It has been two years since I have been thinking about starting my blog and/or a YouTube channel. In all this time, I have not picked up the courage to do either one of them. I am certainly not comfortable in front of the camera, and every day I thought of a different topic to write about for a blog. For example, one day it would be about the law of attraction, and the next day about how to find a job with a disability. Then the next day it would be about how to lead a life in a wheelchair. It has been a real challenge to narrow it down to one topic. Taking that first big step in the right direction takes courage and a leap of faith.
I am not claiming that I am good at all of this, but life has offered me so many different experiences which have been a great journey for me. It has made me the person I am today.
Now I have decided to just start writing. The only way to overcome anxiety about starting a blog or a YouTube channel is to just start. Overthinking kills creativity and we lose ideas. We all feel passionate about something and are good at it. If that ‘something’ can help others then why not share? This thought has convinced me to pursue my goal now.
We tend to underestimate ourselves and do not identify or appreciate our own qualities. After a much-needed self-reflection, I have identified one thing I do well: I stay motivated no matter what. Through my life experiences, I have learned to stay motivated to face challenges even when I wanted to shut out the world and never face it again. We learn and develop our own techniques to deal with stressful situations. Whenever there is a setback or a challenge I give myself time to release initial frustration because it is extremely hard to find motivation if we have unresolved feelings.
Here are (my own personal) 6 tips on how to stay motivated:
Complain
(to whomever you feel comfortable with)
I will not deny the fact that I complain endlessly when I first encounter a problem. The positive thinking that I preach goes out of the window during my complaining phase. However, it helps get the frustration out.
Cry
(tears of joy or sadness)
The complaining then transitions into crying. A good session of crying definitely helps to get rid of negative emotions.
Watch TV / browse social media
(most of us are guilty of this)
It helps to watch a favorite movie/show or simply browse social media as it is a great way to distract yourself from reality for a little while. TikTok videos are addictive, so why not watch endless videos about anything and everything.
Eat junk food
(without feeling guilty)
Eating junk food is very comforting on bad days.
Call a friend
(a true friend will support the complaining phase)
Honestly, venting out to a good friend is another form of therapy. Arrange an in-person meeting, have coffee, and order that rich dessert you both enjoy. It will help uplift your mood and you will feel lighter.
Sleep
(not when driving, though)
When your mind had some time to rest, you begin to comprehend the problem and begin to find solutions.
Basically, the goal is to give yourself time to process your feelings and let your mind relax. The next day you will be ready to tackle the world again. Believe me, if you do everything mentioned above in one day (or take a little longer, if necessary), you will be ready to pursue your goals in the days ahead.
You might have been expecting me to list something along the lines of thinking positive, meditation, yoga, and creating a healthy eating plan to get on track and find motivation again. These topics will be covered in one of the upcoming posts as maintaining motivation is just as important as brushing your teeth daily. However, on the days when one feels shut out from the world and never wants to face it again, they do not want to hear “think positive”, or read positive quotes. Before the mind is ready to process the concept of positive thinking, it needs to let the frustration out. We all have our own ways of releasing frustration. As long as you find safe ways to let that take place, it is all good.