5 ways to Inspire Yourself When You are Feeling Unmotivated
Shiane
credit: Cristofer Jeschke
Quietly admire yourself. I don’t do words of affirmation in the mirror because it feels weird to me. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m picking the wrong words, or if I’m not confident enough to truly believe what I’m saying. But to silently point out that I look good today, or that my skin is doing better than it was in previous days, or that I’m meeting my personal weight goals - all of these feel good and tangible to acknowledge, like a comforting hug from me filled with absolute love.
Choose a celebrity and allow yourself to be inspired by them. I like to watch Will Smith and Michelle Obama give motivational speeches. I love to hear the excitement and rigor in their voice when giving a speech. It breathes life into me. It makes the seemingly unachievable feel achievable. Choose a prominent figure or thought leader and find out what about them that inspires you.
Eat “Feel Good” Food. I know you’ve heard this a thousand times but what you eat has an effect on your mood. Notice the name “feel good food.” Naturally, I’d prefer to eat clean because healthier food gives me the energy to actually do something when I’m inspired.
Challenge Yourself. Now I don’t mean set seemingly hard goals. There is no greater competition than competing with the self. Self improvement is the gift that you give yourself that no one can take away. Sometimes you have to push and challenge yourself. You know that weird thing we do when we tell ourselves “bet you can’t get juice before the microwave beeps” or when we were younger “bet you can’t use the bathroom before the commercials go off”? DO this! Make it fun. And be sure to reward yourself after. The journey is long so don’t focus on the outcome. Focus on the lessons in between.
Genuine smiles are birthed from gratitude. I know we’ve all heard the “you should smile even when you don’t feel like it because what's on the outside will turn into the inside” but sometimes that’s hard. Smiling is natural. You shouldn’t force it in an attempt to make yourself feel better, When you feel inspired you’ll smile naturally. But most importantly, when you take notice of the things that you should be grateful for, a small smile will either creep into your heart, or on your face.