There are many challenges associated with living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS ), and one of them is how to stay mentally motivated. Motivation helps to drive us out of bed every morning, and it provides a reason to go to bed at night. It’s a lot easier to prevent yourself from going into a downward spiral than it is to recover from hitting the bottom. Staying motivated is key, and here are some things you can do to help keep your mode elevated.
Post Positive Affirmations
Put up positive affirmations around your home and make sure that one is placed right beside your bedside that you can see as soon as you wake up every morning. This posted affirmation should be one that deeply resonates with you since it will be used to kickstart your day.
Positive affirmations help you keep your worries in perspective and help prevent negative self-talk from taking over. Affirmations can also help you sleep at night, so having one posted by your bedside will help you both in the morning and night.
Gravitate Towards Bright Colors
Colors can influence your emotions, and the brighter they are, the more energy they can provide. Conversely, darker tones can induce negative feelings and make you feel somber. So choose clothes that are brightly colored to build up positive emotions for both you and the people you are with.
Feed on the Motivation
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was all the rage in 2014 and showed just how many people supported the cause. Although some people did it just for fun and sport, most took part to help raise funds for research. At the very least, the challenge opened the world’s eyes to this disease and provided a global education to just about everybody on the planet.
Feel the motivation that was the driving force towards people pouring ice-cold water on themselves. Then, you can feed on this energy to help you make it through the day. Just remember how many people are really behind you in times of need, and don’t be afraid to reach out to them for support.
Let One Thing Inspire You
It can get overwhelming if you focus on what you can’t do instead of what you can do. Choose one thing before you go to bed that you will do tomorrow that you will find inspiring. It will give you something to look forward to before your head hits the pillow and will help you take on the next day with a creative mindset already in place.
You don’t need to have many things acting as a source of inspiration. Too much inspiration can be quite tiring and is overrated. Keep things simple and choose one thing that you can look forward to as a source of inspiration every day.
Handle your Finances
Some people with ALS and other serious illnesses find that they have financial problems to deal with on top of their health situations. However, their stimulation is financial assistance for ALS patients that qualify, which can help unload the burden of financial stress.