Top tip on how to stay motivated and get out of a mental 'slump'

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had the ‘New Year Slump’?!  It is when the chilling winter finally drives you crazy, the fact that the next Bank Holiday isn’t until the end of April (for me in the UK, at least), and the only thing lighter after the festive period is your wallet.

*confidently raises hand*

Yep, you’ve read that correctly.  What you see on my blog and social medias are only snippets of my life, but a little snippet that I decided to leave out earlier this year was the ‘New Year Slump’.  But I am only human, and I feel like I shouldn’t hide the fact that I struggle sometimes! 

A few weeks ago, without even realising it, I was in this ‘slump’.  I was not motivated to do anything and the thought of the coming year just made me want to hibernate until I felt better.  I have no idea how I got into this state of mind and I didn’t even realise it at the time.  I think it had been subconsciously building up for a couple of weeks that I didn’t recognise the signs until it was pointed out to me:

It was a cold, overcast (typical England!) Saturday morning, and even though I knew I should be going swimming, my body didn’t want to move.  It was like my muscles had been turned to bricks, no matter how hard I willed myself to get up I couldn’t do it.

My mum came into the living room to find a mountain of blankets stacked on top of me, and she said what had probably been on her mind for a little while: “You’ve got to get out of this slump”.  Of course, I argued that I wasn’t in a slump and that I was just tired, which just received the trademark ‘mother’s stare’ from her.

But just that one little sentence opened my eyes to what I had been ignoring for a few weeks: I WAS in a slump!  My mind had tricked me into thinking that I was just tired, when actually, I had become demotivated and - I hate to admit this - lazy.

It was almost as if a switch flicked off in my head – I instantly felt the motivation come back and felt that I could take on the world! Okay, maybe a slight over-exaggeration, but I did get up and go on to do a very good swimming session that day!

The point I am trying to make is that it is okay to be in a ‘slump’ sometimes.   Everyone gets them, maybe not during the New Year, but they would be lying if they said that had never felt demotivated.
The aim is to recognise the state you are in, and get out of it however possible. 
​A little tip from me, when you are feeling amazing about yourself and your life, write down why you feel that way.  Put it in your diary, in the notes on your phone, even plastered all over your house – wherever it is, keep it safe for the times when you need it.  When you are feeling demotivated, look at that note to remind yourself of how you usually feel and why.  You’ll soon realise that you are just in a slump, and then you can concentrate on getting back to your normal, happy self.

I’m going to write my note on here, so everyone can hold me accountable.  I am feeling AMAZING at the moment.  My training has taken a sudden, yet long-anticipated, turn for the better, as I feel that my running and swimming are finally getting back to where they used to be before my operation.  Kris and I have a plan for the rest of the year, all my competitions are booked in, and I have an amazing group of people supporting me – just in time for the triathlon season!

There we go, I’ve written my note that I can now come back on if I feel I need some motivation from past-Kiera. 
​
Now, time to write yours.