How do you get motivated? Stay motivated? The holidays are that time of year that seasonal depression is alarmingly high. It’s difficult to care about getting out of bed, cooking dinner, or visiting family/friends. You are fully in control of your thoughts, reaction to triggers, and motivation.

We often hear that things take time. While that is true, I’d say get impulsive! Meaning, the self-help books just about all say do a 30 day this or 3 month that. For those of us already struggling, getting started is the hardest part.

It requires a bit of force and negotiating. To do that, you must hide your fears. Lock them away. However, thoughts don’t just disappear. At least for me, negative thoughts linger until they are released.

I recommend writing these down as they surface. It can be in a journal, an email, or even a sticky note. You never have to look at it again. You can delete that email or toss the sticky note and burn it! I guarantee you will feel a weight lifted.

Something else that I found helpful was creating a “wall of negativity.” Whenever I found myself thinking about something negative for more than a few minutes, I decided to pin it to a wall using colorful post-it notes. Once there, I felt a complete release.

I keep the wall within view as a reminder that: 1. I’ve already had this thought before so it isn’t worth revisiting. 2. How often am I having these negative thoughts? Admittedly, the wall went from just one to being nearly full, but after months of doing this, those toxic thoughts nearly disappeared!

In the event that this didn’t work, I moved it to a journal to expand more on its value in my life. This has been impactful in other ways. I’ve become more open-minded, encourage others to think positive, and have even expanded my social circle without assuming everyone is out to get me.

That last one is an ongoing work in progress but certainly not where it was a year ago.

For every negative thought that you have, require yourself to say something positive out loud. Keep affirmations nearby if you need ideas or find that difficult. There’s an app for that.

This Thanksgiving, I challenge you to hide your fears in the open where you can easily access them and track your progress. Seek uncomfortable new ways to soothe those feelings of self-deprecation, should statements, labels, and self-fulfilling prophecies.

Refocus that negative thinking on not thinking at all. When the thoughts come rolling in, don’t think about the feeling or why this is happening. Instinctively grab that pen, pad, and start jotting down the thoughts as they pour in. You will also gain perspective by seeing just how nasty thoughts can become. Many are about yourself in an unhealthy way.

I am sending you the best on trying a new approach! Start NOW!