Motivation is such a funny and fickle friend. There are mornings when you wake up and cannot wait to get the day started. Unfortunately, there are other days when you wake up and feel as though a sumo wrestler is sitting on your chest. Most often times if you can get up, have a hot shower and an even hotter cup of coffee, you can manage to rally the troops and go on about your day. Just think for a second what would happen if you were just not motivated to get up and go to work. We would certainly not last very long at any job if we waited until we were "motivated" to go to work or finish a project. Yet people have no problem waiting on the motivation to make changes in their health, whether that be starting an exercise program or swapping out that "happy meal" for a salad at lunch. Happy meal?!? Give me a break.
Motivation means to give reason, incentive, enthusiasm, or interest to a specific action or certain behavior. Whether you are starting to eat healthy, exercise, or begin a new spiritual practice, most people feel as though motivation is a necessary component before taking action. In my opinion, motivation is a "fair weather friend". One that is a little too closely related to our "feeeelings". Feelings can be defined in a few different ways. Feelings can represent a physical sensation and also an emotional state, disposition or emotion. Both feelings and motivation have to take a backseat on the bus when you plan to make a lasting change. True and lasting change must be powered by a decision or even more importantly, a COMMITMENT. It is my opinion that you wake up everyday with a plan for the day that reflects not only your values, but your commitments to God, yourself and others. If you are waiting to feeeeel like exercising, feeeeel like eating right or feeeeel like starting that early morning Bible study, that day will never come. And if it does, it will not last. You might make it a few days on the excitement of starting something new, but soon enough your feet will hurt, your stomach will growl, your alarm clock will not go off or, heaven forbid, you will have to attend a function that has cake on the menu, blah, blah, blah....
Commitments are agreements, no bargaining and no excuses. Commitment sleeps in her exercise clothes to make sure she makes it to her morning exercise class. Commitment stays up late and fixes tomorrow's lunch so she has no excuse to go through the drive-thru line. Commitment gets up and attends church even though she knows that her favorite minister is out of town. Commitment does whatever it takes! Mr. Motivation and his bratty sister, Ms. Feeeelings would most certainly have had a laundry list of excuses as to why they were unable to complete the tasks at hand. Heres to getting to know commitment, she will not leave you hanging. She will continue to lead you down the path to achieving your goals and never leave you feeling helpless and discouraged. Commitment is not perfect but she does have the ability to help you choose to do "the next right thing for the next right reason"~ Ruthie Forgey. Even when you don't feeeeeel like it.
Blessings,
Heather
