Motivation low? Get it back!

When we think about branding photography, it’s hard to think of anyone but yourself – you are the star after all. But at a time when lots of people I know are feeling quite rubbish about themselves – those January Blues exemplified and extended far beyond where they’re welcome! – it’s hard to feel good, never mind feel like you love yourself.

I don’t know about you but I’m definitely carrying a few extra pounds, my hair I've posted but I think to encourage you to colour yours with a box dye and hazardly lop it off with a pair of nail scissors is irresponsible, I feel my fitness levels have decreased drastically from this time last year and I’m finding myself more demotivated than I’ve ever felt… not a great mood to be thinking about new headshots and personal branding images. And yet, I need to.

It’s so important for people to recognise me as me. The extra few pounds? If I get my outfit right, only I’ll really notice. My hair will be fine… fitness is irrelevant… my motivation simply needs a kick up the backside. The truth is I don’t 100% love myself and especially not how I come across in 98% of pictures but the problem now is not so much my appearance but how I feel.

Part of really loving yourself is being to tell whether your mood is simply low and needs a kick start – something exciting, new, vigorous, inspiring (an online shopping spree, a competed to-do-list, a successful workout, the creation of an impressive meal.) If that’s the case, push yourself towards it. And if it’s more than that, do the opposite. If mentally and physically you’re done, don’t spend hours struggling your way through tasks that should be wrapped up in one. Make time for you however you can - a leisurely walk, snuggle on the couch with a good book or your favourite feel good film, pick up the phone and talk to the person who always helps… I know there are deadlines (and children!) and sometimes they have to be met (or attention given) but there is a tipping point and when you fall over it, it’s much better to take a few hours out and restart refreshed than it is to keeping going and going and going – even the Energizer bunny runs out of steam at some point. When you hit that final crash it’s far more difficult to recover and usually requires weeks and not days out.