My Views On . . .

Motivation

Today I'd like to talk a little about where I get my motivation from. If you can't tell from my constant lack of updating, I can sometimes be a lazy person. I use excuses as to why I can't do something or do the whole "ten more minutes" routine.
When I'm not sitting on my butt doing nothing, though, sometimes I find myself a bit down. Maybe I've had a rough day, or perhaps I can't get a piece right for band, or maybe I just need a reason to get on my feet and stop being lazy. Whatever the reason it's needed, motivation can come from a few different places.
To be honest, the biggest one is probably YouTube. Most often, I search for things like "Inspirational Stories" and see what pops up. They are not typically the most eye opening things to watch; however, sometimes I will find a video that makes my heart swell with emotion. Inspirational stories like these can put a different outlook on my day. There are also some celebrities I enjoy watching. To name a couple, Ellen DeGeneres and Sierra Boggess are two extrememly inspirational women that I love. Ellen always tries to make people laugh, and Sierra's motto "You are enough; you are so enough; it is unbelievable how enough you are" reminds me that I don't have to put on an act for other people. Me being me is, well, enough.
Of course, YouTube also has to offer one of the many gifts of the world: music. Are you ever in a really bad mood until you here this one song that you absolutely love, and you can't help the awkward dancing your body is attempting? No, just me? Well, sometimes what I really need to wash away the struggles of the day is to dance (quite terribly, may I add) to a song in my room. Other times, I look for songs from musicals in which the characters are just as distressed as I am. Knowing that someone out there wrote that song because they feel the exact same way as I do helps me to connect with the song an emotional level.
If I'm not on YouTube, I could be trying contact with other human beings. Sometimes what one really needs is to rant on a friend, especially one who agrees with what you're thinking. Maybe you both did poorly on a test and are upset because your teacher didn't teach the material that was on the test (come on, we all have those teachers). Maybe one of your other friends really hurt your feelings and you know your mom is the perfect comforter. People are not the only resources, too. Cuddling with your dog, cat, or any other pet you might have can relieve your stress. You can talk to them for hours, and guess what? They won't interrupt. Sure, they may be sleeping the entire time, and yeah, they might get up and leave, but even talking at someone can calm you down.
I'll admit that this last resources I don't use as much as I should. We have a constant listener, yet somehow, it's easy to forget about Him. At times when I feel like I have no where else to turn, I open my Bible, talk to God, and hear what He has to say. Like your pet, He will let you talk without interrupting, but the best part is, He is listening, and He understands your pain. It can sometimes be hard to believe that He's there, but that doesn't mean He's not.
What about you? Where do you go when you need motivated? Is there a certain celebrity, YouTube video, or book that you go to? Share in the comments!