How to Feel Motivated When You Feel Like Shit

Mondays can be such a drag and for good reason. It gives you high hopes of a great week ahead — and yet, you end up feeling less like the person you really are.

Today had been one of those Mondays for me.

One where you plan for it the entire weekend but end up crossing none in your list.

It was almost halfway through the day when I decided to give it up and call it a day. There was no point forcing things to happen when everything is just bringing you down.

But suddenly, a spark of genius comes through and I realize…

…there’s no one else in the world who can get my spirits up but myself.

I have to pull my shit together if I wanted something accomplished for the day.

And so I did.

Want to get some pointers on how I got myself back up in just a matter of hours?

Well, read on if you’d want to know more…

1 / Indulge in the positive via Pinterest

Now, I know that sounds weird to be telling you to head on over to the visual search engine but all the beautiful pictures, quotes and just the post title themselves is enough to drive the negative vibes away.

Most of the times, my lack of motivation stems in the lack of original post to write about for my blog(s) which is why Pinterest is also my go-to resource for inspiration.

If Pinterest isn’t your vibe, you could always head on out to other sources…like Medium, for example.

2 / Think about all the awesome things you’ve accomplished in the past

Not feeling like the queen — or king — of the world? Well, why don’t you take a moment to stop and think about what you’ve been able to accomplish so far?

Hey, don’t beat yourself up when you think you haven’t done any. I’m pretty sure there is something in there that’s one for the books. It’s the small things that count, after all.

Remember: you can’t have a dime without a penny.

3 / Take a break

Most of the times, we feel unmotivated because we are too overwhelmed. I know that almost ALWAYS happens to me. I have so many things on my to-do list and nothing ever seems to get done.

One tip to stay productive? Only have one major goal per day.

Make sure to choose one that will make you feel SUPER accomplished even if the others get forgotten. Then you'll feel ready to start again for another day.

But, if forcing yourself to cross off all your items just won’t do it, take a break.

Even better, have a change of scenery, take a walk or have a short nap to make you feel refreshed.

4 / Get off of social media

Facebook is my biggest enemy when it comes to feeling motivated. Unfortunately, I can’t fully give it up for digital marketing reasons…so I try to limit OR not let things inside of my head.

You see, Facebook (and Instagram and most other social media) is the best place to #humblebrag about your accomplishments, travel escapades and so on. As someone who has been *trapped* at home for almost six months now, I often feel like a big failure not being able to do the things I want…yet.

Instead of using it as a motivation to get things done, Facebook feeds tend to drag me to the ground so I try to limit my time with it. I fail horribly, of course.

But, the point is that social media can make you feel like that teeny tiny, unaccomplished person — even if you’re not.

For all you know, that other person at the end of the line could be suffering far worse than you are; they’re just good at hiding things.

5 / Just do it

Nope, this isn’t a post sponsored by Nike but their tagline just resonates with me during these most trying times.

Whenever I have a writer’s block or am just simply unmotivated to do what is to be accomplished, I drag my butt in front of the laptop and just start typing away. Most of the times, it works.

You see, some people just need that little spark, that little trigger to ignite the flame.

Just a little nudge is all that it takes to get you started and, little do I realize, I’ve already written two 1000-plus-word posts and have drafted, submitted and published a guest post. *High five!*

6 / Cry…and recover

Do you remember that scene in Inside Out where Bing Bong’s old wagon rocket got dumped into the Memory Dump? Bing Bong got extremely sad and Joy tried to make him laugh — but it was Sadness who let him cry to make him feel better.

When you feel unmotivated or even depressed, give it a good cry. And then pick yourself up because, let’s be honest, no one else usually will.

Mine came out just a few tiny drops earlier but it was good enough for me, at least for the time being.

A good cry helps get out all the negative feelings away so you’ve nothing else to cry out the next time. Remember when you broke up with your ex? Well…okay, let’s not get to that.

I always feel like crying helps wash off the bad vibes and you’re left with nothing but great thoughts right after. Maybe not that soon but you get the point.

That pretty much summed up my day today.

And guess what? I submitted and published a guest post for my family travel blog, published a post on the actual family travel blog and wrote out this post, too.

I just drank coffee and I probably will write some more…or I’ll probably call it a day already. Who knows?

It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement.

~Isocrates

While it’s a good thing to talk to other people when you feel like crap but if you don’t have that option, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world just yet. You still have yourself!

And, no one else should be in charge of your happiness and your good vibes but you.