You Have The Power
Self-motivation is, by far, the strongest tool you have for any successful change in a lifestyle routine. Whether it is giving up smoking, increasing exercise, or losing weight. If it is coming from your own choice and without any outside influence (no matter how close the relationship) then you have many more chances of achieving your goal.
So, how do I do it? You ask.
Firstly you must fully understand that this is self-motivation, so you need to want it. Maybe not totally convinced in the beginning but the initiative starts with you. As you learn the process you will become more assured and as you become more assured you will gain confidence that the technique will succeed.
So what is this process?
Because it is so simple do not immediately switch off or reject without reason… This part of your mind is so powerful. It is your own imagination.
What you are going to do is imagine the outcome you wish for and feel good about it, all within your imagination. This is not ‘wizardry‘ or ‘voodoo’ but based on real science.
The Science
There are four major ‘happiness’ hormones. Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins & Oxytocin.
The plain and simple idea is to stimulate the production of one or more of these hormones and the way to do that is to imagine happy things (in relation to your goal). The more vivid you can imagine the better.
The longer you practice the greater the feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation will become. You will then, almost without trying, start to be influenced towards your chosen goal.
If your goal is to reduce alcohol consumption for whatever reason: Imagine a clear head on waking in the morning without any headache and without the need to scream at the kids for the noise they are making. Imagine feeling a sense of power and satisfaction by politely refusing alcohol in preference to accepting a soft drink while out socializing. Or maybe just imagine moderating your intake of alcohol.
Exercise on its own helps to produce ‘happy’ hormones, so couple it with your own conscious thoughts of delight knowing that besides burning calories you are improving your whole body’s health.
(Do not take part in any unusually exertive activity without first consulting a healthcare adviser)
Imagine your new, slimmer, more confident self. Imagine eating smaller portions at meal times and only eating one doughnut out of a box full. Imagine all this with vivid detail, over and over and eventually you will make it happen without even realizing. If you think outside the box, outside the box things will happen. This is not mumbo-jumbo, it actually works. Try it, but be patient.