It’s been a hot minute (or a hot two weeks) since I last posted…
THE STORY
…I decided to take a brief blogger break, and as usual it was spontaneous. About once or twice a year I feel the need to just step back for a bit, take a mental break and hit the refresh button. It’s never planned, I just know when I need it…I feel uninspired, I don’t feel like writing; I just need to be.
During the last couple of weeks, I took some time to reassess my goals from the beginning of the year. In January I explained why I had decided to choose two different focus words as opposed to resolutions. Intentional and discover were the words that I had chosen because both really resonated with the changes I wanted to see in myself and my life this year.
Since January, as is to be expected, there have been times that I faltered; I slipped back into functioning on rote as opposed engaging with the world with intention…there were times that I was exhausted and had zero interest in discovering anything, except maybe my couch. Everyone loses their mojo from time to time and that’s okay. What’s not okay is to simply roll over, play dead and give up. It’s not okay to throw up your hands and think “Eh…I would have never accomplished that anyway”. Self-defeating thoughts are the death of motivation.
How does one go about getting their motivation back and firing up their mojo? Here are a few suggestions that just might be helpful:
- Get out of your own head~ Take a break from the mundane every day grind and find an enjoyable mental distraction. Go to a movie, spend some time in nature, start the book you’ve been wanting to read, plant some flowers…whatever it is that makes for an enjoyable distraction for you, do it.
- Remember why your goals were important to you in the first place~ There were reasons that you originally set the goals that you did. What were those reasons? Why did they matter? Write down your thoughts or talk through it with a friend. I’ve found that daily writing in my planner/journal was really helpful in regard to reminding myself why.
- If necessary, change your focus~ If after you have thought/wrote/talked about your goals you find that they aren’t getting you where you want to be, then change them. There is no unwritten universal law that says once you’ve chosen a focus you have no alternative but to stick with it. On the other hand though, if your focus is still accurately aligned with what you want out of life then stay the course. If need be, break your goals/focus down into smaller chunks. Celebrate every single success.
- Choose to be positive~ I realize that may sound simplistic and trite, but honestly, one of the very best and most effective changes that I have made in the last six months is a change in my head space. I used to expect the worst; I’d get angry, I’d get sad…and then I would wallow in it. That is no bueno my friends. I am not saying that you can’t feel negative emotions; quite the contrary. Acknowledge the feelings, feel the feelings, but do not set up camp and stay there. There is not much in this world that we have control over, but one thing that we do control is our response to everything around us. The more positive vibes you have, the easier it is to get, and stay, motivated.
- Be patient with yourself~ Everyone has missteps, everyone falls off the wagon, whatever your “wagon” is. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your awesome new self won’t be either. Change, in particular personal change, takes time. Work on it day by day, hour by hour…minute by minute if need be. You will get there; just take your time and enjoy the view along the way.
THE OUTFIT
This babydoll top sure is a beauty isn’t it? The color, the style, the boho vibe…all of it fits perfectly with my style. Where did I find it? New, with tags, untouched, unloved…in my daughter’s closet. I was actually searching for something else when I happened upon not one, but three tops with tags that she’s never worn. I’m not even sure where they came from, she doesn’t know that she has them so I did what any good mother would; I swiped ’em. The day I wore this she gave me the once over, told me I looked cute and that was it. Not a flicker of recognition which made me happy because I have big plans for this particular babydoll top. I mean seriously, how cute will it be with denim shorts and a pair of cute sandals?
Speaking of sandals, this particular pair of wedge espadrille sandals are one of my favorites. I’m not going to lie though, while they see a lot of love at the end and the beginning of the school year, they don’t get much play in the summer. Once school is out I’m more of a denim shorts/tank top/Birkenstock girl. And since school is out next week I am officially apologizing in advance for three months of denim shorts posts.
THE TIP
Don’t forget to shop your closet…or the closet of your daughter/sister/mother/bff. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you find.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Top: Similar; Jeans: JCPenney (Similar); Sandals: Similar
