Motivate me!

Ah, the ole' devil called motivation.

Love him or hate him he is needed for most things for example going to do the weekly shop or doing housework.

Acquiring motivation is difficult, mainly because we build up a list of pros and cons inside of our brilliant minds that encourage us that something else needs to be done before starting the inevitable.

What do you do when this happens?

Run for the nearest exit of course!

If you ever want to break the cycle and decide that enough is enough here is a list of some things I try when both motivation and inspiration are AWOL.

1.      Listen To Music.

              This usually helps, depending on the kind of music you choose to listen to. If it's to help combat the housework then you might find that a good pop, RNB, or dance CD may be your lifeline. But, if like me you need to gear up your brain for a writing session then you might find such genres like folklore, soft rock, country or even classical to get those juices going. Some of the bands I listen to when writing are My Chemical Romance, Evanescence, Within Temptation, Enya, and Massive Attack to just mention a few. It all comes down to preference. See what suits you.

    2.         Read A Book.

              This might sound farfetched as reading ususally prolongs lack of motivation but if you are anything like me then reading anything from a family saga to romance makes me want to put the novel down and reach for my pens and paper. Nothing to do with the writer as all the books I own are more than average. My problem is, is that I tend to want to write more when I'm relaxed. Weird huh?


   3. Play A Word Game.

             This only applies to writers. If you struggle with starting a new story or are just warming up then this is beneficial. Here are a couple that help:

Freewriting - Set the alarm for five minutes or ten however long you are prepared to write for. You can write anything, start from anywhere as long as you stick to the one rule. Don't lift your pen up from the page until time runs out. Don't worry about anything just write.

Alphabet Soup - This is a simple but fun excerise where you choose a letter from the alphabet and start each word with that particular letter. Twenty six words are thought to be enough but if you are feeling brave enough you could always go for more. Some of these can intrigue you to start a story which could be published.

   4. Take A Walk.

      The best cure to anything or so the experts say. A bit of fresh air and susnshine will be guaranteed
to get the engines a turning. I usually walk my dog if I get stumped on a chapter or a character that I am trying to bring to life is mute. Of course this is a done thing if the weather is nice.

   5. Treat Yourself.

        Sometimes the only thing to do is to promise yourself a treat after the task in hand is done. Whether it's watching a programme or buying yourself something nice at the retail park, this often helps.

And if all else fails, remember to just breathe and persevere. Inspiration will find you when you least expect it to.