Some End Of The School Year Motivation

So I don't know what's going on in your life right now. Maybe you've got a big project or paper you haven't started yet. Maybe you've stopped going to the gym, and you really need a sign to nudge you along. Maybe you're stuck in a loop of just going to class and going to sleep, and you want to do something new. Maybe you don't even know what you're feeling, you just know you need some motivation. I've been there. So many times, just in the last month even. But here's how I get over it.

First of all, I'm not an expert. Please don't take anything I say to heart or as the end all be all.

I am, however, a college student with anxiety that struggles to find ways to make myself excited for things. And I, like most people, talk to myself. A lot. So I just have good, firm discussions with myself that end up with me ready to take on the world.

I tell myself that even the littlest advancement is good. A friend of mine always tells me that "baby steps are still movement", and that's so true. It doesn't matter how fast or how far you're moving along in life. As long as you are progressing, that is still movement, and that is an accomplishment in itself. Maybe instead of starting that big paper, just write the introduction. Or instead of going to the gym, try walking instead of bussing around. You don't have to dive back into the deep end. Baby steps are still movement.

I tell myself that each day is a new day, and each new day brings so many opportunities to do good. Make someone smile, even if it's just yourself. Do something that excites you, terrifies you, annoys you. As long as you're making yourself feel something, that's enough. So, even if that ten-page paper is the last thing you want to do, know that finishing it will bring you the relief that you didn't even know you needed.

I tell myself that I have the power to reward myself. Whether that looks like online shopping, coffee, Chick-Fil-A, or even ringing the bell, I celebrate all my victories, big or small. Rewards are probably my biggest motivators.

I tell myself that I'm not in this alone. I've got the best group of friends who know that giving me space is something that really helps sometimes, but, when I need it, they're also always there to encourage me and give me a little boost in the right direction if I need it. And most of the time, I really do need it.

I tell myself that it's okay if I don't have any motivation. Sometimes you just need a "you" day where you chill in bed watching Netflix and eat chips right out the bag. Or a tub of ice cream. Or whatever your guilty pleasure is. It's okay to just do nothing. It's good for the body and the soul.

I tell myself that it will always be okay.