Despite the stress from school or work, members of the community talk about the people inspiring them to do their best and work hard.
According to entrepreneur.com, “Each of us respond to different drives and motivations, but there are many drives we can choose from that not only make our careers more fruitful but also more enjoyable.”
Kris Krisanalome, a junior from Thailand studying music, shared how talking to people back home keeps him focused on his goals. One person he especially likes to talk to is his mom. “I talk to my mom every Sunday. We talk about our lives. I’d tell her about my week, and she’d give me advice about certain things, for example, leadership skills or how to prepare myself for marriage.
“It keeps me motivated to work hard and push myself further. My mom motivates me a lot. She’s a good power resource for me.”
Jordan Donaldson, a senior from Arizona studying communication, said he thought playing games were enough to motivate him. He explained in order to play his games, he would finish his homework early in the week and just play games on the weekend.
“But I found that the thing that actually motivates me the most is being with other people. Whether it’s working together on group projects or being at the Polynesian Cultural Center [PCC] or in clubs, or just playing with friends, that’s when I feel most motivated and the happiest.”
According to Donaldson, due to the workload individuals have from school, church, or work, he said it is important to have a hobby to turn to and be able to refresh oneself. “If you’re just working all the time, then you start to wonder why. Incentivize yourself with a hobby, then I think it’s easy to remember why we’re here.”
Stress and how to deal with it
According to the American Psychological Association [APA], when an individual is not able to perform tasks due to stress for an extended period of time, which causes a conflict in their ability to live normally, that becomes dangerous for the individual.
The APA reported, “The longer the stress lasts, the worse it is for both your mind and body. You might feel fatigued, unable to concentrate or irritable for no good reason, for example. Chronic stress causes wear and tear on your body, too.”
According to Joan Rey, a junior from the Philippines studying communications, if people start to get overwhelmed from all the stress they are experiencing, then they need to step backward.
Rey makes sure to give herself a break. She said, “Usually I approach situations like these by stepping back a little from school and work. I give myself a break like going somewhere I haven’t been to before and take pictures.”
Special Instructor for the Entrepreneur department James Astle, from Los Angeles, Calif., said he meditates and look at things at a more significant scope. “Sometimes it’s easy as just sitting back for ten minutes a day and just completely letting go of everything and just breathing. That helps me center myself and come back to a more present state. I can see things clearly, and I can let go of whatever’s bothering me because I can see it.”
According to Astle, he thinks people do not appreciate the benefits of mediation. “I don’t think a lot of people understand how powerful it is, how useful simple basic meditation can be. I think if people took the time to learn and discover how to do it, even in a very elementary way, then they would see great results. They would see the improvement in their school work, social life and overall health.”
According to Rey, having a buddy can help one become motivated. She said, “Doing things with someone else makes it a bit easier and you feel less pressure because you actually have someone who can help you.”
She said getting in the right circle with people that can help out with de-stressing. “For some people, it’s not about being with others, but it’s about getting away from people and going to your own places that you can find peace and maybe it’s a place that you want to go to.”
Writer: Esther Insigne