The best way to motivate and rejuvenate oneself is to look within, not outside

One thing that is in short supply in today's World is motivation and positive vibes. Everyone is searching for that everywhere. They don't mind paying huge sums of money to get that, not knowing that there are certain things that money can't buy. But are we getting that motivation and the positive vibe that we are looking for? If yes, then why is there so much unhappiness and distress in everyone's life? People, based on their characteristics resort to three different types of motivation to rejuvenate themselves. Let's look at them:

1. Sattvik Motivation seekers: These are probably the largest in number, seeking motivation through speeches of saints, art of living, meditation sessions, motivational sessions, etc. All that only gives you temporary relief. You feel good when you attend a session and that spills over for some time. Once the dust settles down, all the fears and insecurities are back again to haunt you. That is when you set out to enroll in another motivational session.

2. Rajasic motivation seekers: These are the ones who don't look at either meditation or a saint as their motivation but to upskill themselves and keep themselves fit. They hit the gym, they upscale themselves and they believe in expanding their work connections and focus more on the work to forget their problems. They become workaholics. They feel that it's going to get them out of their worries and insecurities. But sadly, it does not. Contrary to that they suffer burnout, their personal life goes into tatters and they end up more miserable than they were.

3. Tamasic motivation seekers: Like the Sattvik motivational seekers, there are also a large number of Tamasic motivational seekers and sometimes you will find a person oscillating between both. Tamasic motivation is to look for pleasures to get over our problems. People take to alcohol, enjoyment, gambling, recreation, etc as a means to forget their problems. This unfortunately is a short escape and the problem comes back to haunt again. And the worse, once the person gets addicted to these vices it becomes impossible for him to get over it.

Look within, not outside for motivation

The Million dollar question is how? Understand that the answer to every question and every situation lies within, not outside. You get the answer when you increase your knowledge and wisdom and allow your mind to calm down and make your soul speak. You all have to understand that soul can solve all your problems and worries, but for that, you need to allow your soul to speak. That can only happen when you control your mind. Here are the 3 ways you can do it.

1. Read what you like: Here is a secret: What the soul likes, the mind doesn't allow and the mind controls the soul like a big bully. In short, the mind is a bully and you need to protect your soul against it. Listening and talking are the works of mind while reading is the work of the soul. When you read something, it does to your soul, but if you watch or listen to something it first gets processed in the mind and then goes to the soul. The mind controls what you hear and watch, so even if you watch a motivational video or listen to a wise man, it will give you temporary motion because it's only stored in your mind. It never goes to the soul.

But when you read something, it's different. Yes, what you read goes to your soul, through the mind only, but the mind cannot stop it or control it. Reading is personalized. It can read again and again and stop whenever it wants to. It is a completely internal process. That is why you can't read. Honestly, how many books you have started to read and have actually completed? Very less. Many don't even get the motivation to read, forget finishing a book. So, until and unless you read and re-read things won't go to your soul to get it enriched.

2. Spend time contemplating with yourself: This is also something that your mind never allows you to do, for the fear of losing the competition. Contemplating with oneself is a talk between mind and soul. We always like external talk, but we don't allow our minds and souls to talk to each other. This can happen only when you think. The moment you start thinking, your mind distracts you by pulling you towards your mobile or TV or music or insta reel, etc thus preventing you from doing this. When you contemplate, you become stronger. The knowledge that your soul gained through reading, the soul shares with the mind and tries to bring the mind under control.

3. Meditate while alone, not in public: Mediation is the only technique that can give you strength to face any problem. But no group meditations, no guided meditations using a guru or music. Meditation has to be all alone and in your own way. It is tough again, as your mind will never allow you. In fact, if you listen to music and meditate or through a guided session, you are actually not meditating, but you only get the illusion that you are meditating. The real meditation is when your mind drops off all its arms and surrenders to your soul. It might take months, but little little effort every day when you are alone contributes to it. Do not worry whether you are meditating properly or not. In fact, there is nothing called right or wrong meditation. If you keep doing it every day, one day you will learn.

When you do all this, the day will come, when your soul nurtures your mind and makes it stronger. Then you will be fearless. No comments from those who are jealous of you will affect you. You have total confidence in your abilities and that will remove all your fears and insecurities. Your reading habit will keep pumping knowledge and wisdom and your soul will use it to strengthen your mind and make you stronger. Try it, it is very tough but also very effective.