Build Momentum by Building Yourself Up

motivation-self-esteem

Try this today

• Start by listing your strengths. These are the parts of your core character that make you successful as a person. Consider broad virtues such as wisdom, kindness, curiosity, creativity, perseverance, bravery and humor. If you are stuck, consider taking an online assessment, like the one offered by the Via Institute on Character at viacharacter.org.
• Keep your list handy. Stick it to your refrigerator door, bathroom mirror or computer — or wherever you might see it when you need that extra nudge.
• Imagine yourself using your strengths. Think about how you feel, physically and mentally, and what it looks like when you are being creative or curious or brave. Picture the things you do when you use your strengths.
• Make use of those strengths. When it’s time to do something hard or something you’ve been putting off, think about how you can use your strengths to make it happen. For example, if you know that curiosity is a strength and you want to exercise more, maybe you will decide to check out a new online fitness class or a new neighborhood walking route this week. If creativity is your strong suit, maybe you will think of ways to move more while doing household chores or running errands.
• Remember this maxim. “The way we think affects the way we feel, which affects the way we behave,” says health coach Jessica Matthews, an assistant professor of integrative wellness and kinesiology at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. That means that when you focus on your strengths instead of focusing on your faults, you are more likely to find the mindset that leads to positive behavior change.

Why

When you find yourself unmotivated to do something you know you should do, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, build yourself up, by considering and using your strengths. You just might find that you are your own best cheerleader.