Happy Motivation Monday!
Have you ever been told you can’t do something?
When I first applied to Nursing school, there were another 5 women from my high school that applied to the same schools for Nursing that I had applied. To put things in context I was really into sports, missed a lot of classes, and probably wasn’t viewed as “the really smart one in class”.
When I got accepted to EVERY school I applied to (and didn’t tell anyone until I was asked), a few of these girls told me they were really upset that hey hadn’t been excepted to all the schools as they thought they had better grades than me. I was actually the only one of the five to get into every school (bragging rights).
Truth be told, I wanted to become a nurse REALLY badly and had studied my butt of in my last two years and had the grades to show for it. That really empowered me to work hard throughout Nursing school to make sure that despite not being the most intelligent in the class, I could get high grades if I applied myself.
* I did make the honour role 😉
What about you? Â Share a similar experience….
See also:
10 Foods To Help You Lose Weight
For me, sometimes the motivation has to come from within. A short story to illustrate:
I used an extra year to graduate high school a long time ago. I skipped classes and didn’t hand in assignments because I hated having to be there.
Fast forward about 8 years later when I decided to go to college full-time. In my first semester, I quit one job and started another, broke up with a long-time boyfriend, lost a close friend in a motorcycle accident right before midterms, moved out of co-habitating – back to my parents for 3 weeks – found a place on my own, etc. Instead of letting all of the adversity drag me down, I used it to motivate me to graduate with honors.
Fast forward another 5 years when I’m in my 30s and decided to go to university. I had plenty of people questioning my being a student again at my age, I moved 3 provinces away from my family, quit a full-time job and started a new part-time job, learned my way and my place in a brand-new city, am the oldest female in my class by at least 5 years, yet I am about to graduate with honors (debt-free) for the second time in my life while currently working two jobs.
People will tell you that you can’t do something, but it’s up to you whether you listen to them or use that as inner motivation prove them wrong.
Soo agree and sometimes, it´s very challenging to listen to your inner voice rather then what everyone around you has to say. When you start doing it differently, they look at you like you are crazy, but when you achieve it, they might even ask you for help or go to you for an advice.
That´s why it´s so important to have people around you, who will support you in whatever you want to do or be.
One “success” that comes to mind is my natural childbirths. When I was pregnant with my first, I really wanted to give birth naturally, without pain medication. I think that’s something that a lot of people doubted. But I put in the time preparing with my hypnobabies classes, stayed healthy during my pregnancy, and had my son in a beautiful, natural (hospital) birth. And then when I had my daughter 3 years later, I was confident that I could do it again, and I did. While there was much satisfaction in the accomplishments themselves, it wasto a little sweeter being able to prove the people who thought that I just couldn’t do it wrong!
As a single mother of 3, I am in my 4th year of home schooling. Ages 10, 8, and 6. I have been blessed to be able to continue doing this even as a single mom. People think it’s a little crazy, but I don’t let their opions stop me. I also have a great support of family amd other home shooling friends who give me encouragement.
Hello Katie
I live in Australia & home school my youngest son – he is 17 & next year will be completing his final year & sitting his SAT exams. I was so afraid of not being able to “teach” my son when we started schooling him at the age of 6 after a disasterous 6 months of “normal school” when he was just 5 years old. He hated school so much & was so unhappy that we took him out of school & decided to let him recover from what was obviously a very traumatic situation for him & then start again when he turned 6. Since starting his schooling from home I have had to go thru 2 international moves, my beloved Dad passed away after a horrific cancer ordeal, my nephew committed suicide 15 months later, my husband cheated on me, my cat died from congestive heart failure (and she was one of my babies), my auntie was murdered in her home at the age of 80 (the murder investigation is still open as no one has yet been found) but on the happy side of things my eldest son gave me 2 beautiful grandbabies, I have a wonderful younger son who is not like a lot of these younger ones today, I have achieved much satifaction from my own growing as a home schooling parent. My heart still has a flutter when I waatch him reading his assignments & doing his Math/Science subjects – I taught him to read, write, count, do his Maths etc. that for me is my greatest achievement apart from carrying him under my heart from the beginning of his life – you go for it Katie!!
Here’s my experience: I did an undergraduate research project in the very last year of my Bachelor’s degree (September 2009 to April 2010), and the lead supervisor told me that I am *not* suited to go to graduate school, especially in applied mathematics. (My Bachelor’s degree was in Mathematical Sciences – a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science courses.) After two years, I am currently a first-year graduate student pursuing a Master’s degree in philosophy. Almost nobody would have predicted 1) the transition from mathematics/statistics to philosophy or 2) that I would pursue graduate studies!
Isn’t it great when people tell you you can’t do something? 😉 Awesome story. I can relate!
Great timing Flavia!
I have my first Summer school class this afternoon in Introductory Biology. My family told me that going to University would be too hard for me, but I know deep down that there’s more in me and I can do better than what I am doing now, and I have the self-respect to do it. I’ve just waited to mature before taking on serious study.
Even if the people close to are telling you to be ‘responsible’ or ‘don’t take risks,’ you’ve just got to leap and grow your wings on the way down.
Im so excited for my future, I want to be a holistic nutritionist, and specialize in plant based nutrition and disease prevention, and to teach yoga.
Much much more fulfilling than being a florist.
Love and light x
When I first began changing my diet and becoming serious about fitness , I had a few close friends that wouldn’t get off my back about how I looked great and couldn’t get a better body ” At my age” than I already had. And that it was impossible for a woman in her 40’s to gain muscle. That I should be happy to maintain what I have.
I cut my body fat significantly, built lean muscle and have photos to prove it.
I guess people hate to admit their wrong because they constantly tell me I looked better before. That was until I showed them the before and after and photo’s.
Thank you all ladies for sharing your wonderful stories! I have enjoyed reading every one of them! Yours too Flavia! 🙂
Agreed Anna! Thanks so much ladies. It helps hearing others having a similar experience 😉
I too loved reading these stories! For myself – I really enjoy telling “old age” to take a hike. I usually use much more nasty words than that. :-).
When I was 57 – and around 3 years into menopause – I asked myself what I really wanted and the answer came that I wanted to be very stong physically. I was on a walk 3 days after having a minor lump removed from my breast. The next thing I knew – I woke up in an ambulance. I had been hit by a car in a cross walk – it broke my skull -so needless to say I had a concussion – and a broken thumb. Miraculously I was out of the hospitol in 3 days after only minor cosmetic surgery on my forehead. I slowly started in doing yoga to help heal. Then I went to HIT workouts and lifting heavier weights. Then I started mountain biking. I lost 15 lbs of fat and built muscles over 4-5 months time. I will be turning 60 in 4 months. I have only scratched the surface of how fun it is to feel good physically. People in my church are inspired by how I look, so I help people get into exercise and I work as a volunteer yoga teacher at our school for 7th-10th grade kids!
I recently upgraded my degree and I was worried about going back to school being a “mature” student and working full-time. I applied myself harder than I had as an undergrad and did amazingly well. I got top marks and graduated “With Distinction” (honours) – again, all while working full-time and going to the gym every morning before work. If I could talk to the old me that slacked off and didn’t get a double-major in the first place, I’d say, “In your face!”