5 silly little tips for boosting motivation
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I am not one of these fortunate souls who can just do things or get started or act on their dreams immediately, I'm more of a slow mover. Maybe it’s fear of failure, fear of success. Maybe I’m stuck in fight or flight mode and ultimately end up frozen. Whatever it is, I will overcome it! I choose to overcome it. So, I’ve come up with some silly little things, rituals you might call them, to brighten my day and get myself doing stuff, grabbing hold of this elusive idea of motivation These tips won’t change your life but they might change your day and that’s definitely a step in the right direction.
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1. Put on ‘outdoor’ clothes.
This might be an obvious one to you but I’ve worked remotely since 2020. 5 years. Working from home, in my comfies. I wouldn’t work in my pyjamas but I was generally in joggers and a t-shirt or hoody. And that’s not really conducive to a productive, motivated working day.
So now I wear something I like and something I would be happy to be seen in outside of my home. My faves are comfy dresses and skirts with a touch of goth or whimsy so I can live my best magical life. This makes me feel a little more ‘put together’ and ready to take on the day.
I try to get new clothes from charity shops (thrifting) or Vinted, but if I can’t find what I need, I usually shop at Disturbia.
2. Do my hair and put fun accessories in.
I bought myself some of those plastic butterfly clips that were all the rage in the 90s and 00s. They do not hold your hair in place but they do provide a little touch of silly. Maybe dressing up and doing your hair even when you’re just staying at home is a display of self love. Looking cute and presenting yourself how you want to is a show of confidence and worthiness. Every time you do it, you’re silently saying “I deserve to dress and look how I want in order for me to work towards my goals, and generally feel good.”
It could also just be that it’s fun and gets you out of pyjama mode.
Link to butterfly clips - I went for the glitter ones.
3. Doodle journal.
This one is so fun and easy and quick and simple. I tried journaling in the mornings but I found I didn’t have much to say. Each morning was the same, I was sleepy and wanted to be back in bed. That didn’t seem like a useful thing to write down every day. Instead, most days I’ll sit and doodle in a lined notebook. I use a lined one because it takes off any pressure of it needing to be good. You can of course use whatever you have, even if it’s piles of scrap paper. What I do is use just one page and start with whatever shape comes to mind. I then just build up around it, using squiggles, dashes, circles, long connected lines, wispy separated lines. You may get an idea of what you want the outcome to look like or you just keep building until you feel done. I then finish by signing my name, which I feel is another tiny self esteem boost. It confirms I’ve made a little piece of art and I’ve made something I’m proud to put my name to.
4. Awaken the senses - aroma.
Candles, incense, perfume - I love them all. Anything that smells good and I can enjoy throughout the day really helps motivate me and make me feel put together. There’s something of a ritual in lighting an incense stick and letting it burn, or striking a match to start off a scented candle. Our environment is really important to how we feel so I highly recommend finding your favourite scents and investing in some nice smelly stuff.
Oh, and if you're getting some incense sticks, you'll need a burner to hold it too.
Patchouli incense sticks - there’s a lot in here so maybe split it with a friend?
5. Awaken the senses - sound.
I work in silence a lot because I like it and I also like being able to hear the birds and the wind. But sometimes I need that extra environment boost. Commercial music is great but when I want to be creative and feel more whimsical, I search for fairytale music, dramatic gothic music and recently, I’ve been listening to siren song and mermaid music. Rhythmic drum beats and foreboding music do wonders for your mood. It feels like you’re on an epic adventure and everything has added gravitas. It gets me moving anyway.
Sirens Singing playlist on Spotify
So here are my 5 everyday silly little things I do to give me a boost when I need it. I really hope you try at least one and see how it makes you feel. Let me know what you did and if it worked, down in the comments below.
Stay weird and whimsical!
CC xoxo