Get Inspired, Get Motivated, Get Happier

As a writer and educator, I've held many different jobs, unofficial motivator being one of them.

Let me tell you a sad story that took place many years ago at a postsecondary career school.

One day, the president tasked me to walk around and ask teachers and staff what motivated them, what inspired them. The goal was to collect positive quotes to hang on the wall of a new building. So off I went, pen and notebook in hand, goofy smile on my grown-up face, ready to hear from the area's best and brightest.

What I got was, "You don't want to ask me."

"I'm really busy. Can you come back later?"

"I'm seriously not the person you want to talk to."

"Excuse me. I need to grade these tests."

Now, I'm not here to be Suzie Sunshine. I know people have problems. I know life is not grand for everyone. I had plenty of problems myself at the time, among them, being a single mother recovering from a bad relationship. But when I looked around and saw how miserable so many people were, living in one of the wealthiest areas of the country, literally the land of opportunity, people who had good jobs and homes and families, I had to wonder what was wrong. It wasn’t just the job. It made me ask, why are we so beaten down? Where are our inspiration and motivation, the two things that make for a fulfilling life?

There are many reasons why we lose motivation and inspiration, but here’s one that infects the brain, sometimes subconsciously.

Every day, we're bombarded with bad news. Whether from home, office or world, we face negativity at least hourly. That's a lot to manage. That's a lot to get past. That's a lot to let go of. So in this series, I aim to overcome it, at least for a few minutes, and point out the positive. I'm not going to ignore the negative. But I'm not going to muck around in it. I'm going to process it and hopefully turn it into something better than it was at the onset. Here's why.

I value happiness. I value joy. I think they are worth fighting for.

Yes, I used the word "fighting" in referring to happiness and joy—because happiness and joy don't just happen. They come as a result of a positive mindset. How do you get a positive mindset? Motivation and inspiration. All of it takes work.

So, let's start the work, shall we? I'll ask you the same thing I asked my colleagues many years ago.

What inspires you?

What motivates you?

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

What makes you proud?

It can be the smallest of things. So what if it is? Write it down. Say it. Share it. That's how you get more out of life. That's how you begin to make the world a happier place.

This morning,

car hood wearing

a slicker of pollen.

Even the rain

won't wash away

that yellow.

Quick, now.

Draw a heart in it.

Until next time,

Katherine Gotthardt, M.Ed.