Magic in the Predictable
How I stay motivated amidst the daily of routine
It’s fairly easy, and frankly, natural, to fall into a habitual pattern of daily routine.
Though needed for our comfort and peace of mind as far as we can grasp, if implemented too profound and inattentive, we become lifeless as life itself fades to grey.
For years, I attempted to rebel against such natural tendency of longing for routine; I thought it to be bland and far too predictable for my curious and hungry mind.
I soon learned that the constant of the unpredictable, though, grew exhausting and far too angst ridden.
In between anticipated and spontaneous, I needed a balance to keep my enthusiastic mind on its toes while simultaneously calming my need for solace in vague certainty:
Get “Ready”
Most days don’t require me to be dressed or presented to the nines, though when I do minimal care for myself — curl my eyelashes, brush through my eyebrows, and make my hair appear as if I made it look some way on purpose — I feel more enthusiastic to take on what the day has in store and welcoming towards spontaneity.
Wear Comfy Clothes
Just not pajamas.
My bed calls to me most when I’m in pajamas all day, but I also become distracted if I’m wearing something that I shouldn’t be unless at a mid-day brunch.
My go-to is a cotton tank top and shorts other than jeans (I’ve been loving white bloomers lately!) — comfy, versatile, and also ready for spontaneity!
Take Vital Shots
I try not to take these every day in fear of having my body become reliant on them, but just the rush of feeling a profound cleanse within boosts my energy when I need it most; I usually take one after breakfast.
I highly recommend the ones from Trader Joe’s — my favorites are the Cherry Mighty C and the Pineapple Probiotic!
Take Gummy Vitamins
I used to be so stubborn when it came to taking vitamins; even though it only requires two seconds out of a day to take them, I never cared to bother.
I found some motivation in taking them, as I began a medication that demands consistency, but even then, I’d forget my vitamins or skip a few days — the desire to make time to take them was nonexistent.
Though, when I started taking gummy vitamins (they didn’t have the ones I wanted in pill form), I was wanting to eat the whole container in one sitting.
I didn’t, of course! But it did help in getting my motivation for vitamins where it needed to be.
Now, I say this with a light heart…I feel as if gummy vitamins are more of a candy than beneficial when compared to the pill form.
So, I bought my regular multi-vitamin in a pill form and another of probiotics and prebiotics in gummy form…I love Olly vitamins best!
Create Mini Incentives
Just as I only allow myself gummy vitamins after taking my multi-pill, I like to create mini incentives for myself throughout the day as such.
I can only go on Pinterest after I make my bed and put away the laundry.
I can only have an almond croissant for breakfast if I have chicken salad for lunch.
I can take a nap after I organize an outline.
The list goes on.
This not only 1. gives me time to be conscious before engaging with what can become an unhealthy habit, but 2. helps me prolong desires, which is a greater reward in itself.
Open blinds all the way
Let the sun in, peer at the clouds, watch the trees in the wind, crack the window and listen to the birds…remember that there is a whole other world outside of your mind and that most things aren’t as grand as they feel when stuck in there.
Have a Bad-Day-Kit
I’m working on putting mine together at the moment as I recently just learned of this idea in 14,000 Things to be Happy About by Barbara Ann Kipfer.
I love the idea of being prepared for the inevitable as a bad day is; I feel as if when my next bad day strikes and I have my kit ready to go, the day will have already grown to be that much lighter.
So, far I’ve only prepared a list of my kit necessities:
Gift cards to my favorite coffee shops, restaurant, and grocery store (for flowers and snacks), a list of movies to watch, my favorite Polaroids, a list of my favorite things, and a checklist to help me maneuver.
Combine Movements
My weekly workout routine consists of daily “exercise,” which I say rather lightly because two times a week, my “exercise” is yoga.
Whenever I’d work out, though, I’d often feel as if it was completed too quickly, leaving me in a sense of a lack of accomplishment.
I noticed that my focus merely remained on the reps instead of the area I was working on itself.
I started stretching before and between exercise changes, which helped me slow down in movements, accentuating my attention to the area being worked on, and nothing motivates momentum more than deliberate movement itself!
Combine Tasks
There’s a small opening for wiggle room when it comes to multitasking that doesn’t dilute your attention in the grand scheme of things, which is combining tasks when one (or both) can be done mindlessly.
For example, one of the mindless tasks that I tend to combine with another is putting away laundry.
I tend to use this void of mind in time to either use my attention to listen to a podcast or listen to an instrumental French café playlist while practicing French.
It’s, how you say, magnifique for getting something tedious done while also finding a way to enjoy it/have another task completed.
Linger Longer
I am undeniably a morning person, so much so that every ounce of motivation in me struck the second I’d finish my coffee.
On most days, I’d be done with my to-do list by 11:00 a.m. with nothing but a void left before me.
I’m grateful for my free time, nonetheless, but I often had so much time on my hands with no one to share it with (at least until 2:00 p.m. or so) that I felt insane with a blank canvas constantly peering through my uninspired soul.
As with my workouts, I noticed that even though I enjoyed mornings, I rarely took my time to actually put my full attention into it with any task I was doing.
My definition of morning motivation was to rush through each task, being eager for the next, and so on.
I started giving each moment, whether busy or quiet, by full undivided attention and provided what it called from me with my all.
I was able to actually enjoy what I was doing, put my heart into it, and even find motivation for innovation after my checklist was complete.
Be Consistent
We all have weekly tasks we must complete, and I am innocent than the next person in neglecting such weekly requests.
I knew what I had to do, but I always did it rather vaguely and carelessly.
What helped my lethargy towards weekly necessities such as exercising, though, was creating a plan and sticking to it.
Granted, in the first few weeks, I wanted to throw in the towel, but once I made it a habit to be consistent (start the week of with core workouts on Mondays) I was more inclined to make it happen.
Be Deliberate
Nothing is more life-draining than feeling like a stranger or as a passenger in your own life.
And I know that there are greater things to value in the grand scheme of things, such as love, family/friendship, honesty, but I also think it’s important to value personalizing your life, not so much as you would other values, but still, putting some care in your environment surrounding.
I wish this wasn’t a confession of mine, but for a majority of my life, I coasted, and to drag on this surfing metaphor, I rarely rode the waves.
Okay, back to the shoreline…I always accepted what was convenient, never seeking something that could be a greater fit, or something that could make daily mundane moments more than just such.
For example, if I prepared some hot coffee, I’d use whatever cup was available.
Or if I needed a new body lotion, I’d purchase whatever was on sale.
Or when I needed more hand sanitizer, I’d get whatever was closest to me on the shelf; I’d think to myself: It’s all the same and does the same job, why should it matter?
I was so beyond bored with life and held no hunger for it simply because I didn’t seek what other fruits it had to offer.
It all started with a coffee mug — white, green handle that resembles a fairy wing, and a picture of Tinkerbell on the body.
It was then I, metaphorically and literally, felt the magic in mundane moment as drinking coffee comes to be.
Then I started being more deliberate with my haircare and skincare, I felt more alive with every rushed scent of argan oil and sweet oranges!
In all honesty, the best decision I ever made was switching to scented hand sanitizers…like yea, maybe things aren’t going as planned today, but at least I have bubblegum scented sanitizer!
To completely risk sound like a motivational speaker, be the driver of your life and make it yours!
Flowers
I love flowers of all sorts for the mere reason of bringing life and color to any room.
Though, in The Inviting Life by Laura Calder, she mentions how somewhat life-changing it can be to rearrange a pre-arranged bouquet at home.
I tried this myself and completely transformed how I saw flower bouquets!
There’s something riveting and heartwarming about knowing you’ve not only personally selected a bouquet, but also arranged it yourself instead of simply purchasing them and plopping them in a vase as they came.
Try New Grocery Items
I am guilty of being comfortable using the same ingredients every week, mainly because there’s a small selection of foods I like/can have, but from time to time, I find myself desperate for a new meal to add to my anticipated repertoire.
I’m thankful for Pinterest — in all honesty, I wouldn’t be much of the “chef” I am today without it — for it’s opened me up to various ingredients and recipes that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.
Since then, I try my best to open a welcoming door to a new food item at least once every two weeks.
Not only does it spice up my menu, but also makes me hungry for a broader horizon still within the comfort of my home.
Seek Different Routes to Familiar Places
I can’t tell you how many times I can drive mindlessly to the grocery store, arrive and think to myself, I wonder if all those lights I went through were green.
Driving to the grocery store is possibly the most zombified I find myself on a weekly basis.
Don’t get me wrong, a little mental break is needed from time to time, though, perhaps while driving isn’t the greatest time to do so.
To keep myself from completely being dazed into another [mental] world, I try to mix up the paths I take each week.
Sometimes I’ll even treat myself to another store or quick café stop on the detour as well!
Implement Your Inspiration
Whether you have endless Pinterest boards (guilty!) or Tumblr collections, implementing and acting on your inspiration is a sure way of keeping you enlightened and sparked of motivation.
Some days, I’ll base my entire day of Pinterest — I’ll try a new recipe for breakfast, snack, and dinner, I’ll put together an outfit inspired by my outfit board, I’ll do something on my board of things to try, and I’ll even listen to a list of songs I’ve saved to my music board!
It makes me feel as if I’m living a different life, but also one that’s still true to me.
Have a “Void” List
Every time there was a void in my day, and I still had the energy to keep going, I’d become beyond anxious, seeing that I hadn’t any clue of where to go or what to do.
I started writing a list of things to do when a null struck, which accumulated rather quickly.
My list consists of things I’ve been wanting to do, such as finish watching every Tinkerbell movie, and things I need to do, like practicing French or deep clean.
A void, now, is more of a connector to my day with ease in place of angst.
Download These Two Apps
My parents love the news, and also love to share the drama with me.
I, however, am more in favor of keeping my personal world small, not connected with the outside world in fear of taking on a vast, uncontrollable angst or profound opinion on something that I truly have no care for.
Though, since my parents’ love of sharing said world news, there were times that surprised me since being more uplifting than panic-inducing — like when the news reports a baby pig and newly adopted pup from the pound becoming best friends — that’s the news I love!
I sought out for my own daily dose of world news with enlightenment as its undertone, which I have and can’t recommend enough!
The app is Goodable; I get one to two stores notified to me daily and has completely shifted my perspective in all the best ways.
Instead of hearing about all the awful things in the world that I have no control over or can give little to no help with, I am showcased the good of humanity and how that little help goes a long way.
The other app I’ve been loving lately is called Motivation — how fitting!
You can choose the type of advice/quotes you want notified to you, how often you want to be notified, and my personal favorite: you can put a widget on the home screen that changes the advice/quote every few hours.
Encouragement and motivation when you need it most!
