I talk a lot about motivation, both with my clients and here on the podcast. Motivation is the driving force behind our health and fitness journeys, and we really do need it to be successful. 

I’m constantly talking with people about ways to create it, improve it, or find it again. We can create motivation externally with accountability partners, we can lay out everything we need the night before a run, or we can even create it internally through planning things to look forward to.

But, there is a piece of motivation that I haven’t really touched on until now. Today on the Fit is Freedom Podcast, I’m going to be discussing the middle piece of motivation. It lies somewhere between the internal and external motivators, and it can make a big difference in your overall motivation towards your fitness and health. 

A calm mind is a motivated mind. A calm mind is a driven mind. When you can calm your mind, you can shift your brain, your outlook, and, in turn, find your motivation with ease. I have three middle pieces of motivation for you:

1. Meditation

Yes, meditation can make a huge impact on your motivation. The thing I love about meditation is that it clears the fog from your mind. It takes all of that constant chatter and completely shuts it down. 

Whether it’s that negative Nancy in the back of your mind constantly criticizing you or the never ending to-do list running on repeat, simply taking 5 minutes to do some breathwork can shut it down and clear your head.

People are starting to catch on to the power of meditation. You can find it anywhere! The Peloton App, Headspace App, Calm, and even on Spotify and Youtube are just a few of the many places you can find guided meditations from your phone.

Some people LOVE this one, and some people simply don’t understand the benefits…yet! 

Just as with meditation, if you simply take 5 minutes, you’re going to notice your mind quieting and your body calming down. Simply sit with a piece of paper and a pencil, and you’re bound to write. And when you write, you’re getting all of those thoughts out of your head, clearing your mind.

If you’re not sure what to write about, you can always find some prompts. Here are some of my favorites that could get you going…

Something that didn’t work yesterday is…

Something that DID work yesterday is….

Something that brings me joy is…

Giving journaling a try is another great middle piece to motivation! 

This middle piece of motivation is a little different than what you may be thinking. When I say mentor, I mean a couple of things.

First, I’m sure you’ve heard how much the people we surround ourselves with greatly influences us; our success, our outlook, and even our motivation. So, if you hang out with negative people, you are way more likely to start picking up those negative habits as well. On the flip side, if you surround yourself with motivated go-getters, you are more likely to follow suit.

Second, it’s not just who you’re hanging out with, it’s also what you’re consuming. A mentor doesn’t have to be a physical person that you meet with like a coach or trainer. One “mentor” that I love to find is inspiring authors. Find people you look up to and read about their stories. Find motivational fitness books and listen to them. Listening to positive writing that gives you something to think about, stimulates your desires, and motivates you can make a huge impact on your overall motivation.

The great thing about finding mentors through books is that you can do them whenever! I love listening to inspiring audiobooks on my walks, when I’m getting ready, or even when I’m cooking dinner! 

When you listen to these things, they calm your mind and unlock motivation in a new and unexpected way!