When I was in 5th grade, I wrote a poem that rhymed the word summer with the word funner. My teacher helpfully informed me that funner wasn’t a real word, but he gave me permission to use it because I had “artistic license.”

Now I think of something being funner if it’s edgy fun or a new angle on fun. Today I want to share funner ways to motivate your inner athlete.

You know those magazine articles that tout the best ways to motivate yourself to work out? They say the same old things: pair up with a buddy, pack your gym bag the night before and put it in the car, work out in the morning so there’ll be no excuses later.

Those are good tips, but they’re so old school! It’s time to focus on funner ways to get off your butt.

Find your sporty scent.

No, I’m not talking about that sweat stench you get after an hour in spin class. I’m talking about a signature scent that you can associate with your workout. Before I head to the gym, I put on my Hurraw vegan lip balm in licorice. Hurraw makes the smoothest lip balms with the most authentic, yummy flavors like chai spice, coconut, grapefruit, and rootbeer (and they taste 100 times better than those waxy balms we used in middle school).

Whenever I smell and taste that spicy licorice flavor, my mind knows it’s time to work out. You can use a lip balm, perfume, or lotion, but don’t use the scent unless you’re about to exercise or else the effect will be diminished.

Remember that lucky charms aren’t just for leprechauns.

Professional athletes use “lucky” clothing and charms all the time. They might have special shorts, socks, or gloves that they believe give them an edge in the game. What things make you feel powerful? Maybe a red T-shirt pumps you up before you lift weights or a favorite water bottle makes your run seem easier. My favorite green-soled aerobics shoes make me want to get on the floor.

Get a kick-ass theme song.

So what if you’re not Rocky? We all could use personal theme songs to bring out our inner athletes. My go-to motivation song is Madonna’s “Jump.” I listen to it when my energy starts to falter on the treadmill. This song makes me feel like anything is possible if I just go for it! “Are you ready to jump?” Hell yeah!

What funner things do you do to motivate yourself to work out? What’s your theme song?