When it comes to fitness and wellness, we all need a little extra motivation some days. And we don't know about you, but often times our inspiration is found in others who we admire, whether it be for their super positive outlook, their hustle and grind, or the way they always seem to take every day by the horns. 

A recent example of one such lady is Lilly Thomas, a data scientist based in Encinitas, CA who's inspiring, outdoor activity-filled Instagram feed captured our attention. When she's not grabbing statistical info from drone and satellite imagery (which is already pretty rad, if you ask us), she's finding ways to make both her body and mind feel good with regular surf sessions, swimming, practicing yoga, or any other number of healthy habits. That said, we knew she'd be the perfect candidate to help us find daily ways to psych ourselves up and head out the door with a purpose. Below find her top five tips to staying motivated from the inside out.

1. Shift Your Focus

"Start the day envisioning not what you can gain from of your actions, but what you can contribute through your actions. For me, this mentality has always aligned my decisions with long term happiness. By channeling my thoughts and energy towards the betterment of myself and those around me, I am able to stay on track and remain dedicated towards what really matters."

2. Stay Positive

"Remind yourself of how special it is to be alive and well. Our existence in and of itself is miraculous! In appreciating how hard others worked to help bring me into this world and nurture my growth, I see my sense of motivation and work ethic truly as homage towards those supporters." 

3. Say Less, Do More

"I truly believe that there is an incredible amount of power in accomplishing something or conveying a message through actions rather than words. By backing what you do choose to say with identifiable action, you increase the weight behind your message."

4. Get Outside

"Nature is my ultimate form of medicine. The ocean is my single most powerful creative medium. I highly recommend reading Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nicholls."

5. Move with Purpose

"Take time during your day to stretch, invert, open up your joints, maybe roll your muscles, and most importantly - practice intentional breathing. I have found that I am able to refresh my sense of motivation through simple acts like lengthening and/or applying therapeutic pressure to my muscles, opening up my heart space, twisting out my core and kindling some intent in my inhales and exhales."

Photos by Celina Kenyon