Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Motivation.
2020: the rough draft for 2021
Dear 2021… It’s going to be a tough year to be a photographer. But not impossible. Thanks to one big lesson the chaos of 2020 illuminated, the lost art of preparation and vision setting. What used to feel like the only thing to take photos of were spontaneous moments of beautiful landscapes, dressed up portraits, or highly stylized food is now a distant memory in a digital album. I’ve learned that it’s not about the object in front of the camera as it is about what you use to shape the light that hits the narrow frame of space in front of the lens. While complying to social distancing I spent hours at home experimenting with lighting and later thinking about how the colors, angle, and composition affect not only the image but the viewer. Before 2020 this is something I sort of took for granted and didn’t spend much time learning to be intentional with. The more I photographed the less I wanted to review on the computer afterward because while the results always had certain areas I loved I could hardly put my finger on what was working or what was missing… But when I started to experiment with short video scenes and sketching out a storyboard beforehand I recognized that it helped improve my still photography and efficiency sorting and editing through them on the computer. This is one of, if not the biggest lesson I learned and always a win worth dancing to because who wants to spend all day hunched over a screen?
By Danielle Deutsch6 years ago in Motivation
Time to meander
In 2021 I want to get a little frantic about my creativity. Let it swallow me whole. Let it drown me. Let me feel the flow. I’d like to get a little peaceful about my creativity. Let it bring me courage. Let it dare to be different or more of the same. I’d like to fall in love with my creativity. Let it bring me alive. Let it breathe in nourishment. Let it challenge and inspire me.
By Madeline Docherty6 years ago in Motivation
A Glorious Year
Cheers to the new year, 2021. A toast! As we all know and can attest, life has its unexpected twists and turns, but I am certain that no other year will ever be harder or more challenging than the previous. I am hoping that you, 2021, will have brighter beginnings and much sweeter endings.
By Katy Pfefferkorn6 years ago in Motivation
3 Things My Best Friend Taught Me About Life That You All Need to Hear
"If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today." - Thich Nhat Hanh When things go downhill, and we experience rough patches in life, one of the worst things to hear from someone that you’re trying to seek comfort from is, “everything will be ok.” In a sense, yes, it’s comforting knowing you’re not going to feel that low forever, but that response is so vague, meaningless, and truly doesn’t help us see the good in every bad situation. Sometimes we as humans need a little reminder about why we have, are currently, or are going to experience the rollercoaster called life.
By Jericha6 years ago in Motivation
A Post for the Overthinkers
“Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded” — Buddha It’s that time of night again — 10 pm when your head hits the pillow, and you prepare to drown in your thoughts. Doubting the decisions you made that day, reading into every little conversation you had, the weird look Karen gave you at lunch-time, and making up scenarios of the things that could go wrong in the future.
By Jericha6 years ago in Motivation
Broke College Grad Diaries - Part 5 - Self Reflection
Hey, me. It’s you, from 2021. How are you doing? You don’t need to answer that – I’m you, remember? I know you’re struggling and if you could hear me ask “how are you”, you’d probably be so happy because people don’t ask you that enough. There still aren’t a lot of people who care to ask that now, but those who do, genuinely care for you… Me… Us?
By Derek Evers6 years ago in Motivation
The Season of Giving
Recently, I found myself back once again in the middle of the Christmas season. I was brought back to the memories of the magic this season brought to me when I was a young boy. For years now, because of some pretty tough circumstances across the last decade, I hadn't done a very good job of celebrating the season. I always gave gifts to my children, but as far as any decorating or getting into the Christmas spirit, I just hadn't. This year, however, I wanted to change that.
By Vince Coliam6 years ago in Motivation
Dear Rebecca: One Day at a Time
Dear Rebecca, my dearest self, I see how you've arrived in 2021. You're exhausted and overwhelmed. You've made it through your most challenging year yet, and you're scared and uncertain of what this year will bring. You have found yourself tempted to dust off the same old goals you make every year and hang them on your pristine, blank calendar: finally lose those extra pounds, start that website, drink more water, maybe actually focus on yourself for once...Every year, you focus on how you want to "better" yourself and "do more."
By Rebecca Joy6 years ago in Motivation
Money is NOT the gateway to Happiness
I find it absurd of how many of these "hip-hop artists" log into their social media platforms every time they just "got into their bag", boasting about how much money is in their pockets and bank accounts. It's like they want the whole world to know how much moohlah they are earning. And what's sad is that millions on the internet will gladly glamourise it but never hard work and dedication.
By Mark Smith6 years ago in Motivation
Bricks in the Wall.
T/W: assault, drugs, abuse It's been exactly a year now, to the day, since I was drowning in the epicentre of convulsions, depression, anxiety, & painfully crippling withdrawals. I remember on this day, saying to myself; "I can't do this anymore. I can't keep fighting. I am EXHAUSTED, & all I want is to come up for some air. Every single part of me has died." & yet - much to my gratitude - I did not quit. I've managed to tower over that hell of an ordeal & come out on the other side, able to look back in & feel so proud of myself for being as stubborn & headstrong as I am (for once).
By Nicci Zelda6 years ago in Motivation
