Monday Motivations are BACKKKK! My last Monday Motivation post was all about easing that stress of summer. AND, I think that I went a little overboard and totally abandoned some responsibilities. 😳 The good news is that I’m back and really feel motivated and inspired to throw things into overdrive here on the blog.
This abandonment also has something to do with today’s Monday Motivation topic: Enjoy Where You Are Now. A few weeks ago, I was shopping in SoHo and I came across this top at ZARA that read ‘Enjoy Where You Are Now.’ And it really stuck with me. I don’t think I really realized how much I liked it in the moment because I didn’t even buy it. 🤷🏻♀️
BUT, it got me thinking about how I need to be a little bit better about enjoying where I am now. In my career, in this city, in my relationships, etc. As a motivated and ambitious person, I’m always thinking about what’s next and don’t think about the ‘now’ until ‘now’ it’s over. I think this summer I tried to think more about the ‘now’ and less about the what’s next, which is why I fully indulged in weekend relaxation instead of stressing myself out about writing blog posts and creating content. Now don’t get me wrong, I had a VERY busy work schedule this summer which definitely had something to do with my blogging pause, but when I felt like I was spending every night working the last thing I wanted to do on the weekends was work some more. It may or may not have been a good idea, but in that/this moment, it was exactly what I needed to do.
This predicament really got me thinking of how we balance ambition with enjoyment of the ‘now.’ I know that I’m not the only one who finds themselves questioning this exact balance on any given Thursday night. Do you A) head to a happy hour or B) stay a few extra hours at the office to finally get that extra project off your plate and prove your hustle to your boss?
This is an everyday struggle for me, so below are a few tips that help keep me centered.
1| Don’t you dare compare. We scroll through never-ending social media feeds and it is incredibly hard not to compare yourself to someone else in your field or WORST, someone that you graduated with or your own age. Remember, that every individual’s situation is different. You don’t know who they are connected to or how they’ve gotten to the place that they are currently in. It is also important not to diminish all of the work that they’ve put in. Always be complimentary, you may even be able to learn something from someone you aspire to be.
2| Take a beat. I have this terrible habit of always looking for that next achievement. I kid you not, in the meeting where I received my last promotion I asked what the steps were to get to the next, higher level and sometimes you need to take a beat. While it is great to take advantage of the momentum from a big promotion or fulfilling achievement, it can sometimes be exhausting and unsatisfying. Take that momentum and channel it in another way. Say you just got a promotion, take that positive energy and channel it in your side hustle or your workout. Chances are that that next promotion is going to take a few months if not years, so your energy may be better served somewhere else to keep your positivity going.
3| Remember how much you’ve grown. The daily grind can get you down and sometimes its hard to see progress, so take a second to look at how far you’ve come. As a blogger, I love going back and reading old blog posts or perusing old Instagram posts. In my day job, I reference old presentations to appreciate how far I’ve come in my education, professionalism and confidence. Remembering this can be extremely motivating and remind you of how GREAT it is to enjoy where you are now.
This is definitely not always easy. In fact, it is usually super freaking hard, but it is important. Otherwise, you could drive yourself absolutely crazy. Be positive and take time to enjoy who you are in this very moment because one day you are going to wish that you could teleport back to this very place and enjoy every bit of it.
