I'm losing motivation to do anything. What should I do?

I appreciate you asking this question -  I know you are not alone and it is really normal to be feeling this way sometimes.  It has been a hard time and we can easily get discouraged, anxious, and lose our motivation. The good news is when life gets back to normal  - which it will! - we will really appreciate the things we miss.   

Here are some coping skills that can really help.  

1.  THINK OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD RIGHT NOW instead of focusing on what you are missing and wishing things were different.  Write a list.  Put it somewhere you see every day.  For example, one student shared that being at home lets her wear whatever she wants, she can sleep in longer, and by staying home she feels good that she is helping the covid situation by not risking getting sick herself and that helps others.  Read those things every day to remind yourself there are some things you can feel good about right now, Soon enough you'll be back at school and having to get up earlier!

2. REMIND YOURSELF THIS IS NOT FOREVER - it is just for right now.   Life will get back to normal.  Tell yourself I CAN DO IT, I can get through this even though it's hard.  Trust that all the effort you put into school and trying to have a positive attitude will be worthwhile.

3. CONNECT WITH FRIENDS  We can feel isolated stuck at home.  Hanging out with friends online can be a big support.  Find a friend(s) to play an online game with, draw anime together for example.  Just talking about things, telling a friend we are bored or get anxious can make us feel better  Practice helping others by being a good listener for them.  

4. FOCUS ON DOING SOME THINGS THAT ARE FUN - listen to music that makes you feel good,  find something funny to watch that makes you laugh,  be creative - draw, paint, dance, sports.   When we do things that are fun it takes our mind off of what makes us anxious or unmotivated.

5. REALLY IMPORTANT - TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF - it makes a big difference to your mood and how positive you feel - get enough sleep, eat well, exercise, get outside and get some fresh air and be around nature if you can.  There is a reason that movement at GALS is important because it makes your mind and body feel better!

If you want to talk more about your situation please email me at kgarner@galsla.org and I would be happy to talk to you about it!

To ask a question go to https://bit.ly/askmisskim and look for the answer on this blog.