Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Motivation.
IDeas
Many ideas can go the wrong direction. To take the time to think, and process what you are thinking to bring forth to reality. What happens when your reality becomes your own living nightmare? Did your idea come from a place, I could place? Random thoughts come in you’re on my mind and you make the choice. Will you listen to these ideas? Be careful on what thrives. You can influence yourself. You are you worse enemy! And that enemy is your thoughts. Your thoughts produce ideas, and your ideas, Producers motive. Your motive might have you take action in a place you should’ve never been a part of. My point is when you think of something we careful on how you are influence. Your own mind can play tricks on you. Gain wisdom and seek truth.
By Isaiah Caceres6 years ago in Motivation
Uncaged
I spent a lifetime attempting to abuse my body into a pleasing package. Often, I was successful in making myself small,in all the ways a woman is told to be- in a whisper or a yell, or a glance- the message was clear. For as long as I can remember, it felt like my body didn’t belong to me. It felt normal to be caged in my body. The rungs on the cage were invisible, but effective. They were secured by shame and expectations that being human made impossible to meet. I could never be a good girl for long. Something stronger than the facade always found a way to come through, like my body was haunted. This spirit cared nothing for what “they” expected of me. She craved more. She planted visions in my head of desires and longing that pushed against the bars- until I broke into pieces.
By Angelique Sanchez6 years ago in Motivation
Interesting Enough
Interesting enough I am at the point of tearing down buildings and destroying planes, metaphorically of course. Through mindless weeks of feeding my (what already feels like) massive brain, and making ends meet. I guess you can say, “Welcome to Fucking Adulthood!” How exciting. My question is, what makes growing up look so cool throughout our childhoods? I would think freedom, but lets be real, that doesn’t really exist in this capitalistic country right now. Thinking, with my big brain, I suspect that materialistic marketing for many companies were in play; let me rephrase, replay.
By Amy Lincoln6 years ago in Motivation
Good morning
It’s 7:15 am in NYC 2020. I still here the crickets with the faint sounds of cars passing through. One about 5 minutes after another. Harlem wakes up a little slower than Brooklyn. But I hear the crickets. I love it! But does the sound of crickets ever stop or does the word just get to loud; so that we never hear them. Appreciating the things that you don’t have to worry about. Yeah, sure.. things make you mad, sad, emotionally moved to points you can’t get explain. The random moments you battle. Who when’s the fight? Who loses? WHAT IS THE COST OF THERE VICTORY?! And does it change when they die? I know, know what your thinking; all of this over some damn 🦗. No but I do like the peace it gives me when I am up all alone. Checking on my children as they dream of their most wonderful dreams. Have you ever experienced your child so afraid from a dream that they woke up really crying and asking for help? And for that moment you feel a brief feeling of hurt and what if’s. And this isn’t for everyone but that moment when you felt like when it came to it you couldn’t protect them. Now, why is this sad? When you count your blessings and you have complete understanding that nothing is ever REALLY under your control. That you and everyone around you has been chosen to travel on the same or different path; that will will reveal the end and the beginning. But then is still not sad? No, it’s absolutely sad. These feelings are real. They were given to us in the beginning to live and chose love, and for the rest death. Is that so bad? Are we now to say it’s okay to die and never had loved. Now, I know what you are thinking, all of this for some damn crickets 🦗?! No but realize; when you hear a crickets chirp, it’s only during the times that the world is hibernating. When the world appears to be dead and cold. The crickets remind you that their is still life. Don’t forget about the sun. The sun reminds you that their are always better days.
By Ashley Graham6 years ago in Motivation
The Value in Breaking Points
It seems as though these moments are those we so often run away from. We fear the breaking point. We avoid it at all costs. Here’s the thing: in my experiences , I have found some of my most valuable revelations and moments of self love come from these edges.
By Tawny Skye6 years ago in Motivation
START up
"Why are you doing what you're doing?" was a common question. "Why now, aren't you a little, you know - past your prime,?" was the other one. Joining the military at my age is uncommon, and quite frankly, I had to get to the point in my life where I chose not to give a damn about what anyone thought anymore, to choose to follow that little roaring triumphant voice in my head that said, "GO. Go now and do it." So, I did. My family had no reason now not to support me, my ex was now my ex, and remarried, and they both wanted me gone for a while - so basic training worked out perfectly! (Please note, I say this with all the humor in the world. My ex and I are amicable, but we both can annoy the crap out of each other, and his wife in the meantime - she's a saint!). What makes someone do an about hace almost midway through a successful career? Mine was because that damn voice in my head still existed since the towers fell. I was 18. I was doing crunches in my parent's living room. I saw the first tower - I stopped, in shock. Then the second plane, second tower. My heart was at 220 bpm, my mind, my heart, my everything said - YOU HAVE TO GO --- NOW! GO HELP!!! The weight of my engagement ring - my promise, my everything, was on my left hand. I made a choice that day that nearly killed me 11 years later. I can write in more detail later, but this is a start. This is a reminder that you have to IGNORE everyone. You have to do the hard work to unearth your heart and LISTEN to it. Yes - ignore people in order to hear your heart! (p.s. I'm typing, not talking, so you can't ignore me just yet!) My goal in my next season of life is to help others, that is pretty vague, but I started DOING my passion, taking the steps (with my first ruck, see above- yes, she's gorgeous. How we met is another story for a different time). My point is - set your eyes on the overall global picture, then drill down - smaller steps. How do I help people? Do I want to run a non-profit? Do I want to be a nurse? EMT /Paramedic/Firefighter? Do I want to be a social worker? What about a counselor, pastor, or teacher (another avenue to guaranteed sainthood!)? Take a bunch of personality quizzes - they're fun! Hire a mentor which is really like an objective best friend who can tell you for realizes what tools might help you navigate your path ahead. No matter what - start exploring who you are, who you have been. WRITE IT DOWN (look! I'm doing it here), even if you annoy yourself with your thoughts! Start with step 1. Make it habitual, a ritual. Build on it. Ask for clarity as you go - and don't rush the process. It took me 18 years to be made ready for military service. It's taken me even longer to become what I hope to be when I grow up - a healer, a helper, a navigator. It is not too late to take your journey. If I can lose my salary of 80k annually, ask for help, etc.. you most definitely can. At some point we have to jump out of the plane. So start getting your checklist and equipment assembled. Then - hang on for the ride up!
By Lydia6 years ago in Motivation
Pink Ribbon Scars
When one speaks about body art, the mind always goes straight to tattoos or piercings, crazy funky designs on the skin, maybe some crazy hair colored ideas. My parents are very old schooled, and although I am a lover of anything art related my skin is what one would say virgin skin. I have absolutely no tattoos and in this day in age that is pretty unheard of. I have always wanted tattoos and my mother has told me I am not allowed to get one if I am still living under her roof, which is very understandable, and surprisingly I have listened. Since my late teen years I have gone through struggles, heartbreaks, rebellion, misunderstandings, and well the typical growing up dramatic emotions one feels and never really knows how to deal with. I dealt with mine in pretty dark ways, and one of the outcomes that came with this was that I was a cutter. A hard truth no one really likes to talk about, but it is a part of me. As a result, I have visible scars up and down my entire left forearm. And they are very visible. Its been years since I’ve stopped, but there isn’t a day that doesn’t go by that I don’t look down at my arm and think about them. In the beginning, of course, I was very self conscious of my scars and I never wanted anyone to see them. But I live in Miami, where its summer all year round, therefore it’s extremely difficult to even try to hide them and people would talk either way if you are constantly wearing long sleeves in 90 degree weather. There came a point in my life where I had to make peace with the damage I had done, and from that day forward I wore my scars proudly. No one has ever asked me about them, but I constantly see people looking down at my arms from time to time. I do get the random curious cats who always think it’s something completely different that happened to me, but when I tell them the truth they don’t really know what to say, and I just respond back saying “don’t feel bad, I’ve crossed that bridge already, I’m fine now”. But no one ever dares to ask why, or how, but I don’t expect them to. In terms of body art, I have always wanted to get a tattoo big enough to hide them. But as I grow older the more and more respect I gain towards my pink ribbon scars. I see them now as a tattoo of their own, and it makes me feel strong and proud that I have overcome that darkness in my life. It was a hard time and I was constantly under a dark cloud, and it gives me joy to understand that I am strong enough to overcome anything I put my mind to. With that being said, not only do I see people’s tattoos and appreciate the art they have decided to put on their bodies, but I also acknowledge and take into account every scar they have on their body. Everyone has stories for their scars, funny stories, sad stories, dark stories or just plain accidental situations that happened out of clumsiness. But it gives people that real grittiness, you can see the human in them, you can see them for who they are. Scars speak louder than any ink you decide to put on your skin, because it’s your skin. Its your healing process, your wounds made you into the person you are today and we all have those stories to tell about our scars. Physically, or metaphorically, but either way they are beautiful. They are real. And when I listen to the stories told by others, it makes me more grounded, it inspires me, and I see the strength we hold, beyond what we choose to show to the world, but instead what we hide in the dark. If you just listen, you may find more comfort knowing someone else may have gone through the same obstacles you have gone through, and without judgement you will be able to see the light in their eyes, because us as humans hold so much hope, so much love, and we happen to wear it all right on our sleeves. Body art isn’t so much just what we choose to show to the world, but instead, what is already naturally on your skin makes you the unique person you were born into this world as.
By Gisele Goett6 years ago in Motivation
An Open Letter to Myself
The year 2020 has been life changing for me. During the six months of quarantine, I lost over fifteen pounds, causing me to come close to the double digits in weight. I have always been a smaller person, but as a 5'6" 23-year-old, I knew this was in no way a healthy lifestyle.
By Taylor Hyer6 years ago in Motivation
