External Motivation, Part III: The Role Model

Part 1: The Playlist
Part II: The Workspace

~~

My childhood hero was Sailor Moon. She was an irresponsible, clutzy crybaby on the outside, but on the inside she had a huge heart. She cared for her friends and family deeply, held more self confidence than I could ever hope to have, and believed that everyone was worth saving--everyone, even the bad guys. Her grades sucked--there's no delicate way of putting it--but every night she saved the world from whatever evil made itself known. She didn't win every time, but didn't let it stop her; she held an incredible amount of hope and faith in her heart. I wanted to both be her and be friends with her at the same time.

She was not only someone to look up to, but a friend when I felt like I had none. She and I go way back; she taught me to dream without hesitation, love without consequence, and fight for what I want out of life. The influence the character and the show had on me as a kid was a big factor in making me the person I am today.

In this case, I didn't consciously choose my role model. It's something I didn't even realized had happened until later, after a significant amount of thought and reflection. But often, a role model is someone we purposefully pick out; someone we see and say, "Hey, I wanna be like you!"

A role model can be a great source of motivation. Sometimes it's hard to mentally picture the person we want to be, and seeing this person who is excelling at all of the things we want to do gives us something solid to shoot for. In some cases, they can even give us adivce on how to get there!

But there's a danger in idolizing someone, be them fictional or real. We don't often see their failures, making it that much easier to ignore their faults and the reality of the life we want to live. When we see someone with the skills, talents, and attitudes that we lack, it's easy to feel discouraged with our own progress. It's easy to think that we'll never be as successful as they are.

It's also easy to lose yourself; when you're trying so hard to be like this other person, it's all too easy to drop the "like" and focus on being their twin. Instead of shooting for our own accomplishments in our own way, we try to do it just like they did. We drop our own opinions and interests and pick up the ones that made this one particular person so successful. We try to follow in their footsteps instead of forging our own path.

It's great to have someone to look up to, and knowing that they beat the odds to get where they are not only motivates us but inspires us to do the same. But you have to be careful that you use this role model to fuel your motivation, instead of letting the idea of them hinder it.


Who's your role model? Tell me in the comments!

Until later,

- Justyne

Review: The Selection

WARNING: The following blog posts contain spoilers for the novel under review, ranging from mild to heart wrenchingly major. If you have yet to read this novel and dislike being spoiled, leave now and return upon completion.

If you HAVE read this novel (or just don't give a crap about spoilers), then continue on.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

~~

HELLO, FRIENDS! It's that time of week again! Today we'll be talking about The Selection, by Kiera Cass!

THE PLOT-Y BIT

Prince Maxon has just come of age, which means that it's time for the Selection--a competition between 35 girls to win his heart and, subsequently, the crown. It's the chance of a lifetime; one that America Singer wants nothing to do with. She knows what she wants--a future with Aspen, the love of her life, even if it means spending it in poverty.

Against all odds, she's chosen as the representative of her province, and is whisked into a world of ball gowns, fancy jewels, and life in a glittering palace. Nothing is what she imagined it to be--not even Maxon, who isn't nearly as stiff as he appears on TV. Slowly, she finds herself falling for him, realizing as she does that her ideals for the future are shifting, as well.

THE REVIEW-Y BIT

Do we have a tally going for the amount of books read in one sitting this year? No? Well, we should.

This year is quickly being filled with these kinds of reading experiences, and I am in no way complaining! Stories like these are the reason reading is so exciting! They're never intentional, of course--more of an oops-I-accidentally-read-300-pages-in-one-day-might-as-well-finish kind of experience. But that's also what makes them fun!

To be honest, I was a little iffy about this book going into it. Judging from the premise--a girl who competes against others for the prince's affections--it sounded a lot like The Bachelor on steroids. Still, I had heard good things about it, so I picked it up nonetheless.

Do you ever buy a book, intending to read it right away, only to leave it on your shelf for months, collections dust? And then, when you finally DO get around to reading it, the only thought going through your mind was, "Holy crap this book is amazing WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG??"

That. This book was that.

As cheesy as America's name is (Singer? Really?), I really liked her as a character. She knows what she wants out of life and is more than willing to fight for it. While stubborn at times, she's able to admit when she was wrong. And she's so full of compassion, I just know she would make a great queen. (She and Maxon have to get together. They must.)

Speaking of Maxon--God, how adorable is he? He's so socially awkward, yet at the same time so caring and kind and such a gentleman. He obviously cares about his people, too, judging from his quick actions to enforce a food bank type of system for lower caste families. He and America would / will make an amazing team--talk about a power couple!

I think Illéa's scoiety structure is super interesting. A lot of those dystopian-esque books take place way in the future, and even though this one techincally did (it takes place after WWIV), it didn't seem like it. Their technology was about the same as ours; not too advanced, but not described as a post-apocalyptic wasteland, either. It's just like ours, except...well, slightly different.

But that's what makes it so interesting! It parallels our society in a way that's so simliar that we can easily picture it and relate to it as easily as we can our own lives. It takes the things that are already wrong with our society--we're talking wealth distribution, homelessness, poverty--and emphasises them. It places further rules and restrictions, turning it into a bigger and more obvious problem.

Yes, there's something wrong in this imaginary world. But there's something wrong with our world, as well--all this book does is reflect on it and bring attention to it, in an interesting and compelling way.

STAR-Y BIT

This book earned a 5 star rating from me very quickly. Although it could have used some distance from the traditional topes we're used to in YA dystopians, it was still a great read!


What were your thoughts on this week's read? Be sure to discuss down in the comments!

Until later,

- Justyne

Micro Fiction Monday: Envy

Every Monday, I post a piece of flash fiction--a story clocking in at around 300 words. Each story can also be found on my deviantART page. Enjoy!

~~

Jealousy can ruin a lot of things. It can destroy a friendship, or tear up a romance from the inside out. If the jealousy is strong enough, it can even rip a hole in a marriage, like a shard of glass slicing through your finger when you try to clean it up.

But if jealousy is a shard, envy is a sharpened knife, poised and ready for attack.

It was the poor man who was envious of the prince—the man who was both rich and handsome, loved and admired by al. The prince knew no hardships, not like the poor man.

So the poor man, who dabbled in magic, cast a spell on him. His beautiful features turned green and slimy, his life destined to be spent in a swamp. He would be unknown. He would be ugly. He would be miserable.

Mere days later, the prince returned, a beautiful princess bride on his arm. The curse was broken, his life now better than ever before.

The poor man, meanwhile, remained poor and alone. Envy may be sharp, but a knife slips easily. More often than not, it only injures the user.

~~

Until later,

- Justyne

External Movitavtion, Part II: The Workspace

Part I: The Playlist

~~

If you are in pursuit of a creative career, you are going to--ideally--spend the majority of your time in some sort of designated workspace. (If not the majority, then at least a reasonably large chunk of it.) This is where you will write your first draft, your second, your third. It's where you will slave the night away, writing words that you won't even remember through the haze of sleep deprivation. This is where you will write your debut novel. This is where you will partake in a dozen NaNoWriMo's and draft a hundred query letters.

This place needs to be your home, be it your home-within-a-home or your home-away-from-home. As such, it has to be a place that not only motivates you, but inspires you to create great works of art.

You are in the midst of creating your work environment, so it is imperative that the end result is a place that you enjoy--I would even go so far as to say that it should be your FAVOURITE place!

There are two different categories that you should be thinking about whenc hoosing, designing, or redecorating your workspace--practicality and atmosphere.

Practicality is a no brainer--if you can't get any work done, it's not much of a workspace. It doesn't necessarily motivate you to get work done...it just prevents you from doing anything else.

As much as I want to skip to the atmosphere aspect of this week's topic, the practicality part is just too important to leave out. So for now, I'll leave you with a miniature preparation checklist to ensure that no distractions interfere with your motivation:

• Is there a TV in the room? Move. Now.
• Is your phone on? Turn it off and hide it in a drawer somewhere. DO NOT LET IT TEMPT YOU.
• Get off your bed. What are you even doing.
• Get off the couch, too.
• SIT AT A PROPER SURFACE IN A PROPER CHAIR
• Download this and this. And this.
• Prevent Scatterbrain Syndrom by making a To-Do list or setting a goal for your work time. SHOOT FOR THE STARS, CHILDREN.

Ok, great. All that boring stuff is out of the way--now comes the fun bit!

A couple years ago I made a Pinterest account, which was both a blessing and a curse. It was probably one of the worst things to ever happen to me, simply because it is hands down one of the most distracting websites I've ever had the misfortune of signing up for. (Yes, right up there with Tumblr.)

But at the same time, it's been great for inspiration. People pin writing tips and drawing tutorials, inspirational quotes and--probably my favourite part of this God forsaken website--home decor.

I never had a true appreciation for home decor until I found Pinterest. Bedrooms and kitchens, reading nooks and dining rooms, dens and....home offices.

The atmosphere aspect of your workspace is the most fun, the most expensive, and the trickiest. You need a workspace that is functional--organized in just the right way, with everything you need to be productive. It needs to be pretty--you're going to spend a lot of time there, so you need to want to spend a lot of time there. If it's boring or dull or ugly, you'll want to stay as far away as possible. But if it's bright and it's interesting, you'll want to spend as much time there as you can.

All the while, it can't be too distracting, because...well, you have to work sometime.

So find a space in your home, be it in your bedroom or elsewhere, and turn it into your Dream Job. Find a nice desk, as big or as small as you need, and a comfy chair. Set up your computer, or typewriter, or good 'ol fashioned pencil and notepad. Stick up a calendar with deadlines and To-Do lists, add some pretty lights and inspirational posters.

And for the love of your sanity, make sure you keep it clean.

Until later,

- Justyne

~~

Part III: The Role Model

Review: We Were Liars

WARNING: The following blog posts contain spoilers for the novel under review, ranging from mild to heart wrenchingly major. If you have yet to read this novel and dislike being spoiled, leave now and return upon completion.

If you HAVE read this novel (or just don't give a crap about spoilers), then continue on.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

~~

HELLO, FRIENDS! Today we're going to be talking about We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart!

THE PLOT-Y BIT

The Sinclairs are a rich family. They are a beautiful family. They are a perfect family.

The Sinclairs never grieve. They never break. And they certainly never fight.

Every summer, the head of the family meets his children on their private island, just off the coast of Massachusetts. Every summer, the first born granchildren reunite on the beaches.

They call themselves the Liars.

It's what the Sinclairs do best.

THE REVIEW-Y BIT

This book was a lot different than the books I normally read. It's no secret that I tend to lean towards the light, fluffy, happy romantic comedies.

This book was none of those things.

The narration style is different from what I'm used to, which isn't a bad thing...but isn't exactly a good thing, either. The narrator is seventeen years old, but from the way she narrated I'm not quite sure she sounds like one. That being said, there's something about her extensive use of metaphors and descriptions that makes for a very interesting read.

I think my favourite aspect of this book was Cadence's personal fairy tale retellings. I loved how they allure to her life and sort of gradually build up to the reveal of her accident. They change and get gradually darker in tone as the story progresses, while still remaining consistent in theme and format. It was a unique contribution to the tsory that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Lockhart's use of foreshadowing is top-notch. The shocking twist at the end was completely unexpected, but not completely out of the blue, which is exactly what you want from a book like this. I'm especially impressed that I didn't guess the ending beforehand (I have a bad habit of doing that...).

But for the love of God--couldn't the Liars have thought out their plan a little more? I mean, I know that they were only fifteen, but this is just plain common sense we're talking about, here. Schedule a meet-up time beforehand, or make a signal, or just stick together from the beginning! Really.

But I did enjoy the final air of mystery that the ending left us with: was Cadence seeing ghosts, or was she just hallucinating? Everybody seems to have their own theories about it!

THE STAR-Y BIT

I don't think I've ever struggled with a rating so much. In the end, I settled with a 3.75--a very well written and compelling read, but a little dark for my tastes nd not much reread value, either.


What were your thoughts on this week's read? Let me know in the comments!

Until later,

- Justyne

Review: All I Know Now

WARNING: The following blog posts contain spoilers for the novel under review, ranging from mild to heart wrenchingly major. If you have yet to read this novel and dislike being spoiled, leave now and return upon completion.

If you HAVE read this novel (or just don't give a crap about spoilers), then continue on.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

~~

HELLO, FRIENDS! This week I've got a book written by one of my favourite online personalities--All I Know Now by Carrie Hope Fletcher!

THE PLOT-Y BIT

For many, Carrie Hope Fletcher is already a familiar name. She's touched the hearts of thousands, through chilling performances as Eponine in Les Misérables, her quirky and charming YouTube videos, and her long-running blog entitled All I Know Now, rightfully earning her the title of everyone's honourary big sister.

Now, she's ready to conquer the literary world, as her ever popular blog becomes a work of published nonfiction. From dating to friendship, bullies to the ever-terrifying future, this 22-year-old offers advice as she reflects back on her own teen years, what she thought she knew, and all she knows now.

She may not know everything, but who really does?

THE REVIEW-Y BIT

Another nonfiction book! Who'd have thought, eh?

I've been looking forward to this book for quite some time! I've been actively watching Carrie's videos for upwards of two years now, and she rarely disappoints! Her videos never fail to put a smile on my face and improve my mood immensely. So, needless to say, when I heard that her boundless energy was going into a book, I was extremely excited!

Confession time: I cheated a bit to get my hands on this book. It was released in the UK--and only the UK--in late April, whereas the North American release isn't scheduled until September. We all know that I suck at waiting, so waiting an extra four months while so many others were already displaying it proudly on their shelves simply wasn't gonna fly. So while my fellow North Americans lamented over the wait, I went on to the Book Depository and sneakily ordered my copy online.

(I'm sure some other people did this, as well. The UK-based, free-shipping-worldwide website isn't exactly a secret. But I felt sneaky nonetheless.)

Knowing ahead of time that it is an advice book, I went into it not expecting to find use in everything, and I was right. Like any advice, you should take what you need and leave the rest--I had no need for advice on friendship or how to deal with bullies. But even so, I genuinely believe that there's something in here for everybody--I, for one, rather enjoyed the section on following your dreams. Carrie has become somewhat of a role model for me, and hearing her advice and thoughts on a subject that is rather important to me was something to take inspiration from. 

So even though this is marketed towards teens, don't be afraid to pick this up if you're a "grown up". I'm sure you'll still enjoy it!

The only real issue that I had with this book was the chapter length. More often than not, I felt like the chapters were too small, and they felt too compact for my liking. I also thought a lot of them had rather abrupt endings; they could have used a couple extra closing thoughts before moving on to the next chapter.

Even so, Carrie's anecdotes were wonderful, and her narration style made it feel like I was reading transcripts from her actual videos--very natural and well done!

THE STAR-Y BIT

If you need a gift for a teen or young adult, this book is definitely the way to go! I give it a solid four stars.

Be sure to leave your own thoughts on this week's book in the comments below!

Until later,

- Justyne

Micro Fiction Monday: Stars

Every Monday, I post a piece of flash fiction--a story clocking in at around 300 words. Each story can also be found on my deviantART page. Enjoy!

~~

She always loved the stars. In the short walk from her parents’ car to the front door of their tiny house, her neck was always tipped back, eyes glued on the little white dots above her. Her mother had to guide her along, gently pushing her from behind, or else the daughter would be hypnotized all night.

When the girl was older, she crossed the town line and entered the vast fields and forests outside the city. It was then that she realized how suppressed her dear stars were—how the harsh neon smothered the gentle magic in the sky. A few dots became a million pecks, brighter and more beautiful than she could have imagined.

When she returned home, she bought some paint. It wasn’t long before the night sky was replicated on her ceiling, the last thing she saw before sleep dragged her away.

~~

Until later,

- Justyne

External Motivation, Part I: The Playlist

Every morning, I optimistically set my alarm for 7 AM. Two alarms, in fact. I have been doing this for months, but I could probably count the amount of times I actually got out of bed at 7 on one hand. Sure, I was awake; I was just scrolling through social media feeds instead of doing literally anything productive at all.

My point is that sometimes (or all the time) we need a swift kick in the ass to get going. And that's okay! 

Inner motivation is infinitely more effective than outer motivation--doing something because you want to and because it falls in line with your values is a lot easier than doing it because someone else thinks you should. Even then, though, it's not always enough. Everyone falls into a slump sometimes, and the longer you mope around in the slump the harder it is to pull yourself out.

External motivation gives you that kick in the ass I mentioned earlier--it doesn't work forever, but it has the potential to work just long enough to get you the momentum you need to keep going. As long as that inner motivation exists somewhere, dormant in some dusty old corner of your mind, that little kick as the power to do a lot of good.

The good thing about this kick in the ass is that it's really not that hard to find; you can easily pull yourself away from Facebook and find it on your phone, motivating you to get out of bed. (The dealbreaker being, of course, that you want to get out of bed in the first place.) Once you're up and being the productive member of society you want to be, it's a lot easier to keep going. It's just the starting that sucks, is all.

One of my favourite methods of external motivation is music. Every few months I make a new playlist, filled with songs that I currently love and ones that really make me want to be all that I can be. I make new ones so often because my taste in music is constantly changing--songs that I was obsessed with a couple of months ago aren't quite as awesome to me anymore, and I've probably discovered a good handful of new ones to replace the old. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a different genre, a different tempo, or just something different.

But for now, these are what I've got:

- Brave by Sarah Bareilles

- Fight Song by Rachel Platten

- Something More by Sugarland

- Trip the Light by Alicia Lemke

- Praan by Garry Schyman
(Side note: If you're never seen the Where the Hell is Matt videos, watch them. Like, right now.)

- Anything by Hedley

- Best Day of My Life by American Authors

It's important that my motivational playlist is a lot different from my "Dance It Out" playlist, and yours should be, too! (All my Dance It Out playlist makes me want to do is...well, dance. And that doesn't always prove to be the most useful thing when your ideal productive state entails sitting for long periods of time.)

What are some songs that motivate you to start getting work done? Share them in the comments; I'm always looking for more!

Until later,

- Justyne

~~

Part II: The Workspace
Part III: The Role Model