A quote for motivation when procrastination hits you hard
And 6 things to motivate you when inspirational quotes don't work...
Hello lovely humans!
As the urge to excel at self-improvement brought in by the new year finally deflates and the energy of winter seems to drag on, I have found myself uninspired to do things that I usually love or have no issue getting done.
Just for starters, I have been putting off writing this post for a few days now, and not for any other particular reason but that I told myself convincingly and repeatedly: Laia, you have nothing to say.
Bullsh*t. More like a feeble excuse to not sit down and start typing.
Can you relate at all?
It’s like making time to get on my mat and do yoga; I can find all the reasons and excuses not to if I really try.
Yet when I make the active choice of pausing whatever seems so damn urgent (it usually isn’t) and I set 5 minutes aside to move and breathe, I not only feel much better in body and mind, but the ripples that it creates in the rest of my day are palpable, too.
I was in my home office a couple of days ago, alternating between writing my latest article, watching the squirrels chase each other around the giant oak tree in the backyard, and sipping on my homemade lavender oat milk latte when I stumbled upon this quote attributed to Steve Backley;
Action creates motivation, not the other way around.
Well, fuk.
I wrote it down in a blue sticky note and I am looking at it as I type this.
I find that any time I want to get something done that I've been procrastinating, whether it's writing a chapter of my novel, sitting down to meditate, doing my laundry, or having a difficult conversation, the only way to get motivated to do it, is to start.
I know this sounds super simple, yet I am not implying that it is easy.
If you want to pause and learn some resetting and reinspiring skills with me, check out my upcoming Spring Yoga Retreat in April.
But in the spirit of supporting and motivating each other, here are 6 things I do when even with a fabulous inspirational quote to enlighten me (yes, yes, read it with all the sarcasm), I still have a hard time doing what’s right for me over what is easy, and finally get myself out of the rut:
Get outside; go for a walk, or sit in nature, and find some space between you and the project.
Journal; morning pages are where I dump all the rubbish swirling through my brain right after waking up in the morning, and I highly recommend anyone to give them a try.
Join a coworking group for accountability, community, and support, (like the one hosted by my friend Krystle every Tuesday).
Listen to music that brings you joy while you wash dishes, go for a walk, or practice a bit of yoga asana. Here is my latest playlist!
Read something fun or inspiring, whether you like Romance, sci-fi, or mainstream fiction, grab a cup of tea or coffee, sit in a cozy spot, and read a few chapters to disconnect.
Practice movement; whether that’s yoga, pilates, running, or doing simple stretches on your bed. Move your body to get the energy and the inspiration flowing again.
No matter how you do it, the important thing to remember when feeling sluggishness creep in is that you deserve to rest, too, and that pausing, putting a project aside, or stopping altogether is also acceptable.
When ready to jump back in though, consider that the inspiration, creativity, and energy that you need, are already within you, it’s about developing your own tools that will reinspire you again and again, and when everything else fails; just. f*king. start.
You’ve got this.
Much love,
Laia