How The Motivation Manifesto Helped Me Heal Through Challenge

I had been enjoying my trip in pockets of joy, but when you feel responsible for supporting others in finding joy, you can take away from your own experience. You don’t just feel for yourself, you carry others, too. I wanted everyone around me to feel beauty as much as I did, but I was forgetting that we all come from different starting points. Everyone’s attitudes differ, because we all see the world differently.

As we continued to the small island, I began reading the book. It resonated deeply, and I couldn’t put it down. Others couldn’t understand why I wanted to sit in the shade reading instead of getting in the pool or the ocean, but I was captivated by the message. What I didn’t know was that the book would soon become my crutch, helping me navigate something distressing and life-changing.

Through this lens, I began to see that their actions weren’t just about me or the family, it was a reflection of their own inner struggle. They hadn’t cultivated a life rooted in discipline, guidance, or self-care, and because of that, they were projecting chaos outward. The book reminded me that I had a choice: I could feed into that same energy, or I could remain objective, set boundaries with love, and focus on the greater good for everyone involved.

It made me realise that when we come from a space of love and greatness, fear has no place. By greatness, I mean doing the right thing for the greater good of everyone involved.

When I finally read the title correctly, The Motivation Manifesto, I felt my perspective shift on everything that had happened. I saw how I, too, had been living without enough discipline in certain areas of my own life. That was why I had been feeling stuck for so long.

I had been unwell for a while, which had impacted me physically, mentally, and spiritually. But I no longer wanted those feelings to take the lead. I had already done a lot of healing, but this book began unpicking a deeper layer within me that was ready to be cleared.

From engaging with The Motivation Manifesto, I started asking myself: What can I change? What am I missing that could make the difference? The answer was in my actions, and my habits. I hadn’t been building new, healthy habits that could move me from stillness into momentum.

When I later picked up Atomic Habits, it hit home. I realised how much I had been through and how little I had fully processed it all. But I also know that our hardships and traumas are not meant to break us. They are meant to inspire us, move us forward, and ultimately help others.

In that moment, I could also see that some people simply cannot move through their hardships yet. They may try to create chaos or cause harm because of their unprocessed pain. But the truth is, only we are responsible for how we manage what happens to us. If we can’t be loving toward ourselves and a positive contribution to others, then we need to reflect and consider whether more support is needed. It is not okay to hurt others just because we are not ready to heal from our past.

We are responsible for how we show up, for ourselves and for others. What we put out into the world is reflected back to us. If we go around looking for the worst, that is exactly what we’ll find.

The Motivation Manifesto, Atomic Habits, and my own book Be Happier in 30 Days all ignite strength, guidance, and change. You are the captain of your own ship, so stop letting emotions, other people, or your past take the wheel.

“It takes one small step to create the biggest change”