Tag: advice

Sometimes I don’t start things in fear of them not being good enough

Sometimes I don’t start things in fear of them not being good enough. I’d love to say that I am fearless and that nothing phases me, but if I’m truly honest with myself, I don’t think I am.

In some aspects I am that fearless person and my passion to do certain things knows no bounds. At other times though, the longing is there, however the feelings of self doubt creep in and I am therefore held back by my own insecurities. I don’t feel particularly insecure on the surface, but if a fear of not being good enough at something is holding me back from doing it, then surely I have to admit that it stems from insecurity.

I think it comes down to knowing our strengths, or at least thinking we know them and getting into a habit of focusing on what we know and have been proven to be good at. A pastry chef may be confident in their ability to make the most amazing Profiteroles, but then ask them to say, make fresh pasta and they may feel unsure of their capability to do it to the standard which they have perfected with the profiteroles – and so may be reluctant to even try. This is a somewhat random example and there may be a pastry chef who reads this and is thinking ‘actually I can make wicked fresh pasta for your information!’. But my point is, stepping out of our comfort zone, even if only slightly, can often be more daunting than we give it credit. And so we find ourselves saying things we’d like to do, knowing full well that they are not entirely unachievable, however we never get round to doing them, due to something deep down holding us back. It’s that hidden insecurity, which we often bury with the age old excuses of not having enough time, or the right tools or enough money and so on.

When I think of all the things I started when I had no clue and very little resources but went ahead and did anyway; I think of how different things would have been if I had maybe never been brave enough to give them a go. My blog for one is probably one of my biggest examples. When I started my blog I didn’t even read them, I just had a passion to create and share and so that’s what I did. Of course I look back at some old posts and laugh to myself at their pointlessness, my questionable outfits and my writing (or lack of)…but if I hadn’t started, I wouldn’t be where I am now.

Now I couldn’t imagine not having this little space on the internet and it still amazes me that it evolved into part of my job…but what if I’d never started. What if that self doubt had crept in, what if I’d had that overwhelming fear of not being good enough and I hadn’t just gone ahead and published my first post and continued to share regardless. Who knows, maybe I would have found something else that I was equally passionate about to focus on, maybe I wouldn’t. All I do know however, is that in starting I have no regrets and in fact I feel thankful to my past self for being fearless enough to just start something new.

Even when I look back at the things I tried and failed at, I never look back with regret, as each thing has taught me a lesson or two along the way, if not only given me some very funny stories, some of which I’ll maybe have to recount to you in future posts.

I guess it all comes down to the push. I’ll explain what I mean by that in a second, but first I want to say how it’s funny that I’d written the start of this blog post a couple of weeks ago and it had sat on my desktop, unfinished since then. Over the weekend though, I spent a lot of time chatting with some of my fellow creative friends and a lot of what we discussed actually focused on the topics in this post. I guess that’s what inspired me to pick things back up and finish this post today.

Basically, when chatting to a friend, I’d used an elaborate metaphor to describe a situation of trying something new and quickly transitioning from one period to another. I said how the thing we want to do but maybe feel too afraid to try is like diving into a swimming pool from a high up diving board; you find yourself standing on the diving board and looking down at the deep blue pool below. It looks appealing, inviting even, but you are so far away from it, it looks too scary to just dive right in.

And so you wait, stood on the diving board (in your safe space if you like) looking into the deep blue water below, wondering and imagining what it would be like but not feeling quite brave enough, or feeling like it’s not quite the right timing to just dive right in…until eventually, (if you’re lucky), you get the push. Either through forces outside of your control, or through your own urges to get on with it, you jump.

Then you find yourself falling and plummeting into the freezing cold water. It’s different, it’s outside of your safe space and it can even be a shock to the system. But then you pull yourself to the surface and catch your breath. You realise that you did it, in fact, you’re doing it right now. It still feels different but you dived right in and now you’re finally doing the thing that you’ve been wanting to do for the longest time.

It’s not necessarily easy, but you have two choices, you either stick in this pool and keep swimming, or you get out. The longer that you’re in the water though, the more you find yourself getting used to it and soon you start to swim, you even start to enjoy and become good at it and eventually you look back and think, I’m glad I dived in.

Like I said, that was my very elaborate (and somewhat long winded) metaphor, but it’s the best way I can describe the process and it pretty much sums up some of my own experiences. There have been times where I have got out of the pool (metaphorically speaking) after having dived into certain situations. It’s important to know that not every experience will wind up being for you, and that’s completely okay…but then if you never try you’ll never know. So what’s it going to be, stay firmly planted on the board, or dive right in?

Samio x

The photos in this post were shot by myself. I have a series called #SamiosSelfPortraits which you can see more of here.

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February 4, 2019
Creatives on Social Media – Consistency and Creativity is Key

This is a note to my fellow creatives to say, keep at it! And by creatives I mean anyone who works in a creative industry either working online, or using the internet as a platform to showcase their work. It’s a powerful tool and one which (if you’re reading this) we all have at our disposal, so why not use it to your advantage.

Making a Change

At the start of this year I set the intention to focus on my blogging content/creative work (whatever you wish to call it) and keep working on my creative craft consistently. I’ve mentioned before how consistency isn’t always my strong point and how in the past I’ve let the idea of things ‘not being perfect’ get in the way of me putting out certain content, or had me working on it for much longer than needed. If you’re a creative person (and like me), you’ll likely be able to relate.

When something is subjective, like with creative work, it’s hard to put a definitive end point on it (unless you’re working to a client’s deadline). There is always room for tweaks and improvements but the problem is, it’s sometimes hard to know when to stop and when to move on (or when to just share something online and realise, it’s not that deep). This year however, I set myself some daily goals and like mini deadlines on what creative work I want to put out, I’ve been sticking to them and in return I’ve seen results.

Instagram

My thoughts on Instagram have changed a lot in the past year. As a blogger I always thought I needed to pick my niche (on Instagram in particular) and stick to it. For me it’s gone from a place where I just shared my daily outfits, to basically a mini portfolio of a selection of my creative work. I don’t aim for a curated feed as such but instead focus on each individual post, with the aim of putting out one image, or video each day that showcases my creativity/photography/style, or if I’m really on it, then a mix of all three. This has been one of the best personal decisions I’ve made and as a result I’ve been able to showcase more of my work (such as video content and creative concepts) to brands and PR’s who may have not previously ventured to my blog or Youtube where I share more of that stuff.

The same applies if you’re anything from a print designer to a makeup artist. Instagram has over 800 million users (I’ve literally just Goggled that), whether you’re trying to reach the masses to buy your work online, or trying to reach potential employers, just by utilising the right hashtags and tagging the correct pages you can be reaching out to exactly who you need to, and it’s free! And a little something I like to remind others as well as myself is, ‘if you don’t share it, they can’t see it’. Think about it.

It’s Not About The Numbers

Whilst overall engagement has gone down on the likes of Instagram and Youtube (damn you algorithms), it’s important to remember, you’re not alone and brands and fellow creatives alike are suffering from the effects of this just as much as you are, so basically, we’re all in the same boat. With that in mind, you shouldn’t worry about things too much because it’s not like you’re the only one, believe me, I’ve felt it too.

For me personally, whilst the numbers may not be the highest, my creativity and quality of work has massively improved, so in turn that’s what has had the main affect on the work I’ve been getting. So far this year I’ve already worked with some of my favourite brands and on some of my favourite projects and content to date. So don’t get disheartened if your follower count feels like it’s going up by 20 and down by 30. Focus on your content, what you genuinely want to share and on being consistent with it.

Don’t Worry About What Dora Is Doing

Dora isn’t real, Dora is a fictional character made up as an example for what I am about to say…which is (drumroll please…), it’s better to be the best version of you, than a second rate version of someone else *who doesn’t love a good cliche quote ey*. The quicker you realise this, the better and freer you’ll feel (there’s nothing more constraining than trying to keep up with doing something the way someone else is doing it). Create your own path, do and share what makes you uniquely you, it’s your time to shine babahhhh!

So that’s it. If you’re a creative on social media, be it someone who uses the internet and social media as their job, or as a platform to showcase their work, remember if you don’t share it, they can’t see it! This is your free promotional tool, use it at your disposal. Consistency is key. Obviously don’t overdo it, but also don’t neglect it for a month and wonder why nobody knows how awesomely talented you are. So keep doing yo thang! Create, showcase, share. Annnnnd good luck! Ciao for now!

Samio x

All the images in this post were shot by me, you can see more of my self portrait series here.

Jeans – M&S | Top – Brandy Melville (old, similar here)

May 2, 2018
3 Happiness Habits

Shots by Rosie Butcher

When we think of happiness it’s easy to think of what it is to be happy in a particular moment. For example, right now I think what would really make me happy is a large Dominos veggie volcano pizza (hmmm pizza). Or someone else’s idea of a happy moment might be buying those designer shoes they’ve had their eye on for ages! The reality though, is that however nice that slice of pizza tastes (still drooling at the thought to be honest), or however beautiful those shoes are, this type of happiness is short lived. If we don’t feel good in other aspects of our life it doesn’t matter how good the pizza tastes, or how dreamy the shoes are, they just aren’t going to fix it. The reality is that (queue the cheesy cliche line) happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Now when I speak of happiness, I’m talking overall happiness. No matter how seemingly good someone’s life is, it’s impossible to skip around cheery and smiley all day, everyday, don’t let social media fool you. Overall happiness however, goes deeper than what’s on the exterior and it’s something that can take work and I’m not talking a quick five minute fix.

Trainers – Converse | Jeans – Me & Em | Striped Tee – Cos | Cardigan – Me and Em | Watch – Cluse | Jewellery – Pernille Corydon

Spend Time With People You Love

Personally, nothing makes me feel more uplifted than surrounding myself with people I love. I’m lucky to have an amazing bunch of people in my life and to be quite honest I can’t get enough of them. Be it a long distant phone call, a coffee catch up, or even a sleepover with my besties (yes I’m a grown woman who still has sleepovers), I’m always left feeling in high spirits after catching up and spending time with some of my favourite people.

Aside from friends, family and partners, it doesn’t always have to mean spending time with people you’re close with. Obviously I’d recommend you do that as much as possible but sometimes you can find the type of people you love to be around in other situations as well. Finding like minded people is especially important. That feeling of being able to relate and share common ground/interests with someone can be just what you need. I love the buzz I get after having chats with like minded people about things that we are equally passionate about. And if you’re not sure about where to find these like minded people then think about what your main interests are and seek out clubs, groups and events where you connect with them. Be it through hashtags or even a quick google search, it’s easier than you think to ‘find your tribe’, so go for it.

Practice Gratitude

I’ve spoken about this before (particularly in this post here) and no doubt I’ll speak about it again, but practicing gratitude on a daily basis can do wonders for your happiness levels. When I wake up I like to take five minutes or so before jumping out of bed or grabbing for my phone, to just think about the things I’m grateful for in that moment. It can be as simple as being grateful for having such a comfy bed to go to sleep and wake up in, to being happy that you get to head out to a job you love, or maybe you’re even just grateful for the coffee you’ll soon be drinking. Whatever it is, take a mental note, or write actual notes if you’d rather. It can be whenever you like, not just in the morning. Just thinking about all the things that you’re grateful for can really help you to re-evaluate things and in turn, help to lift your mood. Do this on a daily basis and believe me you’ll see a difference.

Find Fulfilment

This is a weird one, as fulfilment can come is different forms for different people. You may find fulfilment in your children, you may find fulfilment in your job, or you may even find it in helping others. Sometimes the trickiest part is finding what brings you these feelings of fulfilment in the first place…but once you know what that thing is, you’ll know what to pursue in life in order to help bring you happiness. Of course fulfilment can come from a number of places, I know for me personally I find it in being able to use my creativity, in helping others, in spending time with loves ones and exploring different countries (quite a list there). For you it could be a similar combination, or something entirely different. Whatever it is, make time to work on or work towards the things that personally bring you fulfilment because quite often those are some of the things that will bring you the most joy in your life.

Those are my three happiness habits and just a few things that I find help me…Of course it’s normal to have down days here and there, we can’t be feeling super happy all of the time, but if you do find yourself constantly feeling down, then it’s always important to reach out and speak to someone about it. Here’s a link to some helplines if you do need more information – click here – or if you just feel like you need someone to chat to, I found out about a great little website where you can chat with trained listeners anonymously online, which you can find here.

Samio x

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April 6, 2018
How To Stop Comparing Your Work To Other People’s

If you’re someone who works as a creative/in the creative industry, it’s normal to go through periods of self doubt when you feel like your work isn’t quite up to scratch or not yet to the level you’d like it to be. Those feelings are natural and quite frankly something we need to all feel at times in order to grow and push ourselves creatively. The problem comes however when we get too entwined in these thoughts and being to look to those around us for examples of how our work should be. Yes it can be good to seek inspiration from our peers but when we start to use other people’s work as a tool to decipher the level of our own, this is when it becomes problematic for our own thought process and in turn our work as a creative. Whichever field you’re in, I’m sure you’ve likely gone through moments of comparing your work to others at times, I know I have, and so in this post I’m going to take you through a list of things that helped stopped me from doing just that…

Understand That We Each Have a Different Purpose

Once you understand that your purpose is different to someone else’s then you’ll inevitably realise that comparison is in the end, pointless.

Two people can do something similar but their purpose can be entirely different and at the same time, two people can do two things completely different but their purpose can be similar.
I’ll give you an example here: Two musicians can create the same genre of music and even have a similar style and overall aesthetic, however I might listen to one for their out of this world vocals (and as a backing track to my shower singing) and then to the other when I want deep thinking and a real connection with their awe-inspiring lyrics. Both can be great in their own right but for each person interpreting their work (and maybe even for themselves), they have a different purpose.

Think about what the purpose of your work is. Is it to educate, to entertain, to inspire, to help people…It could be a combination of things but whatever it is, focus on it and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.

Realise There is Room For Everyone

Do you think the second ever author on the planet stopped themselves from writing a book just because one had already been written prior to theirs? (okay that example was a bit silly but it still makes a point) In clearer context, imagine if J. K. Rowling had never sat down to pen Harry Potter because she thought there were enough fantasy novels out there and that she wouldn’t be as good as other authors. The point is, there is always room for someone else to interpret an idea in a new way, however big or small.

Know That It’s Okay To Be In Your Own Lane

Sometimes looking for comparisons between your own work and other people’s whom you maybe admire, can actually be a way of seeking a form comfort. If you know Joe Bloggs has been just been booked to photograph a big campaign and you feel that your work is quite similar, you’re onto a winner right?…wrong. Okay, not to shoot you down before you’ve started here but sometimes what works for someone else may not necessarily work for you and it’s always important to remember circumstance and timing (which, hardwork aside, can often play a huge part to a persons success).

If you feel like you’re the black sheep in your line of work, that can actually work in your favour. If you’re different you’re more likely to stand out right? And sometimes it can be the things that set you apart that make what you do truly special.

As creatives we have to be just that – creative. If we constantly compare our work to other’s it can easily begin to manifest in our own work. It can feel scary to be different and make you feel vulnerable when you’re the odd one out trying something new but the word creative itself means ‘the use of the imagination or original ideas to create something’. So go, do it, be you and create.

Samio x

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November 8, 2017
Why It’s Important To Switch Off

Time Away

At the start of last week Damien and I returned home from a long weekend away with two of our friends. It was pretty much a chilled affair. We drank, we ate, we lounged in the sun and aside from the 60 mile bike ride that the guys did on the Saturday (the purpose of the trip in the first place), we didn’t really do much of anything else…and you know what? I really enjoyed it.

Many of my friends would be surprised to know that I didn’t even take my camera on this particular trip and in total I took about ten, rather candid (and certainly not Instagram worthy) iPhone photos. I put my out of office on and actually managed to block out all work related stuff for an entire four days!

Being the weekend before last and so much having happened since then, our little trip away now actually feels like it was ages ago and it’s funny because if you were to look at my social media, it’s as if it never happened. This makes me realise that I (and many of us) really do document so much of our lives online and even when we aren’t documenting our own goings on, we’re likely catching up on someone else’s. When I think back to our little trip the other week, I have such fond memories of the weekend away and although for once I may not have the beautifully captured images to show for it, it still happened and we still had a great time non the less. Whilst I love being able to capture, create and share moments online, for me the trip has been a reminder that it’s so important to also switch off from it all occasionally and here are a few reasons why.

To Help De-Stress

Modern technology and the invention of mobile phones and internet on the go have been brilliant in helping many aspects of our lives become more efficient. However on the flip side it has meant that we have become ever more reliant on technology, especially those like myself who use it as a large tool for their job. So for most people (myself included) our mobiles have become an extension of our right (or left) hand. Basically meaning we rarely ever get to fully switch off.

As a result an increasing amount of us are suffering from anxiety and stress related conditions. It’s hard to say technology in some ways doesn’t play a part. Everything is faster and we’re supposed to keep up and aside from that there is an ever growing pressure to always present our best selves online whilst having to look at everyone else’s. I don’t know about you but sometimes this can all get the better of me and I need a big fat time out. Whilst we obviously have to keep up with our work commitments and the social side of the internet can be fun, we do have to allow ourselves the time to occasionally step back and relax away from it all. Annndd breathe.

To Spend Quality Time With Loved Ones

I’ll hold my hands up and say I’m one of those people who will quite often have my phone out on the table when out for lunch or a coffee. It’s not that I’ll be on it constantly, however it’s sort of a (quite weird) comfort knowing that it’s there. Again going back to the topic of always being switch on, I feel I always need to be alert to check work related emails or respond to a call from my agency. Sometimes I hate it and my habit to check my emails has become an unhealthy compulsion (I kid you not I just checked on my phone then). I think it’s so important to try and live in the moment however and aside from my weird email checking habit, when it comes to spending time with loved ones I’m pretty good at keeping off social media. Unless of course I’m with a friend like L’Oréal, as we’ll quite happily have fun messing around filming each other being silly on insta stories or taking shots for the gram (you know how it is). With other friends however, it’s not always like that and so I will happily step away from the social media when handing out.

Quite frequently these days though I’ll be out and spot a couple or friends out together where one will be on their phone whilst the other stares into space. I guess for many of us it can be the excuse that it’s ‘work related’ although mostly when I see it I suspect it’s just mindless scrolling. If we think about it, if we seriously can’t spare an hour or two phone free to hang out with a friend, or enjoy date night with our other half, then maybe our work (or even online social) life is spilling over into real life a bit too much.

Heels – Topshop | Jeans – Asos | Silk Shirt – Element (similar here) | Velvet Blazer – Topshop | Bag – Pinko (similar here)

The Online World Can Become An Ecco Chamber

One thing I’ve found after returning home from trips where I’ve allowed myself to switch off is that I often return feeling really inspired. Now of course being out of my usual habitat can have a part to play in this, not to mention having time to relax and clear my mind. However I do find that when I spend too much time looking online for inspiration that I can wind up feeling less inspired than I did to start with. Everything starts to become the same and in the process my thoughts start to align with those ideas too. Now I’m not saying I’m ever able to be completely original because lets face it, there’s too much out there these days and likely anything you do, someone else has already done. But I do notice that as all of our interests, searches and likes are (quite creepily) logged with our online activity, we are constantly targeted with adverts, videos and images of thing we already like, so that we aren’t really seeing anything new. The same goes for news and political opinions but that’s a whole other discussion for another day.

Basically we get trapped in an ecco chamber and the reality is that the only way to get out of it is to switch off from the online world and go somewhere outside of our usual zone…but even then, are we really able to step out of the ecco chamber completely (hmmm, let’s not get too deep here). In a nutshell, before I digress any further, sometimes we need to get away from our online world in order to fill our minds with something completely and organically new.

Occasionally switching off can do wonders for the mind, relationships and life in general. Life online can be fun, an escape from real life and for some even a job. However just remember that although it may seem like it, you don’t have to be switched on all of the time and if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or just like you need some quality time with the people in your real life, feel free to step back, switch off and take some time away from it all. 🙂

Samio x

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October 30, 2017
How To Be The Best Version Of Yourself

We all go through phases where we feel like we aren’t performing or feeling our best and it’s natural to go through these periods, because let’s face it, we can’t be on our A game all of the time. I for one regularly go through these periods but then I have to take a moment to remind myself of a few important things to keep myself in check and work towards getting myself back on track to being the best version of myself I can be. So here are a few pointers on how you too can do just that…

Don’t Worry About What Anyone Else Is Doing

It’s easy to look at what someone else is doing and take it as an example of what you should be doing in your own life but the truth is, we all have different strengths and abilities so what works for someone else may not work for you and vice versa. As they say, comparison is the thief of joy and aside from that, it’s also a massive time waster. So next time you find yourself looking to someone else for an example of what you think you should be doing/achieving in life, just remember that, that time could be better spent working on your own goals instead.

Give Yourself Time Off When It’s Needed

Whilst it may feel like you’re unable to stop when you have a gazillion things on your plate, it’s so important to schedule time out when it’s needed. If you’re overworked and tired you’re not going to be able to perform your best or be your best you, so it’s better to take time out and then come back and complete those tasks when you’re feeling back on your A game. It could be as little as taking time out for a bubble bath and switching off from the outside world for an hour or two, to taking a week out and getting away from it all completely. However you do it, just make sure you allow yourself that time and schedule it in when and for however long may be appropriate. Everyone needs a break occasionally and don’t feel bad for doing so. Give yourself those well deserved breaks and then you can come back feeling refreshed and back at your best again.

Do What Makes You Happy

If you’re lucky enough to do a job that you love, then great, but if not then make sure that the time spent outside of work is used to do things that truly makes you happy. Now I know that even outside of work, life admin can often get in the way but it’s so important that you still make time for those things that you love; Be it spending time with family, hanging out with friends, working on a project or making time for your hobby. Sometimes we can let the time slip by until we realise that there is no time left at all and so making time for the things that bring us happiness is mandatory.

So that’s it and those are a few tips for how to be the best version of yourself. Obviously it’s important to take care of yourself and make sure you’re getting fed and watered properly but I thought I’d save you the excercise/healthy eating spiel in this post. Anyway, those are a few of my tips, what are some of yours? I’d love to know in the comments below. Until next time, ciao for now!

Samio x

September 21, 2017
Trust the Timing of Your Life

Photography by STVP

This is just a little post to say that it’s okay do things slowly, to take your time or to even at times feel like you’re not moving anywhere at all. It’s natural, we all have these periods, some longer than others and these each can take place at different times in our lives entirely.

With the internet these days it’s easier than ever to promote yourself, start your own business, create your own content, reach out to your dream employer, or whatever it is you want to do in life in terms of the growth of your potential career and dreams. However with that, it also becomes increasingly accessible to see what other people are doing too.

You might live in a cosy little village in a secluded part of Scotland but with a few taps on your phone you’re able to see what Emma is doing on her travels around Bali, how Jason in London just bought a second flashy new car with his latest bonus, or how Julia in L.A has just got engaged to Mr Right and is celebrating the start of her new clothing label. Okay, those are really poor examples of fictional people but what I’m trying to say, is how we can easily see what’s going on with everyone else and use it as an example for how we should be doing in our own lives…But, everyone’s timings in life are different, as well as each of our journeys.

One person might have their dream job by 25 but might be unable to find work at 30, whereas someone else might get their dream job by 40 and stay in employment until their retirement. Life happens very differently to us all and there are so many different examples like this, relating to all aspects of life, be it with work, love, relationships or goals.

There are no time limits on achieving goals or getting where we want to be, only the ones that we create for ourselves. Just because you aren’t where you hoped or want to be right now doesn’t mean you won’t be in five, ten, or fifteen years, or you may even end up somewhere completely different than you’d ever imagined but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We change as we grow and so does life around us.

Everything happens differently for different people at different stages of their lives. It’s important to focus on your own passions, goals, interested, love life and relationships and don’t take anyone else’s successes, growth or current situation as an example of what you should be doing, or where you should be at that exact moment of your own life.

Life is always going to be a bit of a rollercoaster and will never be one smooth sailing ride towards the finish line. Because what really is the finish line anyway, and who knows where you’ll end up. Once one goal is achieved you’re only bound to make another one and who knows exactly what life has in store or where it will take you on your journey. Just remember that your timing is bound to be very different to someone else’s. So whatever your dreams or goals in life, just keep working on those things that make you happy. This is your unique journey and you’ll do things in your own time.

Samio x

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July 3, 2017
5 Tips To Help You Keep Inspired & Motivated

It’s only a couple of weeks into January but this year I’m feeling super motivated and positive about the months ahead. I was just talking to my boyfriend, Damien the other day about how different things were this time last year and how so much can change. Although many things can often be out of our control, I do believe that our attitude and staying motivated when it comes to the goals that we want to achieve, plays a big part in how certain aspects of our life turn out.

I’m naturally quite a positive person but like most people I do have days where I lack motivation and feel uninspired. However this year I hope to keep on top of those all important things I want to keep on top of (vague but like many people I have a list)… The things that inspire me are what help to really motivate me to work harder, keep at things and achieve goals. So here are five things that help me do just that and maybe they can be of some use to you too…

Give Yourself Daily Reminders Of Your Goals

This sounds silly but in our everyday lives, it’s easy to forget about goals that we may have set for ourselves, or at least turn a blind eye to them. Days quickly become weeks and weeks quickly become months and before we know it, we’ve forgot to do that little thing we said we’d start doing several months ago. Daily reminders, be it a desk top picture of your dream holiday that you’re saving up for, setting a reminder on your phone to go to the gym each day or leaving yourself little motivational Post-it notes around the house to do those things you want to get done, it’s good to reminder ourselves each day of the things we really want to achieve and keep working at it to make them happen.

Hang Around With The Right People

It’s important to surround yourself with positive people. Other people’s attitude can have a big impact on your own. If you have friends who are positive and supportive, then you’re more likely to help spur each other on and help to motivate one another. Not everyone can go around feeling super positive and motivated all of the time but if you have good people around you then you can always be there to help pick each other up when you’re down and keep that motivation going. Often for me when I’m feeling down or lacking motivation, all it takes is a catch up or a phone chat with one of my closest friends and I feel my mood is quickly lifted and my motivation is back on track.

Seek Out Like Minded People

As well as the important people in your life, it can really help to find like minded people who have similar goals to you. Be it in real life or online, it’s great to join a little community of relatable people who can really help to inspire you to achieve what you want in life. It could be that you want to gain more confidence and so decided to join a local theatre group, or that you want to get fit and you find out that a few work colleges go to the gym on their lunch each day and you decided to join them. Even online you can find many like minded people, be it in forums or social media groups. Join in discussions, find like minded people and get yourself inspired.

Set Yourself Achievable Goals

If you set yourself up for a fall too early on, chances are that you’ll fail and then be left feeling demotivated. Giving yourself regular achievable goals that you can stick to will really help you to feel good about yourself when you reach each little mile stone and that can help you to push yourself to go even further.

Create Your Vision

Inspiration in photo form can be really helpful. I find Pinterest a great way to get inspired when it comes to designing the interior for our new house. Doing up the house is a long and at times tedious process but by constantly gathering different interior design ideas, it keeps us inspired and motivated to get it finished and decorated just the way we want it, as we envisage our end goal. Of course this can be done in many other forms, as you could even create an actual scrap book of the things that inspire you, or create a collage on a pin board. I also like to take down notes each time I read or hear something that I feel inspired or motivated by and read over them on days when I need to go back to those sources of inspiration.

Those are my five tips for staying inspired and motivated. Do you have any particular things that inspire you and help you to stay motivated?

P.s, if you were wondering where the 2016 dairy is from, you can find it here.

Samio x

January 17, 2016
Morning Motivation – Embracing Your Uniqueness

So last nigh I was doing some late night internet browsing (like you do), when I came across one article that I was particularly drawn to. I opened up the link to find it was actually a video. Still intrigued by the title, I decided to watch it. Here’s where I should point out that the video in question was Meet Casey Legler – the world’s first female male model. Intriguing no? I urge you to watch the short video. So anyway, after watching it, I wasn’t just amazed but also inspired.

I often speak of accepting what you have and embracing who you are and this woman seems to epitomise that. It’s not just about what she does or how she is but about how she has accepted her differences and utilised her strengths (those of which I think are pretty awesome by the way). Anyway the point I am getting at is that we are all different, we are all unique and we should embrace that. We should embrace what makes us different, dare to stand out and learn to love our unique features and qualities. I shan’t waffle on too much, in fear of sounding all preachy preachy but I think it’s important to remember that what makes us different is also what can make us great. So go out there, be fabulous and do your thing!

Samio x

March 12, 2015
Motivation Monday – You Can Only Be You

One of the most pointless things you can do with your time is sit and compare yourself to someone else. Most of us have done it and most of us have felt like crap after it, so why do we do it and what’s the point? At the end of the day you’re never going to be whoever you’re comparing yourself to (I’m afraid those life transplant machines haven’t been invented yet), so you may as well get over it and get on with being you!

The day I decided to stop trying to compare myself to other people was the day I had one less thing to put myself under pressure with and worry about. I was also able to notice and really appreciate all the good things I had going for myself and work on what I wanted to achieve instead of worrying about what anyone else was doing…

The reason I wanted to write a few words of motivation on this topic was because I often still hear so many people putting themselves down whilst comparing themselves to someone else that they are putting on a pedestal. More often than not the people they are comparing themselves to are those they know rather little or nothing about in reality and are going off what they read and see on social media or on TV (if it’s someone famous), which most often only shows a part of a full picture. It’s that case of ‘the grass is always greener’ well let me tell you, whilst you’re busy looking at someone else’s green grass yours is drying out and dying… Hmm, not the best metaphor but you get my gist.

The best thing you can do for yourself if focus on yourself. Don’t get me wrong, it can often help to look to certain people or public figures (whoever floats your boat) for inspiration and motivation but don’t let what someone else has done set a precedent for everything you will do. There are a whole lot of humans on this planet (7.125 billion to be more accurate – yes I just googled that), we’re each on our own path doing our own thing. Many paths are similar but no two paths are exactly the same and so it’s important to focus on your own goals and reward yourself for your own achievements. You don’t need to be anyone else, you just need to be you because let’s face it, you’re unique, you’re one in over 7 billion and you can only be you, so be the best you that you can be!

Happy Monday!

Samio x

November 10, 2014