I've been planning to do this for a while and I can't believe I'm putting up the first post. Sometime last year I wrote a post on passion & motivation and it kind of inspired me to start a series. First up is Sophie from Nana Wintour whose blog was the first one I'd ever read and what gave me the idea of starting one of my own. She writes about books, beauty, fashion, as well as personal posts and I'm so happy that she kicks off the series.
For you, does passion/motivation interweave or are they separate?
Personally, I think they go hand in hand. With passions and an enthusiasm for life and whatever it may entail, I feel like you can be so driven to do whatever it is you set your mind to. They definitely can be seen as separate entities but they really do intertwine and form quite the dream team when utilised well.
What areas are you passionate about? Career, side/creative projects etc.
Good question! I like to think I’m quite a passionate, enthusiastic person. I love my work-even though it’s not really a creative job. The people and the supportive, awesome environment it is makes me feel really lucky. It really is like a big family. I love my side-hustle, mostly non-paying btw. For me that is primarily writing, whether it be for my own blog or other outlets. Writing has always been something that has filled me with such enthusiasm and excitement I suppose. It seems to be something I can really do effortlessly. Tying in with that, words are obviously a huge source of love for me. I often think about how powerful they really are and how they can communicate so much.
What is it about these areas that makes you motivated to achieve goals/get stuff done?
Hmm because my workplace is so positive and there’s always a lot of laughter and the like, it makes me want to work hard. Of course I have days where I’d rather be catching some extra zzz’s and maybe want to throw my desk phone out the window but the good far outweighs the bad. In terms of writing-goodness knows I procrastinate a lot sometimes. Once I get going though I find I can’t really stop until I’ve finished. For time’s sake I often come back to blog posts and write bits and pieces. I guess because it’s something I genuinely love doing and want to succeed at+better myself, it makes me want to get shit done so to speak.
How do you get through periods of feeling less motivated/passionate?
This is something I’ve definitely been struggling a bit with lately. For me stepping back a bit is extremely helpful. Thanks to social media, which I otherwise love for the most part, it’s all too easy to get swept up in what everyone else is doing. Don’t do it. Following people for the sake of it? Unfollow them. Taking a break is great too-I’m thinking particularly with blogging here. I remember back in the day I used to find the idea of taking blog breaks horrifying. Now I do them quite regularly. It’s perhaps less noticeable because I’ll still be posting but my weeks are less filled up with writing posts, scheduling woes and the like because of it. Maybe that’s just because I work full time but when it begins to feel tedious or unenjoyable, I know it’s time to step back for a bit.
Where do you find sources of motivation & ideas? Other people/art/blogs etc.
So many places-I’d be here all day if I listed them all. Sometimes it can be something as simplistic as having a conversation with someone. Actually conversation is another thing I love, I’m sure people wish I’d be quiet sometimes haha. Seriously though-good banter=great inspiration, most of the time. As I am quite a visual person-things like films and literature are a huge source. Flicking through magazines is another. As cliché as it sounds, taking the time to not stare at a screen whilst walking to and from work for example can be a huge inspiration. Whether that’s noticing the colour of the sky, the oversized shades a stranger dons, an appealing typeface on a window. Honestly though I often get inspiration at the weirdest of times. Case in point: I was looking out the window of a train when a series on my blog came to me. Not sure what inspired it but I quickly grabbed my phone and wrote notes down.
And finally, are there any future projects/goals you're excited about in 2018?
No concrete projects as such. I really, really need to get my act together and overhaul my blog design. It’s stale and I want a refresh. Other than that, for me it’s getting published elsewhere-which kinda scares me because not hearing back is the worst but actually submitting things is quite nervewracking in itself. Honestly though, whoever says “yep, I’ll print that” will probably make my year.
Thank you so much to Sophie for her amazing answers and being the first of the series. Make sure you check out her blog as well her Instagrams: @nanawinour & @whatsophieread.
Ashley xx
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