"Baby Im'a be ya motivation...go go go go!"
"Oh lover..." :: in my Kelly Rowland voice :: when starting your career as a singer (or in any artistic field) you will most likely be placed in positions where you have to be self-sufficient and float your own boat. At times, staying motivated can become difficult. For some, it's as easy as jamming to their favorite song, others need to dig a bit deeper for that inspo. I myself, have been on both sides of that spectrum, where staying motivated has been easy AND difficult. After speaking with artists all over the world, I've collected a series of tips to help you stay above water during challenging times. Here are the Top 5:
Rest, Eat & Hydrate - Lack of sleep, food and water intake can result in lack of motivation! This tends to be hard for some artists who have late night gigs and/or work odd/inconsistent hours, making it hard to establish a good routine. It is important to prioritize sleep, have a healthy balanced diet and DRINK WATER!
Study Other Musicians - Who are your idols? Next, identify who their idols are... and so on. Not only can this help you find motivation, this can also help you grow your skills. By studying the skills of others, you may gain new perspectives and/or reach a new height in your creativity. Also, sometimes seeing what others grow through, will have you realizing that your situation is not as bad as you thought. I personally like to watch documentaries and docudramas of other artists to gain perspective on their creative process. A "come-up" story can also help you reflect and look at your journey differently. Here's some docus I recommend watching:
3. Quotes - This one is my fave! Every morning before getting out of bed I read a positive quote and at night, before going to sleep I do the same. This helps me to start off on the good foot and give myself a chance at having a good day.
4. Meditate - Get out and connect with nature or from the comfort of your own home, practice the art of meditation. This helps you get grounded, shift internal energies and open up space for creativity to flow. According to guidemind.com "Mediation helps to keep our concentration levels high. As concentration is inextricably linked to motivation, meditation heightens our motivation levels to keep us taking action to reach our desired outcomes."
5. Reflect/Evaluate Your Surroundings - Does your creative space inspire you? Do your friends make you feel good and challenge you in healthy ways? Are you creating HAPPY where you are? Are you living a healthy lifestyle? Does your significant other support and encourage you? What story are you telling yourself? These are all good questions to start with when evaluating the quality of your life.
Trust me, I get it. I have moments where I feel like I'm completely on my A-Game, and other moments where I'm like WHAAAA? Sometimes we just need a break. It's important though, to recognize the difference between when you need to give yourself grace and rest, and when you're being lazy or have completely checked out. Head on over to my instagram page and connect with other creatives from around the world, join the comment thread below and let us know what's your motivation strategy and/or follow my "Motivation" playlist and start your day RIGHT!