Sometimes we get stuck, have no energy, lose hope, feel despair, do not know where to go next. That is why this blog is called Prynadiyi (‘with hope’). First of all, for me, writing a post means boosting my mood, because not only I summarize my thoughts and findings, but also do something small with my own hands and receive some dopamine of the accomplishment after each post. Second, I hope it will support someone else. And so, in this post, I decided to make a selection of simple things that will help you boost your mood with your own hands, get inspired, motivated, move from a dead point or similar states, enjoying both the process and the result. Creative energy heals!
Journals and notebooks
If you don’t like writing, scroll down to the next subheadings.
A special extra pleasure of diaries is their design, but the very idea of writing off pages and returning to them can be very, very inspiring. My first diary was the most usual version of it, where I wrote down my reflections (okay, the first was a notebook with stickers and newspaper clippings of the Spice Girls). There were quote books, there were poems, mine and other people’s, there were pastings of motivating pictures, doodles, herbariums, lists of dreams, oh, lists and lists. I didn’t throw away any of them. This is a whole library of wonderful notebooks from different periods of life, which are interesting to flip through and cheer up at times. If you like to write at least a little, you can find an option that suits you best.
Gratitude journal
How about writing down what we are grateful for every day? Even if it’s just for the fact of simply surviving today. We often take for granted things that don’t always have to be here. We don’t always have a place to live, the sun doesn’t always shine, we don’t always enjoy good health, etc. By learning to be grateful, we direct energy in a positive direction. Although it doesn’t hurt to write out complaints and negativity, – you have to release all those emotions somehow, right?
Dreams journal
A journal to reflect on dreams, goals, plans and passions.
Journal of a vision
A journal to create little dream boards for different aspects of your life. Each page can be dedicated to a separate goal or dream.
Quote journal
Nowadays, probably most readers have e-books, where you can easily highlight quotes with the swipe of a finger. However, just as there is something magical about paper books, there is also something magical about handmade quote books. You can choose a topic for quotes, for example, quotes about happiness, and search for them on the Internet or write them out of books that you are currently reading. Or you can just collect ideas.
Diary of achievements
There are moments of downfall, when it seems that we are nobody, can do nothing and haven’t achieved anything in life. That’s not true. First of all, we can write down the things that we have ever completed or that we are proud of. We can ask loved ones about their view on our skills and achievements. Often we don’t even consider what others think is outstanding, because we are used to our own talents. It’s about gratitude again.
And the next step is to write down fresh achievements, daily, weekly or monthly. Looking back and rereading it is sooo nice.
Bullet Journal
In short it is an organizer of thoughts. Here you can write down all the chaos from your head in a structured and beautiful way, including plans, goals, dreams, events, to-do lists, and so on.
Morning pages
The idea belongs to Julia Cameron, author of the book The Artist’s Way. Every morning, with a fresh (?) head, we write on paper the absolute randomness of our heads, without thinking and analyzing, we simply write the entire stream of nonsense on exactly three pages. It may not be easy and with a heavy dose of self-judgment, but in the long run it has a cool therapeutic effect. Such things can later simply be burned – this is liberation from excess.
Word games
Creative writing
Let’s stimulate joy by writing on a given topic, on a single letter or from random words poked in a dictionary or any other book. Limitations sound sad, but in reality, they are an exercise in creativity.
Poems from the newspapers of Austin Kleon
Let’s create poems using the blackout method, choosing words or phrases from old newspapers and sketching the excess. A wonderful method of finding new meanings.
Visualizations and collages
Dreams map
Let’s collect images, words and quotes that represent our goals and ambitions. Let’s sculpt them in an aesthetic order. I sometimes do this on google jamboard, and still, doing it live is more fun. It’s nice to return to the dream maps, because then it becomes so clear that dreams tend to come true.
Motivational art for the wall
A mixture of quotes, messages, pictures, objects that will help boost your mood.
Circle of friends
Beloved Barbara Sher suggests arming yourself with unusual friends. Create a circle of those whose opinion is important to you, whose values are close to you, who inspire, who can guide you. You can ask them questions and imagine what answer they would give.
I made a collage of women who support me and smile at me, I will print it, cut it out, paste it on paper, add quotes, hang it on the wall. The collage alone, searching and editing photos, grew my wings, because this is my gang where I feel good!
Mind map
There are a lot of applications for making mind maps, where, in my opinion, it’s more convenient to do this. And then you can print it out. Or you can do it live. This tool is great for untangling any tangle, generating ideas, building plans, whatever! A mind map starts from the heart, let’s say, certain idea. Then branches are built from it.
Achievement Station
Let’s organize a special place to display achievements. It can be a cork board, a shelf with awards or any things that remind us of achievements. The point is to visualize what we were able to do once and will be able to do again.
Collage
I love collages even without additional meanings. I simply collect various pictures from magazines and advertisements, accumulate them, and then one wonderful day I sit down and glue them into something interesting. I’m exactly planning such entertainment with the child. And here are my collages from childhood.
Creative boxes
A box of tasks that you don’t want to do
Let’s put pieces of paper in a box with tasks that we don’t want to do, and then randomly pull out a piece of paper for a day or a week, aaand do it! Dopamine guaranteed)
A box of quotes or kind words
You can put nice quotes or affirmations in the box, or ask your friends to write something nice so that it also becomes a pleasant surprise. Take one out every day or as often as needed and rejoice!
A box of memories
Write down happy moments or achievements and add them to the box to return to them on difficult days.
Action cards
Write on the cards the specific steps or actions necessary to achieve our goals. Review these cards regularly to maintain focus and motivation.
Not what, but how
Inspiration and motivation are often not about what, but about how. Form can mean a lot. Often how helps us find what. Some like to draw, some to sculpt, some to embroider, some to write. Someone likes to draw, but not on paper, but on the wall or road. Someone doesn’t want a box of quotes, but a rope with clothespins. Or, for example, terrarium, without pictures or words. The cool thing about creativity is that you can create your limitations by yourself.
You can make a playlist of your favorite songs for a hard day, or you can make a playlist of meanings. It’s cool to have a list of those things at hand that can support us in a difficult moment, it’s cool to think about yourself past, present and future. It’s cool to be able to boost your mood with your own hands.
