#75 How Are You Staying Motivated?

A genuine question. Send help. Send ideas. Send strategies. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

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It’s no secret that January has been an uber-depressing month so far. While I would love to unsubscribe from 2025, I know that’s not my style. But I am struggling to summon the motivation and drive the New Year usually brings. The energy of this year so far feels like an unsure driver riding the brake. And me? I’m the human equivalent of a couch cushion. Did I mention it’s subzero degrees here in Brooklyn? That definitely doesn’t help.

This week marks the Lunar New Year, (year of the snake) which I’ve decided to consider the official start of 2025. I’m gunning for a do-over.

I read an interesting article in The Cut about coping with our current reality using endorphins. If drinking wine was your strategy in 2017 (my liver is certainly not up for that again), the article suggests that your 2025 path out of the dark hole might be “getting swole.”

While I have no plans to “get swole” this year, I am loyal to my daily burn—whether it’s walking, cardio, strength training, or yoga. Dedicating time to get out of my head and into my body is non-negotiable. Maybe it used to be enough, on its own, to channel my chi in the right direction. Not anymore. In 2017, I was up at 6 a.m., cleaning the house, doing laundry, squeezing in a workout, and then heading to a demanding job. In 2025, things look very different. Why? Aging? The hard-hitting past few years of a pandemic plus a layoff? Deprogramming from the capitalist ethos? It got me thinking about what does get me fired up these days.

My list is small right now but here it is:

1. Singing!

I started classical vocal training when I was 7, but as an adult, I’ve had few outlets to sing without some kind of expectation or outcome attached. In November, I found a “come as you are, no auditions necessary” one-day choir through an organization called Gaia Music Collective. This past weekend, I attended my third session, where we sang Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” My energy levels were through the roof. The endorphins, plus the sense of community that comes with making music alongside strangers, were exactly what I needed. (Video above from my one-day choir performing “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. See if you can Find Ami in the crowd.)

2. Higher Dose Infrared Sauna Blanket

Self-care rituals have been crucial for my mental health this month—especially sessions in my Higher Does Infrared Sauna Blanket. I invested in it back in 2021, when I was still a corporate stooge and could afford it more easily. At the time, I was recovering from wrist surgery and couldn’t exercise, but I still wanted to sweat. After moving to a smaller apartment, the blanket went into storage—until last month. Since dusting it off, I’ve been using it regularly. The euphoria I feel after emerging from a session is unmatched.

3. In-Person Yoga Classes

I returned to my old yoga studio, even though it’s now a bit of a trek, to take in-person classes with my longtime teacher Julie Dohrman. I also take online classes with another teacher, Denise Hopkins (highly recommend!). Still, there’s something about practicing in person—the community, the hands-on adjustments, the energy in the room—that makes a huge difference. Feeding off that in-person energy feels essential.

4. Creative Writing

I might be skint on motivation rn, but I am full up with story ideas. I’ve started keeping a running document of every idea that pops into my head. I’m honoring these yet-to-be-born stories by jotting them down, fleshing out the plot points and characters, and figuring out which ones to pursue. Writing feels like an anchor right now, even if the work is still in its early stages. It’s giving me hope!

So, that’s my modest list. Please, please, please share in the comments below. How are you staying motivated right now? I need ideas, support, prayers. And I’m sure I’m not alone.

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