Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Bad Weather

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Bad Weather, cocoa, Coffee, energy drink, life hack, Mood, motivation, Music, Rain, Snow, tea

Well, we’ve got snow in our weather prediction. It has dipped about 40 degrees in a matter of hours. We have some real crazy weather in Michigan.

How do you stay motivated during bad weather? Have some good tunes in your car, an audio book, and a good pick-me-up. Whether you like tea, coffee, or an energy drink, have one with your drive to work.

We had a great coffee shop across the street at my last job. As soon as our morning meeting was over with, we’d all head over to get one of their coffees. Boy, were they good. We also had a coffee maker in the office, but it was not as good as this place.

The other thing I’d do is keep a nice umbrella in the car. There’s nothing that will spoil a day more quickly than getting caught in a rain or snowstorm without an umbrella, ruining your outfit, your hair, and all the rest.

They say that happy people carry their weather with them. Being in a good mood should not be impacted by the weather, but so many are. What makes you happy? Good music, good food, or a piping hot cup of coffee? Whatever it is, make sure you bring it along.

When I worked, I would pay for an audible subscription. During bad-weather days, I would take my time and listen to an audio book on the way in. It’s a great way to knock out a book and it is also a great way to keep your mind off of the bad weather and pass the time during a long commute.

These are all life hacks that helped me get through my long commute in the morning and keep myself sane. Anything you can do to keep a good mood and maintain your motivation is key.

What life hacks do you use to keep yourself motivated during bouts of bad weather?

Have a great Monday, folks.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Counting Our Blessings

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Blessings, Eric Hoffer, Grateful, Gratitude, Monday, Mood, motivation, Simple Things

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.

Eric Hoffer

I have touched on this topic before, but thought it was appropriate to attend to it again. The topic: Gratitude Journaling. We all know that much of our motivation is tied to our attitudes and moods. What better way to cheer ourselves up than to write down all the things we are grateful for. The really important ones are those things we take for granted.

Expressing gratitude for a warm bed, a roof over your head, plenty of food, and good health are good ones to start with. Another thing to think about are the people in your life and how they bring you joy. When was the last time you wrote down how grateful you were for your significant other? It’s so easy to get mired in the day-to-day doldrums and monotonous schedules we gravitate to just to make a living.

Starting a gratitude journal is pretty easy. You write down a date and write down 2 or 3 things you are grateful for. Try to think of different things each day. If you have to repeat, no problem. The key is to just spend a few moments thinking about how good life really is, when you think about it.

Have a great Monday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Changing a Bad Mood into a Good One

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Coffee, Cookies, donuts, Exercise, Meditation, Mood, motivation, Music, oatmeal, tea

It’s Monday, folks and time for another installment of Motivation Monday. I was thinking about how all of us manifest our environments. Our attitudes have a huge impact on our motivation. If you think the day will be great, it will be. Conversely, if we think the day will be crap, it will be.

The way we “see” our reality is the way it is. We cannot escape ourselves. How do you smooth out a bad mood? There are all kinds of ways to do so. Music is a huge one for me. If music impacts your mood like it does me, grab your favorite toon or playlist and fire it up. Your mood will change in seconds. Another thing to do is to do something you absolutely enjoy. Maybe it’s a warm cup of coffee. Maybe it’s a tasty morsel like a donut, coffee cake, or a steaming bowl of oatmeal.

Another thing that can alter your mood is exercise. A vigorous workout or relaxing walk with your favorite tunes blaring is another great way to change your mood in an instant. The key is knowing yourself and the tools you have at your disposal to alter your initial feeling in the morning.

I have gotten so skilled at maintaining a good mood, that is no longer an issue for me. I wake up happy and ready to tackle the day. All of the tasks I have set up are things I enjoy doing. When I work on my book, it is an escape for me to another reality that unfolds as I put words to the page.

Motivation is impacted by the mood you are in. If you are having one of those “dark” mornings, it is hard to be motivated to do anything. So keep your personal tools at the ready. The mood has to change before anything can be accomplished. Music, exercise, good food, or something you enjoy doing are the tools I use to keep up my motivation levels.

One more tool I have is having something enjoyable to do after I get done with my “work”. I look forward to the video gaming I know I’ll be doing once my to-do list is completed. This little “carrot” at the end of my work day is a key motivator. It makes the day fly by, as I knock out task after task, knowing, I’ve got a great video game experience waiting for me.

Well, that’s it for today. I hope all of you have a terrific Monday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Motivation is Coupled to Your Mood

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anxiety, depression, Exercise, Fall, Holidays, Monday, Mood, motivation, Sister, Sun Lights, Winter

This time of year it gets dark and stays dark. We have a lot of dark, rainy days in the fall, or dark snowy days. It’s just that time of year for Michiganders. Many people in my neck of the woods suffer from an ailment (I do not know the name), where the dark impacts their moods. My sister is one of them.

She and I are the exact opposite when it comes to this time of year. It is my favorite time. For her it is absolute torment. One solution she came up with was getting herself a light that she sits in for about an hour before doing anything else. It was the trick.

Do you have any fall challenges? Do the darker months impact you? You may want to look into a light like my sister did. Perhaps you have other challenges with the fall and winter months. Maybe you do not like to be cooped up. Learn some winter sports like cross-country skiing, hiking, or even just walking. There are a lot of things to do if you look for them.

Motivation and mood are tied to one another. It is hard to be motivated if you are pissed off or depressed. Find the root cause of these things; get some help if you need it. It is really hard to be motivated if you don’t feel well, or are suffering from depression.

Another thing you may look into is exercise. Exercise for me is like going to a psychologist. I just feel so good when I go to the gym, get in some exercise, and sweat a little. It is something about the body moving, the endorphins that are released when we exert ourselves, and the boost to the self esteem that comes when you do something that is hard to do.

Well, that’s it for today, folks. Enjoy the changing colors of the leaves, the snow that will come soon, if it is not here already where you live, and the great food and family time that accompanies this time of year. It’s great to be alive, isn’t it?

Have a great Monday, folks.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – May in Michigan

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Accomplishment, Goals, job, Mood, motivation, reduce, Resistance, Simplify, weather

May is a very strange month for weather. It will either be sunny, calm, and getting warmer, or it will rain, stay somewhat cold, and continue for the bulk of the month. If your mood is impacted by the weather, you are not alone. Many people suffer ill effects when there is less sunshine.

Regardless of your mood, you have a job to do. You have goals to achieve. You have the means and ability to do what is required. So get out there and get it done! You’ll feel great when you achieve what you set out to do, be it a day, a week, month, or year.

Feeling overwhelmed by it all? No problem. Break down some of the steps in your action plan to an even smaller degree. You’ll see that the smaller the task, the less resistance you’ll have in completing it. That’s the key. Reduce your resistance to something you have to do, so you can do it, without procrastination rearing its ugly head. Once you’ve gotten some momentum going with these smaller tasks, you will see how quickly these small tasks build to bigger accomplishments.

Have a great week, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Rambling -Ted Talk Tuesday – What Your Posture Communicates

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Amy Cuddy, Body Language, Comfort Level, Mood, Posture, Signaling, Ted Talk

In this Ted Talk, Amy Cuddy explains how posture and our overall body language can improve or degrade our moods and can communicate to others in unconscious ways. Who knew that the phrases “Stop slouching” or “Stand up straight” would actually be helpful for the rest of our lives?

Until next time…

Dave