Reclaim Motivation in Menopause for Powerful Resilience

https://www.purple-planet.com/ 

Apple Podcast - Spotify

Let’s talk about motivation…

Tip #1 - you do not have to FEEL motivated to take ACTION.

I like to look at motivation as something I can create with my thoughts. 

It would be great if we all felt motivated to do the things we know are good for us and will bring better health. Sadly, this is not how life works. But, by shifting away from how you feel and into creating motivation with your thoughts, you will be much more effective at reaching your health and weight loss goals.

Rethinking Motivation: Action Before Inspiration

How do you take action even when you don’t FEEL motivated?

When I am looking at whatever action I want to take, whether it's to work out with my weights, go for a walk, work on a project that I'm not super excited about, or make dinner, if I’m waiting for the feeling of motivation before I begin, it keeps me in a space of procrastination.

So, I like to look at that feeling of motivation as, "Okay, I may not feel motivated; however, this is the action I'm going to take because I want _____." 

I play forward the results I want to happen from my actions. 

I have also learned not to ask myself if I want to or not. 

Did you know you don’t need your brain's permission to make your body do things? Don't ask yourself if you want to do these things because, most of the time, you won't. 

I just bypass that step. If I start asking myself those questions, I will sometimes talk myself right out of my workout. 

If my brain goes to questioning, I say, 

"No, I'm not asking myself…. I'm doing it anyway. 

The motivation will come later, or it won't, but I'm doing it anyway." 

I back into more of, "I'm committed to this whether I feel like it or not."

You can do the same thing with a project that you're working on, or maybe it's making your menu or doing a little prep for yourself. 

Your brain does not like to do hard things, and if it feels like your brain thinks it’s hard, you will want to avoid the task. 

But waiting for motivation to happen will get you into procrastination or not following through.

You decide your commitment.

"What are the non-negotiables here? What are the habits that I want to create?" 

When motivation is lacking, we fall back into commitment. 

When you're motivated, it's wonderful. 

I get motivated at the start of anything. 

I get motivated if I have a little bit of energy, and I'm ready to see immediate results. 

But when I'm not motivated, I fall back into commitment.

Shifting Mindset: Commitment Over Choice

When I'm not motivated, I drop back into commitment. 

Okay, I am committed to making this meal for my family. 

Instead of having a bad attitude about it or waiting to be motivated, I will go in and honor my commitment. 

And guess what? 

I'm going to find fun. 

That is the best way to cultivate motivation—find fun and make it fun. 

And I know that even finding the fun takes work, but when you start cultivating fun, even gratitude and thankfulness, you actually start cultivating more motivation.

Finding Joy and Gratitude in Tasks

What is the best way to cultivate motivation, even in menopause? 

Find fun—make it fun. 

For me, it's more of a means to an end. 

If I want to feel motivated, I start thinking motivated thoughts—that's all it is. 

I can think unmotivated thoughts: “I really don't want to do this. I don't feel like doing that; it seems too hard.” 

Or, I can think motivated thoughts like, "Wow, I'm going to feel so great after I do XYZ." 

Another motivating thought is, "I'm going to find joy and fun in this thing, whether it's a habit or a chore." 

That is how I create motivation. 

So, what kind of thoughts do you need to think to create your own motivation? 

Is it thinking about the results you're going to get? 

Is it thinking about how you're going to feel when you show up for yourself? 

Is it finding the joy or the fun? 

Or is it sticking to your commitment? 

Whatever it is, you can choose different thoughts. 

When I use the principles I’m sharing here, especially when I go into joy and fun and or gratitude, it really does change the whole vibe. It changes that unmotivated feeling.

Harnessing the Power of Thought in Midlife

Unmotivation can also be a saboteur, sabotaging our menopause weight loss goals or midlife health goals. 

Whether you're motivated or not, what are some thoughts you can start thinking to become more motivated? What can you do in the moments when you know you're not motivated?

I love thinking through these things before they happen because then, I've got my go-to's in the moment. I don't have to just follow through with how I feel. That is what's so powerful about this mindset work.

I used to feel like I just had to obey every single thing that came into my head, and I kind of did obey that. I learned, "Wow, what I'm thinking is creating how I'm feeling." And guess what? I can choose a thought. I can choose whether I want to think something or not. Believe it or not, you can choose that, and that's powerful.

When we choose a different thought—and we have to practice that—it's called rewiring our brain. But once you choose a different thought, you have a different emotion. When you have a different emotion, guess what? You're going to act differently, and you're going to create a new and better result.

So, if you feel like you're just listening to what your brain's telling you all day long, and you find you're creating these same results that you're not happy with, I want to invite you to become aware of what you're thinking. It's not about changing the result or the circumstance. We've done that over and over. It doesn't work. It's about changing what you're thinking about.

If we're talking about motivation and you just feel really unmotivated, what do you think? Go write those thoughts down, and let's renew them. Get some powerful, helpful thoughts to help you show up how you desire to show up so that you can get the results you want and desire.

So, wrapping it up, the key to staying motivated during menopause boils down to a few simple tricks: focus on taking action rather than waiting for motivation to kick in, commit to your goals even when you're not feeling it, and find ways to enjoy the journey. 

By learning to rewire your brain with new & helpful thoughts and choosing joy and gratitude, you'll be better equipped to navigate the ups and downs of this phase of life. 

Keep at it, friend, stay resilient, and remember, you've got this!