Unlocking Motivation: The Spark, the Storm, and the Steady Flame

What makes us move? Not just walk or eat, but actually rise with a sense of purpose. To try again. To imagine something new. To whisper to ourselves, “Maybe I can.”

That inner pull is * motivation *. Motivation is very curious, almost magic. It can be loud and bold, or soft and quietly persistent. It can show up in the heat of a moment, or drift into silence when things get tough. And still, we seek it, chase it, wish it would stay.

But what is motivation, really?

We've talked about motivation plenty of times, on social media, my workshops, retreats, 1:1's etc... Today, on this blog I want to share with you an in depth talk around motivation including how trauma can play a role on it.

✨ What Is Motivation?

Motivation is the energy that nudges us forward. It’s the desire behind our doing, whether that’s starting a business, writing a book, drinking more water, or finally booking that weekend retreat. It’s not just about goals; it’s about meaning. Why we do what we do. Why we get up again.

🌱 Two Main Types of Motivation

1. Intrinsic Motivation

This is the pure stuff—the kind that grows from within. It’s when you create, move, or explore just because it feels good, true, or aligned like:

• Dancing barefoot in your kitchen because it frees you.
  

• Meditating because it helps you feel more like you.
  

• Tending to your garden simply because you love to watch things grow.

2. Extrinsic Motivation

This one comes from the outside. It's reward-driven. The gold stars. The praise. The push like:

• Working late to impress your boss.
  

• Exercising to fit into that dress.
  

• Posting a highlight reel for validation.

Both types matter. One fuels your soul; the other gets things done. But when we’re looking for long-term alignment and fulfilment? Intrinsic is where the magic lives.

🌪 How Trauma Impacts Our Motivation

Here’s something not everyone talks about: trauma messes with motivation.

When our nervous system has been wired for survival, it’s hard to think about dreams, desires, or long-term goals. The body doesn’t care about your to-do list when it still feels like the lion is chasing you.

As trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk says:

“Trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way mind and brain manage perceptions.”

In order words? You may want to move forward, but feel stuck in the mud. That’s not laziness. That’s your nervous system trying to protect you.

🤍 The Power of Trauma-Informed Bodywork

This is where we start talking about what we can do about it, and let me tell you things can get a little bit magical...

Trauma-informed somatic work like body-based therapy, conscious movement, or consent-led touch has the power to rewire the system. It helps your body learn: you’re safe now. You can come out of freeze. You can feel again. You can want again.

A 2021 review of somatic experiencing noted:

“Focusing on internal sensations rather than thoughts or emotions helps the nervous system release stored survival stress.”

Another study on trauma-sensitive yoga shared:

“Practices that activate the parasympathetic system help reduce chronic stress and reconnect individuals with their body.”

This article discusses how trauma-sensitive yoga can help individuals manage and decrease symptoms related to trauma by shifting from the stress response to the relaxation response through breathing techniques, physical postures, and meditation practices.

So yes! through the body, through the breath, through presence—we can rediscover motivation in a grounded, sustainable way.

🔮 Locus of Control: Who’s Driving This Ship?

This concept is simple, but powerful:

• If you have an internal locus of control, you believe your choices shape your life.

  
  

• If it’s external, you feel like life happens to you—luck, people, circumstances decide.

Trauma can tip us into external territory. But healing brings us back to our centre, reminding us that even if we can't control everything, we can choose our response. Our rhythm. Our return.

Here’s a short guide to help you explore your own locus of control and how to strengthen a healthy, empowering one.

💡 How to Find Motivation (Even When It’s Hiding)

Let’s get a bit practical now. Here are a few gentle ways to summon your spark:

• Rituals: Light a candle, stretch, breathe—create a little doorway into action.

• Visual Cues: Place reminders where you can see them (post-it spells, perhaps?).

• Tiny Wins: Make it smaller than small. One conscious breath. One line written.

• Accountability: Share your dreams. Let someone witness your becoming.

• Kind Consistency: Show up not with pressure, but with permission.

  
  

🌀 The Role of a Wellbeing & Life Coach

You don’t have to figure this all out alone. A coach can:

• Hold your vision when you forget it.

• Ask the right questions when you’re stuck in the wrong ones.

• Co-create rituals that work with your energy.

• Keep you accountable not from pressure, but from love.

• Make space for your creativity, even when doubt tries to take the stage.

  
  

Think of a good coach like a lighthouse in the fog: not telling you where to go, but helping you remember where the shore is.

🕯 When the Spark Flickers

Here’s the truth: motivation isn’t always there. It ebbs. It hides. Sometimes it sleeps in....

But you? You keep going.

Why?

Because you’ve got something even stronger: self-trust.

Because you’ve got your rituals. Your vision. Your inner flame.

And maybe most of all—You’ve got discipline and self-compassion.

They hold your hand on the days when motivation is silent.

So let’s honour motivation when it visits.And when it doesn’t? Let’s show up anyway.

“You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined.” — Unknown

You are not lazy. You are constantly shedding what no longer serves you, embracing you authentic self. Because "healing" is not lineal, it's a journey. You are learning how to walk in the direction of your own light.

And that, my friend, is powerful beyond measure.

Carla Carolina Watson is a mother, Somatic Therapist, Wellbeing Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner, Yoga & Breathwork Teacher and energy worker.

Work with Carla

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