How I’m Finding Motivation After a Setback
The practices that helped me start and the ones carrying me through now.
Lately, I’ve found myself moving slower than expected. After a life-giving discectomy, I was starting to feel like myself again and thought I’d dive back into my work more motivated than ever before. But instead of springing back into my routines, I’ve been more tired, less motivated, and sometimes a little nervous about my lack of forward movement.
I’ve learned time and again that setbacks, whether physical, emotional, or life-related, are part of being human. Healing and growth aren’t linear, and motivation doesn’t always arrive when we want it to.
As a solopreneur, this has been a hard pill to swallow. The pressure to keep going, to earn, and to show up is real. And yet, the very thing I remind my own clients to do is what I need most right now: go slow and give myself grace for not bouncing back.
Motivation isn’t a switch we can flip on and off. One of my favorite intuitive teachers, who I respect greatly, gave me a reminder that this era isn’t about discipline, it’s about devotion. And it’s such an energetically feminine shift in how I wish to approach this next phase of my business.
I’m not a machine or a robot. I’m a human being who isn’t going to get it right every time or have this straight path to success. I’m going to have ebbs and flows in my business, and I have to expect that it comes with the territory of the human and entrepreneurial experience.
This is something that my Yoga practice taught me. There were some days I wouldn’t want to show up to my mat, but even if all I did was sit in child’s pose my entire practice, I knew there was a reason I needed to devote myself to my practice.
I’m also so passionate about teaching the healing practices that allowed me to even make starting a business possible. Because it was so much more than motivation. It was about creating the reservoir to truly receive it, deeply believing in my mission and showing others that they can do it too.
I’ve realized that what carried me through in the beginning when I had no roadmap, no guarantee of success, and just a quiet trust in myself, are the same practices that will carry me through now.
They weren’t about hustling or forcing discipline. They were about devotion to my body, to my purpose, and to the life I was creating.
Here are a few that helped me start, and continue to help me return to myself when I feel off track:
Start small. Whether it’s a 10-minute walk, sitting on my mat in child’s pose, or writing one paragraph instead of a full piece of content, small actions are still forward movement. They send the signal to your system that you are worth it and allow momentum to return sooner than later.
Create space to receive. Motivation doesn’t come when we’re cluttered and rushing. For me, practices like meditation, journaling, and slowing down my mornings are what help me connect to my higher self so I can actually hear the inspiration when it arrives.
Anchor into your “why.” When I started Living Lotus Yoga, it wasn’t because I felt motivated every day. It was because I believed deeply in the mission. Returning to that belief carries me when my energy dips.
Devote, don’t demand. Just like on the yoga mat, some days devotion looks like a full flow, and some days it looks like a child's pose. The power isn’t in the performance- it’s in showing up.
Maybe you’re healing from something, navigating burnout, or just finding it hard to get back into your flow. Wherever you are, know this: it’s okay to go slow.
Your motivation will return. Your energy will rebuild. And in the meantime, your only job is to honor where you are right now.
Because sometimes the most courageous thing you can do isn’t pushing harder, it’s giving yourself the grace to rest.
If you’re craving a little reset, try my free Reignite Your Spark Challenge with journaling prompts, a meditation for cultivating self-trust, a gentle Yoga practice and more to give yourself space for connection and self-care.
Get instant access here: https://www.livinglotusyoga.com/reignite-your-spark-challenge
I can’t wait to see you on the other side of the challenge and hear how it helped you!
xoxo,
Ashley