Motivation Mondays? Ugh. That sounds miserable. It sounds like a bad title on a mental health therapist’s blog. Oh wait, it is.

I think Maya was right, but I would add, how about an old girl kicking ass, or a young man, or an old man, or a middle aged non- binary person? I think we can all kick ass.

One way to do it is to maintain motivation. How do we do this? One way is to engage in activities that stimulate focus, awareness, and drive.

Did you know that natural and artificial light can do just that? 30 minutes of sunlight in the mornings is considered best, but afternoon sunlight will also increase wakefulness and creativity.

There is also something called “non-sleep deep rest” (NSDR) Non sleep deep rest can include things like yoga, mental imagery, or simply laying down. The best time for NSDR to increase motivation is surprisingly right after waking or mid-afternoon. Try it. it is simple and it works!

I think there is a bigger message here, though. There is a bigger calling than just getting motivated on a Monday or any day. That is the call to grow.

Have you answered the call? The call to grow. I once learned of an ancient tale of “angels” depicted in the story that states every blade of grass has an angel standing over it imploring it to grow. Hmm, maybe that’s why my neighbors keep complaining that my lawn isn’t as manicured as the rest of the neighborhood. I have often wondered if angels do exist, not as winged beings, though. I see them as something else, more like beings who have reached a higher degree of consciousness. William James said, “I have no doubt whatsoever that most people live, whether physically, intellectually, or morally, in a very restricted circle of their potential being. They make use of a very small portion of their possible consciousness… much like a man who, out of his whole body organism, should get into the habit of using and moving only his little finger… We all have reservoirs of life to draw upon, of which we do not dream.” So how do we attain this… growth, this…increased consciousness?

I also like this quote by James Kwik, “If an Egg Is Broken by an outside Force, Life Ends. If Broken by an inside Force, Life Begins. Great Things Always Begin from the inside.” So, which is it? Outside force, (angel)? Or inside force, (us)? I think it’s a little of both. For as long as I can remember, I don’t think I did grow, literally or figuratively. I was even nicknamed by my class, “little tabby”. I was also accosted by my own daughter about boob growth, her being concerned that she might take after my limited boobage. One day she even had me do a “boob test”. According to the boob test, you are to walk into your refrigerator, if your nose touches before your boobs, you have small boobs. That was a lesson I’ll never forget, don’t try this at home, refrigerator doors are hard on noses. It’s true, but I did finally grow, in the physical sense. Hey, I’m proud of all 62 of my inches. Urrrrr,,,that’s height not cup size. But, I digress. I think it takes us, as well as the angels around us for growth to happen.

My daughter, boob testing ideas and all, is a wonderful example of how the egg is sometimes broken from the inside. My daughter had it tough growing up. I have to admit, I was not at my healthiest in the early years of raising my then young children. I covered all the basics. I worked extra jobs to provide for their “needs”. They had a roof over their heads, food, and clothes. I sat in the floor and played with them. I took them to the museums and libraries, but I wasn’t a good role model when it came to the ways of emotional health and emotional intelligence. I struggled significantly with codependency. Despite all of this, my daughter has persevered and been what is traditionally considered “successful”, but more importantly, she has chosen to answer the call to growth, examining and introspecting how her early years may be affecting her present, and making healthier choices than her parents did. Mad props to my daughter for her own growth.

But what about her mother? Fortunately, I think my own answer to the call may have worked as a catalyst in my daughters life. How did I do it? That is a novel, not a blog post, but I will share with you, dear reader, what I feel sparked the most growth.

– Reading- I have read and lived over seventy self help books. Among my favorites is Victor Frankl’s, Man’s search for Meaning, “man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become the next moment. By the same token, every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.”

-Gratitude-practicing it. Being thankful for this most amazing day.

– Meditation and Mindfulness- Learning to be here, now. Learning to quiet my thoughts, still my mind. Reduces stress increases well-being. I like to start my day with one. http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22

-Therapy – cognitive behavioral therapy, specifically. It teaches how to change self limiting or damaging beliefs. It demands that partnership be required for growth. The therapist can’t do it alone. I had to put into practice all I learned. My therapist is a phenomenal human being, the Angel whispering, “Grow!!” And that was a loud whisper.

– Taking a dance class and piano lessons: it is very important to stretch ourselves in different ways. Both these activities are right brain/left brain activities as well which helps aging and stretches the brain. A brain once
Stretched will never go back to its normal dimensions.

– Living with integrity every day. Living in a way that is authentic and honors my beliefs and values. And above all, being myself. I never realized how much easier and better life is simply by being me.