Feelings of hopelessness and demotivation often creeps up on us due to uncontrollable variables, leading to a stream of emotions that could potentially dictate our actions. For me, giving up was always scary, but that didn’t mean that I never thought about it. What scared me the most was the constant voice in my head saying, “Give up! It’s not worth it!” I lived in this fear for a long long long time. I would spiral into overthinking episodes where I would question literally everything about myself. Since life can be just plain difficult at times, I had to work even harder to maintain my motivation. As I grew into the person I am today, I slowly realized that this fear of giving up cannot hold authority on us; we cannot let it control our behavior and thoughts. This is why I’ve accumulated five different strategies to overcome these intimidating emotions! I hope that these approaches can help you live a happier and healthier life as it has done for me!
LEGEND:
Strategy #1: Set Clear Goals and Work Towards Them
Goal setting has always been something I would do when I felt myself beginning to experience losses of motivation. Having a clear goal to work towards is so important. It prompts us to get off our butts and do something with the time on earth we are given. Not everyone has the fortune of being in a position where giving up is a choice. A tip that I have for setting goals would be to correlate it to something that you truly put close to your heart. For me, all of my goals are centered around restoring justice. Whether it be criminal justice, social justice, or any other forms of justice, the moment that I hear about issues surrounding these systems is the moment my motivation comes back. Find something that drives a passion within you and set a goal that pushes you towards that passion. By doing so, your motivation will return in due time!
Strategy #2: Remind Yourself of the Things You’re Fighting for
Always always always remember to remind yourself of what you’re fighting for. It doesn’t matter what or who it is, but keep them in mind. For me, the hours of hard work I’m constantly putting into school and extracurriculars are done because I’m fighting for a future where justice is served to anyone, no matter their social standing. That is what makes everything worth it. If I give up and leave this job to the next person, what if they give up too? The only way to ensure that the outcome you are fighting for enacts itself is for you to do it yourself. Don’t lose hope. Think of the world. It’s counting on you to fight for the future. Don’t be selfish. (and I mean that in the most loving way possible because I have been where you are and I know that you’ve got this!)
Strategy #3: Talk to a Professional
Talking to a mental health professional can help relieve your anxieties when it comes to giving up. By speaking to someone, they can help you identify the underlying causes of your feelings, validate your experiences and thoughts, develop cognitive behavioral strategies which reframe your negative thoughts into positive ones, and build resilience. Please don’t ever feel like your mental health issues are not severe enough to speak to a professional, because if you harbour that thought, you will never feel ready to seek help. There are people out there who want to do their very best to see you succeed, let them. I know it can be challenging at times to come to terms with your emotions, but having someone there to guide you when you are experiencing episodes of overthinking and demotivation is so vital in ensuring a healthy lifestyle for yourself.
Strategy #4: Acknowledge That Everyone Is Different
Acknowledge that you are human and your comfortable pace might not be the same as those around you. It’s okay for your progress in a month to be someone else’s progress in a week! We live in a world where comparison often plagues our minds, so it’s incredibly important to realize that we all have our strengths as well as our weaknesses. No one should ever have to be embarrassed of that! It would be such a shame for our surrender to be rooted in comparison. From a young age, I knew that I was different from everyone else. I was always the kid who got the last pick for toys at school because I didn’t want one. People thought it stemmed from my submissiveness, and for a while, I thought that too. The thing is, it wasn't true. Similarly, you might not seem like you are succeeding right now, but that’s not true. We’re all different and that is what makes humanity so special.
Strategy #5: Relax and Reset
The last strategy (and the most important one in my opinion) is to relax and reset. Life is so chaotic and sometimes, you just get lost in it all. You get drowned by feelings of hopelessness that drag you to the bottom of the seafloor. I cannot stress how significant taking a step back is. Often, the best way to fight our inner demons is to shut down. Resembling your phone’s path, when life drains your battery and a charger is nowhere to be found, we have to make the choice to slide the power off button. For me, when my phone is switched on again, the battery percentage increases and becomes stronger. Your life is the same way. If we never give ourselves time to rest, how will we have the strength to maintain our motivation?
If you are still reading, I love you and I sincerely hope that these strategies will help you as you progress through life. You are a beautiful soul and you are so deserving to be loved. I know it can be hard sometimes, but you being here shows just how strong you are. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me through my email (@everythingnanything321@gmail.com) or social media platforms on TikTok and Instagram (@everyth1ngnanyth1ng). I’m just a message away 😉! Please know how loved and treasured you are, not for your abilities, but for the person you are. 2 Chronicles 15:7 says, “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” Don’t lose hope! Your life is still undiscovered and that is what makes living so exciting. I am so proud of you and you are worthy of all the love this world has to give. Have an amazing day or night wherever you are!
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It is inspiring! Lovely to see you’re using your own life experiences to help others 👍