Use artificial inspiration if you can't muster it up yourself

I remember a time, back before I opened up my business, when I was very discouraged.  I had been working on my business plan, researching demographics and market and demand and you-name-it, trying to start a business of my own.  Everytime I thought I was all set to get financing for my vision, something would slow down the progress.  I was frustrated and beginning to doubt whether or not I would ever get the chance to make my vision a reality.

Over and over again in my mind I pictured myself giving notice to my awful boss, doing the unthinkable at my company and leaving after sixteen years.  Nobody left with that much time on the clock, close to twenty years, and hell, by the time you got to twenty, retirement would be right around the corner so why keep that 401K from getting nice and fat?

The thought of one more week in my current work environment, let alone 9 to 14 more years, was enough to bring me to tears.  The tears brought me down, let those negative thoughts creep in and fueled self- doubt and a downward spiral.  I was so wrapped up in what I was doing wrong, combing over every single detail, and worried about what the next bank would say.  I knew that when I felt overwhelmed, I was supposed to take a break, step back.  I found myself so obsessed with my plans, however, that I was unable to do that willingly.

So one evening, after everyone had gone to bed, I stayed up, hanging out on the couch in the living room obsessing and unable to sleep.  I felt the lowest I had felt since the idea for my business first popped into my head.  I was mindlessly surfing through cable channels and I came upon a movie about an ice skater.  She was young and smart and ice skating went against every expectation she had had placed upon her. She didn't have the money it took to compete, she didn't have support from family or friends, but she loved it more than anything else.  So of course the movie shows her working to get the money, rising early to train, keeping up her academics, all behind the backs of her family, and she was exhausted but determined.  Of course, she found a way, competed and won.  It was a very inspirational and uplifting movie.

Not only did it make me feel better physically, but more importantly, it inspired me emotionally.  It made me feel like I could reach my goal too, with hard work and determination.  It forced me to take a break and not think about what was going wrong, and reminded me how important it was to keep my attitude in can-do mode.  As cheesy or predictable as it might've been, it served me well.

Don't be afraid to take a break and do something uplifting.  Watch a feel-good movie, read a romance novel, crank up your favorite rock band and head bang in your living room while re-living that very concert you went to back in high school.  All of these things are good for your body, your attitude, your all around energy.  Before you know it you'll be right back on track to reaching your goal.

It was shortly after that when I received a call that my financing had been approved and I could give my awful boss two weeks notice.  No matter what has happened since then (my biz didn't survive the recession), my life has been in a solid upward spiral ever since, with one opportunity leading to another.  And when I'm having a rough day, when things don't seem as sparkly as usual, I don't hesitate to throw in my favorite feel-good film.