You know what’s funny? I struggled to write this article. No joke. The past couple of weeks have been trying and difficult and I have not felt that push to do anything at all. So, writing this was kinda the last thing I wanted to do. I was not motivated! And then I remembered something my dad said to me once, “Only the dead have the luxury of doing nothing.” Cue me getting my act together. So here are a couple of tips for staying motivated.

1. Stop whining

Ok moaning Mary. Life is hard. We know. The whole world gets it. But whining won’t get you anywhere. Whining wastes time. If you’re feeling down give yourself 5 minutes. 5 minutes to get your feelings out. This is the time to rant, rave and go crazy. But remember, it’s just 5 minutes. Why? The point is to get all that negative energy out but not get caught up in a never-ending pity party. It’s easy to get lost in the emotions of frustration. Expel the negative energy and move on to step no 2. Progression is a thing and whining is not a part of it.

2. Change Your Friends

If your friends are content with your non-progressive self, those people are not your friends. We call those people Judas. Judas is not your friend. But jokes aside, real friends will want to see you grow, evolve. And that means they will cheer you on and encourage you. It also means they will be HONEST and REAL with you even when you do not want to hear it. A genuine friend will cause you to constantly reposition yourself and your thinking. A true partner in crime will challenge you and push you out of your comfort zone so you can fulfil every aspect of your potential. Trim that social circle and keep the ones that count. You’ll thank me later.

3. Gratitude Is Bae

There is nothing more POWERFUL than an attitude of gratitude. Gratitude reminds us of WHERE we’ve come from, the gifts that we have NOW received, and how the possibilities for our FUTURE are limitless and endless. I’ll give you an example. As a child I ran into a swing and wound up with a hole in my face. This is not a lie. My twin used her fingers to plug the hole in between my eyes until I could get to the hospital. True story. Fast forward to 2018. I occasionally get cramps and pain in that area and being ungrateful would mean whining about how I feel the doctors could have done better. Gratitude is “Wow the doctors did such an amazing job. My scar is almost gone!” Gratitude provides perspective. It repositions your thinking. Get a notepad and write down 3 things you’re truly grateful for today. I’m sure you’ll write down at least 10. You’re welcome.

4. Set the Tone/mood

While most people might prefer chilled vibes for a conducive work environment, that is a sure-fire way to put me to bed. Wake me up at 9am. Pump me up with a good house song, or Afro beats, and the concentration and single-minded focus that descends on me! Whew child! Find a groove or routine that works for you. If you need to meditate before working or gym, meditate honey. Or if you prefer kickboxing at the gym to expel your negative energy before working, get that punching bag. But whatever it is, set the tone for your work. Create the energy and environment that best suits your working style. Just watch those creative juices flow.

5. Find your focus

Quite often, lack of motivation comes because we have too many things going on at once! One cannot be DMX, Mariah Carey and Bob the Builder all at the same time. Each one of these guys has a different focus or goal. It is essential to master your craft. If you are a baker, bake, bake and bake again. And when you feel like you’ve done enough, bake some more. Be a master at what you do. Focus on one thing at a time, because if you are going to do something, you better make sure you do it well.

6. Not Everything Lasts Forever

Motivation is a funny thing. It doesn’t stay put. It has it highs and lows. So, it’s important to ride that wave while you still have it. Take advantage of that high when you have it. You can do AMAZING things when you’re in the zone. Those eye of the tiger moments have a way of propelling one into action, so seize the moment. The flip side is that these periods also tend to wane. And in these times, it’s important to get into the zone of rejuvenation. I find that reading books or blogs about what I am interested in helps to kick start my batteries. Find an Instagram account to inspire you. Pinterest gets me excited about the possibilities out there. So, learn to ride that wave with both the ebb and flow.

7. Do The Damn Thing

When that feeling of inspiration hits, one always feels like they can do anything. Hell, sometimes I feel like I could lift a car. Well at least that’s how it makes me feel. But there is nothing worse than not acting on that feeling. Wasted time is something we can never get back and it is IMPORTANT to seize the moment and opportunity and just do it. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else because no one is you-er than you and that is your power. Forget about being a master at your craft when you are just beginning. You will learn as you go along. Just do the damn thing!

8. Persevere

Not everything is an immediate success and quite often we hype ourselves into thinking the rewards will be instantaneous. Good things are worth waiting for and they take time too! An oak tree doesn’t grow in a week. A house is not built in a day. I’m sure you see where this is going. Persevere. Many a time we can’t even see the cogs of success when they start to move but it’s important to never lose heart. Persevere my friend.

Motivation is a fickle thing and I just hope that these tips give you the jumpstart that you need. Stay shining ladies!