Chapter 1: Understanding the Struggle Bus

There’s nothing quite as disheartening as scrolling through social media on a tough day, only to see posts from people who seem to have it all together. It can feel as if they’ve never faced a moment of self-doubt or struggle. My approach, as you've likely gathered from my previous writings, is grounded in authenticity. I tend to share openly about my own experiences, and I believe there’s space for both motivational speakers and those of us who embrace a more candid, unfiltered perspective.

Recently, I've found myself on what I like to call the "struggle bus." In case you're unfamiliar with the term, it’s a slang expression referring to a situation or task that feels particularly challenging or frustrating. For instance, "With no sleep last night, I’ll be on the struggle bus today."

Why do I feel this way? Honestly, I can’t pinpoint a single cause. It might be the lingering effects of having Covid last week, or it could be hormonal fluctuations. Every time I ponder this, I hear the witty words of Murray Melvin from my favorite episode of Jonathan Creek: “Oh! There’ll be an ovary at the back of it somewhere.”

Regardless of the reason, it’s safe to say that I was in a low-energy and low-mood state until just a short while ago. I even decided to take a break from publishing an article yesterday, allowing myself some grace.

My day started with a bit of exercise and a walk with my dog, but I spent the majority of it lounging on the sofa, alternating between reading and binge-watching TV shows. At around 4:30 PM, I found myself lying in bed, engrossed in an iOS game after a refreshing nap (I’m quite the nap enthusiast, to be honest), trying to muster the motivation to turn my day around. Suddenly, it hit me—I needed to take my own advice.

I often remind my coaching clients that self-motivation is about having a toolkit of strategies to tackle moments of indecision. The more tools you have, the better equipped you are to face challenges, complete tasks, or overcome resistance when it rears its head.

Does this approach work every time? Not necessarily. We’re all human, and if you frequently encounter tough situations—be it tricky relationships, an unfulfilling job, or pushing your boundaries—you’ll find new challenges arise regularly. Yet, therein lies the beauty and complexity of life. If you’ve solved all your problems, perhaps you’ve stopped learning, growing, and exploring new avenues—where's the fun in that?

So, what was my action plan? I set my phone aside, sat up, and mentally rifled through my collection of strategies to find one that could help me reclaim my productivity. I recognized that my low mood could dissipate once I took action, as emotions are often more transient than we perceive. In my case, my lethargy stemmed from lying around for too long.

I asked myself, “What CAN I do?” Reluctantly, I acknowledged that I could tidy up the downstairs of my home, which would only take about 15 minutes.

With that in mind, I got out of bed, dressed, and headed downstairs. I employed the technique of Temptation Bundling, combining it with music to shift my mood. I turned on a vibrant 4K concert on YouTube, cranked up the volume, and got to work while singing along.

The concert was My Chemical Romance's final performance of "The Black Parade," a band I unabashedly adore. This strategy worked wonders while I cleaned. I discovered that my motivation had returned—often, the toughest part is simply getting started.

As I’ve mentioned before, I prefer to tackle house cleaning in one go. Since I live alone (happily) and my space isn't a sprawling mansion (unfortunately), I can usually complete my cleaning in about an hour.

I moved upstairs, set my phone on a Bluetooth speaker (another instance of temptation bundling), and tuned into one of my favorite podcasts—The Mindset Mentor. The latest episode propelled me through cleaning the bathroom and the upper levels of my home. Once I finished, my spirits had lifted significantly, and I felt motivated enough to write this blog post.

The essence of this article is twofold: first, to remind you that everyone experiences struggles, even if they appear flawless on social media; and second, to encourage you to revisit my previous articles for additional strategies to add to your mental toolkit for challenging times.

Remember, we are human—not robots (not yet, anyway). It’s entirely normal to have off days. Be gentle with yourself, allow for rest when necessary, and remember that with the right tools, you can shift your mindset and rise above those low moments.

Now, if you'll excuse me, it’s time for my Friday night treat—pizza! 🍕

p.s. One last tip I forgot to mention that I wholeheartedly used today: be a good friend to your future self.

Chapter 2: Finding Motivation Through Community

Sometimes, sharing experiences with others can significantly help in overcoming feelings of frustration.

In the video "I'm on the struggle bus with YouTube & business (not sure what's next)," the creator discusses their own challenges, which may resonate with many of us navigating our unique paths.