10 Boosts of Inspiration

Photo byMelissa AskewonUnsplash

Do you ever have those days when the arrows or maybe daggers of the words people throw at you have pierced your mental armor? Do you wish your best friend was next to you to lift you up?

Here are 10 shots of inspiration you can use to heal mentally and rise back up to be the force you need to be.

· Don’t allow others to limit or diminish you. When others start sentences with you should or shouldn’t and finish with how they think you should live your life, when they interrupt you mid-sentence as if what you say doesn’t matter, or they treat your dreams as foolish or insignificant, those are attempts to limit or diminish you. I say they are attempts because you do not have to accept that treatment. A friend recently put a quote on social media that resonated with me. It said, “Many people have benefited from you playing small most of your life. That chapter is done. Step into who you are. Take up space.”

· Kindness and other positive energy will flow back to you. Everyone can use some kindness, and kindness has the power to make you happy. Whatever energy you send out will boomerang right back to you, so keep the positivity flowing.

· You can always choose joy. No matter what your circumstances are, you have control about how you react to those circumstances. Sometimes, you have to dig deep to find the joy, but it’s always there.

· Practice gratitude. God has a way of ending any pity party I was having by putting someone in front of me who is struggling with a challenge much greater than anything I could imagine. Make a list of everything you are grateful for. I hope it is a long list.

· Stop relying on others for your happiness. If you are waiting for others to make you happy, you will eventually be disappointed because you are the only one who knows exactly what you need.

· Reconnect with whatever fills you. It could be your faith, nature, community, or something else. I know prayer has energy that calms me, and nature has an energy that always fills me. When I’m upset, I go for a run and soak up the beauty around me. I also use gardening to reconnect. I sing and talk to the plants, and I swear it helps them grow better.

· Close the door on negative thoughts. We can be so hard on ourselves, and it is easy to allow self-defeating thoughts to take over. Change them to positive ones.

· Believe you are capable. Something is only impossible until you do it. Even if those close to you tell you your dream is out of reach, keep moving towards it. Success might be a second away.

· Use music to heal. There is an episode of the cartoon Bluey where everyone is in a bad mood. The mom says, “Okay, we are all playing dancing characters.” It’s a cross between red light, green light and musical chairs. The person in charge plays the music, the others dance until the person in charge stops the music and everyone has to freeze. One by one everyone’s mood started to improve, so dance in the kitchen or sing at the top of your lungs or listen to your favorite music.

· Have a time out. When everyone and everything starts to weigh you down, find a moment for yourself. Do whatever you love most or find a quiet spot. I need breaks from social media, so I’ll leave my phone inside and go out with a good book.