Lack of inspo: it happens to the best of us. Even with Pinterest boards and Instagram feeds saturating our devices, we still get into those ruts of just feeling…meh. And trust me, I’ve been feeling that way this week, and I’m a Pinterest addict. Not excited. Stagnant. Mehhhh. I’ve been feeling down, tired, and terribly uninspired.

Comparison can stifle our positive feelings until all that’s left is to ask those huge, un-fun life questions, aka why we do any of the things we do. In trying to revive my soul a little this week, I’ve come up with some hacks that I can do right away to get me a step closer to feeling motivated.

GET OUT OF YOUR ROUTINE

My morning tends to be pretty regimented in an effort to get out the door as quickly as is humanly possible. Allowing myself to relinquish some of that strictness has proven to be a great way to allow the space for different thoughts. I might make a change as small as switching the kind of tea I’m drinking and that might lead to slowing down for a few extra minutes and that might just lead to my overloaded brain actually taking a chill pill.

TRY SOMETHING NEW

New behaviors have to lead to new thoughts and feelings, right? Trying something new is often a way for us to leave our comfort zones and in doing so, learn something we didn’t know before. Now, sometimes the thought of doing something new causes you to stress just a little. BUT, you definitely don’t have to go crazy here. Thinking back to the last time I went to a coffee shop by myself—a new place led me to think what the heck, and to try a fancy seasonal drink instead of my usual (sometimes boring, I’ll admit it) vanilla latte. Coming into contact with new things naturally leads to other new things.

LOOK AROUND

Inspiration really can be found in so many unexpected spaces. I really like to (in the most subtle, non-creepy way) people-watch. There’s a lot you can learn about the world by watching it. I often find that people are going through similar ruts and struggles when I take extra time to listen. Next time you’re out, take in the sights, scents, etc. and see what comes up.

DIG DEEP

There is nothing, i repeat, nothing that is more inspiring to me than having the perfect deep conversation with a super-cool person. Talk about the big things. Huge, mind-shattering things. Be vulnerable. Connection is so great that way—when we connect, often we receive the affirmation we need or our views on life expand. Next time you dig deep, you might just find that you’re repaid with support, kindness and a whole bunch of inspiration.

REST

It might be that none of these other tactics work…and that’s okay. Your mind and body might just be exhausted, overloaded or done. I’m trying to get more into this. Resting is not always something I’m good at. My crazy brain never lets up and trying to come up with ways to turn it off is hopefully becoming normal behavior instead of feeling like yet another chore to complete. In fact, I’m pretty sure one of the ways that I become uninspired is that I don’t allow the space for real priorities-everything is important. So taking the time to rest and acknowledge that my to-do-list does not have the fate of the world hanging in the balance is really great.

Overall, I’ve had to challenge myself in order to turn up the inspiration. I’ve had to open up to difference. I’ve had to break down walls and let a new vibe inform the way I operate, and then stick to that for awhile. I encourage you to do the same (I KNOW you can do it), because living with inspiration means you won’t miss out on the beauty, the joy, and the fun.