Written by Rachel Dutt
Mental health struggle has its own effect on people. The longer the struggle stays the more difficult it becomes to do our work to motivate ourselves to do anything. Even the simplest chores become hard, getting up from bed, having a meal, bathing, or going to work. All of these become difficult when living becomes a chore, then how to deal with mental health struggles.
Once we get stuck in the loop of sadness, motivation gets distant. Hope leaves the door after a certain point. This hopelessness in turn causes more sadness. Therefore, it is important to break the loop and start motivating yourself. You can use the following pointers:
- Start small. Do not try to do too much at once. Start with small, achievable goals, and gradually build up your momentum. Set realistic goals. If you have not been able to work for a long time, planning a long list to accomplish will get hard. My clients have mentioned several times how a long list of work overwhelms them and they again feel demotivated since the list seems unachievable. It is important to remember sometimes we walk before running. So, take it easy and small.
- Focus on the positive. When you are feeling down, it is easy to focus on the negative. Especially when we are stuck in the loop of hopelessness it becomes difficult to see if anything good is happening. So many times, even if good things happen, we do not enjoy them or even consider them as positive. It is hard to look for the good things but try to find something positive to focus on, even if it is small. This could be something like a compliment you received, a beautiful day, or a kind act you saw someone do. Praise your small accomplishments.
- Take care of yourself. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly. When you take care of your physical health, it can help improve your mental health too. The more you focus on taking care of yourself, the more you fall in love with yourself. You deserve to take care of yourself too.
- Talk to someone. If you are struggling to self-motivate, talking to someone can be helpful. This could be a friend, family member, therapist, or anyone else you trust. If you feel you cannot reach a closed one. Join a support group.
Do not give up. It is normal to have setbacks when you are trying to self-motivate. But do not give up. Just keep trying, and eventually, you will see progress.
Rachel Dutt is a Counseling Psychologist and Queer Affirmative Therapist
Fit Minds Forever 