Tired, unimpressed and uninspired

Have you ever been bored? Well of course you’ve been bored, but not the kind where your bored because your avoiding responsibilities or there’s a blackout or you’ve watched everything good on Netflix and you're debating restarting a whole series kinda bored. The kind of bored where you really really don’t know what to do with yourself. Where it doesn’t last an hour or a day but an entire week goes by and you feel nothing…absolutely nothing, nada. No excitement, no thrill, no highlight-of-the-week moment; just plain old nothing. And hey, I get that not everyday is going to be all sunshine-and-rainbows-covered-in-sprinkles perfect and as someone who wakes up everyday excitedly exclaiming that “today is going to be the best day ever”, well I’m working on remembering that. So when a long boring day goes by I take it as is because hey, it happens. And when a gloomy day goes by I remind myself that I can’t always feel okay everyday and that that's totally okay. But when five gloomy days go by, topped with sleeping late from doing nothing, drinking way too much coffee for someone who wasn’t drinking any coffee just a few months ago and eating grilled cheese in the dark at 2’o clock in the morning, well somethings gotta give.

Knowing myself, these are all symptoms of boredness aka not putting energy towards something that sparks my interest. Being bored doesn’t scare me at all, but being uninspired now that’s what terrifies me. Boredness is always a clear indicator that I'm inches away from landing face first at the bottom of the slippery slope of unproductivity, confusion and contemplation. And that’s what really worries me. Being uninspired is probably one of the worst experiences you could experience; and this is not me being melodramatic but truthful. Being uninspired inhibits creativity, innovation, positivity, originality, amazing ideas, networking with other human beings and literally anything that allows you to do any forward-thinking, self-expression or growth. When uninspired, I feel my whole essence being toyed with. The ideas, energy and motivation that were always at my disposal feel out of reach and so do I with truest self.

I don’t like to stress when I have “one of those days” but instead to take a step back and analyze it. Nonetheless, at a certain point enough is enough. There comes a point where alarm clocks rings need to respected, coffee needs to stop being abused and finally coming to the acception that just because it’s dairy-free grilled cheese doesn’t magically make it healthy. The following is a list what I’ve done and continue to do to welcome back inspiration and motivation. Take what you need and leave what you don’t…

Eat real food- Sometimes everything feels like it’s coming to an end before I eat food. And most of the things I thought were a crisis before eating a nutritious meal were merely a speed bump, so eat your veggies and take your vitamins kids

Make a change- Shift something in your environment to mark how serious you are about this change (rearrange space, change screensaver, get a haircut, clean out purse)
Recite the affirmations who wrote out to yourself (preferably out loud)
Cry- I would be worried if I didn't worry. This shows that you care. Checking in with yourself about your goals and timelines demonstrate that you really care about whatever it is that you do. Sometimes losing balance is part of maintaining balance.
Take a nap- Like with eating your vegetables, sleeping it off actually works and gives a better sense of clarity afterwards
Get moving- Roll out the mat, go for a long walk or a bike ride with music. While doing this I’ll usually also take notes concerning any ideas or anything I’m thinking about. (Psst there’s a lot of multitasking going on here, so please make sure to watch before you cross or do less things at a time)
Visualize- Picture the day or craft you want to create/experience. Don’t go out and force it but picture your anticipation and appreciation when inspiration hits
Keep a routine- Unless you work night-shift or might be a nocturnal animal by chance, stay in-sync with the world around you. Be awake when the world awakes and asleep when it slumbers to not miss a moment of inspiration when it comes knocking

Be attentive- With the previous step, it’s also important to be present and alert to signs and wonders trying to get your attention. So make sure to pay attention to the world around you
Clear your mind- Don’t cling on to an old way of thinking or how you think things should turn out like. Just be open to receive. Feel free to physically through some things out while you're at it
Appreciation- Show gratitude to the moments when inspiration served you well and make a list commemorating them
Shavasana- lie down flat on the floor, chill, and that’s it.

Read- Read scriptures and/or quotes that uplift and reassure you (feel free to privately pin them on Pinterest or physically add them to your vision board)
Get confident- do what makes you have to excuse yourself from your exclusive pity party so you can feel on top of the world instead. Maybe it’s picking between Destiny’s Child or 90’s Yoncé to liven up the mood or between getting dressed and going out or finally staying in for the first time in awhile or maybe in-between going to the gym or even taking a break from the gym. Do what makes you feel good within yourself in this specific moment #followYOURgut
Listen to your motivation- Besides blaring your motivational playlist or workout motivation speeches (that I enjoy even though I never listen to them before, during or even after a workout) a gentler approach like an audiobook or podcast also does the trick
Analyze don’t judge- Don’t get frustrated with being frustrated, bored, uninspired or what have you. Evaluate when did this start? How am I feeling exactly? Instead of beating yourself up for all the unchecked responsibilities you have on your to do list; Be kind, rewind back through your day and forgive yourself
Start something new- Keep up a streak on the Headspace app or the Bible app (or what have you) or even walking, writing or giving your pet more attention on a daily basis. Just invest in a new project that requires your attention as you wait patiently
Know who you are- Know that this phase isn’t representative of your entire existence. You are not this but experiencing this. Don’t insult yourself by accepting who are in a fruitless season to define you. You will blossom with grand ideas and the will to get out of bed in the morning
Sit in the sun- Fall has made a quicker appearance then I expected, but make sure to sit in the sun whenever Mother Nature allows it. Psst try eating lunch or studying outside on a patio instead of indoors

Bullet journal or paint to chill lofi music

Start a devotion- This is basically a scheduled daily read/journaling designed for growth. These are usually titled with something along the lines of "31 days to gratitude", or "abundance" or "happiness" or whatever you're looking for. I am currently reading Joel Osteen’s I Declare devotion on speaking over and blessing your life

Get rejuvenated and refreshed- Bathe, shave, do laundry, have a diy spa day, drink 3 liters of water
Let nature ride it's course- You wouldn't go outside in a thunderstorm trying to stop the thunderstorm from happening but you would sit inside, make yourself a cup of tea, journal and watch the thunderstorm as it passes, do the same thing when you feel you're mind working up a storm. Go with the flow and ride out the Netflix binges and late night eats and just get it out of your system, shamelessly

Go to your inspiring and zen place- Sit in nature, go for a drive, go sit in the corner of that cafe, listen to music, talk to little humans in your life or whatever place/person gives you inspiration on your craft

Get back to it- Take out the canvas, spatula, pencil, running shoes, weightlifting gloves, costumes, music sheet, textbook, wigs, knitting sticks, camera or whatever it is that you need to do what you do! This is incredibly exciting!!! Hopefully after these steps you have regained insight on why you do what you do and now have the resilience to do it. And if not, don’t even stress about it you can repeat certain steps and give it time

We are bored because we don’t find anything inspiring to do with our time, so find something that's meaningful to you and give it the time of day. I like to think that we are all artist in our own way, shape or form. You might even get sucked into this whirlwind of inspiration for hours forgetting there’s a world outside. But without it, you get stuck into an internal whirlwind that is insecurity and lack of motivation. You can’t necessarily be in a giving place to benefit others as well as yourself if you are out of touch with your most creative self; the side of you that’s happy, feels worth, contributes, and is happy to be awake in the morning, without the coffee (unless coffee is your thing, then do you). For some reason I put this pressure on myself that I need to figure it out everything down to all the nitty gritty details (But we've all heard of the quote that says "When we plan, God laughs" right?). This sort of torment really not only crushes ones creative sparkle but ones self-esteem. The last thing you want to do when inspiration leaves you for awhile is to holler, scream and beg for it to come back to you because you said so. In this case something that looks like the inspiration you were looking for will appear not fully developed wondering why you couldn’t wait just a little longer. Sometimes locking yourself in your secret place to force out a 20 page paper or a 5 year life plan is more disastrous then it would’ve been to walk around the block, accept that you don’t know and that it’s okay, surrender the situation and wait…

Coming out of an uninspiring, unproductive and just depressing episode should be taken just as that, an episode. It’s a phase. Inspiration loves you and will come back to you and so will creativity, excitement, imagination, playfulness and every thing good. Inspiration is working hard to find it’s way back to you, so just sit back relax, make yourself a cup of peppermint tea, trust the One that is greater then you and wait to be mind blown.

Happy creating and being your truest self!

Affirmations

I am smart and successful

I am creative and innovative

I am happy

I am satisfied with myself in this moment

I able to get out of a rut

I am grateful for everything that I have

I am patient and trusting yet expecting

I am at peace with myself and the timing of my life

I am full of brilliant ideas

I am constantly and endlessly creating

I am gracious in stagnant periods

I live a passionate and exciting life/I am a passionate and exciting person/I invite passionate and exciting people and events in my life

I am not scared of the unknown/I don't need to know everything in order to achieve peace