Hello my beautiful lovely dolls, a slightly different post today featuring my 'Top Tips.' This next series is my 'Top Tips' of various aspects in life and today I'm starting with motivation. I hope you'll find this next series just as helpful and interesting! These are simply my tips and I do not aim to preach or say that these will work. You have to find what is best for you and only you can do that. Think of these as ideas to work with. You may find them helpful or might give you inspiration. Whatever you choose; I hope these help as they have helped me tremendously!
We all struggle with motivation from time to time including myself. We have those days where its 'oh I'll do that tomorrow' or 'I cannot be bothered to do that now' and we end up putting jobs/chores/work off. It can be anything. Even something like going to the shops, writing assignments or walking the dog. Think of something you have been putting off. Now ask yourself why. Write these down on a bit of paper. It can be anything you're not wanting to do or very little motivation doing. They do not have to be in order. Write all the things down and put it to one side. We'll come back to this later. Now you'd had a little think and made your list; let's have a look at tips to boost your motivation!
- Start a Diary -
I found starting a diary very useful and helpful. On days where I feel like I've been a slob and not done much; I turn to my diary and I can see all the progress I've made. Some days, I might of wrote a few sentences and on other days, I've wrote pages and pages! It's entirely up to you how much you write. By starting a diary you can reflect and keep track of your progress. You can break big tasks into small chunks. For example, let's say you have an assignment to write. Instead of trying to tackle the whole thing, break it into manageable chucks. Introduction, main body and a conclusion. It will seem so much easier to do and you'll feel more positive to tackle it.
I write positive words, doodles and quotes to reflect on. Anything I find or see: I stick it into the diary. It can be a beautiful photo, an inspirational quote, a pretty pattern; anything that makes me feel good. This diary is designed to make you feel positive and motivated so make it personal!
Its up to you how often you write but I tend to write at the end of the day so I can reflect back and jot things down. Find a quiet and comfortable place to write. Somewhere where you can relax. This will help you unwind with no distractions.
- Set yourself a Mantra -
A Mantra is a sound, word or group of words to create transformation. Sounds complicated? Basically, it can be a word or phrase that you say to yourself. It can be when you're feeling stressed, worried or anxious. Its about re-training how you think. Instead of 'I can't' change it to 'I will.' Its about changing negatives into positives. (See the Dalmatian...he's thinking 'I will get through this window!') Have faith in yourself! By trying to think more positive will help you have a better outlook on different aspects. Lot's of people have different mantras. Make yours personal to yourself. Repeat it as many time as you need to.
I had a recent interview and I used this method to help me feel more positive and motivated. When I was feeling nervous and anxious, I said to myself 'I will do well in my interview.' Re-training my mind helped me feel more motivated and positive. When you wake up in the morning; say your mantra to yourself. You could have it on a post-it note or written somewhere you can read it. My manta is 'Hear me roar!' Think of the confident lion in the jungle. Standing proud. Bold. Brave. Fearless.
- Music -
Listening to music can help motivate us. You see them in the gym pounding the treadmills with their iPods. This helps them stay focused and motivated to run. Songs can have a huge influence on our emotions. Some songs make us feel sad, some make us feel happy, some bring back memories or thoughts of certain places and people. You need to find songs that help you feel happy. In turn, this will help you feel more motivated to get up and do what you need to do. Compile your 'motivated music' playlist. Add to your ipod, laptop or put onto a CD. Then that way you can play it when you're needing some motivation. You could play it in the car or listen to it on your iPod on the train.
Think about the songs that make you want to get up and throw crazy dance moves. These are the kind of songs you want to help you get motivated. Think about the songs that make you feel good.
- My Motivational Journal -
Since posting these pictures on Instagram and Twitter, I had lots of interest in where I got this downloadable motivational journal from. Basically you print it off and fill in the blanks... couldn't be simpler! There's a choice of colours, boarders or plain black and white. I chose the black and white so I could decorate it myself. I used watercolour paints, glitter, pens, anything to make it super pretty! It's really inspiring! You can find the journal here. I hope you enjoyed my top tips and found them useful. Please let me know what you think and if you like any more posts like this!
