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“If you want something done ask a busy person.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

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Earned days off are glorious and not because I get to sleep in.

A day off from my regular office and clinic work is delicious and full of promise. I get to explore what I need and desire, and this is self-love and self-care.

Today, I wake to a Facetime call from my adult daughter to see her new glasses, and we discuss things we are doing to get the things we need to do done.

I am always amazed by the wisdom of her 25 years and the conversation itself is motivating.

The topic of the day is motivation and how to thrive when those around you are pulling you down. The truth is everyone is at a different place in their own journey.

It is easy to become overwhelmed by others. If we look for motivation and inspiration from others, we might receive it on a good day; however, the truth is that this needs to come from within.

Motivation is internal drive and expression that activate us to do, be, and live fully.

Creatives often wait for inspiration, and this can leave us feeling blocked when the creative sparks are down.

Everyone can create, and we can become our own driving motivational force.

As an expert in the art of procrastination, I can tell you I have some experience.

What I have learned is that motivation will not come; it needs to be created.

We need to begin.

Read on for some great tidbits that will hopefully inspire, ignite, and help you get your groove on.

1. Be your own inspiration. Explore how you want to feel and what you need to do to feel the way you want to feel. Whoa, that might sound convoluted. Let me break it down. Do what you need to do to feel good and get things done. This means that you might need to dangle your own carrot. For example, getting up and exercising can be achieved by that oat milk latte you love. Being your own inspiration will require you to dive deep to explore what you like, love, and what sets your heart and soul on fire. We start small and build.

2. Delight in your senses. As I expressed, sometimes inspiration and motivation require some enticing and what entices more than a sensory delight? Think of fresh brewed coffee or a brown sugar skin scrub first thing in the morning. Fresh baked bread out of the oven will get almost anyone out of bed and food may be the ultimate elixir. Nature is another sensory delight. I happen to love the smell of dirt, especially after the rain. The scent of the lake and the seaweed from the sea are all earthy scents that can ground, transport, and help me to come back to the moment. Everyone is different with scents as well as the other senses.

3. Touch—feel your way to motivation. Wake up and put on something that feels good. Put on lotion and feel your own skin. Explore what delights your sense of touch. Book a massage or other touch forms of touch therapy. These can help us heal, restore, and regulate. When we regulate and soothe, we feel good, and this helps us to do what we need to do. Our bodies are engines we need to take care of.

4. Sound. Music can be a powerful boost and help you get stuff done. It is known to get our creative juices flowing and help us to get out of bed. I love making my own soundtracks and finding new tunes. I hear a symphony in the morning and you might as well. When we “listen,” we hear nature wake up. This is a powerful reminder of life and the vibe of life.

Taste and delight your taste buds. The power of a mint or something you love will help you get your groove on. Food and beverages are powerful aphrodisiacs that inspire.

5. Explore Mel Robbins’ five-second rule. I didn’t know about this one until this morning. This is a rule that my daughter shared, and she finds that it works. According to Robbins, “The 5 Second Rule is simple. If you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or the brain will kill it. When you feel yourself hesitate before doing something you know you should do, count 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go and move toward the action.” My daughter has been using this daily, and she finds it works. Matter of fact for her it has been life-altering.

This segues to movement in general. If we need a boost and motivation, moving our body may be the best and first step to getting things done. When working with busy individuals who feel like they have no time, this is my first recommendation. The more we move, the more we get done and the better we feel. When we feel better, the more we do and the more we achieve. Intuitive movement is healing. Recall what it feels like to play, and go with that. Explore and have some fun. Take a break and schedule in activities that you enjoy. This can also be used to reward ourselves for difficult tasks. I detest taxes excel spreadsheets and other routine tasks. Sometimes a walk, dance, or legs up against the wall can help get the kinks out and some oxygen flow. Only you know what your body needs, so tune in. Feel your way to happier states by moving.

6. My final motivational inspiration is to write. I am a writer, so this is one of my favorites. Write out what you need and what you want and how you will feel after. Then experience this like it is already happening. Imagine that your goal has been achieved and then begin. Begin slowly, breathe, take your time, and know that everything is a process. We can enjoy tasks and work that seem redundant, boring, and mindless when we engage in the now and how we will feel once we have achieved our goals. I include the things that I want to do that aren’t work-related. That after-work comedy show, the walk on the beach, and the cabin getaway all help us to be productive and healthy. Healthy and productive people take time to play. Healthy and productive people also prioritize positive experiences.

The little things we do all add up and help us get to where we want to be and where we want to go.

To get motivated, get inspired. There’s no time like the present.

If the negative mindset and behaviors of others are getting you down and making you feel uninspired and unmotivated, remember that you alone can be the change that you wish and desire. If we are constantly looking to others to bring us up and inspire us to be and do, then we will always fall short. Motivations that are lasting are intrinsic, meaning they come from within. We call this our drive.

What are you waiting for? Get motivated and get going ready. As Mel says, “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go!”

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