You might say that Move and Motivate and aspects of the same thing - getting on and doing something! In terms of physically moving, the human body is designed for movement and it's not good for us when we don't move about. There's a striking story that suggests we evolved as we have, precisely in order to move about and find food. Picture the little sea slug, wafting about in the ocean, looking for a nice little rock to call home. When he does, he attaches himself firmly to the rock and filters food out of the passing currents. Having no further need to move about, he forthwith inwardly digests his brain and spinal cord that got him here, and focusses all his energies on eating!

I'm not suggesting we do the same, although there sure are times when it's tempting, but it does point to the links between movement and brain. Movement is essential to our wellbeing and so it's always good to build in that little bit more. It's been said that sitting is the new smoking, such is the effect of inactivity. Here's an entertaining video that tells you more. 

Meanwhile, how could you get just ten more minutes a day of movement? 

Then once you've got Moving, how can you increase your Motivation? Recently I've been introduced to the work of Carole Gaskell, who works in the area of coaching and neuroscience. She gives lot of practical tips for improving our brain fitness, most of which impinge on general well-being too. 

I was especially interested in her take on Motivation. What gets you out of bed in the morning? Why do you do what you do? 

Briefly she suggests there are nine Motivators, the first few being The Defender, who seeks security and stability, The Director, who seeks power and influence and the Creator, who seeks innovation and expression.

She asks, which of these is most important to you? And then, which is the least important, and what might an awareness of that teach you?

One example was of someone whose least engaging motivator was The Builder, who seeks money and material satisfaction. (Many coaches and therapists feel like this, that somehow they shouldn't be thinking about money.) But when she really investigated her feeling about the Builder, she realised what she could do with a bigger income and stopped it holding her back from being of service to even more people. Money - or more than she thought she should have - was not necessarily incongruent with her values; it depended on what she did with it.

It's brilliant work and I'm looking forward to learning more - you can see it yourself here.