Finding Motivation (part 2)

If you’ve followed my instastories you know that I’ve had a hard time finding motivation to finish this post. I’ll be completely honest, my motivation runs like a roller coaster. Either I want to do all the things, or I’m borderline depressed and can struggle to keep the house clean. So the rollercoaster headed back up the hill this week, and I decided to finish this post once and for all.

Let’s rewind to this last weekend – which was a long weekend thanks to MLK. I did what I always do and over scheduled myself. I always have these high and lofty goals of everything I can accomplish in a few short days off, and more often than not… I don’t get it all done. So here’s what last weekends list looked like:

• Organize closet (hello Marie Kondo)
• Clear off desk
• Organize stuff for consignment
• Edit photos from product shoot
• Prep house for housecleaner

Best laid plans, right? Woke up Saturday morning… my three year old projectile vomited all over the couch. So we spent the day cuddled up, and literally got nothing done. Sunday morning… I woke up sick. I don’t think I left that spot on the couch all day. Monday, still sick. Tuesday, recovering but still not 100%. House is a mess. House cleaner comes Thursday.

So Tuesday afternoon and evening I started cleaning, and here’s where I put what I had learned in the last few months into practice. Tuesday evening I met a girlfriend for dinner (yay, Charlotte Restaurant Week!), and told my husband, “When I get home I am cleaning the house for at least an hour before I go to bed.” His response? “Ok. I know you well enough not to get my hopes up. I’ll do what I can. I know how you get at night.” But, I made a promise to myself and damn it, I was going to keep that promise.

Here’s where the turning point was for me… I came to the realization that motivation is simply choosing to move rather than stay sedentary. I could choose to stay on the couch with my glass of prosecco and be completely happy to rest, watch TV and scroll through Instagram. OR I could get up, and do the thing that I told myself I would do. Whether that be work out, clean the kitchen, clean my desk, meal plan, put clothes away or do laundry. I want a tidy house – so I have to tidy it. I want a good body – so I have to work out. I just do. Regardless of how I feel. So when I got home from dinner… I cleaned. Because I promised myself (and my hubby) that I would.

Now I will add, that being sick and having to rest is necessary. By no means should you feel obligated to push yourself to clean, work out or do all the things when you aren’t feeling well. Hence, the reason nothing was accomplished at our house last weekend!

There is a reason people are out there doing amazing things like running Spartan races, writing books, becoming motivational speakers and starting YouTube channels. It’s because they are choosing to move rather than stay sedentary. They are choosing to become influencers rather than only be influenced.

We need to start keeping the promises we make, not just to our partners or our friends – but to ourselves. Our promises hold little value to us if we are always breaking them. If you want your life to look differently, then do the things that will get you there. Stop giving yourself the excuse to be lazy. Rest when you need to rest, sleep when you need to sleep, but for god sake… don’t spend your life on the couch watching other people live a life that you want. Go out there and make it happen.