Keep Motivated

This year has been a year of crazy weather in the South with abnormally high temperatures late into fall. Georgia weather is always bipolar, but this year has been worse.

Just when we thought the mugginess of summer was gone and the crisp fall was here, de ja vu set in as record highs smothered the South.

The irony for me is I generally like warm weather because it helps keep me motivated and going in my outdoor activities. Although I bike year-round, cooler temperatures can suck the life out of a person with a brain injury.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the beauty of fall, but I know the ugly reality of SAD (seasonal affective disorder):

• Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day.
• Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed.
• Having low energy.
• Having problems with sleeping.
• Experiencing changes in your appetite or weight.
• Having difficulty concentrating.
• Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty.
• Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide.[i]

Add to these the effects of cooler temperatures on brain injuries and the outcome is almost paralyzing. Cooler months plus the holidays can make it impossible for writers to stay focused and keep motivated to write.

Motivated?

Webster’s defines motivation as, “A motivating force, stimulus, or influence:incentive, drive.” Often during this time of year most of us begin to focus on the holidays: the planning, shopping, and schedule rearranging can be overwhelming itself, much less waiting to see what crazy weather may be coming our way to throw a wrench in our schedules.

The additional stress of the holidays can suck the creativity out of writers like a vampire. During this season, while I’m physically struggling due to my disability,  I have to force myself into my home office and hope I can be creative instead of just looking out one of the windows as the leaves gradually change colors and drift off to their final resting place on the ground.

Recently, I searched online for some tips on being productive with my writing over the holidays. Writership.com suggests ten tips to keep our creative flow, flowing during this congested time of year:

1. Know yourself – think about what distracts you and avoid those things. And if you can’t, devise a backup plan to help keep you on track.
2. Remember your writing goals – keep your writing goals posted and in your line of vision so you can focus on that to help keep you motivated while holiday parties are calling your name.
3. Stick to your routine as much as possible – although there are added commitments during the holidays. Keep doing all the things you can to support your writing.
4. Schedule your writing time – figure out what you need to do to stay on track with your writing goals and schedule that in. If another activity requires your attention, then reschedule your writing time so that your writing doesn’t suffer.
5. Lean on your accountability partner or group –let your support group know what’s hard for you and what you’re trying to achieve.
6. Make use of the time you have – as Steven Pressfield says, ‘work in the cracks.’ Get up a little earlier; go to bed a little later. Use your lunch hour. Have your spouse watch the kids for an hour. Bring your writing tools wherever you go. Think about characters while you drive.
7. Don’t give in to discouragement – if you miss a milestone, allow yourself to be disappointed for a few moments, and then get back to it.
8. Say no when you need to – prioritize what’s important and say no to everything else.
9. Prioritize self-care – among your priorities should be getting enough sleep, eating well, and moving your body.
10. Continue under all circumstances – something will always compete with your attention, whether it’s the holidays, a day job, or a life-challenging circumstance.[ii]

I think the basic idea here is to work with what you have, something is better than nothing. 

Work with Whatever You Have?

This year I focused on building my platform on brain injury awareness. Whether connecting with survivors or caregivers online or in person, I always try to tell people to focus on what they can do instead of what they can’t.

Last month in an article published in a brain injury magazine, I discussed letting go of the past and what we used to do and instead focusing on the present and what we can do. Having a brain injury doesn’t mean my life is over, just life as I used to know it. I’ve learned to keep three thoughts in mind to keep me motivated:

• Keep moving to keep momentum and stay moving.
• Don’t make excuses, make progress.
• Don’t wallow in self-pity; this is a season and it will pass.

For the most part, just like in life, seasons change and life goes on. When the weather blues get to you, look within and not around you to stay motivated.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

---

[i] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651

[ii] https://writership.com/news/2016/12/16/10-tips-keep-writing-through-the-holidays