Are you a motivated person?
It seems like my motivation is constantly fluctuating. There are days where I will be inspired to work hard and to live my life to the fullest. Most of the time though, I’m feeling the summer blues. Despite having an abundant amount of time, a lot of it is wasted because I feel too lazy and because there’s no one to pester me to do it. It all depends on self-will: it’s not for marks, it’s for the betterment of myself and others. Much like a New Year’s Resolution, people have great goals set out, but how many people actually achieve them?
That’s why I dedicated time to create the above poster.
I reflected on the wisdom that I’ve gained over the years, from role models to novels. Out of the many topics I could write about, I always seem to revolve back to self-improvement. It’s because self-improvement is something everyone is striving for: always trying to be a better person, doing what you love and helping others.
I made the poster as a reminder of the way I want to live and of the person I want to be.
“Be The Change” comes from my involvement with Free the Children. An abbreviation of Gandhi’s “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” it is motivation for me to actualize my dreams, rather than just think about them. If you want a better world, you first have to change yourself. If you want there to be less bullying, then you have to speak about it. If you want people to be more compassionate, then you have to demonstrate it yourself. If you want others to be more motivated, you have to be that role model.
“Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” This quote reminds me that we, as ordinary citizens can achieve anything we set our minds to, so long as we have dedication. This is a wake-up call, because for a long time I believed that I wasn’t fit to be a leader, that I didn’t have the power to change the world. You don’t have to be famous or rich, you only need to go one step at a time and eventually you’ll get to where you want to be.
I’m a big fan of Ellen DeGeneres because of her optimistic and compassionate personality. She ends off each show with the quote, “Be kind to one another.” It sounds so simple, but if everyone made a conscious effort to be kind to each other, many conflicts would be resolved. I remember saying the same quote when I was doing a fundraiser for Free the Children, and before long, I heard my teachers also repeating the same words. Be kind to one person, and that person will be kind to another.
I can continue explaining all of my life philosophies, but I would rather highlight an act of goodwill that I’ve seen. Actions speak louder than words.
Youth Central’s Get Happy Project
These are some of the ideas that Youth Central volunteers came up with to spread joy to others. Reflecting all of the above quotes, this group of thoughtful, committed citizens saw that other people could be happier. Through this act of kindness, they changed the world for the better.
One of the comments about the Get Happy Project was:
“Monday morning was a tough start to the week – international conflict, a very sad film, and cross-country moving stress was weighing heavy on my heart. When I first saw a group of people with a sign on the pedestrian overpass on Crowchild Trail, I was filled with dread that it was one or another group spewing hatred for the other, so when I saw your volunteers standing in the rain, waving to cars with their ‘HAVE A GREAT WEEK YYC’ sign, I started to cry, and so far haven’t been able to tell the story without crying again! Thank you for brightening my Monday, and being a reminder that there are good people out there doing thoughtful things to improve the days and lives of others.”
Closing Remarks
A large concern for youth is what are they going to be when they grow up.
I’m a strong believer that youth have limitless potential to contribute to society, it’s just that many people are lacking motivation. With this post, I hope to inspire you and for you to inspire those around you as well. Everything is a ripple effect. If you surround yourself in positive thoughts, naturally you should also act in a positive way. Find people who you look up to and incorporate their philosophies into your own life. If you constantly remind yourself of them, motivation will quickly follow. That’s all you need.
DFTBA! (Don’t Forget To Be Awesome!)
Editor’s Note: Looking for more inspiration to be motivated? Check out this article from PositivePsychology.com, The Vital Importance and Benefits of Motivation.