Motivation slumps happen to the best of us. Maybe it started with a long, difficult week where you couldn’t find time to work out, then another week where you just lost momentum. Suddenly, half the month has gone by and you haven’t come to the club for a single workout! Worst yet, digging deep and doing a workout still feels impossible.

So… how do you make it out of a motivation slump? Keep reading to find out.

1. Jog your memory

Sit down with a pen and paper. Think back to a really successful workout you’ve had. Write down what the workout was and—most importantly—how it made you feel. Pumped? Proud? Happy? Grateful? Try to get a full page down. This exercise can help you remember how good working out can feel, which will gear you up for our next steps.
 

2. Practice self-compassion

It’s easy to be really hard on yourself when you haven’t been keeping up with your goals. It turns out that being tough on yourself isn’t the best way out of a slump. As it turns out, research shows self-compassion increases our motivation to bounce back after failures. So rather than beating yourself up for not making it to the club last week, cultivate a kinder inner dialogue. Try speaking to yourself the way you would a trusted friend: with understanding, compassion, and encouragement.
 

3. Start small. Really, really small.

When you get caught in a motivation slump, your usual hour-long workout will probably feel way too difficult. Maybe your first goal is just getting to the gym—literally just getting there. Wear your workout clothes, park, walk in the door, check in and do ONE thing. It could be finding the lightest pair of dumbbells and doing some bicep curls or walking on the lowest setting of the treadmill. It could even be a trip to the hot tub or sauna! Just getting to the club will make you way more likely to work out.