Let’s face it – healthy choices (and life) can be a little frustrating sometimes!

Between meal planning and prep, and trying to find the time and courage to exercise, all while being a friend, wife and mother, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and say to heck with it!

But learning how to stay motivated when trying to live healthy gets you down, especially when things aren’t going smoothly, might be one of the most important skills any of us can master.

Of course, choosing to stay motivated is often easier said than done, right? How are you supposed to stay motivated when no matter how hard you try, life just seems to keep getting in your way?

We wish we had an easy answer, but we don’t. Instead, what we do have are these five simple tips to stay motivated, which have helped us refocus when we feel discouraged.

Tip 1. Keep it positive.

The most important step to mastering healthy living is to have a positive attitude and make it fun. Our mindset is what brings it all together and we have to be in the right headspace to help ourselves stay healthy and reach our goals. Start by seeing food and exercise in a more positive light by taking on the mindset that “healthy is enhancing” rather than “healthy is work.”

Be adventurous by trying new food and flavor combos until you find something you love. If your meal doesn’t end up tasting like Martha Stewart made it, laugh it off and jump back on the bandwagon tomorrow. The same goes with exercise. There are so many styles of fitness out there, try different ones until you find one that sparks joy!

Tip 2. Clean out your “filing cabinet.”

Our brain is like one big filing cabinet. If it’s filled with too many papers (or thoughts) you can no longer add to or close your filing cabinet drawer. The truth is that no one can do everything, and you can’t either.

What you can do is get the most out of the limited time you have each day. Start by creating a list of what you want to accomplish this week. Be realistic and allow some margin for unexpected interruptions. By creating a list, you free up space in your mind, and since your thoughts are now on paper, it’s easy to see what’s most important.

Tip 3. Prioritize healthy living.

Now that you’ve cleaned out your filing cabinet, rank your list in order of importance. Pay close attention to which tasks are achievable and, if completed, will make the biggest impact on your health. Commit to doing these first.

Tip 4. Plan, schedule, succeed.

Look at your week ahead and come up with a game plan. Schedule (no seriously, pencil in) your top priorities as if they’re appointments. Remember how we said your brain is like a filing cabinet? When you schedule your goals as if they’re appointments, you continue to free up space in your mind so you don’t feel like you’re spinning out of control.

The truth is… you may have to change what time you get up in the morning or go to bed each night, how you spend your free time, how much television you watch or the amount of time you spend on your phone to make it work.

Trust us, the way your mind and body feel after your successfully make healthy changes will steadily become more important to you than the tasks that prevented you from experiencing that pleasure in the first place!

Tip 5. Celebrate your achievements.

We often focus on what’s not working and forget to recognize and celebrate what’s gone well. A large part of staying motivated is about your state of mind. Recognizing and sharing your achievements keeps you motivated and gives others the chance to celebrate with you and become inspired to reach their own goals.

You can pamper yourself with something as simple as a victory dance or soak in a tub filled with lavender-scented essential oil surrounded by some pretty candles. Use your imagination!

In any case, start a “celebration” list (the Healthy Living Log is a great place to do this), where you can celebrate your wins. If (and when) it feels like everything is going wrong, take a look at all that’s gone right! Remember, motivation stems from mindset!