I made myself do the "happy dance" because it's Friday. It's been a very long week.

Terribly uninspired so I delved into science and style books again.

I'm learning new languages (free on Duolingo) and started blogging. There are free courses, armchair traveling webinars, brain games and professional meetup groups. When I feel isolated or uninspired, I've created learning opportunities or sought ways to advance my skills.

I found myself knowing what I needed to do but finding it hard to execute, so I took time off during January to re-organize priorities and refocus what I want for this 2021. It was a good decision.

I'm struggling, I admit. I try to stay positive, but it's a roller coaster. I've finally accepted that I will not be fully engaged until I am able to deal with the unresolved trauma from the past year. So acceptance is step one for me!

Have you looked at free online classes on CreativeLive or hear stories on StoryCorps or TheMoth? If you have a chance to take a walk for even 10 minutes, it's worth it. These days, I like to give my eyes a rest and use my ears more :)

I think with the pandemic it is really easy to lose inspiration. One thing I'll sometimes do when I'm really struggling to get going is list things I'm grateful for and use the commonalities between them to show me what is motivating to me. I also try to unplug as much as I can and move in some sort of joyful way (dance, yoga, walks). It's also okay to recognize that things are hard for many right now, and to sit with that lack of motivation for a little while before resetting.

I have been, but have turned the corner. Sometimes when stuck or uninspired, I write down 3 things to do and accomplish them, period - motivating. Then, I remember that sometimes it only takes one small step forward on a project or idea and then you can be off and running - so best I can say is "just start!"

I usually feel this way when I've been stuck in a rut of doing things I don't enjoy. I usually try to take a break and do something I enjoy, that uses a different piece of my brain, or helps me relax. Sometimes that means a new home or craft project, getting a pedicure or cleaning/organizing a space in my home.

Do you know what your energizers are? Try noting it down when you have bursts of energy or motivation (or if you can remember previous times you were highly motivated and energized) and consider what you were doing just before or during (and it doesn't have to be specific.. were you doing something creative? Were you accomplishing things/getting organized?), who you were around or if you were alone, any thing about it. Next time you feel unmotivated see if you can recreate it. Even if it's not the exact action, if you're motivated at work on creative projects, see if there is something creative you can do or a way to add creativity to what you're trying to do. Try pushing yourself to do it and note how you feel! If you still feel blah and lack motivation, though, it could just be the state of things. We've all had a long rough year (or more). I know I'm physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. Therapy and a lot of good things in my life helps but some days I have to just give myself grace and not pressure myself to be "on" all the time.