10 Types of Motivation

Posted on June 21, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

The different types of motivation, which one are you?

Motivation is predominantly our desire and willingness to do something. It is typically our reason or reasons to act or behave in a certain manner. This could be our acts for self-improvement, accomplishing one of our life’s goals, or complete a challenging project we have worked hard on. The motivation we have within us is what helps push us forward towards achieving the goals we set.

The more highly motivated an individual is, the more they will accomplish because they remain focused on what they want to achieve and experience. Highly motivated people pursue their thoughts and create habits that fuel their determination. It offers us guidance with decision making and setting goals to further motivate and excel to the next levels.

Everyone is motivated differently. Before I explain the different types of motivation, do you know what motivates you the most? It can be how you are motivated by setting goals for yourself or self-improvement, the sky is the limit with motivation.

The following are the 10 common types of motivation.

1. Intrinsic Motivation-

People whose motivation is driven by internal feelings and rewards are encouraged by intrinsic motivation. They are not motivated by other’s recognition or from winning awards. This form of motivation is not acting in a selfish manner but can be what guides them in selfless actions. They are pushed and encouraged by their own feelings to do what is right or what is good for the world. Many motivated in this way will go into organizations working with charities or non-profit organizations so they are able to do their part with making a difference in the world and for those that are suffering. These individuals are motivated more by helping other than the money they can make.

2. Extrinsic Motivation-

Those that are influenced by extrinsic motivation yearn for recognition from others. This type of motivation might sound selfish because they are not as clear for others to understand, but they really are not selfish people. There are a number of reasons why people do the things they do throughout their lives. Maybe working at a lower-paying non-profit organization isn’t enough to pay the bills, so even though a person loves what they are doing, they leave that company to go to work a higher paying job. Does that make them selfish? I do not think so because they only want a better and more comfortable quality of life for themselves and their family. It is likely their motivations are both internal and external.

3. Social Motivation-

Humans are naturally social creatures. We all typically have a desire to interrelate and engage with others. This type of motivation covers the common eagerness that most humans have to connect with others, have a sense of acceptance, and to belong to a group. This doesn’t need to be a large group but could be a smaller group. Some may long to connect with humanity on a deep and larger scale because they want to travel, to experience and learn about how others from different cultures live. Some people may want to become closer with family and friends in order to build happy life long memorable experiences and memories. When people belong to a group of others with similar goals and interests, it can help them achieve their goals and continue to move forward.

4. Competency Motivation-

People who are motivated by competency are enticed by processes. This encourages more to be achieved while gaining tactile comprehension and wisdom that can be utilized later. These individuals are not as interested in the finished products as they are in the processes it takes to reach their goals. People that go back to school several times are a good example of competency motivation because their interests are more in the final outcome of their gained knowledge. It also shows competency motivation when people decide to take classes to build on their knowledge from a classroom setting.

5. Expectancy Motivation-

The individuals that are guided by expectancy motivation are driven by how they expect the outcomes of their actions are going to be. Any choices that they make are determined by what the end goal is for the actions they take. They are not typically concerned with the action necessary to make it to their end goal. When management decides to link bonuses to performance, gripping their employees’ expectations of the outcome to encourage them to work harder is an example of expectancy motivation. If management violates their employees’ expectations it can be incredibly demotivating and destroy trust. Another example of expectancy motivation is exercise and weight loss. Unfortunately, if the expectations with exercise and weight loss are not met, a person can become discouraged.

6. Attitude Motivation-

Attitude motivation is similar to social motivation with the difference being that the person is not searching for a group to fit in with. A person is motivated by the ability to influence the ways others think and feel. An individual will wear a smile on their face when out in public despite what they are going through. The person is motivated to practice kindness in the world to ameliorate the attitudes and emotions of those they come into contact with. This form of motivation may help an individual inspire the people around them to spread positivity to those that are in need of it.

7. Arousal Motivation-

The theory behind arousal motivation indicates that people are compelled to carry out actions in order to maintain an optimal level of physiological arousal. Each person as a distinct arousal level that is best for them personally. When arousal levels become lower than our personal optimal level, the person will search for stimulation to increase theirs. When our levels become too high, the person will try finding ways to calm themselves.

Arousal motivation is closely linked to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, in regards to the way our performance is linked to our arousal state. This law indicates that performance increases to a point with physiological or mental arousal and when arousal levels become too high, our performance decreases.

8. Fear Motivation-

Although it might not be a positive experience at some point during our lifetime everyone has acknowledged fear as a motivator. Fear can cause us to take action to avoid or confront our fears. Fear can be a beneficial tool for one’s self, but not as much when it comes to intimidating others. Fear can help us get things accomplished while creating unnecessary enemies likely to discover ways to attack later. When using fear as a motivator it is best to confront and overcome our fears. Each fear we are able to overcome strengthens our abilities to handle challenging situations, overcome and reduce the impact of any future fears.

9. Achievement Motivation-

A theory of achievement motivation explains the desire to achieve goals for the purpose of reaching a peak of brilliance. The downside of this type of motivation is the sheer fear of failure. This person wants to be the best of the best at whatever they do. Alongside possible dark turns, people may begin looking for a short-cut, decide to cheat or engage in other unethical behaviors to obtain excellence. An example of this type of motivation is when the person studies to earn a certification or obtain a new skill by way of training.

10. Incentive Motivation-

It is human nature to desire to be rewarded for a job well done. Incentive motivation is about pursuing palpable rewards and the fulfillment provided. Incentives are a favored way to initiate habits and make personal changes by rewarding one’s self once reaching the goal we set out for.

Discovering what motivates us can be an important and beneficial tool to understand. Once we have this knowledge, there is nothing we can’t achieve. How did you answer my question about your type of motivation at the beginning of this post? After reading the various descriptions of motivation, did your answer change at all? Which type of motivation best describes you?

Thank y’all for visiting my site today. I hope the information provided was beneficial and interesting for you. I would love to read your thoughts on this post and what type of motivation best describes you. I do promise to respond to all comments in no more then 24-hours. I found the different types of motivation pretty interesting myself. I hope you are enjoying your weekend and of course staying safe. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Finally, Good News!

Posted on June 20, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

Good things come, to those that wait!

I hope your weekend is starting off well and you are looking forward to a relaxing and safe couple of days! With things being so uncertain and unsafe at the moment it can be difficult to do the things we want to do. We are forced to take precautions that even though we have been dealing with for several months can still be challenging and extremely frustrating. Wearing a mask everywhere we go outside our homes is uncomfortable and make it difficult to enjoy what we are doing. I keep telling myself a little discomfort is much better than the alternative.

I think y’all already know how much I wanted to find a work from home job. I wanted this in part because of COVID-19, but also for my comfort. It can be so aggravating getting ready every morning, driving through traffic with people that are terrible drivers, going on a half-hour lunch, or maybe an hour lunch, then the drive home with terrible drivers again for five days in a row is simply exhausting! After being unemployed and searching for a work from home job, it finally happened for me! I had an interview on Wednesday and got the offer on Friday afternoon.

It isn’t easy to be patient when we really want things to happen, but I do believe good things happen to those who wait. I am honestly not the most patient person in the world, but I am persistent and very determined and I am learning to be more patient. The good news is, I am going to start on July 6 and it is work I am familiar with because I did it for 3 years before we moved.

Between now and July 6 I am going to keep up with the number of posts I have been doing, but might not be able to do as much once I start working full-time again. Considering I truly love blogging and writing as much as I can I am going to try to keep up, but we will see what the future holds!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I do always appreciate all your support and kind ways. I hope you have a great weekend, but PLEASE stay safe. Unfortunately, things are not back to normal or safe and I am not even sure if they will be anytime soon. It is just better safe than sorry, so please continue practicing all the well known safety protocols. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

How to be Free of Bad Habits

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

What is meant by bad habits? Bad habits are defined as a patterned behavior that is considered to be detrimental to one’s physical and or mental health. This is typically linked to a high level of discipline and self-control. No matter who you are unfortunately we all have bad habits that we want to be free from.

Many people will end up dealing with stress and boredom with bad habits. If you can think back to a time you were faced with a stressful situation, how did you deal with those negative feelings? While many things are viewed as bad habits, I normally end up biting my nails or pick at the skin around my fingers. What would you say your bad habits are?

We all know it is not easy to break bad habits, but it is important to at least try and not give up. I do have several bad habits I would like to be free from to proceed with a healthier and fulfilling life. I have discovered several ways to eliminate bad habits and would love to get your feedback on them.

The first step is determining the core of your bad habit. Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer-prize winning American journalist and non-fiction author, has determined three basic parts to our habits. Our habits primarily work in a cycle of these parts.

The Cue– This is the feeling, time, or location which triggers your habits, good or bad.
The Routine- This is whatever the habit itself is.
The Reward- This is the craving that the habit satisfies.

Taking the time to understand each of the components is the first step to seizing our habits. It may be beneficial to write down the cue, routine, and reward for whichever habit you decide you want to break, ask yourself:

What triggered the routine?

What is the craving the body is trying to satisfy?

Change your surroundings-

At this point we have already determined the cue or cues that are responsible for triggering our bad habits. Logically, we can understand once we manage to eliminate what cues our habits initiate, there will no longer be anything prompting the habit cycle to begin. Changing our surroundings can remove the cues causing our bad habits. One study that was done in a university, researchers found that students who transferred to a new university were far more likely to change their bad habits, than the students that did not change universities. This occurred because the students that changed universities did not have certain cues that were the cause of their bad habits.

Focus on one bad habit at a time-

Many of us have more than one bad habit we would like to eliminate. Trying to tackle too many habits at a time will on decrease our abilities for successful outcomes. To successfully eliminate our bad habits, it is crucial to focus all of our attention on just one habit before we try handling another one.

View your goal as a positive-

Another key element of habits is the routine, which is the behavior that is triggered by the cue. In other words, it is the habit you want to eliminate. Typically, when we set goals for ourselves we are not putting them in a positive frame of mind, but instead they are in a negative mindset. Our brain’s habit system responds better to positive goals. For instance, instead of your goal being “I will stop eating junk food” try “I am going to eat healthier”.

Psychologists have suggested that pursuing negative goals is linked with feelings of inadequacy and decreased self-esteem, which can discourage us from taking action. People tend to find it easier to become motivated by positive goals, which increase the opportunity for successfully achieving our goals.

Replace the bad with the good you love-

Quitting a habit altogether seldom work out the way we intended. Once a habit is formed, it becomes an instinct for us to follow through with the routine because our brains are wired to see the cue and desired reward. Instead of completely eliminating habits, keep the old cue and reward, but start a new routine.

***In a future post I will go through a few bad habits and how to eliminate them***

Forgive yourself if you relapse-

It is not easy to break bad habits and there is always a possibility you will go back to your old ways several times before achieving your ultimate goal. You have probably heard old habit die hard, well that couldn’t be any truer! It is important to allow yourself the chance to try again and not be angry about any setbacks. You will have a far better chance at achieving your goals if you do not deter yourself with negative and disappointing thoughts.

Keep your goals to yourself-

We might think that sharing our goals with others would be encouraging, but this actually lowers our chances of success. Once we tell people about the goals we have set for ourselves, they will view us a little different and this could falsely assure the mind that the identity goal is partially complete and you might not put the effort in that is needed reach your goal.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope your weekend has started off great and you are feeling the best you can. I am excited to read your feedback on this post and anything you have tried to free yourself of bad habits, I promise to respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Living a Minimalist Lifestyle

Posted on May 16, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

What does minimalism mean? Where did the term arise from? What are the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a minimalist? Why should we become a minimalist and how do we become one? These are all great questions to have and I am going to do my best to provide thorough and clear answers to each of them.

Most of us have heard about minimalism, but how much do we really know? Sure, maybe we have a basic understanding of what is meant, but there is so much that is now completely known or understood.

For starters, minimalism has been around for decades, but in distant derivations. Even though religious groups, such as Buddhism to Christianity, did not refer to their rejection of possessions to gain spiritual focus and knowledge in the same way, that was the beginning of minimalism as we know it today. Both Buddhist monks and Catholic nuns are much more extreme examples of minimalism that has occurred in our history.

Minimalism was also used in music and art and design during the 50’s and 60’s. With music, it entailed removing all but the instruments. Then when used with home design and architecture, there were whitewashed images with just a simple element as a focal point.

Living a minimalist lifestyle in 2020 means you appreciate yourself more than material things. It is about making logical decisions involving what is needed, instead of always what you want. The thought process behind minimalism is rather than purchase inexpensive items simply because you want them; you purchase what is needed without focusing on the costs.

It seems as though we are spending more time working to make more money, only to spend what we have made on things we do not really need. Many of our possessions do not have any meaning to them and only add clutter to our lives. All possessions do is cause distractions from what our purpose in life is, all we should be appreciative for, and what brings us joy in life. After all, it is not our possessions that define who we are in life, the person we are in life go far deeper than material items.

There are numerous benefits to living a minimalist life which includes the following:

Decluttering helps people breathe easier

Simply clearing things from drawers, closets, basements, attics, and spare rooms will open up space in our homes. It is important to not free up space just to turn around and buy more things that are not needed. By getting rid of things you are freeing yourself of any burdens that may be weighing you down and holding you back from a simple life.

Living a minimalist life allows for refocusing

Too many material things end up causing our focus to be scattered around. All the material things create worry about working enough to pay for everything and spending unnecessary time searching for or where to put everything in our homes. When there isn’t as much to go through and bills are becoming fewer, being able to focus our time and energy on more important things such as family and doing what brings us joy will increase.

Less material things will equal more money

As we eliminate material items and unnecessary luxuries from our homes, others are opened up. All the money that was spent on buying and maintaining them and always having the best will be in your account instead of the store’s account. When we have less material things, we are spending less and there is more money that can pay off debts, which will free up even more money for us.

Living a minimalist life frees up time

When we are spending less, we do not need to work as much, which frees up time. This also doesn’t require as much time dealing with the extra things we have because we will not have as much. This will allow us to focus time on what we need and use the extra time we have on what we enjoy doing.

A minimalist life give us more energy

When we are not overly consumed with clutter, all the energy we would be using to deal with it can be used for other pastimes. The people that don’t have the burdens that come along with a materialistic lifestyle tend to result in being happier and healthier.

Life as a minimalist doesn’t work for everyone because we are all unique in our own ways. Everything in life has its advantages and disadvantages. I just described the reasons a minimalist life can be beneficial, so now I am going to explain the reasons a minimalism lifestyle can be viewed as a disadvantage.

Until a minimalist lifestyle is explained to friends and acquaintances, you might be viewed a weird or strange.
While you go through everything you have and begin getting rid of things, you might accidentally get rid of something you need later on.
You might be ready to get rid of many things and begin to live a minimalist lifestyle, but your significant other might not be as willing, which could cause arguments between the two of you.
A minimalist lifestyle when children are involved could have a child thinking you are a cruel parent. This is only because they have friends whose parents have not adopted the same lifestyle; therefore the child has all the latest toys and electronics.
If you enjoy shopping and getting the newest electronics becoming a minimalist may be a little challenging at first.

Lifestyle changes can be challenging, but some can be very rewarding and beneficial. The following steps might make becoming a minimalist a little easier for you.

Write your goals down

No one has ever said living as a minimalist is easy, so you have to remain persistently focused on your goals. Write down the problems you have experienced, which are the motives behind the lifestyle change. Maybe your reasons are too much debt or the inability to save money or you are under too much stress, whatever your reasons are write them down and this can be what keeps you motivated for the change.

Donate to others

It can be very rewarding when we have a chance to donate our unnecessary things to

others that actually need them. If we do not need something we currently possess, so many people that are in need, so why not help others?

Declutter your life and home

A cluttered home and mind creates too much stress, where as a clear mind and home can be very relaxing. You can start decluttering your home one room at a time and one day everything will be clear and open.

Simplify your style

Unless you are working in the fashion industry, you probably do not need lots of watches, shoes (well we all need shoes!), jewelry, and clothing. We all know how much is too much, so we also know what we should rid ourselves from. The clothes or shoes we do not need could be helpful to someone else.

Implement frugal living

A frugal life and minimalist life pretty much go hand and hand. A frugal life is not only about living in a meaningful way, but also about living within your means. These lifestyles allow for us to save more, pay-off more debts, plan for exciting vacations, and can eliminate stresses from our lives.

I hope the information within this post was beneficial for you. Again, this lifestyle isn’t for everyone but could be worth trying. I do enjoy going through my clothes periodically and donating them to Good Will because if something I use to wear could help someone else get a job that will help them provide for their family that is worth it to me. I do know there are many other reasons a minimalist life can be beneficial and other ways to begin the lifestyle, but want to write y’all a book! If you have heard or learned other ways, I would encourage you to share your thoughts. I do enjoy reading what you think about the various topics I have shared and also learn so much from y’all.

I hope your weekend has started off great and you are staying as safe as you can. Wearing masks can be uncomfortable, but wouldn’t you rather a little discomfort and not become infected with the deadly virus spreading around the country? I also want to thank you for visiting my site today. I do appreciate your continued support. Please remember that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Why create a vision board?

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

I feel confident saying you have all heard about vision boards before, but what do they mean to you? Have you made a vision board before and if so what did you include on yours? If you have had a vision board in the past or you currently have one, did you find it to be beneficial, why or why not?

Honestly, I have heard about vision boards before, but I was not 100% clear on the purpose or what should be included in it. Of course, I am always intrigued about ways to add as many positive outlooks and or tools to life as I possibly can. With all that the world as a whole is going through at the moment, I think now is a time we all need as much positivity as we can get.

There are numerous reasons for having a vision board. As I list the questions I was curious about, though please note they are not in any particular order. What is the purpose? What should be included on a vision board? What is needed to create one? Do they really help? Are there any benefits and if so what are they?

There are several reasons to have a vision board and yet there aren’t any rules. Your vision board is a corporeal portrayal of a goal or goals you are focused on accomplishing. It is meant to be your dedicated exhibit of what you want in life. Your vision board can bring your ambitions, desires, dreams, objective, and intentions into your existence and reality.

The sky is the limit to what you can include on your vision board. Your vision board can be your goals for career, relationship, home, travel, personal growth, education, spirituality, social life, education and anything else revolving around your goals. Your vision board can include things you want to view every day and motivates you. Any quotes, pictures, sayings, and places you desire going to, people that inspire you, reminders of events, and anything that encourages you.

You should give yourself time to create your vision board, it should be fun utilizing your creativity and NEVER stressful. I have discovered a few ideas to help start a vision board that might be helpful which include:

Working on ways to heal from hardships
Explore your passions and talents
Learn more about who you are
Envision what you want from life
Spend time with those you admire
And literally anything else that comes to mind, just don’t limit yourself

To create your vision board you only need a few simple items including:

Posterboard, corkboard, or canvas
Several old magazines
Pictures printed from an online source
Scissors, tape, pins and or glue stick
Markers, paint and or sticker
Most important anything you know you will want to see daily. This is where those inspirational quotes, sayings, and people will come into play

The benefits you may get from a vision board are endless and could be different for each person. I will share a few and then you can decide how it benefits you.

Brings clarity to your dreams
Initiates your ambitions
Allows for your creativity to shine through
Enables you to be more motivated
Makes you more productive
Grants you with better focus
Promotes your opportunities for success
Releases your inner potential
Encourages you to be positive and happy
Gives you additional motivation
Amplifies your self-confidence
Poses as a mental rehearsal
Relaxes you
Enhances your self-image
Expands your desires

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you found this information helpful and something fun to try, if you haven’t already done so. I do look forward to reading your thoughts on this and if you have any other reasons why a vision board can be beneficial to our lives.

Of course, I already know there is not much we can do outside our homes, but I do hope you are enjoying your weekend so far. I only hope your weekend is relaxing and enjoyable. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Pick~Me~Up~Thursday

Posted on February 20, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

Happy Friday Eve y’all! How was your week? I hope you had a fabulous week and you are ready to enjoy the upcoming weekend! My week did start off sad with my aunt passing away, but now she doesn’t have to live in pain anymore. Thankfully, her passing was peaceful and she had family around her for comfort. I guess in the last moments of life it is best to be in the comfort of your own home with family near, instead of in an uncomfortable hospital setting.

I did finally receive good news regarding my unemployment status yesterday. I could have already told y’all that my termination was done illegally and I did absolutely nothing to deserve it. I am relieved to say that the state did agree with me and my employment was approved, which will help the struggles I was dealing with. The past 3 weeks have been a mixture of MASSIVE stress and also believing that everything happens for a reason and it was time to follow my dreams. Now that I am not in complete and total panic, my stress level will go down drastically. Of course I am going to continue looking for another job, but more important I can focus on diving into the freelance world. Y’all already know how passionate I am about writing and how much I want that to be my career!

We have almost made it through another week and although my stress level will be coming down, I think it would have been a lot worse if I had not kept music in my ears. Of course, I love the quote I am sharing with y’all today, but I am going to love reading your thoughts on it as well. For the past few weeks, while I was insanely stressed and frustrated, I reduced some stress by writing more and always had music playing in my ears. I do think that there are some songs that are great to soothe the soul and then others that can take you somewhere else completely!

I want to thank y’all for visiting my site today. I always appreciate you taking time to read what I share and enjoy reading your fabulous comments.

I hope your Friday eve goes well with as little stress and pain as possible. Remember taking care of yourself is important and if that means taking breaks, take them! Your health is the most important and most other things can wait! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Motivational Monday!

Posted on February 17, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

Happy Monday to y’all! I hope you enjoyed your weekend and you were able to do the things that bring you joy. At times, life can feel excruciating long, especially when you are dealing with extreme pain and changes in life. Then again, life can also be very short and unfortunately we never know what’s around the next corner. I guess the only thing we can do is, live life to the fullest and never stop reaching for our dreams!

Monday tends to be a difficult day because of alarm clocks and the days being set-up for us. There is a schedule and things that must be done, but it could be worse. Right now, I do not have this and I actually miss that set in stone schedule. Monday, is the start of a new week when we can work towards correcting the wrongs from last week to create a better outcome! I find the quote I am sharing with y’all today, not only motivating, but empowering because there is nothing we can’t do if we just try! We try to never put limits to what we can accomplish in life, because we are fearless and full of determination! Are there goals you did not get to last week, but want to achieve this week? What is one goal you are setting for yourself this week?

I hope your week starts off great and only gets better! May all your goals and dreams begin to become your reality! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa