Motivation Revisited – 3 steps to start working motivated!

I hope you all had an amazing start to 2017!

 I started my year by returning to university for the exam period, and I have to say that I wasn’t quite satisfied with my performance. I always thought of myself as a very hard-working and motivated person, but finally I had to realise that I’ve lost this motivation throughout the last year. So I thought that I would share my story with you and tell you how I managed to realise that something was wrong, what exactly happened to my motivation and how I got it back at the end. I hope that this helps you if you feel like you’re working hard but something’s still missing and you’re struggling to find motivation.

Instagram: @patriciavisz

1. Are you working hard or motivated?

Probably the hardest and longest part of this process is when you still do what you’ve been doing before, you’re working hard every day, but something’s just wrong. You’re missing that extra bit, the cherry on top. You meet all your deadlines, you reach the minimum of the word counts, you get a decent mark but that’s all. You don’t go back to make your work any better, you don’t put in the extra effort to delete the weak paragraph and change it. When it’s done, it’s done. This is what I’ve been doing for so long, and I didn’t understand why I wasn’t satisfied with any of my assignments or the marks that I got for them. I still worked really hard on them, right?

A friend of mine kept telling me how she stays awake the whole night to finish her assignments, and I know that in most cases this is just a sign of time management issues, but I realised that I was envious of her motivation. I would never be able to do an all-nighter, because I simply don’t care that much. And I started thinking: Am I doing everything I possibly can to improve? Am I doing all this work just to be done with it, or to make it actually good? Am I actually as hard-working as I thought I was?

2. What is your goal?

It is very difficult to realise that you’ve been working hard instead of working motivated. But once you’ve done that, you can start focusing on how to find your motivation again. The first thing you need to do is set a goal. Without a goal, there is no motivation. They’re in a symbiosis. This goal can be a promotion at work, getting into a good university, or just a better performance in what you do. The point is that it should be something that makes you excited. A good goal will give you butterflies in your stomach, and it will make you happy just thinking about it.

So what I’ve done is that I started thinking about what I want to do after graduation, and I searched for some masters degrees that I might be interested in. And then the same thing happened to me as when I found the description of my BA degree that I’m doing now, two years ago: I just knew that it was perfect for me, that it was “my thing.” I might not actually end up doing that exact course, because a lot can happen in the next two years, but I think this was definitely the biggest step towards finding my motivation again.

3. Start the change!

Once you have your goal, you need a plan. What do you have to do to achieve it? Are you willing to do EVERYTHING it takes to get there? It will take time to get into it. This change will not happen in a day. You just need to commit to your goal, and then not give up. You need to get into that mind-set where you feel motivated and are able to do the extra bit. That particular cherry on top I was talking about before. You need to be humble, and accept that it takes effort. You will be tired. You will think about giving up. But what matters is that you will carry on, because you have a purpose. It always takes sacrifice to achieve your dreams.

I already started this change, even though it was too late for my exams. I couldn’t do all the extra effort that I was supposed to do over a semester, but I promised myself that I would do it in the next one. I owe myself that I do everything I possibly can to be a better version of me. It will be hard to have a job and study at the same time, but it’s not impossible. Nothing’s impossible with motivation!

I hope that this post inspired you and helped you in the process of finding your motivation. Don’t forget that it’s better to try and fail than fail to try. You owe yourself to do something you love, even if it’s hard to get there! Let me know in the comments what it is that you would like to achieve this year, I would love to hear it!

Xx

P.

 

Pieces of Inspiration #3

The third part of the Pieces of Inspiration series is finally here! Obviously these are very personal posts, as I write all the quotes about my own thoughts, emotions and experiences. But this blog is exactly for sharing these things, for sharing a bit of my life, and I hope that this will help some of you. Enjoy!

Instagram: @patriciavisz

“If you ever feel hopeless, know that one day is enough to change everything. Change can happen when you least expect it. Believe me. Believe that one day, it will happen.”

“Surround yourself with people who love you, support you and believe in you. It might take a while to find them, but it will be worth the wait. You might have to be alone for a bit, but when it’s the right time the people who belong in your life will come. And stay.”

Instagram: @patriciavisz

 “The best things always happen when you finally decide to take a step out of your comfort zone. I know it is terrifying. But it is definitely worth it. Be brave, be confident, be you!”

“A true best friend will never hurt you, judge you, or make you cry. A true best friend will accept you for who you are, love you with your imperfections and help you through the hardest times. They are not meant to make your life any more difficult. They are meant to make it better, and this is why you must choose your friends carefully. If you give more than what you get, eventually you will end up being empty.”

Instagram: @patriciavisz

“And after a couple of years, you will realise that some people will never change. They will always stay the way that they are. And every time you start to have hope, they will crash it over and over again. Some people will only disappoint you. And it’s not worth it.”

“Don’t wait for support from other people. The only person whose support you need to achieve your dreams is YOU.”

“Be nice to those who are nice to you. Spread love with every word you say, appreciate every smile you get in response. There is more than enough negativity in the world, and you have to do everything you can to make a change, however small it is.”

 

3 of my New Year’s Resolutions

I feel like the beginning of a new year is the perfect opportunity to reflect on your life – Did you achieve what you’ve planned for this year? Are you going in the right direction to get where you want to be? If you’re only at the beginning of the road, it is perfectly fine. Everyone needs to start somewhere. Why not kick off the New Year with an epic plan and an incredible amount of motivation? Let’s do this! Let’s make 2017 the best it can possibly be! Here are 3 of my new year’s resolutions to help you and give you some inspiration to design a life that you love living.

1. Travel alone!

In 2016 I started buying postcards in every city or town that I went to so I have a small but gradually increasing collection: Amsterdam, Paris, Budapest, The Hague, Rouen, Split, London… My plan for 2017 is to extend it as much as I can. But I feel like it’s time for me to be more independent when I travel. Sometimes when you travel with other people you need to compromise and you might miss out on certain opportunities. You need to be completely alone to be able to really get to know a place and the people who live there, and this is definitely something I will keep in mind in 2017. I want to see more of the world this year, I want to immerse myself more in other cultures, I want to get to know people and learn about history. Let’s be open to the world in 2017, let’s work hard and make all the travel plans come true!

2. Make time for the things that make you happy!

Sometimes it’s difficult to find time for the things you love doing while you’re busy running around campus the whole day, writing all the assignments and also doing a part-time job. In 2016 I realised that I’d really missed reading books and getting completely immersed in stories, so I decided to start reading every single day before going to sleep – whether it’s just one page or a two hour reading session to finish a novel. I made it a habit and I absolutely loved it, it was so good to switch off my phone every evening and go to bed feeling relaxed and calm. I want to keep this habit for the new year, and also make time for other things that I’ve missed doing and that make me happy – I want to be able to sit down and create something regularly: write, draw or paint. Life can be so much more than working all day and watching TV in the evening. So let’s do the things that make you happy, let’s create and inspire!

3. Don’t compare yourself to others!

It is such a bad habit to let other people’s success make you feel like you’re worth less than them. If you keep looking at others instead of concentrating on yourself, the negativity caused by the thought that you’re less successful will drag you down. I always knew that I should only focus on my own journey because everyone’s different, but it is easier said than done. In 2017 I want to be more positive and believe that I can achieve anything. I want to stop comparing myself to others and concentrate on my own improvement. I don’t need to be where the others are. I just need to be always better than yesterday, always go one step forward on my own path. So believe that you can do it too! Believe in yourself.

I really hope that sharing my resolutions gave you some inspiration. I wish all of you a very successful and happy new year! I have a feeling that 2017 is going to be awesome, so I hope you are all just as excited as I am! It’s time to create a life that you love.

Xx

P.

Morning Routine – At University

In this video I’m showing you what my morning routine looks like when I’m at university. I think it’s really important to have a nice morning routine that you enjoy doing, because it can put you in a good mood for the entire day, so I thought I would show you mine today. Let me know what yours looks like in the comments!

I always put on the radio while I’m getting ready, because some good songs and jokes always wake me up and make me happy. I always find myself laughing during the radio 1 breakfast show 🙂 My favourite part of getting ready is probably doing my makeup, because I love how confident it makes me feel. You can’t even imagine how much I care about matching my makeup and hair with my outfit, I am so busy thinking about this every morning that I basically forget to worry about university.

So after I do my morning routine I am ready to face the challenges of the day, or most of the time just ready to sit in the library then go to work… and live the fabulous life of a student you know.

Xx

P.

University Room Tour 2016

First video from my new room! Since I moved back to the UK at the end of September I have been constantly buying decorations and trying to organise everything in the best way possible. I was very excited to make this video so I hope you will like it. Let me know what you think!

Some information about my accommodation: I live halls at the University of Southampton, and I have a non-ensuite room. I have 5 flatmates and we share 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. I think my room is amazing because it’s modern and the colour of the furniture definitely goes with my aesthetic so it was really easy to make it feel my own. Regarding that I am an international student I obviously possess way too many unnecessary things, like decorations etc, but I have already given up on trying to restrain myself from shopping so it doesn’t really matter anymore haha. It was also a challenge that I’m not allowed to make any drastic changes such as changing the curtains or getting new furniture. So I had to use little bits of decoration like colourful pencil holders and fairy lights, and I think I did a really good job. I absolutely love this room and I’m a bit sad that I only have it for 10 months haha.

Here are some little pictures of my room:

Xx

P.

Pieces of Inspiration #2

The time has come for the second post in my Pieces of Inspiration series. I have to say though, that most of these thoughts weren’t inspired by happiness. Some of them were written in my worst moments, when I was upset and hurt. And some of them are reflecting how my motivation and confidence managed to come through to the surface. It is definitely very personal, but probably some of you will relate. So I hope you enjoy this post!

instagram: @patriciavisz

“Sometimes you need to break in order to build yourself up again. And sometimes you need to be left alone to find the people who belong in your life.”

“Care about yourself enough to walk away from anything that doesn’t build you, nurture you, or make you happy. You have the right to do what’s best for you. Don’t stay if you’re hurting. You don’t owe an explanation. You only owe yourself to do everything you can to be happy.”

“Leaving is a form of art. And I’ve left enough times to master it. How to say goodbye without hurting, how to get on a plane without feeling guilt and how to walk away without looking back. Because when you’re in the air, above the clouds, there is no way back. You need to leave in the appropriate way to be able to let go. Because if you don’t… you will never be free.”

instagram: @patriciavisz

“A best friend is not necessarily someone you spend all your time with. It can be someone you rarely see. Because they are always with you in your heart. You can feel their love from a thousand miles away. The thought that there is someone who accepts you and loves you no matter what, is more than enough.”

“Sometimes you will be hurt by the people whose love you need the most.”

“Forgive yourself for making mistakes. They only prove that you are human. And they make you learn, they make you grow as a person.”

“Not everyone will believe that the path you have chosen to follow is the right one. Some people will try to get in your way and stop you. They will never really believe in you. So you have to believe in yourself.”

 

Pieces of Inspiration #1

Sometimes I get inspired and start writing down my thoughts without any purpose or structure whatsoever. These thoughts usually end up becoming short quotes that I like to read back every now and then. They are about anything that comes to my mind: life, relationships, travel, happiness, anything. I decided to start a series on my blog where I share my own little quotes, my pieces of inspiration, in the hope of giving you the thing you needed to hear today or just something to think about.

If you like my quotes, please share my blog post on one of your social media sites. If you get inspired, don’t hesitate to send me your own little quotes in the comments or on twitter, I would love to read them!

So here is my first post in the “Pieces of Inspiration” series, I hope you’ll enjoy it!

“Dare to be different. You have to be true to yourself, and proud of who you are. Because your flaws make you flawless, and your imperfections make you perfect. Never forget that.”

“Some people are not easy to love. Some people will push you away, and you need to try a thousand times to make them let you inside their walls. But they are always the ones who need your love the most, and the ones who deserve it. They are always worth the try.”

“Always say yes to adventures, go out even if there’s a storm, explore, and enjoy being surrounded by nature!”

“Everyone who enters your life comes for a reason. Even if it’s only one day that you spend together, they all teach you a lesson. Getting to know different people is like exploring the world. You see places you’ve never seen before, you understand a new language, you experience. Because after a while you will realize that their happiness is your happiness. You reflect their smile, and you feel their pain. They all give you a piece of themselves, a piece of their lives, along with their sufferings and passions. This is what they teach you, and this is what helps you grow.”

„If he wants to go, let him. If he wants to leave you, to forget you… just let him. If your dreams seem to lead you to different paths, maybe there is a reason. Maybe it’s a wrong time, or a wrong place. If you are meant to be together, your paths will cross again. You will find your way back to each other. You just have to believe that true love always finds a way. Because if it doesn’t, it was never true.”

“Don’t be afraid to say goodbye. If something doesn’t feel right, just move on. Be grateful for the things that you’ve learned, and if there’s nothing left for you then go, even if it hurts. Because when you leave something behind, there is more space for the new. You will move on, without even realizing it. And the pain will slip away.”

“It is up to you what you do with your life. Do not let anyone tell you what to do. If something makes you unhappy, change it. If something makes you happy, continue doing it. Do what you love, and love what you do. It’s really that simple. “

 

Easy ways to be healthier

I think nowadays people forget to take care of their bodies very easily. We have to be at work so early that we don’t have time for breakfast. We are sometimes too busy to make lunch, so we just go and grab some fast food. Not even mentioning that “no one has enough time to go to the gym.” We tend to just make the easier choices in our everyday lives, even if they are the unhealthy ones.

But maybe it can be just as easy to make some healthier choices. It IS very important to pay attention to your health, and you can do that by the simplest things. I have collected some very easy tips that you can follow to take care of your body, without having to spend hours in the kitchen or at the gym. If you can make these habits a small part of your busy schedule, then you have done something for your health. It is more than nothing, right? And your body will definitely thank you for it.

Have a nice breakfast!

For me, the easiest way to get a little bit healthier is to have a great breakfast. Eat something that fills you up and fuels you throughout the day, such as oatmeal! Don’t worry; I know it sounds plain but you can make it delicious very easily. Flavour with some protein powder, and sweeten with honey or jam. Add some fruits (right now grapes, pears, peach and plums are in season in my country, they are delicious!). Have a cup of tea or coffee with it. You can even add a tablespoon of chia seeds for some extra energy. I can guarantee oatmeal like this will keep you energized until the afternoon.

Be active!

You definitely do not need to spend hours and hours at the gym, and it is not necessary to train too hard every day. You can keep in shape even if you are not following any training guides at the moment, or you don’t go to classes anymore. The best tip that I can give is not to force anything. Don’t think that you “HAVE TO do some exercise or you will be fat”. Thoughts like this will just make it feel obligatory, and if you are like me, obligatory means that you will never do it.

So you should just figure out what you want to do at the moment. Would it be nice to go jogging in the sunny weather? Would you like to take your dog for a long walk? Or would you like to jump into the pool and swim for a little bit?

See? Thinking about the pool already made me want to go swimming. Just imagine what you will feel like, and do what you want to do. If you can only sacrifice 30 minutes of your day, it will be worth it, you will feel more energized and healthier all day.

Drink enough water!

Moisturizing your body from the inside is just as important as from the outside. If you have headaches from stress, water is the cure for that. I won’t advise you to drink exactly 2l of water every day, because everyone’s needs are different. Start your day by drinking one or two glasses of water. Then, every time you get thirsty or you remember to do it (like every 1-2 hours), drink a small amount. After a while, you will feel how much or how often you need it. Have a few bottles of water in your office, or take them to school, so that you can drink any time.

It is also much healthier than soft drinks. Those contain so much unnecessary sugar, and the empty calories will just make you even thirstier. It is the same with bottled ice tea or sugary fruit juices. If you don’t like water or you get bored with it, make some green tea. If you want something sweet to drink, try strawberry flavoured green tea and add honey to it. It is delicious!

Change to healthy alternatives!

Did you know that rye bread can be even more delicious than white bread? And it is much better for you! If you are used to eating white bread and pasta, try to slowly change them to wholemeal alternatives. If you haven’t tried sweet potatoes, you should definitely do that! If you have sweet tooth, buy dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. Sweeten your tea with honey instead of sugar. You will be surprised how quickly you will get used to these little habits.

Be balanced!

Even those who are on a diet cannot do it without occasional cheat meals. It is absolutely okay sometimes to eat a little bit too much chocolate, or eat that large pizza alone. Just don’t do that every day, try to have a balanced lifestyle. If you ate healthy foods all day, you can eat a bar of chocolate in the afternoon without any guilt, if that’s what you want. The point is, don’t stress over it. Let yourself be comfortable with the foods you eat, even if it’s not the healthiest. If you are still active, and don’t indulge all the time, you will be fine.

I really hope these tips will help you find inspiration to get a little bit healthier. You can see now that it doesn’t take too much effort to be active and health-conscious. I hope you will find time in your everyday life to follow some of these tips, and you will make some healthier choices. If you have any other ideas or tips regarding this topic, please let me know in the comments!

Have a nice and active day!

P.

How to make yourself feel better?

When you are sad, or just feeling under the weather, there is no one else but you who can make you feel better. I feel like a lot of people are stressed every day, because they are always in a hurry and they do not have enough time for themselves. I am not different. Moving away from my home country for university, I have a lot of things that stress me out and make me anxious.  It has also been a very busy couple of weeks for me, because of the packing, traveling, and preparing for university.

Lately I’ve been trying to spend some time every day by myself, when I have some rest or do the things that I like. On those days when I’m just not feeling very well, I try to do the following things to make sure I am relaxed and have enough rest. In case you are in the same situation, or sometimes you just feel under the weather, or you are often too stressed, here are my top tips that you can do to make yourself feel better.

1. Log off, and switch off

My number one tip is to distance yourself a little bit from the internet, especially from social media. There are so many things on there that can make you feel even worse, like seeing pictures of that girl on Instagram who is prettier than you, or seeing annoying posts on facebook. So just log out, and put your laptop and phone aside for a little bit. Instead, you can read a nice book, or watch a great movie – believe me, it will definitely be better for you.

2. Exercise

Don’t think of a very hard, sweating-to-tears gym session now. Too much training can also stress out your body, so try to have some light exercise instead. Go for a walk with your dog, go swimming, or do some yoga. Fresh air also helps to clear your head, and there’s nothing better than going on a nice walk on the beach, smelling the sea and feeling the wind.

3. Motivational movies

If you feel like you need that extra motivation, or you want to get inspired to do something great, there is no better way than watching a film. These movies can make you forget why you’re so stressed, and focus on the things that really matter in life. They remind you: happiness, friends, family and great personal values are the most important things, no matter what you’re going through. Some of my favourite motivational movies are: Pursuit of Happyness, The Peaceful Warrior, Seven Pounds. (I’m going to write a post about these three movies soon, so keep checking my blog!)

I also really like watching Disney videos, because they remind me of my childhood. Watching fairy tales as an adult can be so different than as a kid – you can understand what you may didn’t ten years ago, you realise the message and the meaning of these films. (And you are not terrified from that huge and scary sand-tiger in Aladdin anymore, haha.) My favourites are: Pocahontas, Tarzan, The Little Mermaid.

4. Having a “pamper session”

Even if it’s not the best, it’s definitely my favourite thing to do that makes me feel good. Having a nice bath, using a body lotion that smells amazing, washing my hair and making it very soft, having a face mask, painting my nails… You can do this while listening to some of your favourite songs or having a cup of tea. I can guarantee that you will feel wonderful afterwards.

5. Writing a diary

When something particular happens, that makes you anxious or stressed, the best way to feel better is to write it in your diary. After thinking things through and seeing them on the pages, you will have much less weight on your shoulders. I wrote a post about my tips for writing a diary, you can find it HERE. You will be surprised how relieved you will feel if you write down your feelings.

6. Baking

If you like being in the kitchen, or cooking is your hobby, this tip will be definitely your favourite. You can cook or bake anything that you would like, and the satisfaction of eating the food that you made yourself will make you feel so much better! There’s no need for me to explain this any further. If you crave something very sweet I can recommend a nice cupcake (such as THESE OREO CUPCAKES by Tanya Burr, but you can find other amazing recipes on her youtube channel as well). But if you would like something healthier, you can come up with some alternatives (like using rolled oats or sweetening with honey instead of sugar). Just turn up the music and enjoy the baking!

I really hope these tips will help you when you are feeling under the weather, or when you’re having one of those days when just nothing seems to be perfect. If you have any more ideas on what to do when feeling down, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments below!

P.

Quotes by R. M. Drake

There are some times (weeks or maybe months) in my life, when I need to deal with things that I haven’t experienced before. It can be very difficult to process things in my head, whether it is about relationships or other kinds of problems. Sometimes I need some extra help to understand what’s going on. I am talking about movies, books, paintings or poems… Seeing other people deal with similar problems or reading about them can help us feel better, see things from a different perspective, or simply move on.

Moving to a completely different country alone, I have to say goodbye to everyone. Friends, family, the people I see every day, the places I go to… Though I am very excited and can’t wait to go to university, I have to admit that it also makes me sad.

Recently I found an author’s page on instagram, and I became completely obsessed with his work. Some of his writing describes exactly how I feel. Reading these lines makes me feel better every day, and it definitely helps me deal with the things that are going on in my life right now.

Here are some of my favourite quotes by R. M. Drake. I hope you will like them, and they help you if you’re going through a similar situation as I do. All of these pictures are from instagram, you can find his account HERE.