Hey friends! Today let’s talk about motivation. Let’s be honest…a lot of times we either don’t have any, or we have very little of it. Last year, I will admit to being super unmotivated. I was either captivated by unrealistic goals or simply had none, and in turn, ended up not being quite as productive as I had hoped. The past month or two, things have totally changed. 

First, let’s rewind super quick. Last school year was well….awful. I quit swimming competitively, and that left me kind of lost. I completely stopped working out altogether because I had no idea what to do after spending the past 15 years of my life in the pool. Then I became a land dweller, and didn’t know what to do with my new pair of legs. Let’s just say that was not a great experience. I got really lazy, super out of shape, and I suffered from body image issues. 

My diet was awful. I ate out every meal, and a lot of times it wasn’t healthy food. As a result, I became sluggish, unmotivated, and unhappy. It showed up in extracurricular activities and in school. I had a hard time concentrating, and though I put in a lot of effort into studying for exams and quizzes, I knew I could have done better. 

So, what changed? 

I ended unhealthy relationships and moved home for the summer to catch a break from the chaos. I started eating healthier and became more mindful of the amount I took in and what I took in. I bought a gym membership and began going regularly (against my will, at first…but hey, I still went). I set up appointments with a personal trainer to learn proper exercises and how to effectively work out. And I started drinking more water. 

These changes alone have shaped my summer, and reshaped my lifestyle. I’ve had more energy, and I’ve finally broken free from the body image issues I had this past year. It was tough. I was unfortunately surrounded by people telling me I needed to lose weight ASAP, and noted that I had gotten bigger. I told myself when I looked in the mirror each day that I didn’t care, but when the negativity came from someone I put a lot of trust in, it broke me bit by bit–until I finally started to believe it. I had gotten fat. 

Or so I thought.

The past month and a half I’ve realized how amazing human bodies are. They can literally climb mountains, swim to great depths, and overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. How amazing is that? To simply be gifted a body is a blessing in itself. And after realizing this the past month and a half, I’ve grown to love working out. I love feeling stronger each day. I love watching my progress. And I love feeling worthy of this body. 

We talk a lot about self-love as a society, but we don’t acknowledge how hard it is to actually achieve. There’s always going to be a part of us that’s a bit insecure. We’re always going to compare ourselves to models in the media, because that’s what we are trained to do whether we recognize it or not.

The other day I was talking to someone new I had met from Instagram. We were talking about which body parts were currently in style. I came to the realization that the ‘ideal body’ ebbs and flows. We idolize different body parts depending on the decade, and the standard constantly changes. So why bother? Why try and keep up with an impossible trend line? Instead, why not just celebrate the skin you’re in? 

Bringing this full circle, I guess I kind of found motivation in myself. I knew that I had to change my lazy and unhealthy lifestyle, and it began with the proper mindset and the ability to surround myself with people who wanted the best for me–even if it meant burning bridges with negative people I cared about tremendously. 

If you’re kind of in a slump too, it’s okay. The first step is simply the realization. The rest is up to you. But trust me, if I can do it – you can too. 

The best part about this whole journey has been feeling confident in my clothes again, and finally sizing down to my normal, healthy size. I’ve been doing some shopping this summer, and I recently came across this affordable site I thought I would share with you guys! I got this cute, striped, wrap top from ROMWE, and it’s currently only $23! Here’s a link to check it out if you’re interested in twinning with yours truly 🙂 This was my first time ordering from them, and I was surprisingly pleased with the fit and style of the top. 

Wrap Top

If you’re interested in just perusing the general site, you can click HERE! 

Thank you so much for being a part of my journey!