Motivation works in a funny way. Even in the darkest situation, a little drop of it can do wonder.
Little words of courage from your partner, parents or your colleagues might have no seemingly effect on the surface but if you ever look back, you’ll find that those words actually kept you pushing through this muddy world.
But it is not always the case that you find a brimming light ray coming from the outside window, do you?
There are times when you have to sail alone and dig in your soul for motivation. And these are the times when you have to dig in for the connection between motivation and self-love.
How? Let’s have a look.
Motivation and Self-Love
Do you want to hear a shocking fact that we know but choose to ignore? That people don’t really love their own selves.
A recent survey conducted by BodyShop shows how ‘self-love’ or ‘self-esteem’ crisis is a real thing across the world today.
More than often, we choose to compare ourselves with the person beside us and criticise the tiniest part of ourselves to that extent that it’s unhealthy, to the extent that we hate ourselves.
It is a false belief that everyone nurtures that self-love stems from motivation. But in reality, motivation can only get its proper nourishment from the inner love for yourself.
A research conducted in the South Eastern Nigeria also supports the contention that there is a strong connection between motivation and self-love that affects the undergraduates of the country.
The connection between motivation and self-love is complicated to understand but once you do, you will only channelise self-love into motivation and you will understand how motivation helps us embrace our inner selves.
What is Self-Love? – The Connection between Motivation and Self-Love
While many often confuse self-love with narcissism and egoistic personality, the word goes way beyond that.
If explained in simple words, self-love is self-acceptance; accepting, but not agreeing who you are. Self-love is accepting your inner strength and inner flaws and be with them.
Self-love is allowing yourself to correct or incorrect at times and yet, let you choose to be a better person.
The concept of self-love can be followed from the basic concept of stoicism by Seneca as well.
How Motivation Helps Embrace Your Inner Selves – 3 Approaches that can Make You Wise
As Jim Rohn has rightly said, “if you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse”.
However, this quote has one important link missing. How do we motivate ourselves from procrastination?
It is easier said than done, isn’t it? Let’s follow up.
1. Embrace Your Flaws; Embrace Your Inner Selves
One of the tricks to motivation and self-love is to embrace your flaws and embrace your inner selves. Accept the mistakes you made, the lacks you have inside. We are not perfect.
If you are not getting the inner voice for motivation, search for it. When you start accepting your flaws, you find a way through your inner chaos.
Don’t let your flaws overwhelm and dictate you. Embrace the flaws and move forward. The practice of mindfulness can help you better in achieving this approach.
2. Take a Moment before giving an Excuse
Giving up is very easy. Death is easy but being alive – not so much. It is okay if you cannot get things done a lot, but you can do a little.
Before you come up with an excuse, ask yourself whether this is the best you can do. Test and tease your limits every day. Do a little every day. That will make all the difference in the world.
According to a research conducted by the Harvard Business Review, the power of small wins change the map of the world eventually. Expanding your limits will help you embrace your inner selves in truer sense.
3. Be Aware
If you fail to do something, do not bash yourself relentlessly. Do not use discouragement as a vessel of motivation.
That is called negative motivation and according to scholar B.F. Skinner, negative motivation often doesn’t have longevity.
If you fail at something, chant to yourself, ‘Yes, I failed to do this. I lack this skill but I’ll improve myself. I’ll analyse and get back at it better in future.’
Conclusion
The world runs on motivation. The motivation to be better, do better, live better. But no one asks, who are we competing with? The answer should be – yourself; the past you.
But it won’t happen if you go all military on your inner self. You have to give yourself love, the way you admire and love others. And nourish with little words of courage, every day.
Self-love, rectify and words of courage – the three elements of building up a human being for the betterment of this society.
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