One of the hardest things for a person to do is to self-motivate themselves as well as give themselves praise. We all like to say that we can and most of us know that it holds truth that self-motivation is very powerful and that self-praise is important, but still it is not something that is easy for us to do. We are, more often than not, are own worst enemies. Still just the same, I think that there is something to this self-motivation and self-praise thing.
The other day I went walking and a guy was jogging. He passed once going the opposite direction of me and then again going the same direction. He traveled several feet in front of me, crossed the treat, and then I heard him cheer. I don't remember what it was that he said, but when I looked he was doing what I like to call the "Rocky Stance". Anyone who has seen the movie Rocky knows what I'm talking about.
It is that moment where Rocky is running up the stairs to the art museum of Philadelphia and when he gets to the top he does the fist pump in the air. That celebratory dance. I believe he does in most of the films, but I have to admit that I don't remember for sure (it has been a long time since I've seen a Rocky film). That moment from the first film, though, is the most commemorative moment in the Rocky films. It set the tone for so many things including Rocky, himself. He had finally succeeded and he knew that he was accomplishing some of his greatest feats and he was not afraid to celebrate himself in that moment. Self-motivation and self-praise.
With that said, seeing some stranger on the road do this was intriguing. At first it made me chuckle a bit, but at the same time I had to admire his self-praise and his self-motivation. It let me reflect a bit on something that I had been doing, which is challenging myself to workout and eat right. I'd be lying if I said that I was doing well on the eating right thing (but that is a whole other soapbox). I have, however, been working out. I found this site online called Bodyrock and it is these home workouts (usually timed) and they had a 30-day challenge.
Where to start with that, first I'll elaborate on the 30 day challenge part, basically you workout every day to a variety of exercises denied to tone and sculpt your body as well as eat right. The time part is, these exercises are designed to do so many in x amount of time. For example, one of the exercises that I have mastered is a set of four different exercises completed three plus time through 50 seconds on and 10 second rest. For example: Push ups, ab tucks, lunges, quats; each exercise is done for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest before moving on to the second. Of course the sites layout is a little bit better than my brief little example, but that is the gist of it.
Anyway, part of this challenge is to take a picture of yourself so that you can see your progress from week one to the final day of the progress. So that I've been doing, because I wanted to see. I wanted to know if this was really working, because no other program really has. However, on that note, I cannot say that I've often proceeded in the past with the motivation that I've had for the last year to get in shape. Still just the same, doing a home work out, I was reluctant but financially I needed to find something to work (Gym membership cost...I'll save that soapbox). Now, as I go into week 3, I have to say that I am presently impressed.
So many times I feel as if the workouts are not working, but then it happens. I move a certain way and can feel muscles in a place where there was not once muscle or I put on jeans that are suddenly a little looser than they were before. However, I have to say that the biggest motivation I have had to continue, is seeing it in pictures. The weekly pictures I've taken since I started this three weeks ago show all of the progress that I've made. I cannot say that I'm as toned as I would like to be, but it is quite apparent in picture comparison of the difference that it really is making.
It makes me smile a bit and then I have the urge to keep it up, because I've realize that seeing the difference is the motivation that I need. It is so important to know that what I'm doing really is making the difference. Then I'm like, "I really can do this. I've been doing this" and even if it isn't really showing necessarily the results that I want, it is making me feel the difference in my confidence.
Another part of the challenge is writing down your numbers for each set. Seeing my numbers increase or even just being able to do an exercise and know that I've improved strength wise (My push ups are a lot better and easier than they were at the beginning of this challenge) it a lot to be proud of. It has been hard, but I've pushed through it and I keep doing it. I keep giving myself reasons to do it, like being proud of my progress and being able to see the difference in myself that I'm making.
It is this reason that I'm realizing how important self-motivation and self-praise are. We each have something that motivates us in our own little way. It those things that we should hold on to in order to keep fighting. Whether it be a simple task or a complete make over. It is important to have a reason to do. Like saving up money to buy a new pair of boots or in my case feeling good about my body so that I can dress a little cuter to see cowboys. That is motivation. That is self-motivation. It starts out as one thing, but seeing the little progress eventually turns into just feeling good about the fact that you've been able to do something (such as saving money that you didn't use to save or losing inches). Then just feeling good about yourself, it becomes the motivation you need to continue. Then you smile and want to pat yourself on the back.
It is like a domino effect. You start to do something for one reason and as you start to see progress you start to feel good about yourself and your ability to make that progress and so then you keep doing it because you feel good about yourself and then you are proud of yourself because you are making progress and feeling good about yourself and so you keep doing it and it just becomes this one big circle of praise and motivation and you keep going because the self-praise motivates and the motivation makes you praise yourself. It is a bizarre, but awesome feeling and one that you cannot really put into words.
I'm proving that as I'm writing this, because I cannot think of just how to describe it or even tell you how to do it, but I will leave you with these words. Whether it be buying a new pair of boots, buying that cute outfit a size smaller, moving, or whatever....write it down, take a picture, and put it somewhere you can see it. Then mark your progress (and your set backs). Look at them every day and find motivation in the discouragement to make that change and in time as you start seeing the progress you will see the change in yourself. You will see the progress improving and you will feel motivated to take tomorrow by the reigns and spur the heck out of it and then you feel the need to pat yourself on the back, which is going to motivate you even more. Take that and ride it into the sun.
It isn't easy to stay motivated (I'm not going to say that it is) and it isn't always easy to give ourselves praise. It is seriously helpful to have supporters out there telling us that it is, but the biggest reward you will find is when you are able to do that for yourself. You can do this. You have the power within and you have made it this far so anything is possible. Believe in yourself and find your own self-motivation (which let's face it-should be yourself) and ride it like it is your last ride. You will be amazed how your tomorrow improves.
Live, laugh, love, and let it ride.
~smh~
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