The Only Way Is 'Up'

photo courtesy of Sarah Diniz Outeiro of Unsplash

Get up. Dress up. Show up.

This is a mantra I like to use when I'm having trouble getting motivated. Sometimes, we all just have trouble with the act of 'getting started.'

Get Up. Get out of bed. Get off the couch. Put the telephone down. Step away from the computer. Whatever it is you are using as a crutch for this bad mood, put it away and stand up. Reality TV isn't going to make the blues go away. Social media isn't going to cure the burnout of every day. Stop pacifying your problems with distractions that lead to no where. You can crawl under a rock and hide away from the world if you want, but that will never solve anything. So, the first step to changing your life is the decision that you're going to get up and get started.
Dress Up. Get out of the pajamas. Discard the slouch wear you've been sporting for the last three days. Take a hot steamy bath (hot water works great for tension aches). Then pull out some of your best clothes. Stop saving your best shirt or your new dress shoes for a special date. Who cares if it's not Sunday dinner or a holiday or a job interview? Dress up for you! Dress up because knowing you look your best will help you be your best. When you look presentable, your self esteem will naturally raise. This renewed self assurance will make you better prepared to deal with the challenges of the real world.
Show Up. Show up for your own life. Be present. You have nowhere to go and nothing to do, you say? How about you just be there in the present. Whether you are grocery shopping, or going to work, or maybe you haven't even thought any farther than merely getting out of bed. It really doesn't matter if you have an important date or nothing planned at all...just show up in your own life. Really be there. Pay attention. Opportunity only knocks once we're ready for it. Live your moments, from minute to minute. Approach life as if you really look forward to it. Don't just survive, really embrace each moment of your life as it arrives. Treat life like it matters, and it will reward you.

It's short and sweet and simple but it makes a lot of sense. Even if you think it's silly or it won't matter, try it for a few days and see the difference it makes in your attitude and in your expectations of life. Most of all, bear the fruit of getting up, dressing up, and showing up. Go ahead, impress yourself. Your life is waiting.