When You Don’t Feel Like It: 6 Ways to Stay the Course

Let’s be honest…

motivation doesn’t always show up when we need it most.

In fact, it often doesn’t.

Some mornings you wake up ready to conquer your goals, and others you’d rather stay under the covers and forget about it all.

Am I right?

But here’s the truth: lasting change isn’t built on motivation alone.

It’s built on consistency, faithfulness, and most importantly, remembering why you started in the first place.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, tired, or like giving up, here are five powerful ways to help you stay the course, even when, especially when, you don’t feel like it.

Because let’s face it… it’s not about IF life will derail your goals and good intentions, it’s WHEN.

Here are some simple strategies you can put into practice right away to make consistency possible.

1. Tell Someone

There’s something powerful about saying your goals out loud and sharing them with a trusted friend, coach, or community.

It’s a way of inviting accountability and encouragement into your journey.

When you try to do it alone, it’s too easy to talk yourself out of showing up. But when someone knows what you’re working toward, it adds that extra nudge on the days your motivation dips.

Accountability is the support you might be missing. It’s a gentle, regular reminder that you don’t have to do this by yourself.

2. Show Up as the Woman You Want to Be

Ask yourself:

✔️How would the woman I want to become show up today?
✔️Would she make excuses, or would she take one small step forward?
✔️Would she wait to “feel ready,” or would she take action anyway?

When you connect your choices to your identity, everything shifts.

You’re no longer a woman who’s “trying” to be healthy, you are a healthy woman who honors her body and stewards her health as an act of worship.

Every small decision is a vote for the kind of woman you’re becoming.

So even when it’s hard, keep showing up like her.

This one thing will shift EVERYTHING when done daily.

3. Start Small - “the power of 10”

We often think we need a huge burst of willpower to change.

But the reality is your brain doesn’t like massive overhauls, it likes small, consistent wins.

Start by doing one thing today that your future self will thank you for.

✔️Go for a short walk.
✔️Go to bed 10 minutes early.
✔️Drink an extra glass of water.
✔️Prep and eat one healthy meal.
✔️Use the “power of 10” to get some exercise in - commit to doing it for 10 minutes and allow yourself the grace to quit if needed.

Those tiny actions release dopamine (the brain’s “feel good” chemical) which helps build momentum and the feeling of motivation to keep going.

Every time you complete a small task, your brain learns that effort feels good from those dopamine messengers, which keeps you coming back for more.

4. Change Your State

When you feel stuck, change your physical and mental state.

✔️Get up to stretch
✔️go outside,
✔️turn on worship music,
✔️or take a few deep breaths.

Movement changes your mood, and your mindset often follows your motion.

You can also change your mental state by visualizing the win.

See yourself finishing that workout, preparing a nourishing meal, or crossing that goal off your list.

That visualization releases the same dopamine reward as the actual action, giving you the push to keep going.

And when you’re weary, don’t forget to pause and ask God for strength.

You don’t have to do it in your own power. Sometimes the best “reset” comes from simply whispering, “Lord, help me show up today.”

5. Plan a Reward

Celebrate your faithfulness, not just your results, because that also tells your brain to keep coming back for more.

Whether it’s a relaxing bath, a walk in nature, a new book, or time to connect with someone you love, plan small rewards that remind you why your effort matters.

6. Anchor Your Actions in a Deeper Purpose

Take it a step further: remember who you’re helping when you stay the course.

Your consistency doesn’t just impact you, it blesses your family, your community, and the people who are watching your example.

When you tie your actions to purpose, not just pleasure, your motivation deepens.

When motivation fades (and it will), remember this: you just need to take the next faithful step.

And as you do, you’ll look back and realize, you’ve become the woman you were always meant to be.

Ready to Keep Going?

If you’re tired of starting over and you’re ready for a faith-based approach to health that actually lasts, I’d love to walk with you.

Inside my coaching programs, I help women like you build consistency, strengthen their mindset, and care for their bodies in a way that honors both God and their current season of life.

You don’t have to figure it out alone, let’s take your next faithful step together.

👉 Learn More About Coaching with Me