@jdubs
You know when you’re in an inspiration slump and you hear things like this on the inside:
Am I on the right path?
How come I can’t create something as good as that person?
Am I a loser because I don’t have all of my sh*t together?
Ugh, I am so uninspired. (While reading the news for the 500th time.)
I want my amazing ideas to become a reality, but how?!
Wow, she sure has her sh*t together. (While looking at an influencer you’ve never met who has 1 million followers and is on a yacht in the middle of a pandemic.)
These slumps roll in when we least expect it, but the truth is, what we surround ourselves with and how we go about our day-to-day lives can make or break our inspiration.
To be inspired is one of the best feelings in the world. To feel uninspired can bring on feelings of anxiety and pure frustration.
We all go through ebbs and flows. Some days we are packed with inspiration and bursting with creativity. Other days can feel like our inner inspiration is dissipating by the second. Ugh – the worst.
When the latter is happening, it’s time to have a look at what we ingest. And I’m not talking food here. I mean what we ingest with our eyes, our minds, our hearts, our ears…what we ingest with our whole being can either influence inspiring vibes or worst-case scenario, deplete them.
Taking time to audit what you ingest on a daily basis can work wonders and shift our mindset in the direction we so desire it to be going.
Ask yourself: Does what I ingest bring me up or does it bring me down?
Here are some ways to help you ignite inspiration and fill your day up with the good stuff.
Read at least 15-30 minutes a day.
Make it a daily goal. Do it on the toilet if you have to.
Reading fills your brain with material that will no doubt somehow inspire and/or enlighten you.
Here are two books that inspire me and give me a push:
1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently
Untamed
Here are more suggestions from – Things I’m Doing and Not Doing During Shelter-In-Place
Audit your social media.
Social Media. It’s a blessing and a curse. So many wonderful things come from the various platforms, but also so much destructive BS comes from them too.
Here’s Cliff’s notes version:
Don’t follow people that annoy you. Don’t follow people that you compare yourself to. Don’t follow people that make you feel jealous. Don’t follow people that piss you off. Stay off of news platforms that induce the scaries. It’s that easy.
Unfollowing these types of vibes will create so much more space for you to discover other humans that bring out all the positive juju in you. The types of individuals that will influence your inspiration, not have you feeling like you’re not enough, anxious, or envious.
Pro Tip: Maybe you’re not ready to unfollow someone but you just need a breather. Snooze or mute options on your platforms are your friends.
My current favorite Instagram accounts that have me inspired: @thechampagnediet @thebirdspapaya
And don’t forget to follow us for inspiration: @thesisterproj
Then spend less time on social media.
We all know mindlessly scrolling is a big ole waste of time, yet we still do it. I’m going to say something we all don’t want to hear but we know it’s the truth:
We look like a bunch of assholes walking around with our heads in our phones.
If you must be on it, consider downloading a good book to help you avoid the scroll of death. Throw a podcast on. Call a friend and catch up. Take a conscious, social media break from your device.
And dare I say, make eye contact and smile at the person you’re walking past on the sidewalk (even if they don’t smile back).
Listen to some inspiration.
You know how they say there’s a Facebook group for everyone out there, well, there’s also a podcast out there for everyone. There is so much inspiration in the land of podcasts, it’s actually difficult to choose what to listen to at times. However, when you find what you dig, you’ll be hooked.
Cooking, travel, business, houseplants (yes, you read that right), comedy, history, language…you name it – there’s a podcast for it.
Here are a few I am hooked on.
Bloom & Grow – for those green thumbs out there, this plant podcast is for you.
Style Your Mind – Cara is extremely inspiring and helps get your head into a creative, positive space.
Daily Wellness – wake up each morning with five minutes of positive affirmations, self-reflection, and some mindful breathing.
Know that you have what it takes.
Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to believe in yourself, but if you don’t believe in you, how is anyone else going to?
I have to work on this one…a lot. I know I am capable of anything, but sometimes I struggle to see and feel it. When I wake up I say to myself:
Ok, Lauren, you got this. Grab the day by the “you know what” and own it.
Self-doubt and negative inner dialogues are for the birds. Give yourself a pep talk when you need it because the truth is, we all need them at times.
Create something.
Anything goes here, but keep in mind it doesn’t have to be a big ole project like re-painting the Mona Lisa or publishing the most viewed Tik Tok in all of the internet.
Shove your hands in the dirt and create a garden. Write a short story or a poem. Create a hygge nook in your home or a delicious craft cocktail. Organize a book club or zoom hang out with a theme.
Once you start creating, it will get the wheels turning, and you’ll be eager to create more. You just have to start somewhere.
Poke that bear.
Share your dreams and ideas with your people.
Let them in on some of your visions. Putting it out there in the universe gives your dream life and momentum. And who knows…maybe they know something or someone who can help make your dream become a reality.
Talking about our dreams bring them to life.
Pull the bandaid off and inspire yo’self.
Do that thing you’re scared to do.
Contact that person you want to collaborate with. Run that 5k. Start your non-profit. Remove yourself from a toxic situation. Make that therapy appointment. Sign up for that class.
Doing what you’re scared of is a solid way to prove to yourself that you are, indeed, a badass.
You’ll probably inspire others along the way – good work.
Meditate.
In the event you feel like you can’t get a hang of mindful breathing, you should just quit.
KIDDING.
Keep practicing! It takes time and effort, but once you get a hang of it, and you will, you’ll see why humans have been doing it for thousands of years.
Meditation can get your head clear (or clearer) and will create space for new ideas of expression, creation, and inspiration.
Say no so there’s more room for yes.
If something comes your way that feels like it is going to suck the life out of you, kindly take a pass and move on. There is nothing wrong with saying no when it feels like the right thing to do. You either feel it or ya don’t.
What is the point of spending time on something that you won’t enjoy doing? There isn’t one.
Music, dance, exercise, nature, cannabis.
In no particular order, these five little nuggets (no pun intended) often help me conjure up some momentum in the inspiration department. All of them, in some way, shape, or form, fill me with both positive and creative vibes.
It’s a beautiful thing.
How do you stay inspired?
I would love to know your tips. Share in the comments below so we can all learn from one another.
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