What Lifts you up?

There are several areas in my life where I’m constantly striving to improve myself. And, for each one, I motivate myself using different methods.

For example, one way that I try to better myself is through keeping fit, and this year I trained for a half marathon. To keep motivated, I printed off my training schedule and stuck it on my refrigerator. Every time I completed a run, I’d tick it off. It was tough at first, seeing how many I had left before the big race, but, a few weeks in, I started feeling proud of all the ticks I had accumulated and how far I’d come.

Another area of my life where I try to keep motivated is by living more optimistically and positively. But, like most people, I have off-days and need a boost. That’s why I’ve recently bought two motivational posters and tacked them to my wardrobe. This means that every morning – while I’m getting dressed for work – I can read them and remind myself of the values that are important to me.

One of the posters is called "The Optimist Creed," an inspirational poem written by Christian D. Larson in 1912. It talks about being mentally strong, staying true to yourself, and seeing the best in others. I love its simplicity, and how the words and sentiment are as relevant now as they were 100 years ago.

My other is called "7 Steps to Happiness." I don't know where it originates from, but I find the message really inspiring:

Think Less, Feel More.

Frown Less, Smile More.

Talk Less, Listen More.

Judge Less, Accept More.

Watch Less, Do More.

Complain Less, Appreciate More.

Fear Less, Love More.

The idea is such a simple one, but imagine how much nicer our interactions with people at work would be if we all followed these rules?

We recently asked you what your favorite motivational quote was on social media, and we had some great comments, so thanks very much for all your contributions!

A number of you are inspired by quotes that encourage you to push beyond your personal boundaries. @FlaviaFormica on Twitter said: "Outside your comfort zone is where the magic happens – you CAN make magic." @Primalglow tweeted: "The most effective way to do it, is to do it – Amelia Earhart.”

On Facebook, Purple Ink posted this thought-provoking quote from Sara Henderson: "Don't wait for the light at the end of the tunnel. Stride down there and light the bloody thing yourself." And on a similar theme, @GoodLifeDecoder tweeted: "It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live – Marcus Aurelius.” @counsellorlaura added: “The future depends on what you do today – Mahatma Ghandi‏.”

Another theme that came from the posts was people trying to better themselves. Sirisha Ckv posted this great quote: “Education is a weapon in times of distress, and a jewel in times of prosperity.” @joolsbk quoted educationalist Tim Brighouse about the importance of finding meaning in what you do: “The input has to be passionate for the outcome to have significance.” And, sticking with the idea of self-improvement, @Grayson_School tweeted: “People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.”

On a final note, Trufy Daniel on Facebook reminded us about the importance of keeping a sense of humor with: “Don’t take life too seriously.” Yes, life can be hard sometimes, but it’s amazing how much easier it is when you can laugh in the face of adversity – and at yourself!

We had a lot of fun reading all your inspirational quotes, so thanks again to everyone who gave us their #mindtoolstips. We would love to hear from you if you have one of your own to share, so join in the discussion below!