Anita Bokepalli

18th Oct 2023Motivation - and why it is not working for you
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Let’s talk about the M-word. Motivation.People often ask me -
"How do you stay motivated all the time?"
"How do you do these yoga/fitness challenges?"
"How do you keep your motivation levels up?"My response is usually not what they expect -
“Motivation? What’s that?!”See, the thing is if you are relying on motivation to solve all of your life’s problems, then you’re in for a rude surprise my friend! Motivation comes and go as she pleases. One moment she’s there, the next - whoosh! She’s gone!
Just think about how many times this has happened to you. That gym membership that you purchased in a moment of motivation that remained unused. That personal project that you have been wanting to start but are still waiting for the right moment of motivation.
“I don’t feel motivated enough to do it”If I relied on motivation to do things in my life that give me joy - like meditation and yoga and all the fitness challenges that I do - then I would never complete a single one of those! Because what guarantee is there that the motivation that is here today will remain in me tomorrow?Instead HABITS are what I rely on. The habit of waking up early everyday and doing my meditation. The habit of eating healthy. It doesn’t matter whether I am motivated to do these things or not in that moment, these are simply the things that I do. These are my habits.And instead of worrying about how to stay motivated, I invest time in building habits that I can stick to.Like, how to get into the habit of getting up in the morning for yoga and sadhana? - Volunteer to lead sadhana for a group of people so that I get up early everyday since I know those people are waiting for me.
Like, how to get into the habit of working out 4 times a week? - Free up an hour in the morning with nothing else scheduled, put on my workout clothes and start moving.Basically building habit routines that work for you and repeating them on loop.
Motivation does not take you to the finish line, habits do.Motivation is like a fickle girlfriend - she’s there one day and the next she might not be. Habits are like that best friend, who is there by your side no matter what. Trustworthy, reliable, dependable.
Love,Anita.

4th Oct 2023You are Unique - so why don’t you behave that way?
----------------------------------------------------------I am unique and yet I compare my growth with others.I am unique and yet I compare my success with others.I am unique and yet I compare my life with others.And I often wonder, “Why am I not as good as them?” “Why don’t I do things like they do?” “Why am I the way I am?”I forget - that I am unique. That I have my own way of adding value to the world. That I have my own paths for growth. That life has its own way of unfolding for ME.Yes, it makes sense to learn from others. But learn to take what serves you and drop the rest. Move ahead on your own path. Carve your own journey. Learn about yourself - what works for you and what does not. And from that learning something beautiful will take birth - you will start to design your life the way it works for YOU and no one else.You will be in touch with yourself - your needs, your emotions, your thoughts and feelings - and you will be able to build your life around what works for you - instead of emulating what works for someone else’s needs, emotions and thoughts.Let us not be afraid to be unique - because that is the simple truth of our existence - there can never be another just like you, there never was and there never will be.Love,Anita.