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Self-Motivation Techniques With the Moon

All too often we look outside ourselves to find motivation for our activities. This is especially true for extraverts, who send their mental and emotional energy out into the world most of the time. Even the most introverted personality gets out there some of the time. We all tend to wait for inspiration to come to us, instead of seeking it within ourselves. What do we find when instead we look inward?

The Moon represents our internal functions. When we consider the Moon's placement in our charts, we delve into the less conscious areas of life.

The Moon affects us in every area of our lives:

    • Physical-Digestion, fertility, bodily fluids
    • Emotional-how we hold and process emotions; adaptability
    • Mental-our subconscious thoughts and how we assimilate information
    • Spiritual-our core beliefs and how we understand them; the soul
    • Social-women in general, family, national loyalties

    1. The Moon also can be a source of profound motivation and inspiration. Those subconscious lunar thoughts can coalesce around ideas and ideals to point us in the right direction. Your Moon sign indicates your natural motivational direction. This means that you can most easily motivate yourself through the Moon sign.
    2. Secondly, the opposite sign can also provide motivation, so be sure to read about that sign too. It provides insight about how you project your inner sensitivity into the world. The opposite sign also indicates something about the people and things out there in the world that get your attention and hold it. Through understanding both inner and outer motivations, you are able to respond more effectively in every area of your life.
    3. A third way to use the Moon for motivation is to check out its sign each day and read about that sign. This works because the Moon's location in the zodiac each day describes the current energy around you. If you are an introvert, this method works well because it takes you outside yourself to engage with the world. Extraverts will like this method because the Moon is so obvious and easy to connect with.

Self-Motivation

Self-motivation depends on understanding your own internal processes. Sometimes you have to be the one to start something new. You need to come up with the way to make things happen in your career, your social life, and within your family. Moon signs offer ways to make this happen. Be sure to read the opposite sign to get both sides of your personal motivational story.


First we look at the most basic need of the sign. This is a good place to start because it indicates the most fundamental motivation within the individual. Once your need is understood, then you can explore ways to motivate yourself successfully. You will also find simple ways to motivate others, if you know their Moon sign!

Motivation can lead to constructive activity or less positive actions. When we feel pressured, we defend ourselves. Sometimes we fight back with destructive means. If you understand yourself better, you can develop positive responses and practice them when you're not under pressure. Then those responses become habits that kick in when the pressure's on. You still retain the ability to respond in other ways, but you enhance your choices through constructive practice.

Moon Signs


Aries-Need to be "Numero Uno"

What sort of Number One do you want to be? Do you want to come out on top no matter what? Would you like for others to be happy when you win? Would you like your coworkers and friends to accompany you into win/win situations? Does anyone really have to lose for you to still be Number One? (Hint: I believe the answers to these questions are as follows: Great, probably, yes, definitely, and no.)

So how do you take that urge to be Number One and turn it into a self-motivational tool that works for you? You define what it means to be Number One as concisely and completely as possible.

Here are some ideas:

    • Always a winner-You can do this by making an effort to help others to be winners. Then you find yourself among winners, a good place for you to be.
    • Best friend-Treat all your friends as well as you want to be treated.
    • Best partner-Go way beyond half way with your partner in every way.
    • Best at planning-Show that you know where you are headed and how to get there safely and successfully.
    • Best at encouraging others-Spread your natural enthusiasm around1 (This one should become very easy for you to do.)
    • Best parent-Care for your children each day. Treat them like the precious jewels they are. Listen to their conversational gems intently.

The definition of "best"varies, and skillful action in each area is different.

For example, the physical actions that help you win the Kung Fu competition may not be useful in motivating your children, as you don't want to beat up kids. The underlying mental and emotional strengths that the martial art teaches you will be valuable in every area I have listed.

By redefining what being Number One means in terms of the situation, you give yourself a wide range of motivational possibilities. All you really need to do is tell yourself, "I want to be the Number One ____ (fill in the blank). Then seek ways to make that become reality.
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Taurus-Need to maintain security

Do you occasionally find yourself doing something really strange, just to avoid a problem that is not really all that big a difficulty? If you go out of your way to skirt issues, it may be that you are using a tried and true method developed in the past for dealing with problems that made you feel insecure. The fact that you go out of your way suggests that your method is outdated.When security is your most basic need, how can you use that to motivate yourself? First, it's important to recognize that being secure is a good thing. Without security we would not put down roots. Our families could never be comfortable. And without a secure base we would never be willing to take a risk! We would be too busy trying to shore up our defenses moment to moment.You can use your security needs as a basis for self-motivation.

All you need is to reframe what security means to you at this stage of your life. For children, security needs are defined in terms of food, clothing and protection from physical and emotional harm of all kinds. Teens might define security as belonging to the peer group, managing school and extracurricular activities well, and finding that first love.
Adults will have yet another set of definitions.

Here are a few frames for your definition of security:

    • A "good job-You might have to take a risk and apply for a different position to get a better job.
    • Adequate income-You have to define "adequate•for you and stop accepting someone else's idea of "enough."
    • Commitment in a romantic relationship-You seek someone who fulfills your unique ideal of a partner, not necessarily what your parents or friends want for you.
    • Intellectual stimulation-Something to keep you thinking is important because when the insecure times arrive-and they do-you fare better if you have sharpened your cognitive skills. That way you don't have to fall back on emotionally charged childhood security strategies.
    • Plans for the future-Retirement may be a long way off. However, planning for your own future and for your family's future is a good thing. You don't have to have a ton of money in the bank right now, for example, but you will want to have a plan for how you will provide for yourself and your family five, ten, or twenty years from now. Then you can make steady progress toward those goals.

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Gemini-Need to be clever and informed

The need to be informed is pretty much universal. For you, however, it is the central mission. You always want to know everything that is going on with everyone. What if it's none of your business? Your emotional drive may cause you to interfere with other people's privacy because you simply must know. The need to be clever is connected to the need for information. After all, how can you make the best jokes if you don't have the complete story?

The new frame you need to expand your repertoire of clever behavior may include the following:

    • Know how to listen-The cleverest people at a party are the ones who get other people talking. First of all, they acquire more information that way. Pretty obvious. In addition, they seem clever when they respond to what has been said instead of inserting witty comments that have little to do with the topic of conversation.
    • Know how to offer suggestions-Not everyone wants to do things just the way you do. Knowing when to make a suggestion is half the battle. Knowing how is the other half. You will seem a lot cleverer if you make suggestions in a way that each person can understand and implement.
    • Know how to be truthful-This doesn't mean being blunt or rude. It means telling it like it is, not the way you want it to be. It includes acknowledging the facts, the emotions that accompany them, and even the spiritual basis for your own decisions.
    • Know how to demonstrate compassion-We often feel angry or sad or glad for another person. It's important for you to sort out your own mad/sad/glad from what the other person may be experiencing. Then you can truly feel compassion for that individual.
    • Know how to allow yourself and others to experience the feelings of the moment. We need to be able to feel sad or mad, and we need to help others with their feelings. We benefit from recognizing feelings and determining choices for how to deal with them.

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Cancer-Need for emotional security

Emotional security is one step up from the security mentioned for Taurus Moons. If you are entangled in providing the most basic security, then you really don't have the time or energy to figure out your feelings. When basic needs are satisfied, then emotional security needs become clearer.For young children, the parents are the most influential sources of emotional security. Consistency is a huge component of security in a child's life.

Teens go through massive physical and emotional changes, and they need support from parents, teachers and other authority figures as they learn to manage emotions. Adults are not immune to emotional challenges either. They need to use adult methods to achieve adult emotional goals. Childhood methods for finding emotional security may not work for adults.

Here are some suggestions for additional choices when you seek to motivate yourself, based on your need for emotional security:

    • Identify settings (locations) in which you experience emotional well-being. Spend a few minutes each day picturing yourself in these safe places.
    • Identify settings that do not feel safe. Spend some time thinking about them. Don't get into your feelings. Just think about how these situations makes you feel uncomfortable.
    • Devise scenarios for times when you are in the uncomfortable place. Imagine "morphing•from discomfort into emotional security and safety. Practice this morphing mentality.
      You will find that mental practice makes it easier for you to modify circumstances so they feel more secure. You learn to identify one or two things that, if changed, would make the situation feel better. You also learn to identify situations that are simply not acceptable to you. Then you can exit untenable situations quickly and skillfully, boosting your feelings of emotional security. Your motivation is greater security and your method is to imagine (think without emotional engagement) what needs to happen to make the situation safer.

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Leo-Need to be respected and loved

Everyone needs to be respected and loved. However, you probably know plenty of people who override this need with some other more pressing need. For example, Gemini Moons need to have all the information. This need could easily get in the way of love and respect. The Leo Moon person requires love and respect in order to feel adequate.The strategies for earning love and respect from parents and teachers are vastly different from those required in romantic or business partnerships. As a child you may have learned to curb your own desires in order to receive positive emotional strokes. You did what others expected in order to feel you belonged.
How can you satisfy your need for love and respect better? How can you use these needs for self-motivation?

Here are some ideas:

    • Honesty-Encourage others. Don't suck up, just be honest. Honesty is a central factor in all your relationships.
    • Intuition-Work to develop your intuition. Research it a little bit to test its validity. People will love the demonstration of sensitivity-you actually spent the time to understand and help them.
    • Luxury-You like nice things and you surround yourself with quality. People will not love you for this. They will respect you.
    • Ambition-In leadership positions you work best with others when you recognize their ambitions. Cultivate the attitude that if your coworkers and employees are successful, you are more successful. Toot their horns and not your own.

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Virgo-Need to be correct and insightful

The needs to be accurate and insightful can be at odds with each other. You often find that you tend to one or the other, but you don't have to sacrifice one for the other. Instead you can use the two tendencies as motivational factors in your life . Insight can be compared to the creative act of writing. Paying attention to details is similar to editing. When I write, I let the creative part take over and give the editor a rest. The words don't have to be perfect, they just need to be on the paper (or on the hard drive of my computer). I will have time later to reread and revise. When I am making corrections, I make sure the creative part is on vacation.You may feel this division of effort is a bit artificial. You may not be comfortable thinking about having different parts. However, we all play different roles in life. Correctness and insight are different, but you can master them both.

Here are some suggestions for how to do that:

    • Be practical-You may find that you ignore some of the details in favor of achieving necessary movement. There will be time enough later to tie up the loose ends.
    • Imagine the outcome-When you begin any project, no matter how tedious, try to imagine the future results. If you see that what you are doing just won't matter much in the end, you can reduce the amount of energy you expend.
    • Exercise good manners-You don't have to become Miss Manners, the excruciatingly correct matron of the social graces. If you understand the social rules, you will know when they can be broken.

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Libra-Need to be appreciated and popular

Libra, like Virgo, has two needs that can be incompatible. Sometimes we want to be appreciated for the work we do, but we don't really care about being popular. We just want to get the job done well, and we want to be compensated appropriately. Money is often the goal, not popularity. Sometimes our goal is popularity, and price is no object. We are willing to put in the time, energy, and cash to achieve the goal . Elected office has both characteristics. To get elected, you must win the popular vote. Once elected, you have to get the job done. What got us elected may not help us on the job.

Here are some ways to motivate yourself to balance popularity with appreciation in your life:

    • Express your feelings-Tell others how you feel instead of hiding your feelings and developing resentments.
    • Do things for others-It's really fun to do things for other people just because you can. Yes, you need to be appreciated, but you don't necessarily expect the favor to be returned. In fact, you even say, "I know you will do something nice for someone else."
    • Be a true partner-You don't have to depend on your partner for every little thing. The two of you support each other but need not lean on each other all the time. Instead, encourage one another and help each other in a pinch. You are each other's biggest fans.

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Scorpio-Need to be in control, to be significant, and to be right

Scorpio is another sign with conflicting needs. If you need to be in control, you may be willing to sacrifice being right. Or you may lose control arguing a point that really matters to you The urge to do something significant often can balance out the other two. It's mostly a matter of how you define these three needs . Sometimes we maintain control over a difficult situation by compromising. We don't give in completely, as that would feel out of control. Instead, like balancing the hot and cold water when we take a shower, we balance a sense of adequate control with a feeling that what we are doing is right or proper. Balance increases the likelihood of positive results, and sometimes those results will be significant for us and for others. You may want to measure your results in smaller units. That way you feel a sense of accomplishment as you go along, not just when a big project is complete.

Some suggestions:

    • Be tough when it matters-You can be hard as nails when you need to be, but you don't need to be that way all the time. If you are truly tough, you can save it for the clinches.
    • Stand up for what is right when it matters-You don't have to win every argument. Save up being right for moments when you really care. That way you don't exhaust yourself with petty issues.
    • Maintain control when it matters-You can let your friends or your children choose their own flavor of ice cream. In addition, you can practice good self control. If you are not in control of yourself, it's tough to control others, and it's even tougher to be right.
      Remember, tough people do cry. To show your feelings is to show that you are human. The bottom line here is self control, not utter control.

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Sagittarius-Need to have opinions respected

In order for your opinions to be respected, they need to have substance. This means that you can motivate yourself by seeking the kinds of information that hold up to your standards of accuracy and excitement.

Here are some keys:

    • The first key is to respect yourself. Think through new ideas and goals. Be sure they suit your internal sense of values before you begin. It's easier to stop before you get started. Later, when things are already in motion, you won't want to change your mind and look bad in front of others.
    • The second key is to understand your own changeable moods. Just because your mood changes, that doesn't mean you have to give up respect. If you understand yourself, you are more than half way to gaining understanding from others.
    • The third key is to recognize your ideals, to paint a clear picture of how to achieve them, and then to strive for them even when others are not very supportive. If it's important enough to you to do something, it's important to do it well.
    • The fourth key is to study a subject until you understand it on the philosophical level. Just knowing the nuts and bolts will never be enough to satisfy you.

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Capricorn-Need to make progress

You are like the wrangler, trying to keep his cattle moving in the right direction, and to keep them in a group. You have lots of goals and the same twenty four hour day allotted to the rest of us. You have to have a definite plan if you are to make progress in every area.

    • Acknowledge that you do have feelings underneath your tough exterior. You may not want other people to be aware of them, but those feelings are part of your progress measurement equipment. Dark moods lighten as you recognize change in your life.
    • Examine your sense of duty to see if it includes anything extra, like your parents' idea of what you should be. Hint: get rid of the extra baggage. By being responsible to yourself and for yourself first, you become a better friend, parent, or partner.
    • Each day take an inventory of where you are, even if you only spend five minutes on it. Assess your progress in small increments. This kind of evaluation actually feeds your desire for progress while chalking up those small successes. You may want to have a detailed list of things to do so that you can check off items every day.

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Aquarius-Need to be socially significant or unusual

You have so many ideas and seemingly so little time. You want everything you do to matter to the world, not just to yourself or a small group of acquaintances. You also like to stand out in a crowd, and its' important to stand out for positive reasons.

How to accomplish that:

    • Think things through-People will appreciate the fact that you know what the score is throughout the game.
    • Practice understanding human nature-The Mother Theresas of the world are known for their good works, but they also have strong ideas. They are not wishy washy personalities, that's for sure. They understand how to motivate others because they have been motivating themselves for so long.
    • Practice compassion-If you lack compassion for others, you have not hit the highest mark. Use your thinking ability to figure out the most compassionate response to others.
      Your strong desires become part of your drive for significance. You are able to take an unusual approach to solve an ordinary problem.

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Pisces-Need to identify the ideal, to understand psychic impressions


You seek to understand life on a deeper level than many people. You want to know the inner meaning of everything around you. To do this you have to reach out. When you reach out, you are sometimes overwhelmed by the emotions you encounter. Learning to sort through the psychic input is essential to remain motivated.

What to do?

    • Recognize your own moods and seek an ideal level. You don't have to maintain it all the time, but it helps to know where it is. Then you can return to that level quickly and easily.
    • Meditation can help to focus your thoughts. Idealized thoughts and feelings may not be grounded enough for effective action. Meditation also allows you to identify specific ideals that stick with you over the long haul.
    • As you meditate, you begin to feel the varying resistance and pull of different feelings. You learn that certain tugs, if resisted even for a moment, lose their attraction, while others become stronger over time. Pay attention to how this feels within your own body.
    • Allow yourself to drift, seeking the current that pulls you strongly. Your psychic impressions improve as you experiment with following feelings or resisting them.
    • Seek the ideal in everything you do. Let other people manage their own lives. When you see the ideal in everything, you find you approach the ideal in all your actions.
    • Summary
      The concept of self-motivation with the Moon depends on the fact that the easiest way to motive people is to appeal to their most compelling needs. This is also true when you want to motivate yourself. If you understand what your need or drive is, then you can work toward it consciously, framing all your actions in terms of fulfilling that need, while at the same time helping other people to fulfill theirs.

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Stephanie Clement is a professional astrologer and has a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology. Her published works include Charting Your Career, Power of the Midheaven, and Charting Your Spiritual Path with Astrology.
 


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