A Simple Guide to Creating Momentum in Your Life

Written by Katie Tallo.

Momentum is elusive. You can feel it, lose it, gain it and gather it. It can shift from your favourite hockey team to their opponent in a split second. But what is it? In science, if something is moving, it is said to have momentum. But why does all the texting, shopping, driving, working, TV watching, eating, exercising, washing, and cleaning we do, leave most of us with zero momentum. Maybe, it’s because we’re moving, but we’re not getting anywhere.

Photo by Rodrigo Basaure

Momentum is more than just moving. Momentum is a mental shift. It’s a gratifying sense of progression that gives your life stamina, inspiration, joy and oomph! When it’s working, elusive or not, momentum can be an amazing and abundant force for change in your life. How do we get the momentum we need for change that lasts, that inspires and that infuses every day with purpose? We begin today.

Create Spaces

Momentum needs spaces in which to gather. If all your cupboards and table tops, desks and closets are jammed full of stuff, your mind will be too. You don’t have to declutter your entire life right now. Just begin with one drawer, one box, one easy to manage space creator at a time. Clear off a table and leave it empty. Get rid of the old clothes shoved in the back of your closet, create space for a chair in the garden or by a window, clean out your car. Try to create more space, little by little, everyday. Maybe once a week clear out, toss or put away something big. Empty spaces give you room to breath, think and create momentum.

Move Differently

Get to know what momentum really feels like by moving differently. Stretch your body, your imagination, your routines and your habits. Get up at sunrise, if you don’t already. Drive down a street you’ve never been on before. Better yet, walk. Use a pencil instead of a pen. Order something meatless if you always have meat. Stretch before you get out of bed. Drop into a yoga studio for a free trial class. Walk if you always run. Train your brain, body and heart to open up and move differently.

Gather Ease

Momentum thrives on ease, not friction. On space, not stuff. On appreciation, not consumption. Look for ways to create ease. Take a walk, laugh, read. Let the house get dusty. Avoid the mall. Try not to buy anything for a day or even a week. Find some old treasure in the basement that could be used in a new way. Pack a lunch, have a picnic, play ball. In ease, momentum can flow.

Push Yourself

Whether at work, home or out in your world, doing your best creates momentum. It elevates your connection to those around you, deepens your sense of pride in yourself, and helps you to let go circumstances or people you can’t control. So, hold the door, let a car go ahead of you, smile at strangers, polish your work, step up your pace, clean it, cook it, design it, write it, better. Pushing yourself to do your very best, to practice simple acts of kindness, honesty or enthusiasm is the foundation of momentum building.

Soul Search

Your momentum can be defined by you, created by you and nurtured by you. Practice conscious living – think about what you believe in and who you want to be. Then start looking – really looking at your ways. What you eat, the words you use, how you treat others, where you shop, how you talk about yourself. Ask questions, do some research and begin to gather the pieces that sing, that vibrate, that give you shivers. Gradually, you’ll begin acting, thinking, choosing and living more like yourself – that creates momentum like you wouldn’t believe!

And do believe! Momentum may be elusive, but it’s real. It’s so real you can almost taste it! So, begin today. Begin to create some space, move a little differently, gather ease, push yourself little by little, and seek out your own, soulful way of doing your best. Watch how life begins to change as you gather momentum.