How to Finally Get Yourself Out of Bed
By: Ashley Favata
“It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to has power over you.” -Leon Brown
Like many of you, Covid-19 has uprooted my life dramatically. I was devastated when I had to vacate my freshman college dorm early to move home—leaving behind the life that I had built for myself. In college, I got into the typical lazy schedule of having little motivation to get my work done, prioritizing my friends and social responsibilities over my health and school work. During quarantine, I was able to break away from those bad habits and truly embrace this quote by implementing it in my life. You may be asking yourself, “How do I stay motivated during these times of a global pandemic?” I’ve found that the easiest way to find motivation is by focusing on a single task at a time and putting in all my effort into little projects that will truly matter.
I understand that you may be feeling uneasy during these unpredictable times. I want my article to be a bright red flashing sign telling you to keep working on yourself and the little things that will make a huge impact. You have the time today while doing online courses, practicing social distancing, and experiencing this “new normal”. You are allowed to feel overwhelmed; feel it fully and then allow yourself to let it go. Only focus on what you can control today.
This summer, I was nervous—almost embarrassed—that I didn’t have an internship lined up. I knew I needed to fill these few months with activities that could improve my professional and mental development, so I researched different opportunities to get involved. I began an externship with AT&T, which was a one month shadowing of a business to learn practical training. It might have been the best decision I’ve ever made, transforming my entire outlook on life. I learned new information about how to develop and grow on a personal level, and I wanted to share a few key concepts I picked up along the way.
First, start your day off right! Mel Robbins, a lecture volunteer from my externship, reminded my peers and me to stay active: “The moment you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will stop you. 5 4 3 2 1 Go!”. Using this 5-second rule trains your mind to spark motivation in order to get going. Right when you hear your alarm clock go off in the morning, you should start counting backwards from 5 and once you get to 1, get up and get going. But remember, this technique won’t work unless you coach yourself into believing that those 5 seconds are enough time to prepare yourself for the day ahead.
Next, I want to share a piece of advice from Molly Bloom. She has now become one of my idols and she emphasized that you should “never stop”. Molly Bloom is the author of Molly’s Game, a true story about her life as she owned a gambling hosting company. Indicted by the FBI for illegal operations, Molly hit rock bottom. But, rather than allowing herself to be defined by it, she chose to tell her own narrative through her book, Molly’s Game, which later turned into a Grammy nominated movie . She is truly an inspiring woman! During her lecture, she stressed that consistency is the key to getting what you want. You will never be able to have full control of your life, so it is up to you as to how you will manage your situation. Molly discussed the importance of meditation as a way to control your mind and find focus. The goal of being mindful and practicing meditation is to have control over your thoughts, so you’re able to control your reactions. Molly also said, “refusing to quit and refusing to fail will trump talent and brilliance in the end,” which I hope encourages you to stay motivated, keep growing, and reach your goals. Most of all, never stop.
Take it from me, it’s going to be hard to get started, but once you get going, things will fall into place. Capitalize on every opportunity you can, seize each chance to improve, and remember: you have the power to overcome anything!
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Sources
“Molly Bloom Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore, www.brainyquote.com/authors/molly-bloom-quotes.
Robbins, Mel. “The Five Elements of the The 5 Second Rule.” Mel Robbins, 8 Oct. 2019, melrobbins.com/five-elements-5-second-rule/.
Truffaut-Wong, Olivia. “Where Is The Real Molly Bloom Now? The 'Molly's Game' Inspiration Is Committed To Helping Women Succeed.” Bustle, Bustle, 27 Dec. 2017, www.bustle.com/p/where-is-the-real-molly-bloom-now-the-mollys-game-inspiration-is-committed-to-helping-women-succeed-7688997.