Motivation?

Is it ever hard for you do the simple, everyday tasks that people around you seem to carry out so effortlessly? Do you find yourself alone, sitting in nothing but the noise of your mind-buzzing rapidly with thoughts that drain your mood?

The future is inevitable, and because of that I am not concerned. What I am worried about however is how I’ll gather the motivation to keep pushing forward in this life. Growing up, I didn’t know I had depression, I wasn’t aware of the separate world of mood disorders, so it was very hard for me as a child to not have the mental energy to simply leave my own house. As I am writing this now, an 18-year-old girl drifting slowly through her senior year, It’s safe to say that I still do wake up, and see no obvious reason to even try. I’d feel this way for days on end, sometimes stretching into weeks but just knowing that I will make it out of that mindset is enough to fuel me, at least a little.

Because of my past though, I am dedicated to perusing a healthy and happy future, for 10-year-old me, and 60-year-old me as well.

One thing that I always find that helps when you’re in a pathetic slump is to take a break. It may feel as though you’ve been taking one already, but by break I mean take a break for your monotonous or daily activities. Stay home if you usually go out, order in food if you’re used to cooking. Find the small things that excite you, and take care of yourself. You deserve it. Life isn’t always meant to be on a fast track, and when things seem to be getting out of hand, it can leave you feeling hopeless, less than what you’re capable of. It may seem like the efficient rout to take by piling everything on top of one another and attempting to tackle it all in one go, but you are simple just one person. Do not let anyone make you feel bad for taking time out for yourself, because it does not make you lazy, it makes you self conscious. It shows that you care for your mental and physical well being. Downtime isn’t a crime.

Another thing to keep in mind is to never stop doing what makes YOU happy. Watch videos and TV, play music, garden, ride a bike through a park you’ve never been to. Just don’t give up on yourself or your life because you feel unmotivated. Motivation does not just come to a person, one must reach out and find it.

In my spare time, I love to write poetry and music, I love to draw and doodle as well, but I can find it difficult to even form an idea of what to put out. The key to that is to just keep the pen moving on the paper. Write down any sudden thought or idea that comes to mind, even if it doesn’t seem perfect. Keep a journal or log of all of them so that one day when you’re feeling inspired you can come back to the topic and add onto it. Personally, I’ll write a word or two that jumps out at me, and think about it through my day. Anything else that comes to mind, be sure to keep it documented.

Keep in mind that life is ever evolving, and just because you feel a certain way right now does not mean that you will feel this way forever. There may be dry spells in everyone’s life, artists not having a clue what to paint, writers with writers block and so on. Remember that you are not alone in this, and let that motivate you. You have people just like you on your side willing to support every step you take.

Never push yourself too hard, and always keep a positive outlook. Keep things to look forward to, and make small goals that are easy and satisfying to accomplish. Keep pushing forward even when you feel you have no more strength, because you will get better, and you will be back on track before you know it.

There is no rush or race to be successful in life, it takes time, and careful dedication. It may feel as though your clock is ticking and time is passing you too quickly, but remember to breathe.