7 Easy Things You Can Do To Get or Remain Inspired
“Success, productivity and real results are handcrafted by you” — Robin Sharma
Since I started my personal development and entrepreneurial quests, I have been having my ups and downs. Fluctuating emotions ranging from doubts, fears, and hesitations to passion, certainty, confidence, and excitement. My main concern is constantly revolving on how to get inspired and most importantly what would it take me to stay inspired.
My best friend always reminds me that “change is hard at the beginning, messy in the middle, and beautiful in the end”. These words reignite my passion and keep me going every time I remember them.
It is quite challenging to accept my new normal. Deviating from 20 years of engaging in the corporate world and interacting with people all day long to spending the entire time alone with the intention of focusing on improving myself and developing my new ideas was a step I had to take. I mean if I do not do this now, then when?
I must admit, many times it felt awkward in the beginning. Staying inspired was a challenge, but I had to go through this change. I had to stay in the vibe.
I constantly sought ways to stay connected. So, I will share with you the approaches which keeps me going.
Practice these steps and observe the benefits.
Alter Your Environment
Stay in motion…
Doing the same thing day in day out can be frustrating sometimes. Change your routine every now and then. Go out, mingle with people even if you do not feel like it, embark on new adventures, visit new places.
Do not underestimate the benefits of being in motion. You will learn about diverse matters, you will boost your intelligence, you will get into new energies, you will gain valuable insights. Only then, you will rekindle your thoughts and pursue your exciting journey.
Go beyond your comfort zone and try something new. People and places offer you all sorts of experiences, ideas, and teachings. Observe, converse, discover and you will restore your creativity and become inspired.
Revert to Nature
Nature is a true blessing. Let us be grateful for it…
If you are like me, living in a country like the UAE and do not have the luxury of spending time outdoors most of the year because of the heat, try other methods to connect with nature.
Go to the beach and watch the sunset from your car window. Wake up early in the morning to watch the sunrise from your balcony. Spend time in bright places with glass windows overlooking landscapes or water and gaze at the scenery.
And those of you who are fortunate with having a good weather and outdoor facilities, take long walks in the woods, in the park, on the beach. Breathe fresh air into your lungs, feel the soil or the sand beneath your feet. Get in touch with earth to get in touch with your soul.
Most of us take these blessings for granted. Let us not miss out on them. They are the best tranquility tools we can ever encounter.
Our brains are built-in for ungratefulness. Why not start rewiring them and genuinely appreciate the blessings around us to get inspired.
Bond with Family and Loved Ones
Family and loved ones are the real deal.
This fast-paced world, with its adversities, gives us viable excuses to dedicate most of our time to work and shelve our emotions and interactions with our families and loved ones. Let us stop taking life for granted and overlooking those we love. Let us admit that without them in our lives, the world becomes like a hot lifeless desert — meaningless, unbearable, and frightening at times.
Family and loved ones are not “a thing”, they are everything. They are the genuine treasures in our lives. They are the people we know we can count on. They are those who know our capabilities. Their words and actions will motivate us. They are the real people who will challenge us to chase our dreams.
Care for your family and loved ones, bond with them, reflect your passion towards them. Have meaningful and positive conversations with them. Connecting with them will affect you positively and eventually inspire you.
Journal
Affirmations create beliefs…
During my self-development quest, I came across the “I AM” 25 practice recommended by Robin Sharma. Basically, you list down 25 affirmations daily starting each affirmation with “I am more….”
I am more innovative, I am more creative, I am more…
I personally followed his advice and it truly made a difference. This practice does create a paradigm within your subconscious mind of the best performer you want to become.
List down your affirmations daily and with that in mind, keep your journal with you wherever you go to be able to list down new ideas as they flow into your mind.
Listen to Slow Instrumental Music
Music is a source of inspiration…
We all know that instrumental music lowers anxiety and improves our moods. You do not want to be listening to something which is too distracting. While it is different for each person, I have found the 528 Hz music to be very inspiring and uplifting. It does not have a heavy beat. It is smooth and inspirational.
Listen to your favorite instrumental music. The idea is to unwind, relax your mind, and to flow into a state of inspiration.
Read A Motivational Book
Reading is the vitamin of the brain…
I had absolutely no patience and low attention span and could give all sorts of excuses to not open a book and read. The idea by itself was annoying to me.
I shifted my mindset and decided to give it a shot. I skimmed through a motivational book one day and surprisingly, I realized the total opposite of what I believed. My interest in acquiring new information led me to put an effort, encouraged me to be patient and motivated me to focus — even for a few minutes in the beginning.
Books are another form of good friends which provide fortune of knowledge and new perceptions. Reading makes you more considerate. It is a way for you to escape life and its never-ending pressures and it transports you to another medium, to another world, and it opens your eyes to new things and new possibilities.
“Motivation is the fuel that helps you achieve your goals”.
Befriend motivational books. They are the means to inspire you to set your goals and speed up your growth. Boost your confidence with reading. Inspire yourself with new knowledge.
Sweat Out Your Stress
And what is a better way to release stress and make space for positive energy…
As someone who worked for 12 hours daily, waking up an hour early to hit the gym or exercising after work was not an idea I could ever entertain. Workout was a big NO for me! The thought of it drained me. I needed my sleep in the morning and had little if no energy left in me after a long stressful day at the office. Weekends, on the other hand, were my resting days! You never mess with me in the weekend and ask me to exercise!
After quitting my job though, I decided to give it a try. Damn! Why did I miss this incredible revitalizing feeling all these years? Why did I ever miss this body fuel and the positive energy it emanates? Workout did enhance my focus and helped me come up with ideas I never thought were on my mind in the first place.
Get out there, move your body, sweat the stress out. You will be amazed with the ways you find inspiration. Even if you are a full-time worker, stop this notion of “I cannot do it”. You really can. Stop focusing your mind on the tasks at hand. Enhance your mood and allow inspiration to flow into your world. It is said that when you push yourself physically, you know how capable you are emotionally. Workout does keep you inspired and makes you believe in your capabilities.
It is worthwhile pointing out that the above approaches are not just random advices. During activities, our bodies release hormones involved in lots of vital processes which include our mood and feelings.
I am not going to give a lecture on scientific matters now and complicate things. But a quick view can be useful.
The hormones released throughout my advised practices include Serotonin (happiness hormone), Dopamine (motivation & reward chemical), Oxytocin (the bonding hormone), and Endorphins (pain reliever). And these hormones are famously known as happy hormones that promote positive feelings like pleasure and joy. Hence, they all lead towards our goal… inspiration.
In conclusion, never say no to opportunities that come your way which allow you to follow your passion. Nothing happens overnight, and dreams do not come true at a flip of a button.
Be patient, hang on to your dreams, stay inspired, give it all you have. You will do it. You will get there, and it will be wonderful in the end…
“Life is too short to be doing work that destroys your soul”
Each person deserves a beautiful life. No matter how old you are, what you do or where you are, make the best out of it.
