7 Ninja Tricks to Stay Motivated Every Day
It’s hard to sustain real optimism on a day-to-day basis without putting in the effort. There’s negativity everywhere out in the world. Resisting it requires a solid toolkit of strategies to promote your own happiness and help bring joy to others. Here are 7 ninja techniques you can use to lift up yourself and those around you every day.
1. Smile: The easiest way to make a big difference, just changing your facial expression can have a major impact on how you move through the world. Research has shown that smiling even when you’re faking can make a difference in how receptive you are to humor and less likely to be concerned about minor issues. The psychology of it is called “facial-feedback hypothesis” and it shows that our brain triggers responses a bit differently depending on what muscles are working. Smiling more will literally change the way you see things. It also has a contagious impact on those around you. People around you are more likely to smile if you’re smiling, which will reflect positively back on you.
2. Use Positive Affirmations: When I greet each day, having an arsenal of positive sentiments is a huge boost to my mood. Saying affirmations daily, especially in the morning, can set a tone for your day and lay a good foundation to help you stay motivated. Practice affirmations that are meaningful to you and aren’t generic. Affirmations can also be mini-goals for the day. When I get ready to set out to tackle new challenges, I’ll say, “I’m going to motivate people today. I will find success. I will be confident.” Repeating these sentiments aloud builds me up and I get to work feeling stronger and more capable. Adding a little bit more positive energy to your day
3. Read: One of the most valuable and powerful skills you can develop is regular reading. Once we leave school, it’s easy to abandon the habit. A lot of people have negative associations with reading because the curriculum in school was boring or they just didn’t like being forced to report on things they wanted to enjoy. It’s so much better to read as an adult. You get to make your own selections and explore different genres and ideas. But getting back into this habit will do more than just expose you to new information. Reading reduces stress, improves your focus, and sharpens your critical thinking skills. Start looking for books about topics that pique your interest or find stories you want to engage with. Getting back into reading is easier than you think.
4. Learn: Beyond reading, sharpening your mind with new information is a critical piece of staying motivated. There are hundreds of thousands of great videos, like TED talks, to get you thinking about things and understanding life in a different way. I’m also a huge proponent of podcasts as easy ways to get new information. You can download podcasts and listen to them during your commute instead of turning on the radio again. You don’t have to add any time to your busy schedule to get the benefits of podcasts or audiobooks. Try to find motivational and inspirational podcasts so you can maximize your learning minutes. It’ll help you stay motivated when things get rough.
5. Journal: Keeping a log of your day isn’t just for kids. It’s a great strategy for helping you understand more about yourself. I journal daily to keep a log of what I’m working on and how different events made me feel. Periodically, I’ll go back through and look at what was most important to me at different times or what kept me strong when things weren’t great. Writing in a private place gives you a special insight into what you want most and what’s been positive in your life. It’s also an ideal space to process stressors and unload daily negativity. Once you’ve written it down, it becomes much easier to work past an event and let it go. Focusing your energy into a journal is far more productive than letting negative thoughts build up in your head.
6. Find a Mentor: Having a mentor sounds like an antiquated idea these days. We’ve moved past apprenticeships and into formal education. But when successful people reflect, they usually have at least one person who was advising them and it helped them stay motivated. I have learned so much from people who are more experienced than me that I consider it essential. When I look for mentors, I strive to find people who are 10 or 20 years older than me—or more! All their experience has tremendous value and I want to absorb as much as I can. Usually, they will have had some encounters or ordeals that are relevant to what I’m going through. People who are willing to share the things that helped them most are truly invaluable.
7. Make Yourself Accountable: There will always be times when you don’t feel like moving forward, where it’s easier to throw in the towel. There will be times when you can’t seem to motivate yourself to do anything. There will be times when it seems too hard to be positive at all. When this happens, it’s more important than ever that you have people in your life who hold you accountable. Your goals are serious and take a lot of effort. Having someone who will lift you up will make you more likely to achieve your dreams. It’s great to meet people who have similar goals so you can encourage each other. There are also groups you can join where people interact and inspire each other to stay motivated.
It’s a difficult and unpredictable world out there. Make sure you’re prepared for anything and always stay motivated!
