What our Productivity-focused Society don’t want you to know about feeling more Alive
We’ve all been there - waking up late after snoozing the alarm countless times, skipping the skincare routine because “I didn’t feel like doing it”, rushing to work and forgetting to respond back to certain important emails…
Dragging our feet back home after a long day at work, gobbling down our dinner and immediately rushing to the comforts of our bed because “I am REALLY tired”.
Ever wonder why we can sometimes feel motivated, high, excited and ready to take on the world while we feel like a deflated balloon some other times?
The time I’m writing this blog happens to be the time astrologers identify as ‘mercury retrograde’. The advice I got from my personal astrologer about ‘mercury retrogrades’ is that they are the perfect time to reassess, review, rethink and reimagine. I’m sharing this blog because I too have my own share of motivated and unmotivated times.
My only intention in writing this blog is for it to find you at the right time when you need a better understanding of why you’re feeling lost and provide clear insights for you to make your way out of the funk to claim your vibrant energy and unstoppable ambition back!
What makes us lose motivation
1. Burnout:
Let's be honest, when we are burned out the last thing we have on our mind is to practice self care. We are barely meeting the expectations of others. We have SO much on our plates. All we want is just to survive and make it through the day. No wonder we lose motivation - we are just doing what we need to do to the best of our ability, and not having the mental, emotional and physical capacity to do what will nourish our soul and uplift our being.
2. Lack of clarity:
Who can relate to this? Being told what to do, how to do and when to do has been the way we lived life since childhood. Now that we are fully grown adults, we are suddenly given the grave task to be responsible for ourselves. It is normal to feel anxious and worried “if I’m doing life right” and be wondering “where’s the instruction guide to going on my first date/ being politically correct when conversing with my colleagues”? Growing up is part and parcel of life.
When we are unsure of what we want for ourselves, it is understandable that we turn to the “successful” people - the people who have it all, and try to make ourselves be like them.
You are unique in your own way, it’s ok to have role models to inspire you, but never force yourself to be someone you’re not meant to be.
3. Not doing more (of the things we find meaningful)
One of my responsibilities as a RTT practitioner is to help you realise your potential, and here’s a tough love type of question: are you doing enough?
While some may find taking the easy way out by clocking in and out and doing the bare minimum suffice because it pays the bills, often than not these are the same people who feel unfulfilled in their lives.
In comparison, someone who strives to make their dream career come true may face multitudes of setbacks but will be the first few to share that they have a truly meaningful life and they get their energy from going after the dreams they have. They have a reason to wake up each morning, to help another person live a better life, to inspire another to take their art/ passion project/ hobbies seriously.
Reflection question: where can I push myself to stretch my limits?
4. Lack of inspiration
Are you growing? Do you have role models, or new ideas around you that get the cogwheels in your mind moving? For the majority, life stagnates after they end formal education. They pick a career, start a family and simply do what is required of them. There is nothing wrong with letting life be life. Yet there is more to life than just fulfilling our responsibilities.
Inventions, new ideas, creative projects are being worked on everyday. Have you been listening to the same songs on repeat? Perhaps it’s time to shake things up a little - visit a new country you’ve yet to explore, check out a different section of the library, listen to a new genre of music, and interact with people who are different from you.
When we expand our horizons through meaningful experience and interaction with others, we see more for ourselves. We get inspired and we open the doors to creation. You are always co creating your life experiences, choose the ones which inspire, motivate, nourish and fuel you.
5. Harshness and small minded people around us
Are the people around you supportive? Many times when I speak to clients who have temporarily lost their purpose, the common theme that shows up time and again is that they don’t have trusted individuals around them. They don’t feel safe confiding in others for the fear that others would not support their ideas or would make fun of their desires. These practical people would encourage my clients to look at the world realistically, logically, to stop dreaming and to ensure financial stability and security over emotional gratification.
If that’s not the case with the people around you, could you be your own worst enemy? This can sound like you telling yourself an idea won’t work before you even try it out, or shaming yourself for a reasonable mistake at work, or persuading yourself out of sharing your real feelings with someone who is willing to be intimate and hold space for you.
Did this post resonate with you? Click here to read part 2 of the blog where I share the 4 actions you can take right away to feel less like a zombie and more like an eager beaver (and get more out of life)!
