This has been a tough year for my career. I don’t know if it’s the slower economy, absurd inflation rates, difficulty finding medical care, or the fact that I upended my entire life by moving across the country. Regardless of why, I’ve struggled to find the motivation to keep going with my business.

I’ve dealt with fatigue issues that have made even the simplest of tasks feel overwhelming. I’ve had hefty bouts of imposter syndrome and comparison-itis. I have approximately two thousand half-finished blog posts that never made it onto my website because I got slammed with writer's block in the middle of writing them.

Medical professionals have a few different names for what I’ve been feeling. Depression, executive dysfunction, burnout, and anxiety all have symptoms similar to mine. But, nothing truly seemed to fit what I was feeling. So, I took matters into my own hands and gave my state of being a name of its own:

the no-motivation monster.

Naming my symptoms has helped me separate my identity from how I’m feeling. I’ve imagined my monster to look like a sad and unhelpful ghost that follows me around, Eeyore raincloud-style.

I’ve been trying to recover for months.

I’ve tried getting more exercise. I chugged water. I’ve worked hard to improve my sleep. I’ve taken supplements and cleaned up my diet. I’ve talked to friends. Family. Colleagues. Doctors. Nothing was working. At least, not entirely.

Finally: I’ve come out on the other side.

Now, I’m still glancing over my shoulder for my monster. I know that if I’m not careful, it’ll pull me back into its no-motivation pit. And, I may not be entirely out yet. However, I feel better than I have in a really long time.

I’m writing this with the hope that if this sounds like what you’re experiencing, hearing my story can help you through it. So, here’s what I did, and what I’ve learned.

Start with the basics

While tripling my water intake and having a consistent bedtime didn’t fully pull me out of my funk, they still played a part. Let’s review the basics:

Rest

This was the biggest (and hardest) basic step for me. Rest can mean getting more sleep. It can mean doing less. It can mean stepping away from things that no longer serve you. What you choose is up to you and what recharges you. I’ll talk more about this one later.

Hydrate and eat well

I know it seems weird to talk about water in connection to motivation. But, it’s important. If you’re not drinking enough water, your body breaks down its own tissues. If you’re someone who exercises, this means that your workouts will be extra fatiguing. You’ll be struggling to find the energy to support your movement. How much water you need is uniquely based on activity levels and the climate you live in, so check for a pale yellow urine color for confirmation that you’ve got enough.

Eating well is the other side of the same coin. It’s hard to eat well when you have no motivation, so try to focus on balanced options that feel low-effort. Fresh fruit has been a lifesaver for me. There’s also no shame in pre-packaged meals or takeout.

Never underestimate the value of the basics. Getting your sleep, hydration, and diet on track can make a big difference.

Get a check-up/seek professional support

There might be a bigger reason you’re feeling off. It never hurts to rule out any underlying medical issues. It’s also a good idea to get in touch with a mental health professional, especially if you have a history of mental health challenges.

The bigger steps

REALLY rest

If you can, take time off from work. Step away from unnecessary obligations. Delegate responsibilities. Less, less, less. If communication or socializing is draining for you, let your friends and loved ones know that you’ll be less available for a little while. It’s not personal–it’s just a need for the time being.

Personally, I took a week off from work, lowered my social media use, and spent more time at home. I delegated some tasks and said no to a few responsibilities.

Most importantly — make sure that you let go of any guilt while you’re resting. Taking it easy for a little bit ensures that you have the energy to keep going. Rest is productive.

Take it easy. Have some slow mornings. Binge watch an old favorite TV show. Do whatever recharges you, but please do not make yourself feel guilty about doing it!

Do what you want to do

How much of your day is spent on things you don’t love doing? Whether it’s business tasks, household responsibilities, or even making yourself finish a knitted blanket out of obligation, take stock. Then, do what you want to do, at least for a few minutes a day. Ideally, spend an hour or more doing something you enjoy.

If the only thing you want to do is lie down for a nap, that’s 100% okay. Go nap. My choices were: an easy video game, reading, an art project, and spending time with my partner.

Get in touch with your support system

Reach out to those who are supportive of your goals. In the best-case scenario, you’ve got a handful of people who are doing what you do or have been where you are now. If you don’t, you can reach out to freelance/entrepreneur groups in your area to make some connections. Or, reach out to a friend who, even if they can’t relate, is your biggest hype person.

Be mindful

I will be the first to say that I don’t love meditation. It feels like such a burden to sit still and think about my thoughts. However, it does work. Meditation lowers stress and helps you reconnect with your purpose. Another however: you can be mindful however you want. As long as you’re bringing awareness to your thoughts and emotions, you’re doing it right. This can look like journaling, deep breathing, a guided meditation, or even filling out a page in an adult coloring book.

Doing some deep breathing for even a couple minutes a day can help regulate your nervous system and lower anxiety.

Now, we can get to the one thing that helped me the most.

The biggest step

Do some mindset work

When you ask a successful freelancer about their success, they often say that the biggest reason for their success was working on their mindset. I didn’t truly understand that until now.

I had my “aha” moment in the midst of completing a CEC. The CEC in question is a course from my close friend and expert business owner Tamara. She helps you through the basics of running a business, and it’s valuable even for those who are well into their entrepreneurial journey. You can check out her courses here.

Tamara’s course asked me to work on my mindset with a few different prompts, but here are the ones that sparked change in me:

Remember why you started
Identify limiting beliefs
Know when you are stuck

She then goes through a handful of questions, including:

What fears are preventing you from taking action toward your desired goals?
Where is this fear stemming from? when did you learn it? Who did you learn it from?
What do you know now that you didn’t know back then? How is your current situation different from the time when you learned this fear?
What do you need in order to take the next tiny step toward that goal or action?

These prompts and questions really allowed me to tap into my reasons for pressing forward. I remembered my values and my purpose.

It turns out that my no-motivation monster was something else: it was fear.

Honestly, this is a pretty good approximate for what my face looked like when I figured it all out.

I’ve been afraid to keep going because I’ve been afraid of what it would mean for me to be successful. I’ve been afraid of what it would take to achieve that. So, I’ve self-sabotaged. Going back to my “why” helped me reclaim my motivation and heal my mindset.

I do what I do because I want to give back to the health and wellness community. I want to support myself without burning out from overwork. I want to help my clients do the same. It’s important to me. It’s important that I keep going.

So, my biggest piece of advice to you for rediscovering your motivation is this:

The Take-Home Message

Getting your motivation back might take a few different tries. It did for me. Make sure you’re properly rested, have talked things through with your support network, are returning joy to your days, and then: tackle your mindset.

Figure out what’s stopping you. Get in touch with your emotions. Rediscover your why.

Is your no-motivation monster simply your fears in disguise, like it was for me?

“The monster wasn’t really a monster—it was Fear the whole time!” -Velma, probably

Begone, sad ghost.

Phew, what a nightmare. Anyway, it feels good to be back to reality. Thanks for sticking around until the end.

How to reclaim your motivation to keep your business going