5 bold quotes from Charlotteans to motivate you this week
Sometimes a case of the Mondays hits you and you need a burst of inspiration to get the week started on the right foot. Here are 5 bold quotes from Charlotteans — and good statements to tell yourself — to motivate you this week.
(1) “OK, I need to stand out differently.”
The context: This is what Elexus Jionde said to herself when she became a student at Garinger High School, where she saw a heated student body prone to fighting. Now, a little older and back in Charlotte spending her time writing a book and speaking to youths, she’s known for a 48-tweet thread on Twitter that went viral through her handle @Lexual_.
The thread unraveled on the Internet on Sept. 11, 2016, when she tweeted out facts, photos and historical analysis about “other American atrocities we shouldn’t be forgetting about anytime soon,” featuring information about the KKK and “Mammy” stereotypes, Disney and Jim Crow, desegregation and the Freedom Summer.
(2) “But no matter what happens this summer, I’m in charge, and I’ll either have f—– it up, or I’ll do well.”
The context: These words were uttered by swimmer Madison Kennedy during an Observer interview a year after she missed her chance to get a spot on the U.S. Olympic women’s swimming team by fifteen-hundredths of a second. The freestyle sprinter has been training for the 2017 Phillips 66 National Championships and World Championship Trials in Indianapolis with a small number of swims with teammates and a heavier dose of open-pool swims and workouts she has come up with herself.
(3) “I’m so excited for the future.”
The context: Paula Bartlett of #thesavageway marketing/branding group posted this on her Instagram account with a photo of a clean graffiti campaign by her company and a burst of gratitude for fun work projects. The campaign was for the #WalkCLT initiative that encourages people to use walking as a form of transportation and to explore their neighborhoods.
(4) “Be a driving force of power and enhance the moment.”
The context: Shane Lucas, an instructor at Y2 Yoga, Yoga One and Flywheel, Instagrammed these words to prompt people to think about how they are capable of contributing “to the experience of a workout class.” His reminder: “As a participant of the class you shape the energy just like the instructor does.”
(5) “The thing you are willing to struggle for is the thing you should be spending your time and energy on. Everything else is background noise.”
The context: Kate McGee, NC broker/realtor at Savvy + Co. Real Estate and CLT High Rises, posted these words on Instagram paired with a quotation about the hard work that goes into finding meaning and purpose. When it comes to being willing to struggle to achieve something, she wrote, “That’s a passion, folks.”
This story was originally published June 26, 2017 at 12:00 AM.