Wellbeing
Get some tips this Dry July!
I think I can
By Cassandra Dunn on
by Cassandra Dunn, Clinical Psychologist for 28bysamwood.com
Motivation mantras and myths
You’ve set a goal and you’re fired up to achieve it. For the first few days of any challenge, motivation and mood levels are high and you’re confident you’re going to smash your goals. But if you think you can rely on your motivation to get you through a challenge, think again.
The truth about motivation is that it won’t always show up when you need it, so absolutely do not rely on it.
Any psychologist will tell you that along the path to making permanent change you will strike periods of ambivalence. This is completely normal. Your challenge is to just keep going even if it feels like your head is not entirely in it. Your mantra needs to be “just do it” whether you feel like it or not. Because sometimes action sparks motivation and NOT the other way around.
If you need a little help with getting active, keep this in mind: the more you’re doing, the more you’ll get! So why not go all out this July: sign up to 28 by Sam Wood, get motivated with Sam and the other 28ers and stay Dry!
By taking even the smallest action towards your goal (even when you don’t feel like it), your body releases endorphins, and you feel a sense of achievement that inspires to keep going.
Here are some things you can do to maximise your motivation:
1. Set a clear, specific and challenging goal. Research shows that setting big goals causes you to fire up and work harder than a goal to ‘just do your best’.
2. Recruit a buddy to take the challenge with you. Inevitably there will be days when you have more motivation and can keep your mate going while other days your buddy will be there it kick your butt into action.
3. Record your daily successes. Keeping a log of your progress can really boost your self-confidence and inspire you to keep going.
Most importantly, don’t let a minor slip-up undo all of your progress. If you have a bad day, it can be too easy to see the whole thing as a failure and throw in the towel. Psychologists know that setbacks are inevitable and can be a fantastic learning tool so that you know what to do differently next time. So just start again and remember to aim for progress, not perfection.
Cassandra Dunn is the clinical psychologist for 28bysamwood.com. Join Cass, Sam Wood and thousands more for a month of great food, challenging fitness and Dry July specific mindfulness to make the most of your month off booze! Head to 28bysamwood.com to get started!
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