If there was anything I needed the most in the world, it would be this lovely thing called motivation. I think every student can relate after we've hit the midterm slug feeling, only now getting closer towards the end of the semester and wanting to leave already. I found myself in a cycle of boredom and laziness, I didn't want to get anything done. All I wanted was to lay around and catch up on sleep for once.

I thought maybe I was going to be stuck in this cycle forever, and it worried me...until I came across some app advertisement saying how listening to motivational speakers and pep-talks would help my daily routine. That made an idea come to mind; what if I tried this for a week? Would this really help me get through the day? Well, I had enough space on my phone...why not try it?

And so my little personal challenge began. I was going to listen for a little bit each day and reflect on how I felt afterward.

The first day I felt as if this was pointless. I got bored listening to what was supposed to encourage me and make me want to get my life together. To be honest, I almost wanted to give up this experiment, goes to show that my motivation level is very low...oops.

The next two days, I began to feel a bit more positive about my days. I noticed that I smiled more, even if I felt grouchy from the lack of no sleep thanks to studying and work. I was able to snoop around on the app some more and find speakers that I liked, pep-talks that were for either working out or inspiration to get stuff done. It was nice to have things that I liked listening to, and oddly enough made me want to keep listening.

Ever since then and to today, I completed my goal of listening, and my motivation is a lot higher than what it was before. Has it changed drastically? No, and I think that it's okay it didn't, I haven't been listening for that long anyway. I started out as someone who was usually tired and dreading having to do anything that involved school or work. I felt like I didn't have the energy to do it. Now, I'm a person who has a slightly better attitude about things, I go straight to the app in the mornings for an early "pick-me-up" to get me ready for my day...that is, when I'm not FaceTiming my mom, who's also super motivating!

All in all, I think that even listening to motivational talks a little bit each day can change something your life. I would recommend trying to listen for a week, just like what I did before, and you'll notice a difference. It's best to remember that everyone can be affected in different ways too. Someone may become super motivated after a few days, whereas it might take you more than a week to feel anything different. These pep-talks remind us that to be the best we can be, the only obstacle is us. Once you overcome your fears and excuses, you're unstoppable.