Episode 47. Hey everyone! This episode is going to give you one big take home message, and ideas for a few simple ways you can move towards what matters. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

In this episode you will learn:

  • The #1 factor that predicts long term changes (in behavior, and overall well-being)
  • Stories about myself at age 18 when I first started therapy, and how I was a somewhat difficult therapy client, ha!
  • Why I decided to change the support structure within The Body Respect Program
  • Some ideas about what you can do today to improve your chances of long-term success

Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You?

Buy your books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market.

Are You New Here?

Welcome! I’m so glad to have you. You might be wondering what this blog and podcast are all about.

We relate everything in this podcast back to motivation, but not the hustle and grind kind. Truly sustainable motivation that keeps you feeling energetic and engaged in your life for the long haul. We talk about why “I’m just not motivated” is a myth, and why the TYPE of motivation you have is so important to fully understand. If you are ready to learn about motivation and respecting your body in an effective way so that you can live a life you truly love, you are in the right place.

Check out the Foundational Episodes of the Motivation Made Easy Podcast here!

Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life?

I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride.

  • I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to “be healthy”
  • The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroom
  • Social events and vacations immediately prompted the thought “they will notice I gained weight” or “I need to lose weight by then”
  • Deep down I knew I wasn’t living life the way I wanted to, but I didn’t know how to pull myself out of it.

If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn’t too late.

Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work.

If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Cultivate Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to cultivate motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis.

You can write it on your bathroom mirror, put on the background of your phone, or just read it and repeat it in your mind.

Look, I know how much it hurts to live a life worrying you are missing out, not stepping into the person you were truly meant to be, vibrant, passionate, curious, vulnerable, and brave.

You can listen to the podcast all day, but taking that first step, putting pen the paper (or typing on your phone) is required for true change. It’s time to start living my friend.

It’s 100% free, so what are you waiting for? Grab your free copy of the guide today at DrHondorp.com/Motivate 

Take Home Message

I spent years focusing on what I thought was the problem, and wasted time doing what would actually solve the problem. We do this all the time, but the cool thing is, we can use stories to learn from one another.

I hope you work hard to notice when you are doing something that gets in your own way, and ask yourself what you can do to solve the actual problem.

If you need help, ask a friend, family member, or a therapist. If therapy isn’t helping, keep going, be honest, dig in. If it still isn’t helping, try another therapist.

The quality of our support system is the #1 predictor of long-term change, but quality relationships often take time and effort, often in the form of vulnerable and honest conversations.

It isn’t easy, my friend, but you can do it and you are worth it.

Support Independent Bookstores Near You!

Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025?

Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I’ve got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future) OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. On my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability, and even my favorite fiction and kids books!

My recent favorite related to improving the quality of our lives was Digital Minimalism. Our family actually has decided to do an optional screen free August to re-evaluate the role of screen time in our lives.

So if you believe in supporting local businesses, please consider buying your books through Bookshop from now on!

The Psychology of Wellness Bookshop Link.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Credit: This blog post was written by Dr. Shawn Hondorp and edited by Sarah Grace Rapoport, podcast and blog manager and Psychology of Wellness Intern.