Top Stories
Stories in Motivation that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
James & Oneg's Summer Writing Challenge Extravaganza
Are you feeling dry and hung out? Heatwaves got you down and sweaty? The summer feels like it’s dragging out and you don’t know what to damn write about anymore?
Oneg In The ArcticPublished 10 months ago in MotivationFrom Astrophysics to OCD: The Role of Space in My Life
Ace, isn’t it? Space. It’s in the name. But it’s no spa. I’ve got a degree in it. And a mental health issue that tore open wormholes within it. And people I love scattered all throughout and transcending it. But if you ask me what space is, I couldn’t tell you, because it’s not really even a thing.
emPublished 10 months ago in MotivationA Word Fitly Spoken
I’m an awkward 12 years old wearing my ‘good dress’ and the house is filling up with relatives for our family’s Christmas Eve party.
Judey KalchikPublished 11 months ago in MotivationLetter of gratitude to Vocal community.
I don’t know how many people will read this article, since the probability of it making it to the top story is low, unlike my previous piece, which is the very reason I am writing these words. But even if a small percentage out of those who engaged with my content over the last two weeks will see this letter, it will be worth it. Perhaps one of the main reasons I had to write it, is me feeling that due to the busyness of daily life, I didn’t reciprocate nearly enough on the lovely feedback I received from you lot recently.
Eva SmittePublished 11 months ago in MotivationEating a Frog First Thing in the Morning Really Impacts my Appetite
The phone alarm goes off each morning at 6:04 AM. Why? Because I set it to do that. I chose to do that! (I need to remind myself of that every time it happens- it is because I made the choice to set it for that time. UGH.)
Judey KalchikPublished 11 months ago in MotivationChallenge Accepted. Mission complete.
For my 100th story I wanted to do something different to summarize my time on Vocal... Please enjoy. I think we can all agree that Vocal is great at capturing our attention with the endless array of challenges. Just the word itself is enough to turn heads. "Are you challenging me?" Who doesn't love a good challenge? It's almost like a dare. "I dare you to write something that people will read and find engaging. And if it fits the bill, you might just gain some recognition among other things."
Lamar WigginsPublished 11 months ago in MotivationRandom Acts of Kindness
There is a quote in Game of Thrones that I think may resonate with many people today. ‘The Night is dark and full of terrors.’ Though at the moment, I think many would feel we could probably apply ‘full of terrors’ to any time, day or night.
Lilly CooperPublished 12 months ago in Motivation4 things one year of working in a bookshop has taught me 📚
Last month marked exactly one year since I began working part time in a lovely bookshop in Marylebone, London. A place that from the start felt like home. A place of learning from interesting people and books about all kinds of things - about the world and its mysteries, about the human condition, as well as about myself. One thing is more clear than ever - certain environments bring out the best in us. The bookshop environment is one such place for me. Even in childhood, one of my favourite places to be in, was a particular library in my hometown. And while in the last decade I didn’t visit many libraries , every time I stepped a foot into various bookshops, I would notice my nervous system instantly becoming more regulated, resulting in my body and mind feeling relaxed and simultaneously more energised. A sea of books occupying many shelves is still my safe place and a source of inspiration. Which is why getting this job felt like something out of a movie, a dream come true.
Eva SmittePublished 12 months ago in MotivationHow to Say “No” Without Saying No
A verbal slap. An emotional dropkick. An intangible war zone. Saying no is a cataclysmic concept. It stings, it scars and it’s friggin’ scary, right? And yet, we’re all faced with the need, the desperation, to say it.
emPublished about a year ago in Motivation143, Mr. Rogers! Won’t You be my Neighbor?
Mr. Rogers was my safe space. He liked me just the way I was. He smiled when he came into the room. He had pets (his fish which he fed each episode). He sang and played music, and introduced us to jazz music. He knew chefs, mimes, police officers, postal workers, and even the actress that played the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).
Judey KalchikPublished about a year ago in MotivationWriting for Love
A few days ago, I had an interesting conversation with my friend, Randi Gray Kristensen, who teaches freshman composition at George Washington University. Halfway through our discussion about AI, I suddenly realized that she was approaching the topic as a scholar, and I was coming at the issue as a writer. "In this wilderness of information," as Randi put it, she was concerned that students would turn in papers they had copied from Bard and pass it off as if they had written it. Randi emphasized that she taught her students how to formulate a thesis, gather facts not subject to AI hallucinations, make inferences based on the evidence, and deduce logical conclusions based on sound premises. This is why in academic circles, scholars like Randi ask questions such as "Who did the research and for whom? How was the research conducted, and who paid for it? Did reputable scholars in the field review the results?
Geoffrey PhilpPublished about a year ago in MotivationTastes Like Chicken
When was the last time you ate crow? I mean figuratively, of course, as the carrion-eating crow is generally deemed an unappetizing food, even mentioned Biblically as an animal that should not be consumed. Really! I'm talking about those emotionally hard-to-swallow moments that get your stomach churning and leave you second-guessing yourself well into the wee hours of the morning. We've all been there, but I tend to put myself in a position to eat crow like it's a culinary delicacy.
Laura MerchantPublished about a year ago in Motivation