Hello iymstuck,

I was given this advice not that long ago from my counsellor in regards to my motivation levels & the pressure I was putting on myself to meditate, exercise and self care etc. I was finding that the more pressure I put on myself to have serious discipline, the less motivated I would become & then the less I would do. It became a vicious cycle and started to get me really down and feel like I was failing.

She explained to me that when you are constantly pressuring yourself to do mediation, got to the gym etc, you begin to take the joy and meaning out of these things & instead it feels like a chore. We need to be kind to ourselves as we don’t feel motivated 100% of the time and that’s ok. It’s ok if one week you meditate 5 times and the next week only once or not at all, same as the gym. I have been learning to listen to my body and what it needs during that time, mediation is also great to help you develop this skill.

So my advice, from my experience would be most importantly be kind to yourself, don’t judge or guilt yourself. Do things you enjoy, when they feel right, set yourself manageable goals, but don’t beat yourself up if some days you fall short. I have found mediation has bought great benefits & I am learning to enjoy it more and more.

I hope this helps
Erin 🙂