DYI Inspiration Boost

Life Coaching Tip: A daily inspiration practice can help you stay excited about your goals and motivated to achieve them. Don’t leave your mood up to circumstance or chance. Sometimes you must create your own sunshine! We all need a boost of inspiration from time to time!

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This time of year can be rough for those of us who live in climates like I do in Northeast Ohio. Not only are the skies perpetually gray, but the temperatures are often frigid, and heaps of snow can get in the way of most plans.

I live in a snowbelt area to the east of Cleveland, and last Monday, almost two feet of snow covered the ground overnight, making my morning trek by the lake out of the question.

But, it’s not that we didn’t try.

My pup, Ginger, is typically up for anything, and we rarely let much get in the way of our walks. However, the park trails weren’t plowed yet, and the snow was well above Ginger’s head.

So, we opted for a tour of the parking lot, and Ginger delighted in “mountain climbing,” sniffing, and chomping on fresh fallen snow.

Our morning walks are incredibly important to us, not just for the exercise, but also for our emotional health.

Ginger needs new, enriching experiences to help her flourish and grow. And I need the same, as well as the quiet inspiration that time in nature provides my soul.

But what to do when Mother Earth nixes our plans?

Well then, it’s time to find a new source of inspiration. And for me, on Monday, it was music!

Ginger and I – well, mostly me – turned up the jams, and belted out Mathew Wilder’s “Break My Stride” all the way home!

Ain’t nothin’ gonna break-a my stride,
Nobody gonna slow me down.
Oh no, I got to keep on moving.
Ain’t nothin’ gonna break my stride,
I’m runnin’ and I won’t touch ground.
Oh no, I got to keep on moving!

And by the time we got home, we were both – well mostly me again – feeling energized and ready for the day!

Do you have a music playlist that lifts you up?

If not, then I encourage you to create one, even if you live in a sunnier part of the country.

Or better yet, consider adding an inspiration routine to your daily schedule to help you ignite your passion, stay excited about your goals, and make you feel unstoppable!

Inspirational reading, audio books, podcasts, or videos might be part of your practice, in addition to mediation, prayer, journaling or walking in nature.

I’m also a fan of powerful affirmations or mantras that you can recite throughout the day to take the limits off your beliefs and increase your self-confidence.

You see, you experience whatever you believe. And you believe whatever you repetitively tell yourself, so putting some intention into your self-talk will help you manifest your heart’s desires.

And, if you’re someone who likes a good challenge, another fun way to stay inspired is to design a 30-day challenge for yourself.

Some of the Shine On program members (aka Shine Sisters) have been playing with this idea and getting great results for goals like reducing their sugar intake or increasing their business leads.

Together, we’ve created 30-day challenges complete with rewards and penalties.

For instance, a reward might be a donation to one of your favorite charities, a shiny-new journal, or taking yourself on a date to do something you enjoy.

A penalty, on the other hand, might be a donation to a cause that you detest, purchasing a gift for your least-favorite co-worker, or cleaning your messy garage.

“Yeah, that’s never going to happen,” is often the response my clients have to those penalties, and then they make sure of it by sticking with their goal plan!

Sound fun?

Give it a try! Make it light and playful. It’s meant to motivate you, not torture you:)

Finally, establishing accountability for yourself is another fantastic way to stay inspired. Finding an accountability partner to workout with, or to just check in with, can do wonders to keep you connected and on track.

In fact, who you surround yourself with genuinely matters. Hanging out with other accomplished women, who are nailing their goals, can make all the difference in the world! 

I encourage you to seek out like-minded women and find your tribe. (And if you don’t have a tribe, consider joining the waiting list for the next round of Shine On!)

My thought is… misery loves company, but so does badassery, right?

As for today, I hope you’ll give yourself a boost and crank up a song, like Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”, or whatever gets your heart pumping, hips swaying, and feet moving!

Sister, don’t leave your mood up to circumstance or chance.

For reals, no matter the weather, you can always create your own sunshine!