Happy Monday loves!

It’s a new week and the countdown is on until my birthday is here! I also can’t believe we’re on the last week of the month. The way the days just go by never ceases to amaze me.

If you’re wondering what 5DOD is, I talked about it in my most recent blog post last week. 5DOD stands for 5 Days Of Deandra where a blog post will be going up every single day this week in celebration of my birthday being this Saturday! If you’d like to know more information on what to expect this week, you can read about it here.

To kick off 5DOD, I decided to start off with something that could help motivate others. This was also something that some of you asked I discuss, and what better day to write about what motivates me other than motivational Monday?

I’m able to express myself.

I’m not sure if any of my other readers are like me, if you’re a blogger as well then you might relate also, but I have a tough time speaking my thoughts verbally. I know it may seem weird to say when I have a podcast, but it’s different when you’re able to edit and rerecord something if you messed up or remembered a thought you forgot to mention at that moment. I have always loved to express myself in my writings. From writing little fiction novels in elementary and middle school to when I started writing poetry in high school, it has never become something that I wanted to stray away from. Creating this blog has given me the ultimate space to write out my thoughts and feelings that I can now share with you all.

I’m able to help others through my writings.

When I was in college, I majored in Psychology, but I learned it was something I didn’t want to do. I entered college knowing I just wanted to help people. I had no clear sign or clue how I could do that. Little did I know that I would be able to do so through writing. If you’re a long time reader, then you know that I’m very open and honest on this blog. There are some things that I don’t even think I’ve shared with anyone because of not being able to express myself or my emotions well verbally, but I’ve shared with you all on here. Some of those things include tough discussions, but they’re important to share because they could help others who may feel the same way or are going through the same things. It’s easy to feel like you’re alone in something and to know that I can help someone realize that they’re not and it’s okay is motivation enough to keep going.

I keep in mind why I’m doing it.

I’ve discussed this in posts before, but remembering the why is super important. No matter what kind of writer you are, if you’re sharing your work then it can become easy to forget your why and focus more on pleasing other people. Even if it’s just for a moment, it can happen. There are also other factors that can come into play, such as feeling as if you just don’t fit in the big world of writers. I know that I have several moments where I question if I should keep doing this. Despite this, my questions are always answered when I get excited about a blog post I just finished or a theme idea that I think you all [my readers] will love just as much as I do. My questions are answered when I’m sitting in my little office space and I’m feeling like this big, badass boss as my fingers are tapping away at the keys on my laptop. They’re answered when you guys comment and tell me how much you appreciate I wrote something because it helped.

It’s very easy to become unmotivated about writing, or anything in general, especially when it’s something you love and just want to put your all into it to succeed. The thing that motivates you will look different from what motivates someone else. If you feel yourself getting unmotivated, make a list. Write down what exactly it is that has you feeling this way. Is it something that you know will pass? Or is it deeper…like not enjoying writing anymore.

Then, write another list. Write down why you started. If you still resonate with those things, then keep that list for the next time you feel this way. If you don’t resonate with those things, then maybe you feel unmotivated because it’s time to go another path…and that’s okay! At the end of the day, it’s all about what you’re passionate about and what you love.

What keeps you motivated to write or do something that you love?

I hope you guys enjoyed day 1 of 5 Days of Deandra! I’m excited for you all to read the posts ahead. Let me know in the comments your thoughts!