RECLAIMING YOUR MIND: HOW TO FIND INSPIRATION AND STAY MOTIVATED WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP

The entrepreneurial journey is similar to a roller coaster. It is seasonal and filled with ups and downs, especially in the beginning stages. It gets challenging and the thought of quitting and self-doubt kicks in: “Am I doing the right thing?” “Is this worth it?” These are questions that often cloud the minds of most entrepreneurs when they have not yet attained desired success. “When will my day come?” Also, you don’t have to be an entrepreneur to feel this way. These are challenges of life we all go through at some point – Feeling overwhelmed, stressed and unmotivated.

It is however important to remember that, no one wins the race by quitting.  When I talk about winning, I’m not talking about winning over someone else. I’m referring to winning in life, in your personal journey.  You see, when it comes to your personal and professional growth attaining success is about completion not competition. The only competition you have is within yourself and those goals you have set forth to accomplish. That should be your focus, not what everyone else is doing or what everyone else things. People’s opinions of you are their problem, not yours.  

We all have the power and ability to decide on our actions and choose the right attitude in every situation we find ourselves in. For me, I strive to keep a positive attitude because I am most production when my mind if free from worry, I have clarity and I’m feeling inspired.  The reality is that as an entrepreneur and working mother, there are days that I don’t feel inspired.  I feel overwhelmed, exhausted, stressed…even stuck.

Over the years I have developed and adopted proven principles to reclaim my inspiration and stay motivated each time I get overwhelmed or stuck.  What if tell you that you have the power and ability to take control of your feelings, change your thought process and change your course of action by answering a few questions for yourself? Even better, what if I reveal to you my step-by-step process to tap into your thinking, change your mind and reclaim your inspiration?

Would you be interested?

Let’s dive right in:

1. Connect With Your Feelings – What Am I feeling?

Most people feel uninspired because they lack clarity and have lost touch with their purpose. It is important to know exactly what it is you are feeling inside. Is it sadness, is it pain, is it jealously, is it fatigue, etc… what are you feeling? Ask yourself the “what’s” until your mind and feelings connect on a clear picture. Knowing exactly what/how you are feeling is your first ticket to identifying the “why.”

2. Why Am I feeling This Way?

Once you have identified what you are feeling, it is equally important to troubleshoot why you are feeling the way you do. Set some quiet time for yourself to brainstorm on your feelings? Why are you feeling the way you do? If we are aware of what’s causing us to feel a certain way, we can do something about it. That’s why the first step to resolving a problem is to know that you have one, and if it’s a problem, that simply means there is a solution. Do not take this task lightly and do not rush it. Take a pen and paper into your quiet space and write down “whys’ until you can feel in your heart that you have identified the source of your feelings.

3. Have I Acknowledged My Feelings?

The one person you can’t be dishonest to is yourself. In order to transform your mindset, you have to be accepting of your feelings and take full responsibility for the way you feel. That’s your choice to make. Also accept the fact that there is nothing wrong in feeling the way you do. We are only humans. Remember I mentioned earlier about life being a roller coaster? That truly is a fact of life. When you have a business to run, a job, children, spouse, and other responsibilities and commitments of life, it is important to note that life will not always be blissful. While some days will go exactly as planned, somedays will be chaotic, somedays will be stressful and somedays you will not accomplish half of what you set out to do. But these are facts of life that if we can simply acknowledge them as such, rather than take them to heart and our minds as problems, they will not affect our mindset. We will simply restrategize and still be blissful that we have the ability to do it all over again and open to the fact that life happens. Acknowledging how you feel puts you in control of your feelings and you feel empowered to make decisions that will yield to desired results and a mind shift.

4. Do I Have The Right Attitude?

Spend less time complaining about the things that are not working so well and take a minute to reflect about your life in general. Often you will realize that you have a lot to be thankful for. It could be little but essential things such as three meals a day, loved ones, a place to lay your head at night, or obtaining 1 more client towards your goal of 10 clients, or earning 1 dollar more towards your goal to 7 figures. We are responsible for how we feel and what we choose to cloud our minds with. It is our responsibility to be intentional about what we want to consume our life and it begins with having the right attitude. I am not saying it is easy, but it is important to understand that you are responsible for your happiness and wellbeing. What you feel inside is what you will manifest outwardly. By embracing positivity, celebrating yourself daily and appreciating your accomplishments, no matter how small, you feel motivated to tackle bigger goals. You are also able to tackle them with a peaceful mind and more clarity because you made a conscious decision to navigate through life on a positive ride. Checking items off your list, makes you feel good and gives you that can-do attitude to be more productive.

5. What Am I Feeding My Mind?

What/who inspires you most? Answering this question for yourself is your first step to finding inspiration all over again. You now know what you are feeling, why you are feeling that way, you have acknowledged your feelings and have the right attitude. Now is the time to find inspiration all over again. What you feed your mind determines how you feel. Also, who you spend your time with has an effect on the type of energy you feel and channel. For me, I love spending quality time with close friends and family. I love listening to Gospel, oldies R &B and African Music…songs that feed my soul. I also love going to the beach in the evenings and going on runs in the mornings. My running sessions and long drives are usually a great time for me to free my mind and connect with my feelings.  I feel inspired when I’m connected with nature.

What inspires me will be different from wat inspires you, and that’s okay. My question to you is…what inspires you?

No matter who or what inspires you, here are a few things I’ll like to leave you with:

• Rest adequately: As entrepreneurs and working mothers, you may not get as much rest as you would want. However, only having three hours of sleep a day does not make you a more driven entrepreneur. Rather is makes you cranky and stressed. There will be days where you will be sleep deprived, but when you plan your schedule, be sure to be factoring adequate time for rest and make adjustments as needed.
• Three minute rule: My friend, Shelby Straughn shared this with me this week and I decided to incorporate it into my life. It works, so I am sharing it with you. If something takes 3 minutes or less to accomplish, get it done immediately. It may be the dishes in the sick, loading the laundry, properly putting your clothes away after a long day, etc. That’s only 3 minutes of your time, and 1 full task completely accomplished.
• Factor “me time” in your daily schedule: This is time for you to meditate, reflect on life and your goals and rest your mind.
• Always have a plan: Make a checklist of what you will accomplish each day and be flexible enough to update your plan if it’s not working
• Consistency: Be consistent and celebrate your little accomplishments along the way.
• Enjoy Life! Have fun and celebrate life daily.