Motivation

For the next few weeks, I am participating in a challenge, of sorts, put on by the incredibly wise and inspirational Jules. It's "Bombshell Bootcamp," a series of reflective exercises to help work on the emotional part of the weight loss journey. It's all about celebrating the fabulous lady that I am, even if I am not yet at my goal weight - and being comfortable in my own skin is an area of my journey that I definitely need work in.

This week, we're talking about motivation. How do you define motivation? What are the qualities of motivated people? And unmotivated people - how do they act?

When I think about motivation, I come up with more nouns: it's inspiration, it's drive. Motivation is my power, the force behind my actions. When I am motivated, I've got my "eyes on the prize," so to speak - compared to when I am not feeling motivated, and I tend to focus more on the present and think more about short-term rewards over long-term victories. I would consider myself a very motivated person, and not just in the weight loss arena. In all aspects of my life, I consider myself someone who is very goal-oriented and not afraid of hard work.

There are many sources of motivation for me in my journey, things that push me when I feel like throwing in the towel. Just to name a few:

• the excitement of meeting a weight loss goal.


• the rush of beating personal-best race records.


• the memories of how physically and emotionally challenging it was to be a super obese person.


• the strength I gain from reading inspirational quotes, books, and blog posts.


• the pride I feel from receiving positive reinforcement from family, friends, and the blog community.


• the feeling of hope I have for my future now that I have set myself on a path to save my life.

I set goals back in July thinking this time would be just like every other - I'd try for a few weeks, slip, fall, and not get back up. I had no faith in myself and my abilities. But thanks to my motivators, I'm eight months strong and more than halfway to my long-term goal, feeling stronger than ever, and not just physically.

I think that's what I am proudest of gaining so far on this journey: I'm more confident in my abilities, I'm more willing to try things and less fearful of failing. I'm by no means perfect in these areas yet - I am still quite cautious and unsure - but compared to how I was back when I started, I've made terrific progress.

What about you? Who or what motivates you?