile.

If we take the word motivate out of the picture and look to the positive results that we can meet, some pressure can be taken off of us. It seems so simple, yet for some reason we seem to make things more difficult than they actually are.
As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I see individuals and couples mostly. I enjoy working with my clients and learning about them and how they can be better as an individual and also to others around them.

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