#MotivationMonday (+ Book Recommendation)
Good morning, friends! It's a brand new week for you to finish everything you have on your to-do list and to bring yourself one step closer to achieving your goals. Let's get you well on your way to crossing those items out of your planner with a motivational quote to start the morning!
"Life is a gift. Don't forget to live it."
- Nicola Yoon, Everything, Everything
As I'm sure you've come to expect, before we get into the discussion of the quote, I have to give a quick shoutout to the book it came from. By this point in time, Everything, Everything is practically household name. Though it began as a book, both the snapchat filters and the movie have created an absolute whirlwind of marketing and media attention. Whether or not you attended it's theater debut, it's an easy, fascinating read for you to pick up as the summer days are slowly slipping away.
The plot focuses on a girl named Maddy. She was born with severe combined immunodeficiency, which basically means she's allergic to the world. In her seventeen years of life, she's never stepped foot outside her house, but then, a cute boy, Ollly, moves in next door, making her question everything. Will she ever encounter a force greater than fear that will empower her to walk out the front door?
I have to leave you on a cliffhanger to entice you to read, but seriously, if nothing else, please go see the movie. This is just a story that will touch your heart, featuring an ending you will never see coming.
Well, now that that's all taken care of, we can move on to the important part of this post: the motivation. To me, this quote fits the mood of the end of summer perfectly. During this time, we're all focused on negatives. From the last trip to the lake to the last time hanging out with friends before they head back to school to the last weekend of complete freedom, it's easy to get caught up in how bummed we are about responsibilities and real life reappearing.
What we don't often think about is how all these lasts can be filled with so many incredible memories, ones that could be easily passed over if our eyes remain stuck searching for the bad views. In the end, we only get one life, and unfortunately, it happens to be full of lasts. It's in these moments that we have to remind ourselves how lucky we are to be here. Even with the end of a summer, or semester, or year, we have opportunities to continue living, thriving, exploring everything that life has to offer, and we must capitalize on the experiences. Just think about how much more fun you can have, living with your heart completely in the present, compared to dwelling on negative thoughts.
Overall, I just think this idea is an important reminder. We're never guaranteed tomorrow, and we never know what tomorrow will bring. Instead, we have to continue living today, appreciating every little detail about it, even the parts that aren't so fun, like the lasts. So, as these last few weeks are winding down, be sure to take a look around and admire the people, the scenery, and the vibes surrounding you. They're worth so much more than you may ever believe.
don't forget to tell the important people how much they mean to you this week. just like life, they're a gift too.
xoxo madison