“Ask yourself if what you’re doing today will get you closer to where you want to be tomorrow.”—Anonymous

Living your life to the fullest, constantly being motivated and inspired is hard. There are days when getting out of bed feels like getting to outer space. And then those days turn to weeks, weeks turn to months and it seems like we’ve gotten stuck in a bottomless pit, not being able to get out. Not being able to even see the way out.

There are days when it’s pouring rain and all we want to do is to fall asleep and pretend that world has ended. There are days when we don’t feel like dreaming at all. There are days when we are taking care of our children, of our families on autopilot, just trying to get through the day. There are days when our dreams seem so distant—like we dreamed them in another lifetime, in one completely different universe, a person with a completely different mind and strength.

But that person is us. That person is me, that person is you. That lifetime is this one. You have that strength. You have that passion. You have that crazy heart. What’s keeping you from reaching for it?

I think I have read what seems now like thousands of books and articles on self-help—trying to get up, trying to build myself up, but constantly falling down. Constantly breaking and giving up. Always falling deeper and deeper into that pit and getting out of it became harder and harder every time. Until I realized that just because I fell, it doesn’t mean I’m less worthy. Just because I found my weakness, it doesn’t mean I lost my strength. Just because there is a little bit of dark, it doesn’t mean all of my light is gone. So, what I’m trying to say is, there is no perfect formula that can get you up. There are no magic words to say and poof! You’re feeling great. There is no easy way to live an inspiring life, but I can share with you mine. And maybe you can find your own while reading it. Maybe you will do it better than I did.

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” —Dr. Seuss

1. Inspiration is a choice

It’s not about circumstances; it’s about the choices you make. Life is hard. Life is a bitch. You could be going through a tough breakup, going through the death of loved one or it could just be the weather that’s pinning you down. But life doesn’t care. Life won’t wait for you to get over it to give you challenges. Life will put you on trial, test your strength, your persistence and your will to fight. Told you, life is a bitch. So, how do you fight it?

You make a choice. Every single day, every single morning and every single time before you go to sleep. You make a choice that today you will be the best version of yourself. You make a choice that you will fight and that you will be inspired. If you’re a writer and there’s no inspiration, you will make a choice that you will read, explore and look forward to your own inspiration while admiring someone else’s. We all have blue days; we all have dark periods. No one wakes up every day inspired and ready to kick some balls. But they make a choice. And so can you.

2. It’s the attitude – not the circumstances

How great it would be if every day we would have a life-changing decision to make. Just like in the movies: you are facing one hell of a challenge and you’re dealing with it with grace and ferocity. But every day is just that—every day. You’re dealing with your household chores, with children and everyday tasks at work. But living an inspiring life is not about waiting for challenges. It’s about looking for them.

If you dreamed about becoming an artist and every day you’re thinking, ‘Once I get more free time, I’ll start working on it.’, you probably never will. Don’t wait for life to give you opportunities. Make them for yourself. Find yourself that free time. Find yourself a way to live your dreams. And if there is no path, make it your own.

3. The perfect time to do it is – NOW

If you’re waiting for that perfect time, that perfect opportunity, you will never do it. ‘I’ll climb that mountain once I get the best gear. I’ll make my dream happen once I get it all figured out.’ Waiting for the perfect opportunity means that you will spend your life in waiting. Instead, start doing. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it takes more time than it would if everything was perfect. Yes, you will have it harder than you would usually. But at least you will have it. At least you will do it.

Handle it because you know you can. Deal with it because there’s nothing you can own. There’s nothing you can’t achieve once you set your mind to doing it.

4. Make goals–write them down–make them happen

Having goals is like having something to look forward to. If you have a big dream, break it down into simpler goals and milestones. Keep track of your success and reward yourself every time you achieve one goal. If you’re feeling like dreaming big and handling shit right away, go for it!

But for me, smaller goals are what work the best. I remember how I used to write down every single thing I did, including calling my mom, cooking myself a proper meal and going out to the bar with friends. I was so down, depression had locked me up in a hell of my own mind, that I had to force myself to get out, to talk to someone else and to eat properly. Looking back now, I know I did one hell of a job. And I know that I have a shit ton more to do.

5. Embrace your fears and live your dreams

Sometimes, fear of failure is what keeps us from following our dreams in the first place. Sometimes it’s the way we made ourselves believe that we cannot do it. And sometimes it’s the lack of inspiration and energy.

Embrace your fears. They are not going anywhere, so you might as well make them your bitch. Own them and keep moving forward. Yes, there is a possibility you will fail. We all did. Yes, you will tumble down and break. We all did. But we are all still standing. We are all still here; we are all still fighting. You can do it, too. You’re doing it already. By living, breathing and still dreaming, you are fighting without even knowing it. You’re fighting your own demons, despair and sorrow.

Go out, give yourself some time and allow yourself to breath in life. Listen to your own heartbeat, to the rhythm of nature and the tune of the world. Breathe it all in and let your mind wander around until you start dreaming. Write down your dreams, your passions and go after them. Sometimes, you need to take a step back so you can move forward. But moving is still moving. It’s still better than being stuck in one place. Remember, you got this!

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”—Aristotle