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Numb and Shutdown: How to Revive Your Motivation


How often do you experience periods of low motivation and emotional shutdown?

  • [ ] Rarely
  • [ ] Occasionally
  • [ ] Frequently
  • [ ] Almost constantly

Life is a rollercoaster of emotions, but what happens when the ride suddenly comes to a screeching halt? You find yourself stuck in a cycle of lackluster motivation, feeling as though you’re trudging through molasses, and emotionally shut down. Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this journey. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and uncover strategies to rekindle your inner fire, leaving you energized and ready to conquer life’s challenges.

Feeling Numb and Shut Down

It’s like life hit the snooze button, and you’re stuck in a gray haze of “meh.” According to a recent study, a whopping 70% of people experience periods of low motivation and emotional numbness at some point in their lives. But fear not, because CBT is here to save the day.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Breath of Fresh Air?

Imagine CBT as a tailor-made mental gym, sculpting your mind into a lean, mean motivation machine. First, we identify those pesky automatic thoughts that fuel your sluggishness. As renowned author Mark Twain once quipped, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Challenge those negative thoughts and watch your motivation gauge inch upward. Find a therapist today that can help you get over your slump that uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools.

Here are some DIY tools you can also use for a revived mood:

The Power of Gratitude and Positive Vibes

Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” Combat emotional shutdown by nurturing a gratitude garden. Regularly jot down things you’re grateful for. It’s like watering the flowers of your mind. The more you nurture positivity, the more your emotional landscape will flourish.

Embrace Your Values

To quote Dr. Seuss, “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” Channel your unique self and connect with your core values. Research shows that individuals who align their actions with their values are more motivated and resilient. It’s time to march to the beat of your own drum.

The Art of Small Wins

Haven’t you heard? It’s the era of micro-victories! Research reveals that breaking down goals into bite-sized chunks can boost motivation. Think of it as your own personal “Quest for the Holy Grail.” Celebrate each small victory like a knight slaying dragons, and watch your motivation armor gleam.

The Grand Finale: The Quiz of Motivation

Before you go, we’ve got a treat for you! Take our interactive quiz to gauge your current motivation levels. Are you a Motivation Maverick or a Potential Powerhouse? Use the quiz below to assess your ML (motivation levels).

(Quiz)
What’s your Motivation Quotient?
Answer the following questions to find out:

  1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how motivated do you feel right now?
  • [ ] 1 – Not at all
  • [ ] 5 – Neutral
  • [ ] 10 – Supercharged!
  1. Which activity excites you the most?
  • [ ] Reading a book
  • [ ] Going for a hike
  • [ ] Trying a new recipe
  • [ ] Binge-watching your favorite show
  1. What’s your go-to remedy for a bad day?
  • [ ] A bubble bath and a book
  • [ ] A workout session
  • [ ] Indulging in comfort food
  • [ ] A movie marathon
  1. How often do you find yourself procrastinating?
  • [ ] Rarely
  • [ ] Occasionally
  • [ ] Frequently
  • [ ] All the time

Results:

  • Mostly 1s: Motivation Explorer
  • Mostly 2s: Motivation Trailblazer
  • Mostly 3s: Motivation Dynamo
  • Mostly 4s: Motivation Connoisseur
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The Anxiety Balance: Acceptance and Change

Anxiety vs. Fear

A lot of people confuse anxiety with fear. We use the words interchangeably without much thought about the difference. Understanding the definitions will help us find the anxiety balance between acceptance and change.

Imagine you are on a rollercoaster and as you start up the hill you are starting to get tense and gripping the rail in front of you in anticipation of the drop that will come on the other side. This is anxiety. As you make the sudden plunge downward you are screaming in joyful terror and feel out of control. This is fear.

Anxiety can be described as the “fear of the fear.” The experience of fear resides in your imagination about an event in the future. It could be a real event or it could be false. Fear is the experience of terror in the present as events are actually occurring. This is important because, in anxiety, the future has not happened yet. We are anticipating a stressful event and creating our own physiological symptoms, sweating, tension, heart palpitations, in our minds. The actual events, however, justified they appear to be, have not taken place. Knowing this would suggest that we can control what we think and imagine to manage anxiety.

This presents us with a key strategy used by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. in her program called Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Dialectical simply means “tension” between two equally valid concepts such as acceptance and change.

 

Acceptance & Change

While it appears that acceptance and change are opposing forces, they are actually compliments of one another in the process of managing our emotional states. Applying them together facilitates a greater sense of mastery in our lives.

For example, if we are scheduled to give a public presentation and feeling anxious about it, we simply accept that we have these feelings while also recognizing that we only have to speak for a few minutes and then it will be over. You also know there are supportive people in the audience who would never humiliate you and in fact, you are very well prepared.

You might worry about your health and while you accept that you may find out bad news and get a poor diagnosis, you also know that modern medicine has a lot of treatments, medications, and know that you trust.

This paradox creates space for skill building. If presentations are part of your work and can’t avoid doing them, you can build skills like getting a coach, go to Toastmasters, read books or watch Youtube videos to increase your confidence and abilities. If the idea of asking someone out on a date terrifies you, you can just hang out with your peers, go on group dates, find a matchmaker to help you find your true love. If you are worried about your health, because your family has bad genes, you can get a trainer, talk to doctors, develop a new eating routine, and so on. The more you build skills, the less anxious you feel about some bad event occurring in your future.

Get more information on this topic and how to build mind-full-ness into your life to balance anxiety by taking the complete “Freedom From Anxiety” program >> Click here!