Three motivation tips inspired by Miley Cyrus

She may be one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, with number one hits including Wrecking Ball and Flowers, but Miley Cyrus has said in an interview with Good Morning America that she has "no desire" to tour anymore, something that was picked up on by Greg James on the Radio One Breakfast Show!

With the school summer holidays starting across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Scotland's summer break already well underway, you may have times when you feel bored, or lack motivation, especially once the initial excitement wears off. Here are some tips to help you feel more motivated this summer.

1. Work out what matters or is important to you

Miley isn't the only one lacking desire at the moment, with world number one golfer Scottie Scheffler recently questioning his motivation to win the Masters tournament, saying "what's the point?".

So if you are lacking motivation to do something this summer, we recommend you spend some time thinking about what really matters to you – what your values are – and which activities are in line with that. If you can find the intrinsic value in activities, you are more likely to do them. Plan activities that are in line with your values, like doing something nice for someone else or something that helps you move in the direction of your goals. Quite simply: work out what is important to you and then try to do more of it! Stuck for inspo? Check out our list of fun summer activities!.

2. Pay attention to how it feels to do what you are doing

Miley's last major tour was the Bangerz Tour back in 2014. In her interview with Good Morning America Miley said that "it’s really hard to keep mental wellness" whilst touring. Reflecting on her last headline shows in a 2023 interview with Vogue UK, Miley said "Do I want to live my life for anyone else’s pleasure or fulfilment other than my own?"

It is important to try and “get out of your own head” when doing an activity: instead pay attention to everything that is going on around you (e.g. sounds, smells, tastes). Reflect on how it felt: did it feel good? Do you want to do it again? Mental images can have a really powerful effect on your mood. What do you look forward to doing? Imagine it with as much detail as possible, work out the steps you need to take to get there and if there are any obstacles, think of how you can remove them.

Negative thoughts like "I'm no good at this", or "what's the point?" can get in the way of your enjoyment. Notice these thoughts and gently challenge them. Think again about your values and why you want to do this activity. Try to replace thoughts like "I should…", "I have to…" with "I want to…" and focus on the why.

3. Don't compare yourself to those on social media

The former Hannah Montana star, has previously spoken out about self-comparisons on social media, in a 2020 interview with Riverdale's Lili Reinhart, the Wrecking Ball singer said, "The illusions that are created by platforms like Instagram, where people are posting unrealistic photos of themselves, create a distorted version of reality." With Reinhart, who played Betty in Riverdale, saying, "I have always approached social media in the way that I don’t want to show the perfect version of myself because I could never live up to that in real life."

Some people look like they’re having a great time or achieving great results on social media, but that’s not always true. People often choose to only show their best bits, so you’re not seeing a true representation of their lives.

Instead of comparing yourself to others on social media, why not try writing down one or two positive things you’ve achieved each day? Taking notice of small achievements can be a really helpful exercise to remind ourselves of the positives when we’re feeling demotivated. If feelings of boredom and low motivation are causing distress or interfering with daily life, it's important to speak to someone about them.

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.