Motivation

My dog and I headed out to the woods for a long walk on an old railway trail this afternoon. It was really muggy and hot, so on my way back to the car I switched up my music, hoping for some audio motivation. I must have made a good choice. (And no, it wasn't Celine Dion). I suddenly found myself walking taller, walking faster, and feeling motivated to keep going.

I started thinking about what motivates me in life, in my spiritual journey, in my work...when things seem difficult. There are several things that motivate me:

- Focusing on things of which I am sure: keeping a record of God's clear whispers in the past few weeks/months.
- Picturing a preferred future - thinking about what "could be" and imagining the process of getting there. (Visioneering)
- Relationships – those few close friends who get the phone calls when I'm down or need a little extra encouragement.

As a matter of chat...

What keeps you going when times get tough? Do you tend to turn to unhealthy habits or negative activities to make you "feel better"? Or do you have healthy outlets to refocus you and keep you heading in the right direction? Do the people that encourage you aware of how important they are to you?