Getting motivated makes life an adventure instead of a struggle
Getting motivated is a daily challenge for singles. We all know times when we feel like staying in bed and not facing the world.
How you see life makes all the difference in the world. Sure, you'll go through periods when you're depressed or worried, but you still need to keep going. You don't have the luxury of letting someone else do it.
Too often you'll get so wrapped up in the moment that you fail to see the big picture.
Getting motivated when trouble hits
One of the toughest times to stay motivated is when trouble hits. Your mind becomes so fixated on your problem that you feel paralyzed.
I've had cancer twice, and the first time, when I was 25 years old, I was extremely sick from the radiation treatments. Every day I knew I had to get up and go to the hospital for another treatment, which would make me sick for the rest of the day.
My motivation came from two things: First, I wanted to get well again and beat the cancer, and second, I knew there would be an end to the treatments. The doctors had ordered 55 treatments. Every one taken was one less I had to do. I kept moving closer to the goal.
What is your motivation when you're unemployed or you've just gone through a romantic breakup? Those things have happened to me too. If you're looking for a job, your hope is that the next call, the next application, the next interview might be it. No matter how discouraging it gets, perseverance will make the difference.
When you lose someone you love, whether through death or a breakup, getting motivated is even tougher. In the past, I have found hope through God when my heart has been broken.
As a guy who has been around more than six decades, I can assure you of this:
Trouble only takes a vacation. It never leaves for good.
As long as you're alive you'll have some kind of trouble.
It seems that you no sooner get one problem solved than another comes up to take its place. Sometimes problems come one right after another, but at other times they take a break for months, or even a few years.
The good news about this is that even when trouble is unexpected, it doesn't overwhelm you if you know you're about due. Don't go out looking for it, mind you, but remember that the trouble-free life is a fairy tale.
Make sure you're going somewhere
Let's be blunt. We singles can get into a rut. If we're not careful, our lives can become incredibly dull because dull is safe. Dull is comfortable. Dull is easy.
The problem with that is you can get like a robot, doing the same things all the time, seeing the same people, even eating the same foods. You might wake up some morning with the crashing realization that you're going nowhere.
Getting motivated comes from going somewhere.
I don't mean geographically, but going somewhere with your life. That means having some goals and projects to keep you enthusiastic.
One of the best motivators in life is having something to look forward to.
Whether it's a vacation, a home improvement project, a personal goal like weight loss or overcoming some bad habit, we climb out of our rut when we give our life direction.
Maybe your job doesn't do it for you. Maybe it just provides a paycheck and pays the bills. In a bad economy, even a boring job is a blessing. If you're dissatisfied with your job, you need something besides your job to keep you motivated.
Only you know what that is, but I offer just one warning. Don't fall into the trap of buying yourself things every time you feel bad. If a big shopping spree is your source of motivation, you could wind up heavily in debt, a whole nightmare of its own.
No, your motivator should be something that builds you up as a person. It should be an achievement or goal you can be proud of. It should be something you look forward to, like a hobby or special interest. And please make it affordable.
Getting motivated by God
When you leave God out of your life, you have a hole in your soul that nothing else can fill. I've learned through personal experience that material possessions can't fulfill you. Each thing you buy eventually gets old, so you have to keep buying something new. It becomes a vicious cycle.
Here's the mystery: God never changes, yet he is new each day. He is fascinating to get to know and his love is one of the few reliable things on earth. Getting motivated by loving and serving God is the wisest choice.
God is the compass that points straight and true. When employers let you go, a relationship crumbles, or your finances dip, God is a beautiful constant. He makes life exciting. He turns it into an adventure.
You don't have to be in some kind of full-time ministry to serve God. You can do it on your job and you can do it with your friends and family. You don't need to be preaching to them all the time. You lead by your example. When you are kind and treat others with love and respect, you are serving God.
When you reach out to someone who needs help, you're serving God. When you give to your church or a charity, regardless of the amount, you're serving God.
Get a cross. Hang it on your bedroom wall so it's the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night. I have one hanging over my dresser.
When you look at it, remember that Jesus Christ died out of love for you. There's your motivation. It's the reason to get out of bed in the morning, and the reason for a smile on your face when you lay your head on the pillow at night.
