Take Charge! Act The Way You Want To Feel
Motion Drives Emotion
Emotions should never be the driving force behind our actions. They can take us on a rollercoaster ride, jerking us all over the place, or worse, they can leave us paralyzed by inaction. Instead, if we take action and make the choices that we know are the wisest, healthiest, and most beneficial to our well-being, then positive emotions will likely follow! Get in motion!
Excuses tend to get in the way of taking action—"I'll start working out on Monday… I'm too tired today... When A, B, and C happen, then I'll act… " It can be easy to sit back and wait for the stars to align, but they rarely ever do. Procrastination will eventually wear on you and cause you to feel anxious and depressed. Try reversing the order:
Act the way you want to feel!
Inspiration Follows Action
Waiting for inspiration to hit before you embark on a creative endeavor, a new business plan, or to lose weight and get in shape can lead to frustration, anxiety, and all kinds of other negative emotions. In order to become inspired, you must first act! If you've always wanted to write a book, but you feel that the inspiration hasn't hit you yet, then it's going to take you a lifetime! Just start! Today! Now! Trust me, inspiration follows forward motion!
Transformation Is Fueled By Momentum
Transformation doesn't happen overnight—momentum does, though! The minute you start taking action, momentum is already building! If you decide you're going to start getting up before work and hitting the gym every morning, action is all that counts. Saying and doing are two totally different things, but when they align, you will succeed! Momentum will begin to build every day that you do what you said you were going to do. It will become easier and easier because you won't have to deal with something called "decision fatigue."
Habits Eliminate Decision Fatigue
Decision fatigue is what happens when we don't have enough momentum behind us to create a habit. You go out to dinner and you can't decide whether to cave and get the cheesecake for dessert or to skip it. You can't decide whether to go to the gym or not. All of the flip-flopping will eventually fatigue your mind, weakening your better judgement skills. However, when you do create healthy habits, your brain begins to rewire, making new pathways and connections and there becomes less thought that has to go into doing what you know you ought to do to achieve results. When you go out to eat and the waiter offers dessert, it can be a constant battle if you don't set boundaries for yourself. But, if you decide ahead of time that you are just going to skip it, then the frustration of last-minute decision-making is taken out of the equation!
The Takeaway
Act the way you want to feel.
Be a doer—inspiration will come.
Momentum begins the moment you take action.
Healthy habits eliminate decision-fatigue.
ACT: 3 Simple Ways To Get In Motion And Gain Momentum
Accomplish early. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier and give yourself a little "me time," whether it's reading, journaling, praying, meditating, or making a healthier breakfast. That extra few minutes will allow you the space to create and/or accomplish something important to you first thing in the morning, leaving you with all kinds of good emotions!
Cheeeese! Smile…even if you really don't feel like it. Facial expressions not only reflect our emotions, but can cause them, as well! Studies have shown that when we feel down, the simple act of smiling can trick our brains into thinking that we're happy. As the saying goes, fake it til you make it! :)
Take a walk—better yet, sweat a little! If you feel sluggish or drained after a long day of sitting at a desk, most of the time a workout will actually make you feel energized. Physical activity also releases endorphins—the feel-good, happy hormones!
I hope that you all enjoyed this blog post! If you liked what you read, and want more inspiration, wisdom, and motivation, subscribe to my monthly newsletter that I am starting up! The form can be found on the right-hand side of my blog page!
