PLANKS Challenge - Motivation

It's time for another PLANKS Challenge Update!



Life's been a little crazy around here with June busyness and me not feeling great, so I actually didn't re-test myself yet. But I've been doing a lot of yoga so I am hoping that is helping me out some. No, it's not the intentional planks workouts I started with, but I'm giving myself grace and making adjustments accordingly.

Excuse me, while I go plank it up for a few minutes.....



OK I'm back and I guess the yoga is helping me out some because I keep progressing! Here's my high plank re-test at 4.5 weeks into the 6 week challenge.

Wow!! To be honest, I did notice somewhere in there that I had dropped my butt too low and fixed it, but I am not positive how long it was like that. Regardless, it is still a huge improvement upon my original test plank of 1 minute 43 seconds. Wow. One and a half weeks to get to my 5 minute goal!

So today's blog topic is Six Packs of Motivation. What motivates you to keep up the work in this challenge or in any training program or workout regimen?  It ties in really well for me, because we are talking about Motivation this week in my Organize e-course with Dawn Trautman as well! Here are some of the things that motivate me in both the PLANKS Challenge and in general.

Progress
This is one of my biggest motivators. When I feel myself making progress whether in holding a plank longer, cleaning out the basement, or anything else in life, I am motivated to keep going. Knowing this, I am learning to do things to help measure my progress and set goals accordingly. It's one of the reasons I am checking my progress every week during the planks challenge. It's why I take before and after pictures for projects (and sometimes in the middle pictures to remind myself that I am making progress even when it feels like it's slow-going).  Seeing my progress helps me remember that little steps add up to giant leaps over time.

The key is to keep moving forward and progressing whether in small or large increments, because not doing anything means you aren't going anywhere. I'm an all-or-nothing perfectionist kind of girl, and I say that as a confession, not like it's a good thing. Once upon a time, I used to smugly say that my perfectionism was my biggest weakness in job interviews like it was a fake weakness, like I was proving my worth by showing that I had no other weakness besides being so darn fabulous all. the. time. Boy, was I wrong.

My perfectionism is my biggest weakness and it is a GIANT weakness. How many times have you avoided doing something because you wouldn't be able to do it exactly right and then it sat there undone for hours, days, weeks, or longer? How many times have you sacrificed something else more important to you - whether your health, money or time - just to meet a goal that you didn't even really care about by the end? Or maybe you've given up on a goal or challenge halfway through because you couldn't 'do it right'?  (I'm talking to some of your PLANKS Challengers here!!!) Any planks are better than no planks. Any progress is better than no progress. Allowing perfectionism to stop you from moving forward is not preserving your perfection, it's getting you nowhereYou've got one and a half weeks left, plank it up!

Community
Support and community from others is a great motivator. A partner or group to share both the joys and challenges of you journeying to your goal gives you a safe place where you can connect with other like-minded people.  This also offers accountability! When I know I have to come here and over on the facebook page and tell you all how I am doing, it gives me a little push to keep going. Sometimes you get to be the one inspired, and sometimes you get to inspire. The give and take is awesome. It's one of the reasons I am going to go check out some local running groups soon. I need that community support. Chat me up on facebook or twitter for a little support and encouragement.

Visuals
I am always drawn to those great advertisements in fitness magazines showing someone kicking butt with a catchy slogan or in the home decorating catalogs that embody perfection in their bathroom storage design or something else equally silly. I've always enjoyed making collages or surrounding myself with things that inspire me towards my goals. I recently discovered pinterest and oh my word, I am in love. On pinterest you can make your own virtual pinboards for basically whatever you want whether home decor, fashion ideas, inspirations, quotes you love or recipes. You can literally do whatever you want on it.

I've just started with it this week, and I'm following some folks I know from the blog world and real life. When they pin things, it shows up in my feed. I've seen some great stuff there, but my favorite thing to do so far is search for an area I'm looking for resources or inspiration in, i.e. yoga or running or faith or organization or whatever. you. want. It's a lot of fun, and I am growing pinboards that are inspiring me to tackle projects in home, add in workouts, and find peace and calming in new ways.  Here's a beginner's tutorial on pinterest.

Two disclaimers here: 1) pinterest could easily become a major time suckage if you don't set boundaries just like any great social media tool can be and 2) if this is how you are seeking motivation, give yourself grace. Don't let it become one more thing to beat yourself up - why doesn't my house look like that, why don't my abs look like that, why can't I do that pose, or whatever else. Surround yourself with things that give you positive energy!


What motivates you?

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