It is widely accepted that running helps improve health. Yet, many people aren’t motivated enough to do it regularly. If you would like to run more, but lack the motivation to do so, here are a few tips on how to find some.

Use it for therapy. Many people don’t have motivation to run because they’re too stressed out over various life issues – the work, kids, partners, school, the mortgage, etc. They’re emotionally and physically depleted. But this is all the more reason to run. Think of running as your personal time, to get away from it all. At minimum, running increases serotonin and oxygen levels in the brain. This has been known to enhance your mood.

Don’t be a perfectionist. Many runners will lay out in detail a training schedule lasting for weeks and months on end. This is a very good way to stay disciplined and on track towards a specific goal. However, a lot of these runners will get so obsessed with the schedule that they believe that one missed, or poorly executed workout will kill their progress or race performance. If there is one thing you should know about plans, it’s that most times things don’t go as planned. Work on doing most things right and forgive yourself for the small hiccups that may occur occasionally. Adjust and push forward.

Train for a cause. Some times, and for some people, looking to something bigger than the individual is what is required to take action. Finding a cause that you can be passionate about, and channeling that passion to fuel your running can really help improve the quality and quantity of your runs. There are many ways to run for a cause. You can simply stick pictures and articles on your wall or inside your journal. Or, you can join various running groups dedicated to your specific cause, such as Team in Training, which has dedicated itself to fighting Leukemia and Lymphoma.