There’s a reason that only about 9% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions. Motivation is tough, and everyone struggles with it from time to time. But your health and wellness are too important to allow them to fall by the wayside. Let’s look at exactly what health motivation means and how you can keep yours high.
What is health motivation, and why does it matter?
Motivation is simply the drive to continue working toward your goals. How strong your motivation is depends on several factors, including:
- The strength of your desire
- The benefits of achieving your goal
- The drawbacks of not achieving your goal
- Your personal expectations for the experience
Motivation is essential, because it makes healthy habits stick even when things get tough. Over time, staying motivated will not only help you achieve your health goals but it can also:
- Build your confidence
- Improve your resilience
- Boost your problem-solving abilities
- Provide a sense of accomplishment
Fads vs. lifestyle changes
The first step in boosting your motivation is to make sure you’re not simply jumping on the latest fad. Extreme diets, complicated workout plans, and so-called sleep hacks might work for a few days or weeks, but they aren’t sustainable. At best, you’ll burn out trying to keep up with them. At worst, they could actually be dangerous for your health.
Instead, you’ll want to focus on long-term lifestyle changes. These tend to be more subtle, as they involve gradually adapting the routines you already have. They may also take longer to show measurable results. But they’re a lot more likely to stick, and they will yield results in a safer and healthier way.
Making new changes stick
Even small changes to your routines can seem complicated at first. To set yourself up for success:
- Do what you love. There’s a whole rainbow of foods to consume. Choose your favorites from different color groups and pledge to eat them more often. Likewise, fitness doesn’t have to mean the gym. Dancing or walking your dog, or playing with your kids also counts.
- Quality over quantity. You don’t need to pick up a bunch of new hobbies (unless you want to!). Instead, focus on perfecting your golf swing, becoming a better salsa dancer, or whatever truly brings you joy.
- Find support. Join a hiking group or make a standing dog walking date with your best friend. It’s always easier to stay motivated when you have an accountability partner.
- Be realistic but kind to yourself. Make an honest assessment of your current physical condition and the ways that you are sabotaging your health. But don’t beat yourself up. Simply take note of where you are right now and what’s realistic for you over the next few weeks, months, and years.
Getting professional help
It’s always best to talk to your doctor before making radical lifestyle changes, especially if you have any chronic conditions. Check in regularly as your health situation evolves, especially as you move into your retirement years or develop a new chronic illness or injury. In addition, don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional if you start to develop serious challenges to your motivation. Depression, anxiety, and many other mental health issues are easily treatable, but if left untreated, could wreak havoc on your goals.