The gentle hum of Kumasi waking up used to be my alarm clock. Long before the sun would cast its golden glow over the roofs of Adum, I’d lie in bed, listening to the distant call to prayer mix with the first tentative sounds of tro-tros gearing up for the day. It was a peaceful sound, but for a long time, my internal world was anything but.
I felt… stuck. Do you know that feeling? It’s not a dramatic, life-shattering crisis. It's a quiet, creeping sense of sameness. A feeling like you’re walking on a treadmill—you’re putting in the effort, you’re moving, but the scenery never, ever changes. I was reading the books, listening to the podcasts, and trying to "hack" my way to a more inspired life, but it all felt hollow.
The big breakthrough didn't come from a grand, expensive retreat or a life-altering epiphany. It came from the small things. It came from embracing a few seemingly strange, unconventional habits that, over time, completely rewired my perspective. These aren't your typical "wake up at 5 AM and drink lemon water" tips. These are the quiet, profound shifts that create real, lasting change. And I want to share them with you.
1. The 5-Minute 'Do Nothing' Ritual
My mornings used to be a frantic rush. From the moment my eyes opened, my brain was already compiling a to-do list, worrying about deadlines, and mentally preparing for the traffic around Kejetia Market. I was starting my day from a place of deficit, of already being behind. The popular advice was to start a "power morning routine"—exercise, journaling, meditating, all before sunrise. It just made me feel more exhausted.
So, I tried the opposite. I started a "Do Nothing" ritual. For the first five minutes after I wake up, I do just that: nothing. I don't grab my phone. I don't jump out of bed. I simply sit up, maybe look out the window, and just… be. I listen to the sounds of my neighbourhood, feel the morning air, and notice how I’m feeling without judgment.
It sounds ridiculously simple, but it was revolutionary. Instead of launching into a storm of activity, I was anchoring myself in stillness. This small pocket of peace created a buffer between me and the demands of the day. As mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn says, "You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf." My five minutes of nothing became my surfboard, allowing me to ride the waves of the day with more grace and less panic.
2. Schedule a Weekly 'Curiosity Date'
As adults, we often lose our sense of wonder. Our lives become a cycle of work, chores, and obligations. Inspiration can't thrive in a sterile environment; it needs novelty and curiosity to grow. That's why I started scheduling a weekly "Curiosity Date" with myself. It's a non-negotiable block of time—it could be 30 minutes or three hours—dedicated to exploring something new for no other reason than I'm curious about it.
Some weeks, it’s as simple as walking through a part of Kumasi I’ve never explored, just to see what’s there. Other times, I’ll visit the Manhyia Palace Museum again, trying to see it with fresh eyes, or spend an hour at the Kumasi Cultural Centre watching the artisans work, not to buy anything, but just to appreciate the skill. Sometimes it’s just falling down an internet rabbit hole about ancient Egyptian history or learning to identify a new bird species in my backyard.
The only rule is that it cannot have a "productive" goal attached to it. It’s about play. Albert Einstein famously said, "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." Cultivating that curiosity has been one of the most powerful sources of new ideas and joy in my life. It refills my creative well and reminds me that the world is a vast, fascinating place waiting to be discovered.
3. Practice 'Radical Gratitude' for the Annoying Things
We all know about gratitude journals. "I'm grateful for my family, my health, my home." And that’s wonderful. But the game-changer for me was when I started practicing "Radical Gratitude"—finding something to be grateful for in the things that actively annoy me. It sounds crazy, but stay with me.
The power goes out again—the infamous "dumsor." My initial reaction, like most people, is frustration. But then I stop and reframe: "I'm grateful for this forced pause. It's a chance to light some candles, put my phone away, and have a real conversation with my family." Stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic? "I'm grateful for this extra time to listen to my favourite album from start to finish without interruption."
This isn't about pretending to love negative situations. It's about exercising control over your response. The Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote, "You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." This practice is the embodiment of that idea. It trains your brain to find the opportunity in the obstacle, the lesson in the frustration. It’s a superpower that can bring peace to even the most chaotic moments.
4. The 'End-of-Day Win' Review
My head used to hit the pillow at night with my mind racing, cataloging all the things I didn't get done. My to-do list was a list of my failures for the day. It was a recipe for anxiety and poor sleep. Then I replaced that habit with a new one: the "End-of-Day Win" review.
Every night, before I go to sleep, I take a moment to identify and write down one—just one—thing that went well that day. It doesn’t have to be monumental. Most of the time, it isn't. A "win" could be that I finally made that phone call I'd been dreading. It could be that I had a genuinely nice chat with the vendor I buy my plantain from. It could be that I managed to drink enough water.
Researcher and author Shawn Achor, in his book The Happiness Advantage, explains that our brains are wired with a negativity bias, constantly scanning for threats and problems. Actively looking for a positive "win" retrains your brain to scan for the good. Ending your day on a note of accomplishment, no matter how small, changes your entire outlook. It compounds over time, building a quiet confidence and a more optimistic foundation for the day to come.
5. Become a 'Collector of Rejection'
The fear of failure, of hearing the word "no," used to paralyze me. It kept me from pitching bold ideas, from asking for help, and from taking risks. I saw rejection as a final verdict on my worth. The shift happened when I decided to stop avoiding rejection and start collecting it.
I was inspired by the story of Jia Jiang, who undertook a project called "Rejection Therapy," where he deliberately sought out rejection for 100 days to desensitize himself to the fear. While I didn’t go to that extreme, I adopted the mindset. My goal was no longer to succeed at everything; it was to be brave enough to try things where "no" was a likely outcome. I started pitching article ideas I was sure would be turned down. I asked for opportunities I felt underqualified for.
Something amazing happened. First, the "no's" started to lose their sting. They weren't personal attacks; they were just outcomes, data points. Second, by increasing my number of attempts, I started getting a lot more "yes's" than I ever thought possible.
As the basketball legend Michael Jordan, who was famously cut from his high school team, once said, "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Seeing failure as a stepping stone, not a stop sign, is perhaps the most liberating mindset shift of all.
6. Actively 'Borrow' Someone Else's Brain
When we're stuck on a problem, our tendency is to retreat into our own heads, turning the same tired thoughts over and over again. But the best solution is often to get out of our own perspective and intentionally borrow someone else's. This is more than just asking for advice; it's about seeking out people who think differently from you.
I was struggling with how to structure a particularly complex personal development topic. I’d been agonizing over it for days. In frustration, I took a break and went to chat with my elderly neighbour, a retired carpenter. I vaguely explained my problem of trying to make a big idea feel simple and strong. He started talking about how he builds furniture—how you need a solid, simple frame first before you can even think about adding the carvings and details. It was a lightbulb moment. His analogy from a completely different field gave me the exact framework I needed.
Don't just talk to people in your industry or social circle. Talk to a market trader. Talk to a teacher. Talk to a child. Ask them how they would solve your problem. Their frames of reference are so different from yours that they can offer insights you would never stumble upon alone. It’s a beautiful reminder that wisdom is all around us, often in the most unexpected places.
Your Turn to Grow
Transforming your life isn't about a sudden, seismic shift. It's about laying a new brick every single day. It's about the quiet consistency of small, intentional habits that slowly but surely build a more resilient, joyful, and inspired you.
These seven habits didn't change my life overnight. But they did open a window in a room that felt stuffy and stagnant, letting in the fresh air of possibility. They taught me that I have the power to shape my days, my mindset, and ultimately, my life.
So, I invite you to start small. Don't try to adopt all seven at once. Pick one. Just one that resonates with you. Maybe it's the five minutes of doing nothing tomorrow morning. Maybe it's finding gratitude in a traffic jam this afternoon. Try it for a week and just see what happens.
I’d love to hear from you. Which of these unconventional habits sparks your interest the most? Do you have any of your own you'd like to share? Let's talk in the comments below.
Stay inspired,
Your friend in growth at Inspirer.
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