In a world filled with demands and opportunities, understanding the cycle of motivation, reward, and rest can be your key to a fulfilled life. Let’s unravel the captivating cycle that drives your actions, emotions, and well-being.
Stress is a motivator, it increases adrenaline giving you your “get up and go”. You have two systems one which energizes you for ‘battle’ or and one eases you into ‘rest and renew’, and both these states of being are necessary to living your life.
When my kids were younger, planning trip away from home was a nightmare and I always got completely frazzled in the process.
One time, I spent 2 hours sorting out the best and least expensive options on the phone with the airline points booking agent and waiting on hold and. Just when I was almost done my kids got bored and came in and started jumping on the bed, spilling my full glass of water all over it.
I was fully primed with stress and when I hung up, they got an earful!
Now that I understand what happens to my body hormonally on a daily basis it’s easy to prevent these blowouts.
Here’s what happens- the excitement of anticipating the vacation is wonderful, your body floods with feelings of happiness. The energy boosting and reward hormones and endorphins also take time to be replenished, that leaves you in a deficit to tackle the job of planning and booking a flight.
This is because the first hit of adrenalin and endorphins is the strongest, the next time you trigger them that day, they’re half that strength, the next time half of that and so on- that’s why by the end of the day you run out of steam.
Now I never tackle booking a flight, calling the tax office, or any of the frustrating tasks involving telephone answering systems at any time of the day except 9 AM. My nervous system just can’t handle the frustration!
Scheduling challenging tasks in the morning when motivation (adrenaline) is at its peak is a practical strategy. Completing these tasks during this time can provide a sense of accomplishment and a stronger boost from the body’s reward system..
You’ve probably also experienced the emotional crash after that big vacation or exciting event. Your hormones can take longer to replenish when you get more excited than usual.
Here’s the kicker- when motivation and reward diminish you can be tempted to get a quick fix, reaching for sugary or salty foods or other addictive substances to stimulate and reward yourself. However, these short-term solutions can lead to long-term unhappiness if they conflict with your health and happiness.
For optimum productivity and happiness in your life it’s important to take time to rest and renew. You need time every day and after each achievement to rebuild hormone levels so the natural cycle can reset and start over.
As you embark on this journey of understanding the harmonious cycle of motivation, reward, and renewal, remember that you hold the key to a life enriched with purpose and joy. By acknowledging the ebbs and flows of your inner rhythms, you’re poised to embark on a path of sustained well-being, creating a legacy of vitality and fulfillment.