Photo by Cameryn Zorb
Hello all! The purpose of this new column is to provide advice for your daily life. You have the opportunity to send in questions if you would like to hear my opinion, and maybe learn something worthwhile in the process! This first week is about starting the new year off on the right foot, an idea that is applicable to many areas of life, however, I want to direct it toward maintaining motivation and doing your best this new semester.
My favorite way to stay motivated is through reflection and reminders. Both of these are important because reflecting on yourself and your achievements of the past can remind you why you’ve chosen to pursue a bright future through your education. Stay in school, kids.
Let’s start with reflection. If you’re in that mood where you begin to doubt yourself or your abilities, I found it’s very helpful to go back and think about how much you’ve accomplished in your life. There are many ways to do this. Scroll back through social media and remember those proud posts from your family dictating your many triumphs. Or even go back through a yearbook and read those messages scrawled between the seams of the shiny pages. Or maybe don’t, we all had different high school experiences, and some are too painful to remember. Whatever the method may be, just reflect on your past because it will remind you of how far you have come so far. Then you can see that you still have so far to go.
If you don’t have social media (gasp) or a yearbook you like, then just pick up your phone. If I’m feeling down, then I like to hear from my loved ones. At college, it can feel like home and your family is so far away. But that’s the beauty of technology, right? Just a phone call and their voice in your ear can make you feel like everything is right in the world. If you’re unable to pick yourself up, then have someone do it for you. There’s nothing wrong with getting the help you need to move forward. Your loved ones will always be there for you, and trust me when I tell you that they’d love to help you stay motivated.
Those are my two favorite ways to stay motivated. Of course, there’s so many more. Just look on Pinterest and you’ll see motivational quotes left and right. But, ultimately, you are the deciding factor of your future.
You want my advice? Starting off on the right foot doesn’t mean beginning again, but it means taking those next steps forward. Step out of your comfort zone, try new things, and keep working hard and moving. You control whether to move on or stay stuck in one spot.
Want your question answered next? Send an email to cameryn.zorb@pepperdine.edu if you’d like to hear from me. Or contact me on social media:
Follow Cameryn Zorb on Instagram: @camyzorb
Follow Cameryn Zorb on Twitter: @camyzorb
