I have been sitting here staring at the title of this blog post not knowing what I am going to say. I know that I want to write about it, but am feeling stuck… It’s as if I need the inspiration to write about inspiration! Have you ever felt this way? What have you done about it? And have you done anything but succumb to feeling low and uninspired, ready to give up? Has there been a trigger for it?
It’s the end of the year. December and January are widely believed to be some of the most difficult months for many people. For some people, it’s basic things like lack of warmth in the house when it’s cold outside – simply because they have to make a hard choice between eating and keeping warm. For others, it’s relationship issues, a business not going well, an unsatisfying job or lack of social interaction.
While December brings excitement in anticipation of Christmas, January is the month when credit card bills start arriving. It is also a month of bitter cold, very little sunshine and endless nights.
I have read somewhere that January is the month of divorce and separation, and sadly – a sharp rise in homicide and suicide. It is also a season when depression hits many people. I wrote about it some time ago, and about natural alternatives to antidepressants.
I now believe that I am possibly affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I don’t believe that it’s depression. I have had 7 full years of it and know what it feels like. I just think that it’s a time when I feel deflated and uninspired (hence the title of the blog post). I also get easily tired in winter. Are these things – fatigue and inspiration – connected? I think they are. How can we feel inspired when we are tired?
I am going to make my health and well-being a priority. What will it involve?
- Earlier bedtime. Going to bed late is not good for us since it deprives us of a big portion of melatonin – a hormone that is responsible for our health and vitality. People who don’t sleep enough are more prone to infection and energy slumps. Chronic deficiency leads to more serious consequences. So I am going to train myself to go to bed half an hour earlier every 4 weeks.
- Stop worrying. I am also going to take this advice from another free book Edward has sent – “Upward Dog”. It’s about what we can learn from dogs’ attitude to life. It’s about keeping things simple, apart from all else. I am a master of over-complicating things. Dogs teach us to live in the moment and enjoy it. They also teach us not to worry and trust that all will be ok. Worrying takes too much of our life. Well, it takes too much of my life for sure, and I am determined to change it.
- Take regular breaks without feeling guilty about it. I think that I have become obsessed with work and haven’t even noticed it, to the point of thinking that if I spend a few hours away from my laptop everything will stall and fall apart. Have you ever felt this way? So I have had an idea. I am going to make a list of things that I enjoy doing and which are good for me in this way or another. Knowing that they benefit me in some way as well as being enjoyable will help me to not feel guilty about it.
- Since this post is about inspiration, I have just had another idea. I am going to make a list of what makes me feel good and bad about my business, and what I can do to have more of the good and less of the bad stuff in it – be it my feelings or real stuff that takes away from feeling inspired. I remember Lynn giving us a number of brainstorming sheets, and this task was one of them. I need to revisit those sheets.
- Nutrition – stop dieting, start eating mindfully. Put some thought into your shopping list. Cook food instead of relying on snacks and takeaways. Eat slowly – it helps us enjoy what we put in our mouth and eat less. And of course, eat healthy foods.
- Water. While I drink a fair amount of water, when I get busy I forget to drink enough. So now I have a glass right on my table.
- Exercise. I am not a gym person. However, I enjoy yoga. So I have committed myself to at least 15 minutes of daily yoga exercise. I follow Lesley Fightmaster on Youtube. She has fantastic yoga videos. They can be challenging though, so if you are just starting look for beginner yoga videos.
- Take a magnesium bath at least once a week. Use 3-4 handfuls of Epsom salt of Magnesium flakes in a warm bath.
- Book Far Infrared Magnesium Wrap or Magnesium Massage in London. Magnesium is one of the most important minerals. It takes part in over 350 reactions in our body. It is the mineral we lack most if we feel anxious and depressed.
- Read books. Reading is not only educational. It brings us pleasure and a good book can be very therapeutic.
- Have fun. With all the troubles and hustle of everyday life, we forget the main purpose of life – to enjoy it. Find enjoyment in small things. Start noticing them and remember to feel grateful for what you have. This is a note to myself first of all.
What inspires you? What stalls your progress? What are you grateful for? What would you like to do/have more and less of in 2018? What are the absolute priorities that you are going to give 100% focus to? I’d love to hear from you. Ask yourself these questions, since I believe they will help you to do the kind of brainstorming I have done here – and hopefully find the answers you have been looking for.
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