About a month ago the hubs and I went on a vacation to Tulum, Mexico. We were definitely in need of a vacation and invited the warm weather and relaxation. When we returned we were met with bipolar weather (warm days as high as 60 degrees and others where it was 30 degrees and snowing). I for sure thought that we’d have warmer spring weather when we returned. I mean it’s now mid-April! It’s safe to say that since returning from vacation, I’ve kind of felt “blah” and have been in a funk.
At the beginning of the year I set very specific goals for myself and every night after work I’d sit in the office and work on them until bed. However, since returning from vacation I’ve barely stepped into the office. I haven’t written many blog posts or worked on my side hustle. I haven’t done much of anything really, but I never stopped longing for another vacation or being able to retire early.
I consider myself to be a very motivated person; whenever my mind has decided what I want, that’s what I work towards until I achieve it. However, no human is immune to analysis paralysis. Sure, I came back from vacation with the same vision – to take more vacations, be my own boss, pay off student loans, create a life I don’t need a vacation from, and to “retire” from the 9-5 on my terms. I read all of the same motivating emails and social media I usually do, but I was lacking one very important piece – action!
Sure, when we first start out we need to establish our goals and visions. We may even research and start to plan our path towards reaching those goals. Those are technically the first steps in taking action towards what you want. But that’s where many fall short and never achieve what they had envisioned. If you never move beyond the daydreaming or planning phase to actually take the necessary action steps that will get you one step closer to your goal, that’s all your goals will ever be – a dream!
When I returned from vacation I fell into the victim mindset. My excuses were “I’m working different hours now”, “I’m too tired”, and “I’ve been sick”. I supposedly didn’t have time to work on my side hustle, but I certainly had time to binge watch two seasons of the worst design show ever.
When I realized the mindset funk I was in, I knew I needed to break it. I became re-inspired to get back on track and take the necessary steps to move beyond this point. Today I’m writing this blog post to re-inspire you to break out of your funk. You don’t want to be a bystander of others’ successes!
What goals have you set out for yourself that you either haven’t taken action on or have “disappeared” into the background of “everyday living”? What excuses do you keep telling yourself for why you can’t achieve your dreams and desires?
Here are a 4 tips to keep you motivated and on track:
- Stop focusing on the problem (the reasons or excused you’ve created on why you can’t do something) and start focusing on the solution
- This allows you to open your mind to many possibilities and also invites more positivity into your life
- Create time in your calendar for a weekly review
- Reflect on the previous week and create an action plan for the coming week
- Be mindful of your thoughts
- We all fall into slumps from time to time but the difference between those that succeed and those that don’t is recognizing when you are in a funk
- Find an accountability partner
- someone who will frequently check in with you and call you out on any BS
