Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Motivation.
It Gets Better, I Promise
I spent a lot of my time throughout college and the following summer wondering what would happen to all those I considered my friends at college and whether I would see them again after leaving. My simple answer is that I failed to keep in touch with many of them, due to my own insecurities about starting conversations over Facebook or Whatsapp or text. Eventually, I even stopped talking to the people I spoke to every day. It hurt a lot to think I'd lost all those connections.
By Danielle Pountney8 years ago in Motivation
Self Discovery
Having experienced some rather intense mind, body, and spirit events personally in my life recently, I thought why not write about them and share my personal growth with people. If what has happened to me at my age, with my life history, can encourage even one person to look differently at life itself, then I will have achieved something.
By Lucy Laverty8 years ago in Motivation
What Is Your Niche?. Top Story - May 2018.
I also think that the student graduating high school, the senior who has just retired and wants to keep busy, and the person who is making an entirely new career change are the largest groups of people searching for their unique niche in life. If you are in this situation, you may have asked yourself the following questions?
By Carolann Sherwood8 years ago in Motivation
Why I Began Writing - Do for YOU
I have been writing short stories, poetry (and I am currently in the process of writing two novels), since I was around 13. Many of us go through major life-changing events. Some of us are lucky where those events are happy ones. Others, not so much. To this day I still struggle with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. My childhood was unique, and a lot of times fun. The childhood many others wish they had. With the constant traveling and moving and going to fun places. But it was also filled with loneliness and an angry parent who made me feel no bigger than an ant daily. There are many people out there who can relate to a certain extent to my experiences and then some. And many more out there who have had much more difficult lives in many ways. For me, writing was a release of all the emotions I couldn't talk about. Whether it be because I didn't have a friend to talk to, or I just didn't want to open myself up. Either way, I had to get it out, or it would continuously eat at me and make everything so much harder to deal with in the end.
By Fiver Goodier8 years ago in Motivation
Surfing
Have you experienced the rush of a crashing wave? After finding your way to the surface, you wipe the water and hair from your face, only to realizes another is barreling towards you. You strategize in a hastened mindset how you will pass this next wave, and look even further to how you will conquer the set. There is no time to react, with a six foot force rushing towards you. You react, hoping a few tries are enough enlighten your muscle memory. These are the struggles of a new surfer, seemingly daunting, but experientially invigorating. All of this take place in a deceptive environment. It seems peaceful, hearing the waves crash, feeling the spray of salt water, and smelling the saltwater. All of your senses are triggered as you pursue the activity, yet the environment develops into a retreat from reality. This paradox is the appeal to surfing. Because a surfer recognizes the false mindset, and it makes the trip to the beach much sweeter and more meaningful. It challenges your physical and mental abilities, as well as the naive characterization of the ocean as a harmless place of relaxation.
By Nathan Cherenzia8 years ago in Motivation
I Am More Than What You Make Me Out to Be
I was standing in the spotlight, everything was silent but I swear I could hear my heartbeat hammering against my chest. My hands were clammy and my knees felt like jelly, yet they never let me fall. I don’t remember singing or crossing the stage so I can properly deliver my lines like the main performer did. I was the understudy that was thrown on stage last minute, still in shock. Loud whistles and claps, almost like thunder rippling throughout the room and waking me from my deep focus.
By Brittany Seville8 years ago in Motivation
What I Learned from 'Big Magic' by Elizabeth Gilbert
I recently finished Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and whew. Talk about a life-changer. I picked it up a while back from my college's Barnes and Noble after getting a gift card for Christmas from my grandparents. I tucked it away on my bookshelf and completely forgot about it until I was packing up everything to leave Texas for the summer. I came across it, was like "Oh yeah, I own this," and threw it in my suitcase with the rest of my belongings. Three weeks later, I'm finished with it and still brooding over its wisdom. For me, this book brought a whole new meaning to what creative living means and today, I'm here to share my favorite bits from it, which, by the way, were exceedingly difficult to choose. There's a lot of stuff in here, but I'll save some of it for you to discover on your own. So if you'd like to hear a bit of Liz Gilbert's wisdom on pushing past fear to live creatively, just keep reading.
By Hannah Bonner8 years ago in Motivation
A Peek Inside
I am on this mission to help those that don’t suffer from depression to get a glimpse inside as well as to remind those that do suffer from depression that they aren’t alone. My husband and quite a few of my friends and family have no context to my moods or behavior as they have never suffered from depression.
By Harlie Wood8 years ago in Motivation
"Keep Calm Richard"
While I was out and about recently, I bought a keyring from a gift shop marked with the words "Keep Calm Richard." Obviously, this is a very generic keyring. One of many to use an adaptation of the WWII slogan "Keep Calm and Carry On" with any numbers of names or titles underneath. Given that I have been at a low ebb recently and wrestling with my health, it seemed like something I should get myself as a poignant reminder to relax. The dark green background clinched it for me—being one of my favourite colours.
By Richard Brind8 years ago in Motivation
At the Top of the Stairs
At the Top of the Stairs It’s midnight. I should be in bed, but I’m not. I never am now. Thoughts are always consuming my mind during the night. No one is home. I sit at the top of the stairs surrounded by empty bedrooms—five, to be exact. One of them is mine, although I don’t spend much time in it. Darkness is all that is present. No lights are on. No one is laughing or arguing. Everything is silent. A house that once held seven people now only holds me for the night. My dad is out of town and no one else lives here. I sit at the top of the stairs. Memories flood my mind: my older sister moving out and going all the way to Athens, my oldest brother moving to Roswell, my little sister living with my mom in a different house, my other brother becoming a freshman in college and now leaving me just like the rest, my parents divorcing, my empty house, my bad grades, my poor decisions, my failures. I cry. I miss my family. I don’t like being alone. I hate failing.
By Brandi Jo8 years ago in Motivation
The Road
Growing up, I was always one to follow rules. I was taught that if I were to go against what an adult or "superior" told me, I was in the wrong. I morphed into this person that I thought others wanted to see. I have infinite love for my family, as I am so close to them. Which is why I thought what they said was true. I thought that by choosing my actions carefully based on another person's perception of me was critical to succeeding. While doing this I would also never open up and express my true thoughts and feelings. Just the idea of not conforming to what my parents, school, managers, boyfriends, or friends "expected" of me caused anxiety and panic. This person that I was never found healthy relationships of any kind because I was never truly me. I was afraid to show my true face for rejection from the world. I was afraid to tell others how I felt because I feared I would hurt them.
By Courtney Reilly8 years ago in Motivation
Raging Water
Today was a tough day... the reality of a broken relationship, questioning all my past and current choices, the hurt of misunderstanding, the feeling of shame, the weight of my family's future and the constant barrage of self sabotaging negative dialogue is raging a war inside my head. My heart aches, and my body hurts. My anxiety and depression are becoming difficult to manage...
By Josh Martin8 years ago in Motivation
