As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, I find that I feel less motivated to do just about anything: exercise, wake up early, eat healthily, doing my self-care, connecting with friends, etc. And honestly, I find it particularly difficult to go above and beyond to grow my business and bring in new clients as I usually do when I’m having such a hard time just making it through a normal day. I have lost my momentum and my motivation all at once.
It isn’t particularly uncommon to slow down in the fall. Our bodies are like clocks, feeling the external changes happening in the weather and the movement of the earth around the sun, and we want to sleep more with the longer nights and generally feel like moving less. Each day feels like there is less time to accomplish what needs to be done. No wonder I feel less creative.
The other side of the equation is that I’m a high-energy person with high expectations of myself and everyone around me. My usual method of working at anything is to do it until I collapse from exhaustion, long after anyone else would have given up and gone home. I’ve been trying to pay attention to this and do less, and instead do everything more mindfully, and, hopefully, better. So maybe feeling a natural slowing down is a good thing for me particularly.
I want to be kind to myself and recognize that there may be other forces at play right now that I don’t control, but I also don’t want to make excuses. It’s a hard line to walk, but I think I’m up to the challenge. So, how do I feel like I’m accomplishing my goals and setting new ones that matter and still allow myself to slow down?
My business partners, my coach, and the other people in my life are great barometers for me, whether they intend to be or not. My partners are great to talk to when I feel discouraged or out of sorts. I can ask them to help me determine if I really am being lazy or making excuses when I feel that I am. They know me pretty well, and though they might let me get away with some of it, even the act of having the conversation allows me to see things differently so I can make decisions accordingly. My coach helps me to take a longer view and to see what I am doing through another lens. He keeps me on track by reminding me to check in with myself and see how what I am doing or not doing fits in with my overall goals for my business and my life. He is also good at challenging me and presenting opposing views that I simply can’t see yet. And the other people in my life are my supporters and cheerleaders. They tell me to keep going, and they let me know that they will be there for me no matter what. I need that, too.
If you’re feeling a seasonal slow-down or some other loss in your motivation or momentum, I encourage you to listen to your inner voice to guide you, and check in with some people who care about you and have your back. Use your coach or some other trusted person to help you get back on track at your pace and doing what you want to do.
