How to Keep Going When You Lack Motivation

Feeling unmotivated now and then is a part of life. Plenty of days, I don't feel like getting out of bed, I second guess myself when I have a new idea, and of course, when something I tried fails, it only makes matters worst.

However, there will never be an excuse good enough to make me not want to keep going. It is understandable that we all have bad days, but remembering where we came from, where we are now and where we want to be is the key to staying motivated.

I find that there are a few simple rules to live by that has helped me stay motivated a driven to accomplishing my goals.

Remember why you started in the first place.

We all have our reasons for getting out of bed every morning, and when we start something new, we sometimes get caught up in a bunch of other things and forget why we started in the first place.

For example:

I started my blog, The Quiet Girl Diaries because I have this urge to tell my story, and I have so many stories to tell. I also enjoy the pure gratification of having something I wrote published and possibly being enjoyed by someone out there in the world. Either way, it is cheaper than going to therapy.

However, I do get caught up in promotion, getting my statistics higher and trying to find pieces to write that will get the most views, likes, and shares. All of that is a distraction for me, and honestly, if I kept looking at my stats, I would not have the motivation to keep blogging. The one thing that does keep me going is knowing that I am doing what I love. I am working on my dreams, the big picture. So, success may not come in one day, but if I don’t give up, someday I will be one of those successful people mentoring younger generations about what it means to follow your dreams.

What I am saying is, whether it was quitting your job in pursuit of your own business, ending a relationship, or moving across the world, searching for freedom, or whatever pushed you to make that drastic decision in your life, always remember it and how importing it is to you.

Keep going back to why you made that decision in the first place. And if you find that maybe your heart or mind wasn't in the right place, it was still for the better because you learned something.

Let the past go

Dwelling in the past is never a good idea. No one can undo the past; it will only hold you back if you let it. So, I suggest you make a mental list of what you've learned, what has helped you get ahead, the good memories and just leave the rest in the past where it belongs.

Remember that you're not the only one

Whatever you're going through, remember that it is almost certain that somebody else out there is going through or has been through the same thing. For this reason, you shouldn't be afraid to ask for help, and the best part is that there is always someone who is willing to listen or even offer help.

Whether it’s close family and friends or even someone from an online community you talk to; chances are someone is more than willing to give you some advice or just tell you their story, and by sharing each other’s experiences, you will find a reason to get your motivation back.

Surround yourself with positivity

Make no room for negativity in your life. That includes your thoughts, toxic relationships or trolls of any form. Make the decision only to focus on the positive side of things while learning from the past, the failure, and mistakes; and then move on.

If you are a spiritual person, pray and ask God to give you strength.

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What do you do when you lack motivation?

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Judith Francois was born in Haiti and raised in Chicago, IL. She recently started blogging; sharing stories from her life, book reviews, blogging tips, and more. Her passions include writing and sharing tips and tricks from things she learns. Judith believes that God has a great purpose for her life

This was a guest post by Judith, who blogs at her blog, The Quiet Girl Diaries.
Connect with Judith: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

If you are interested in guest posting, check out the guest posting guidelines for Maple Alps, here. 

DIY Muscle Rub

Sometimes, I get really excited when making up a new DIY or recipe. Today's remedy is no exception. It all started after week one of amping up my workouts to get ready for a Tough Mudder. I was sore, and I was miserable. I was also lacking in the coordination needed to apply essential and carrier oils to my sore muscles without a mess. That's when I knew it was time for a new DIY - for my soreness' sake!

Well, friends, I am happy to say that the results were as great, if not even better, than I expected! Mess-free AND effective is the real name of this easy DIY muscle rub. 

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This salve soothed my sore muscles perfectly, and I felt so much better after my long runs and hard workouts. Seriously, I do not know why I didn't consider making a balm sooner. Less mess, easier to apply with one hand, and crazy effective.

By now you can guess that I really enjoy making my own products. A lot of the ingredients I use are versatile and are found over and over again in different recipes, which I love, because it limits the amount of different things I need to purchase at one time. For this rub, I had everything I needed already in my cupboard. If you've made any of my other DIYs, you likely do too! In fact, this looks a lot like my Wonder Ointment - works great like it does too!

What you need:

2 TBSP Beeswax
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Sweet Almond Oil
2 TBSP Shea Butter
10 Drops Wintergreen Essential Oil
10 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil
10 Drops Pan Away Blend Essential Oil
 

what to do:

1) Melt the beeswax using double boiler (glass container in hot water in pot on stove) on LOW heat. It will take some time for it to melt completely.
2) Add sweet almond oil, coconut oil and shea butter and allow to melt.
3) Remove from heat, pour into desired jar, and stir in the essential oils.
4) Allow to harden completely

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Will you be trying this for your sore muscles? I have a feeling I might need to bring it out again soon, after a tough mudder AND a move! Let me know if you try this!

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Chocolate Beet Cupcakes with Avocado Frosting (vegan + gluten free)

Have you ever had a chocolate beet cupcake? What about frosting made with avocado? Intrigued? So was I when I decided to try!

Once in a while, I'll get bored or curious, and find myself in the kitchen making something really random. These beet cupcakes are definitely a product of that. I had heard of people putting beets into everything, and so I figured, why not a cupcake? There is only one problem with cupcakes in our house: nobody eats them. The husband doesn't care for them, and I prefer to go on long runs. 

I am now taking applications for new guinea pigs to cook for...

Despite all of this, these turned out better than I expected in the sense that I ate one, my husband ate one, and we both liked what we tasted. They weren't too sweet, nor did they taste "too healthy," even though they are vegan and gluten free. The frosting is sweetened with a little bit of maple syrup, and has no refined sugar in it. 

I am always a little weary of gluten free experiments especially, but these rose wonderfully - which I attribute partly to the baking powder added into the mix. The tops even had that perfect crinkle to them. I'm not going to lie, I ate one still warm, and it was heavenly. It was so light and so fluffy I almost died.

Did I taste the beets? Well, no, not really. The gluten free flour has a very distinct taste to it, however, so that may have overpowered it. I almost used regular all-purpose, but the gluten free mix was calling to me - it really was. 

The avocado frosting, I made the next day, just before serving. It's best fresh on the day of. Again, it doesn't taste like avocado, which is cool.

Though I personally preferred the cupcakes still warm, they were fine the next day. This was all that was left by the time all was said and done:

Chocolate Beet Cupcakes with Avocado Frosting

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour

• 1/4 cup ground almonds

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 small roasted beet, diced

• 1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar

• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted

For the Frosting

• 1 very ripe avocado

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• pinch of sea salt

• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

What to do:

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F then grease or line a muffin pan for 10 cupcakes. 

2) In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients

3) Stir together the almond milk and the apple cider vinegar in a blender or a food processor and allow to curdle. Add the roasted beet, cane sugar and vanilla extract. Blend on high until a smooth liquid forms.

4) Pour the liquid into the bowl with the dry ingredients then add the melted coconut oil. 

5) Fold together, making sure there are no lumps. 

6) Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full to make 10 cupcakes. 

7) Bake for 20 minutes, or until cupcakes pass the toothpick test.

8) Make the frosting by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and blending until smooth. 

Notes:

* Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting them. 
* Icing is best fresh!
* Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days (if they last that long).

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Are you going to give these a go? Let me know if you do!

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Natural Deodorant Spray

Hello my lovely people! So today's post is going to be a bit different, but hopefully not too smelly! As you all know, we really try to cut down the amount of harmful chemicals in our home and one way we do that is making our own products from natural ingredients. On a side note, this also really helps us save our pennies, because the natural products we make cost only a fraction of a natural product we would buy that does the exact same thing. For the past couple of months, I've been trying out different homemade deodorants, and today I will tell you why, and about one "deodorant" in particular, as well as my experience.

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For years, I've heard about all the terrible things in a lot of the deodorants we find on store shelves today. One ingredient I always associated with "bad" deodorant was aluminum being linked to breast cancer, but of course I needed to find out for myself. After all, I grew up in a family that taught hygiene and that smelling good was only polite - and deodorant is a part of that. I mean, who doesn't love smelling good?! However, after some research, it appears as though aluminum is not the only negative thing about this particular product, and I should perhaps find an alternative. Of course, there are mixed reviews. Some studies show that while antiperspirant use does alter the bacterial communities in our armpits, further study is needed to show exactly what this means (February 2016 source). My conclusion is that I want to use the most natural things I can. 

A little breakdown of some common ingredients found in deodorant:

Aluminum has been a discussion for years - and not just within the deodorant/antiperspirant realm. Sweating in and of itself is actually a good thing, but aluminum compounds blocks sweat ducts (hence, antiperspirant) and has allegedly been linked to breast cancers. 
"Fragrance" is also something to avoid. I talked about this in the DIY Foaming Hand Soap post, but FDA laws allow the word "fragrance" on our labels to include whatever the product makers want. It's considered a trade secret of sorts. I don't even want to know the kinds of toxins that are included under that umbrella.
Triclosan is another one I've mentioned, and even small amounts of it is discouraged. Not only is it bad for humans (even low levels can lead to thyroid issues, etc.), but once it gets into the environment (waste water treatments can't remove all of it), it is harmful to aquatic life. It's also known to irritate the skin.
Parabens are preservatives found in many deodorants. They have been linked to breast cancer as well, with traces being found in human breast tumors. Read more about parabens and breast caner here.

I could go on, but I'm already convinced. For you, however, read about more ingredients here and find additional information here. I read both of these and found them quite enlightening. 

Despite conflicting research and information, I've made the decision to use natural ingredients as much as I can. I didn't need to read more studies to convince me to make a more natural choice.

Enter: Deodorant spray.

I first came across this spray while reading one of my frequently read blogs, Sweet Simple Living, and became intrigued! I researched the ingredients Rachel used, checked out her sources, and decided that this was something I would try. 

Magnesium oil is the main ingredient in this spray. It's actually not oil at all - it only feels like oil, which is why it doesn't stain your clothes (Read more about magnesium oil from Wellness Mama, here.). An extra benefit of this deodorant spray, is that your body will get some magnesium from it as well - which could lower stress and help with your sleep! It was easy to make with magnesium flakes - dissolving them in water to create the "oil" and then adding an essential oil to it.

All I had to do was put on a few sprays and let it work it's magic. I expected a little tingle, as was described by Rachel, and that really was the case. Except it was itchy and tingly. Really itchy. If you know me, however, the more painful it is, the more it must be working, so I was rejoicing and ready for the day. It stung less the more I used it, of course.

While I did find that the spray was effective, I also concluded that it was a bit...messy to use if I wasn't careful to let it dry. I found that if I put clothes on before it was absorbed, I had an "oily" shirt (Do note that it didn't stain my clothes at all. It came right out in the wash). For maximum effectiveness, I needed to apply this twice a day, which was fine, as long as I wasn't in a hurry. If I didn't bother with the second application, I didn't smell bad at the end of the day, but peace of mind is everything to me. 

what you need:

1/2 C (4 oz.) magnesium flakes

1/2 C (4 oz.) distilled water (make sure it's distilled to extend shelf life)

10-15 drops essential oils (I've tried tea tree and peppermint)

what to do:

1) Boil the distilled water. 

2) Add magnesium flakes and allow to dissolve

3) Allow to cool completely then add to 4oz. glass spray bottle (I use these ones)

4) Add essential oils

To Use: spray on, rub in a bit, and allow to dry.

In conclusion: I would totally recommend this. I can't deny that it works. There's no nasty residue, and feels fresh. I never mind an extra dose of magnesium either! 

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What about you? Would you ever try a natural deodorant? Have you? What about this one? Leave a comment telling me about it - I'm all ears!

Capsule Wardrobe for Every Season // Guest Post

I recently spoke with a male colleague about women’s shopping habits and how expensive we can be for our partners. I personally can’t relate I have never spent more than fifty dollars for any item, in my wardrobe and usually I aim for twenty dollars and under. Whether budgeting or splurging, we all deserve to have a wardrobe that we love at our fingertips. In today’s retail climate, the style, availability and price range of clothing are vast and diverse.

So today, I thought we could have a conversation around creating a 10-piece wardrobe that suits all your needs.  

What is it?

If you frequent Pinterest or YouTube you have likely heard the recent buzz word Capsule Wardrobe. If you’re anything like me, you looked at the photos and videos and still didn’t quite understand what it all meant. The featured articles lead me to believe a capsule wardrobe consisted of monochromatic clothing (since it was a recurring theme). According to Wikipedia, it’s a collection of a few essentials items of clothing, that don’t go out of fashion. Some people recommend having 12 to 33 items.

What are the benefits?

Time-saver  

You have a limited number of items to mix and match.

Money-saver

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create an amazing timeless wardrobe.

Travel-ready

If you are always on the go or just like to travel light. A complete capsule wardrobe of 10 items can be conveniently stored in a carry-on bag.

What’s the budget?

Ultimately, the items you choose to purchase and the price point is up to you. I am going to share with you a capsule wardrobe for under $200.

Should my capsule wardrobe consist of high end items to ensure it lasts longer?

Your capsule wardrobe will last quite a long time, as long as you care for it properly. Here are 4 simple rules of thumb.

1.     Read the care-for instructions on your clothing label to ensure proper care.

2.     Wash any delicate items by hand to prevent fabric-stress and damage.

3.     Hang dry all your items to prevent shrinkage, fading, and discoloration.

4.     If for any reason you stain an item, make sure you use stain remover (as soon as possible) to prevent permanent damage.

10 Piece Capsule Wardrobe

1/2/3/4/5

1/2/3/4/5

Create a First Class Wardrobe on an Economy Class Budget

I did a little bit of research for the best place to purchase classic items for your budget. Without a doubt, Forever21 was the least expensive option. Also, they offer a wide variety of options for every style, shape, and budget. I know a lot people think I am way over 21 and have no business in this store, but if you are looking to get the biggest bang for your buck, this is the store for your capsule wardrobe. If you don’t live near a Forever21 store, they have a ridiculous online store selection but if you have never shopped there (proceed with caution).

If you decide to go with Forever21 for your capsule wardrobe, take it from me and…

·      Set aside a few hours to browse the store

·      Create a massive wardrobe (load up on several items for each section)

·      Hit the dressing room for a full session of fittings and photos

·      Because once you walk out of that door it’s a wrap.

o   No refunds, store credit only

o   Sale items and jewelry are final sale

Old Navy came in as a close second, they are reasonably priced and offer various sizes for all body styles. But this preppy favourite is best known for their classic style. So if you are a Trendy Tina, then you probably will not love their selection. The best thing about Old Navy is their Super Cash (discounts for a future date based on how much you spend) and Super Deals. There is almost always a sale, so definitely opt in to their email, you will not be disappointed. I love their return policy too. You have 90 days to exchange or return items for a full refund (this applies to both online and in store purchases).

Target came in a loose third. It was a complete flop! They don’t offer a wide variety of anything. Surprisingly, they were also the most expensive of the three; and their selection is definitely hit or miss at best.

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What about you? Any recommendations for our readers out there on where to shop for the first class capsule wardrobe on an economy class budget? 

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Chell Bee is a writer with a passion for encourage others to embrace their beautiful imperfections.
Connect with Chell Bee:
Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

This was a guest post by Chell Bee, who blogs at her lifestyle blog, Chell Bee. 

If you are interested in guest posting, check out the guest posting guidelines for Maple Alps, here.