Motivation

 Today  i wanted to do a brief post about motivation. Motivation for anyone, including witches can be what makes or breaks a person in their practices and routines. If you feel unmotivated in your practice it can make you feel less of a person. Well i've got news for you!

PRACTISING LESS DOES NOT MAKE YOU LESS OF A WITCH. 

It is more than ok to only practice when your motivated to do so. Your energy plays into your practice and if you do not have the energy, practising the craft will only draw on what you have left. This is why self care is super important in witchcraft. However if your looking at ways to increase your motivation in general i have a couple of tips.

First off Self Care. This includes 4 areas.

1. Eat/Drink well and healthy. Vitamin A, The B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B6, B12, and folate), Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Vitamin E and Omega 3 all effect your mental and physical health- especially Vitamin B and D. Remember to also stay hydrated and keep a low level of caffeine in you. (caffeine can increase anxiety, heart rate and effect sleep)

2. Ensure your getting enough exercise. Half an hour of moderate exercise is all you need ( you don't have to be sprinting but a good walk, gym session or dance party goes a long way.) Currently as an experiment i have not exercised purposefully in a few months- everything now hurts and i feel uncomfortable from not moving as much.

3. Check in with your feelings. By this i mean keep an eye on how you feel, why you feel this way and what you can do to improve your mental health. I myself have been a long term sufferer of anxiety and have only just (after 9 years of trying) started to see how i can combat my negative thoughts and feelings. The answer for me was talk back at it and question every negative thought as if it were a person. It's a technique i learnt from " Badass ways to end anxiety and stop panic attacks" by Geert Verschaeve

4. Take a break and slow down. The real world is more flexible then you think and you have every right to take the time you need- this applies to your craft also. Sometimes we sacrifice our mental health to achieve a set goal. However you do need to sometimes put the goals to the side and take yourself out of the picture to recuperate. And to have a bit of fun. I couldn't understand why i was so drained at work until my manager pointed out i hadn't had a day off in 4 months. No i schedule in at least 1 day a month- mid working week for me to have off as a holiday day ( i appreciate not everyone has the capacity to do this but allocating a regular slot of time off from any work or home responsibility is important) 

Next is metaphysical items to help with increasing motivation

Crystals: I wear on my least motivated days- two rings. Moldavite and Opal. Moldavite is a trans-formative crystal known for either sending it's wearer hyperactive like a child on sugar.. or into an anxious or crying mess on the floor. Depending on the day it effects me differently. But i have found when worn with Opal it increases my energy and motivates me to work hard. Monday morning blues become more motivating for me. Now i appreciate that Moldavite is incredibly expensive. But there are certainly other crystals that can be used. These are:

Citrine: Joy, wonder, enthusiasm

Yellow Calcite: Clearing old energy, personal motivation, 

Tigers Eye: Mental focus, protection against fear and anxiety

Red Tigers eye: Motivation to the unmotivated, reduces lethargy, increases confidence

Opal: Encourages freedom, independance, soothes anxiety

Sun stone: Removes fear, alleviates stress, increases vitality, encourages independence and originality

Carnelian: restores vitality and motivation, stimulates creativity. Gives courage, promotes positive life choices, dispels apathy and motivates for success

Garnet:  Cleanses and re-energises the chakras, revitalises, purifies and balances energy ( especially sexual), brings serenity or passion as appropriate. Inspires love and devotion.

Adventurine: Prosperity, diffusing negative emotions, reinforcing leadership, promoting compassion and encouraging perseverance. 

and naturally you can use clear Quartz also.

Lighting a candle and playing music is good for motivation too

I've found lighting an orange or yellow candle  and playing some upbeat music is the perfect way to energise me- especially when i'm doing  something tedious.

A Citrus simmer pot

A simmer pot is where a pan or cauldron of water is heated with items that have a specific metaphysical property. My personal favourite for motivation includes adding citrus ( Apples, Lemons, Limes, Oranges) and cinnamon with a dash of lavender and rosemary or a bit of sage.

Finally we have Witchy fun

Within your craft, sometimes you may find yourself doing something a bit repetitive or something you just don't feel enthused about. This is why getting creative and doing the occasional witchy fun can help boost your craft as a whole. I personally find the task of changing my altar decorations for the season, a little bit tedious. So every now and then i will take some time to create something new to add. For example i recently up cycled two candle jars to with some artwork i found via google . I also every now and then like to watch a magic themed film ( I rather enjoy Sword in the stone by Disney) or like to do some metaphysical baking by making some herb infused cake of some kind.

Now you know a few things that can help with motivation and witch craft.