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@Peter-Molnar

Joined 27 February 2021 · 379 posts

Blogging is all I ever wanted.

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@Peter-Molnar

Eat Healthy Food To Improve Your Mental Health If you want to stay mentally sharp and keep yourself focused, then it means eating fresh produce every once in awhile. If you want to be physically fit, then it means eating whole grains, legumes and nuts. And if you want to maintain a positive attitude and have a happy life, then it means eating organic food whenever possible. The bottom line is, if you want to live a long and happy life, then you need to eat better. This means cutting back on the processed foods you're currently eating and focus on cooking from scratch a lot more. The next time you go to the supermarket, try to buy only what you'll eat immediately. Don't stockpile anything that's going to go bad before you eat it. You might be surprised at how much more food you can comfortably carry, and how little you'll actually need. Knowledge is power and by taking the time to learn how to cook from quality ingredients, you'll be giving yourself more advantages in life. When it comes to food, you have to prepare your own. There is nothing better and healthier, then home cooked food. When you cook from scratch you know what you are eating. https://sharpbrains.com/blog/2019/10/10/its-world-mental-health-day-today-lets-review-how-a-healthy-diet-can-promote-mental-well-being/ Mindful Eating True mental acuity comes only after the stomach has been filled. The more nourished an organism, the sharper its mind. You've got to eat properly to get the best out of your mental capabilities. Don't drink alcohol before a big test. It'll only make you feel like absolute garbage. Eat a nutritious meal before you study and you'll be much better prepared. Be sure to eat breakfast. Most of the important decisions you'll make throughout the day can be made after having had some food inside you. Don't neglect lunch and dinner. These are the meals, that contain all the energy your body needs. You'll be able to think better, work better, and study longer if you make time for three balanced meals. Don't snack on junk food while you study. It won't help your concentration. If you need something to take the taste of the textbooks out of your mouth, drink a cup of strong coffee or tea. It's best not to study stressed. Find a place where you can concentrate undisturbed and let your worries fade away. Try not to eat too much. Taking in more nutrients, than your body needs will only weigh you down. Make sure you snack on things, that contain a lot of punch for little effort. Don't forget to drink water. A dehydrated mind is a stressed mind. It's important to take a break every so often. Even if you're low on things to do, taking a break will clear your head and make the next thing you do even better. https://zcswellnesscenter.com/ask-the-expert/what-is-mindful-eating/ Balanced Nutrition Focus and stamina come with good food, but don't forget to fuel them. Eat a breakfast that's rich in simple carbohydrates. This will get your energy levels up for the whole day. For lunch and dinner, have a well-balanced meal, that contains all the necessary nutrients. This will prevent you from feeling hungry in between and give you the energy you need for your mental work. Snacks should be small and light, such as fruits or nuts. If you're feeling any kind of withdrawal symptoms, just have something sweet. Don't go more than a few hours without water. Drinking a lot prevents headaches and makes you more alert. Do not eat too much at once. If you do, chances are it will turn to fat and you'll probably end up storing it, which isn't good if you're trying to slim down. Don't skip the sweets. They provide a much-needed boost in energy and keep you from getting tired in the evenings. Know your limits. Don't overdo it or you'll make yourself very sick. The Science Behind Food And Mood The nutrients in food affect your body in several different ways. Certain combinations work together to create certain effects on your mood and energy levels. The nutrients, that seem to have the biggest effect on energy levels are: **Phenylalanine** A nutrient found in fruit and vegetable, that is used in the making of the body's natural ‘uppers'. It is thought to increase energy levels, focus and prevent tiredness. **Tryptophan** A type of carbohydrate found in some vegetables and fruit, that has been shown to increase attentiveness and the uptake of information. **Tyrosine** A common amino acid (the building-blocks of protein), that the human brain uses to make important brain chemicals called ‘neurotransmitters'. Deficiencies in this have been linked to a number of mental health problems, including depression and bipolar disorder. Consider whether you might be low on this important nutrient. https://app.emaze.com/@AOCQRQOTR#1 **The nutrients that have a more minor effect on energy levels include:** **Calcium** This essential nutrient is important for the maintenance of healthy teeth and bones, and for the transmission of nerve impulses in the body. Deficiencies in calcium are rare, but can occur if a person does not eat enough dairy foods or if they have certain medical conditions. **Chromium** This element is important in helping to regulate blood sugar levels. Some evidence suggests, that chromium deficiency might lead to a condition known as ‘fasting hypoglycemia', which occurs when there is a drop in blood sugar levels, possibly due to inefficient regulation of insulin levels by the body. **Folic Acid** This B vitamin helps the body make new cells, especially those involved in the brain and nervous system. Deficiencies in folic acid are rare, even during pregnancy, but may occur if a person does not eat enough vegetables and fruits containing this nutrient. **In general, try to aim for a diet that contains a balance of the different macronutrients:** **Protein** Protein can be broken down into its individual components and used as an energy source, or it can be stored as body fat. Too much protein, though, can be converted into glucose and used up as energy. Protein can also ‘trickle over' into the brain and have a number of effects, such as increasing alertness and improving concentration. **Carbohydrates** Carbohydrates can be broken down into glucose (a simple ‘fast' fuel) or they can be stored as body fat. They can also affect blood-sugar levels and may have a role to play in mental health issues such as ‘hypoglycemia' and mania. Consuming too much simple carbohydrate can also cause feelings of ‘clinical depression'. **Fat** Fat can be stored as body fat or used as an energy source. It can improve ‘coping' ability and overall mood. Balanced meals containing a combination of these different nutrients can ensure, that your body is receiving the important fuel it needs to function at its best. It's also important to note, that the nutrients work together. If you're eating a diet, that doesn't supply your body with the nutrients it needs for example, it may not matter how much you eat of any one particular nutrient as your body won't be able to properly utilize the food you do eat. In addition, some foods contain more, than one type of nutrient and certain food groups contain certain nutrients in greater amounts, than others. For example, green leafy vegetables are a good source of Vitamin K which is important for blood clotting, they are also a good source of folate which can prevent certain types of birth defects in pregnant women and they are a good source of magnesium, which is important for heart health and for regulating the amount of calcium in the body. It's also a good idea to get a variety of different foods from these different food groups as this can help to ensure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs. Protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and diary products are all good sources of certain nutrients and it's important to include these in your diet as part of a balanced diet, but these foods don't provide your body with many of the other vital nutrients that it requires. For example, eggs are a good source of protein, but they only contain around half a day's worth of vitamin D. Nearly all of which needs to be supplemented. **Other important nutrients include:** **Vitamin B 12**: found in animal products such as liver, eggs and meat. **Vitamin D**: found in few foods such as fortified milk and eggs. **Vitamin E**: found in vegetable oils such as sunflower and corn, nuts and seeds. Also present in small amounts in eggs and meat. **Vitamin K**: found in green leafy vegetables, but few other foods supply it. **Folate**: found in many foods such as green leafy vegetables, eggs, beans, lentils and nuts. It's important to note, that while it may seem like a good idea to cut back on certain foods in order to save money, if you're not eating a balanced diet this may end up costing you in the long run. A good diet can be viewed as insurance against potential future issues arising with your body. By having a well-rounded diet, you'll save money in the long run as you won't have to spend money on unnecessary treatment and medication.

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@Peter-Molnar

Why Are More Children Born Late In Families Now, Than Back In The Day In the beginning of the 20th century and perhaps up until the mid 20th century a lot more children were born in families, compared to the number of child birth in the late 20th century and especially in the 21st century. My grandmother had eight other siblings and my mother had five other siblings. Imagine to raise nine or six children you would have to be in your early 20's to give birth to your first child. Why is it, that as time passes fewer and fewer children are born and they born late in families? The parents already have become older, when they get to the point to take responsibility and commitment to raise a child. What I personally see is that relationships nowadays are getting shorter and shorter, so the couple does not even have a chance to think about establishing a family. The other reason could be, that young people does not want to be responsible for having a family and it is also about the fear of taking commitment or there is no stable financial background. Although I don't think, that my great grandparents and my grandparents were rich to have such large families. http://lindsaydocherty.com/delaware-county-newborn-photographer-havertown-home-maggie/ Why Are Children Born Late In Families? There are many reasons why children are born later in families, but the main one is the economic situation. The fact is, that many people do not have enough money to provide for their children. Some couples cannot even afford to have children and they couldn't take care of them properly. The other problem is, that a large number of people are not married. Many women work and tend to have careers after they finish their education. When this problem first started, it was mostly due to the fact, that most women only did housework and childbearing was not considered a woman's profession. Recently though, changes have been happening in the society and in the economy, which have allowed more and more women to work. Even though some women have the opportunity to work, they may not be able to find a husband, who will support them and will also want to stay home to do the house work and look after the children. These factors can directly or indirectly result in a late birth. A couple, who have their first child at a late age are more likely to have a second child at a later age as well and the cycle continues. Also people with a late child birth have a higher chance of having a late child birth themselves. Many women in our society want to finish their education, many want to have a career and marry later in life. This is true for both men and women. Responsibilities And Commitment At A Young Age This is also a factor, that can result in a late birth, but not in a direct way. The reasons might be the same one I mentioned before, the lack of financial stability among young people or committed relationships. If you are born in a family, where everybody is having children at an older age, you might become convinced, that you have to do the same. It is also likely, that someone who is a little older influences you. This is probably going to be your older cousin, the one who has already had a couple of children by the time you come along. If you both grow up in the same environment, your minds are going to be more or less pre-set by the time you start having meaningful relationships. It is also quite possible, that some older boyfriend or girlfriend, who doesn't know any better influences you as well. It is also possible, that you are in a relationship with someone, who has children already, or with someone who wants children in the future, but doesn't seem to be ready for them now. This can also cause a late birth for you, because there is no commitment between the couple. You also don't have a fallback plan, but that might be part of the relationship, right? If you aren't ready to have a baby by yourself, you're not going to just get yourself a baby are you? What Can Be Done To Be Responsible? This problem is complicated and not entirely of our own doing, but that doesn't make it any easier to solve. The causes are numerous and I will only be able to touch on some of them in this answer. Many people despair of this problem and give up. Others try to live safer, less exciting lives in the hopes, that they will have less children. Still others try to be a little more 'normal', which usually means trying to fit in and not stand out. This isn't always a good idea, because if someone does notice something is different, they will most likely start asking questions. There are also many organizations dedicated to helping people, who are trying to be responsible. These aren't always completely reliable though. Some of them are religious organizations with more of a goal of 'repopulating' the world, than helping people achieve responsible parenthood. They are usually good for information, but shouldn't be trusted completely. While I'm not going to say there is any real guarantee of success, there are steps that can be taken. The first thing you need to decide is if you are going to have any children at all. If you decide you are not, then there is no need to worry about being responsible as a parent. If you are going to have children, then the next step is to decide how many you want to have. Having more children increases the chances of one or more of them getting a balanced education, access to proper medical care and even opportunities for a better life, than you had. However it can become a burden to provide for that many people. It reduces your quality of life and the children are usually never going to be able to give anything back. Once you have decided how many children you want to have, the next step is choosing a suitable partner. If this is going to be a permanent relationship, then you definitely don't want to get involved with someone, who is going to leave you or your children if they get some other partner. There are going to be other people in the vicinity, who are likely to have similar concerns. You should also be concerned about getting involved with someone, who is younger. You can end up with a child, who is developmentally challenged given, that you waited so long to have children. What Is The Effect On Families? This is easily the most important aspect of responsible parenthood. There is no point in having a child if you aren't going to give that child the best chance at a good life. Children are incredibly important to the survival of our species. They provide both manual and intellectual labor, they keep old people happy and they also fill in for dead warriors in war. That's just a few examples of how children can be important. Children also take time, money and effort to raise. It costs money to buy the things they need like food, clothes and a place to live. It also costs money to educate them. Even if you are rich, you can't just give away money or you won't have any yourself. Finally it takes time to raise a child. You can't just toss them in the dirt and expect them to turn into someone, who is going to be useful to the community. Despite all this, I don't think we can simply ignore the importance of new children to the community. There needs to be some kind of system in place, that deals with irresponsible parenthood. So How Do We Deal With It? Let's start by looking at children in general. When they are born, they need time to grow and develop. They also need the care and attention, that newborns require. During this time, the child doesn't produce anything for the family to provide for. The parent or parents can focus on taking care of the child without worrying about food or a place to sleep. There are also some children, who just aren't going to be able to take care of themselves. Maybe they are physically or mentally incapable. Maybe the parent is unable to provide the care necessary to rear them properly. Maybe they are simply unbearably troublesome. In all these cases, someone else is going to have to step in and care for the child. This might be a relative, or a friend. Most families don't have the luxury of having a pool of people willing and able to care for children.

@Peter-Molnar

Decorate Your Home For Autumn To Enjoy Cozy Evenings Autumn is a wonderful season for decorating and making your home more comfortable. Make sure you take advantage of this time by saving money on decorations, food, and other items, that will help you make your home feel cozy and warm. You want to make your home as warm and inviting as possible, so start by choosing the best colors for the season. Consider light colors like cream and pale yellows. These warm up any home quickly and make a room seem brighter. Look for rustic furniture and decorations for your home as you plan. You might consider building a fire in the fireplace every now and then. Can you imagine any better things, than being by the fire with a good book and your favorite hot drink. Consider small changes you can make to your home to make it feel more welcoming. Hang up some dried herbs or cinnamon sticks in your kitchen. You can also try burning a few sticks in your fireplace. The smell of wood smoke will fill your home and create the perfect atmosphere for cuddling up with a good book. You can make your home even more inviting by setting out some mulled red wine or apple cider. Get creative! https://www.pxfuel.com/en/search?q=cozy&page=2 Taking Inspiration From Nature As the leaves change and fall from the trees, why not take some inspiration from nature? You don't need to become a tree creature to do this, but why not turn your home into a leafy one? Grab some plant life from forest edges and nutrient-rich dirt. Use this to rejuvenate your garden. You can also go for a more 'subtle' approach of hanging branches and vines from your home. Look around for branches, that are the perfect height for you to weave through. Find some thick and sturdy vines, that will reach from the ground to your home's second floor. You can place small, dangling lights onto these branches and vines to create that 'splash' of color, that will warm up your home. When it comes to decorating for the season, you want your home to look natural and comfortable. You don't want to have to worry about tripping over conventionally designed flooring or sitting on uncomfortable furniture. Using natural materials to lay the ground work for your home makes it easy for you to relax. To save yourself time, gather the necessary supplies beforehand. You can look for spare branches and vines while foraging in the woods for food. Gather all the nutrients you'll need from your garden or nearby stream. Natural materials can be messy, so consider setting up a work area for yourself before you get started. Most importantly, think about the mood you want to set for your home. Introducing Appropriate Colors To Your Living Space Choose bold, saturated colors to warm up your home. Red, orange and gold will bring a cheerful atmosphere into your living space. Consider brightening up your home with furniture in shades of these colors. You'll want to avoid dark and obscure colors for your living space. These will make your home look cramped and poorly lit. Instead, choose pastels and lighter shades. These will give your home a relaxed atmosphere without making it look empty. Choose different textures for your décor. For example, flock or rugs will add softness and thickness to your flooring. Consider choosing materials, that will contrast with each other. For example, you could have a wooden floor with pieces of natural stone for countertops. It can be tricky to work with different materials, but you'll get the hang of it with time. Just remember to stay within the colors, that are appropriate for your space. Don't go for anything too flashy or extravagant. Also, make sure to stay within the theme of the season. In addition to choosing the right colors, you'll also want to choose furniture, that compliments your style and setting. For example, if you're living in a more cheerful space, go for brighter and bold colors. Don't forget to grab a few finishing touches for your home. These can make the room look more complete. For example, you can add a few plants to your home to give it a more inviting look. You could also add throws to all the furniture in your living space. Finally, you may want to add small lights or candles to a few areas. These small touches can make a big difference in creating the atmosphere, that you're aiming for. Autumn Lighting Autumn lighting is all about using yellow and orange hues. You can create this lighting style by setting up candles around your home. Try lighting some candles in a circle shape. Then, add more candles around the first set. These candles will create a circle of light, that you can add to your living room or dining room table. You can also set up a few candles on a shelf. Add some lights around your home, so that they don't seem so dark. You can try setting up lights behind your home, so that they shine on it. You can incorporate nature into your lighting scheme as well. Look for leaves, that are falling from trees or bushes. You can use these as natural curtains to douse the lights in your home. Alternatively, look for twigs, that have fallen from trees. There are usually a lot of them near the ground. You can use these to light your way as you walk outside your home when it is dark. https://pxhere.com/en/photo/84773 Putting A Central Theme Into Your Setting Setting the mood for an inviting atmosphere is really important. You can achieve this by having candles, lanterns and torches lit all around your home. The light from these candles and lanterns will reflect in the windows of your home. You can also use torches and lanterns to light your home's roof. You should get some of these to place on your front porch. Your home will look inviting from the moment someone approaches it. One of the best types of lighting for this type of setting is the fireplace. Fireplaces are the heart of many homes. They can make a room seem like a home away from home. If you don't have a working fireplace, just place a few candles around one. You can use this as a central theme to light your home. You should also think about hanging up some tapestries on your walls. This can create a more cohesive look throughout your home. Splurge on a few pieces of original art to hang on your walls. This can really make your home feel like a place of interest and warmth. Creating Cozy Spaces For The Colder Weather For the colder months of the year, you'll want to create different spaces around your home for different times. Decorate your living room to enjoy cozy evenings. This room should have a couple of comfortable chairs, a fireplace, and a few candles lit. This room should be warmed up whenever you spend time in it. You can create a "dining room" in your home. This should be decorated and furnished to match whatever celebrations you might be having. You don't really need anything fancy in this room; just some candles and you will enjoy your dinner you're having in a perfect Autumn atmosphere. You can also create a "kitchen" in your home. This can serve as your secondary dining room. If you're having company over, this is the room you'll prepare the mentioned company a meal in. You can have a table set up here for parties. To make your home more inviting during the winter months, you can also add a few live trees or plants. You can get live trees from most garden centers, or plant a few houseplants. Just make sure your floor is prepared for the extra moisture, that these plants will produce. https://www.pxfuel.com/en/search?q=dining+chairs&page=8 Keep It Simple Keep in mind, simplicity is often the best choice for a home's interior design. You'll want to keep your living space as clutter free as possible. For example, you probably don't need a lot of furniture in your home. You can go for a minimalistic approach and just place an easy chair or couch by your fireplace. If you're really aiming for a homely, inviting atmosphere, try setting up a home cooked meal in your kitchen. Add some candles around the dining room and you'll have yourself a nice intimate dining experience. Don't forget to start a fire in your hearth. This can really help set the mood for what you're aiming for. You can decorate your home with plants. Not only will this keep your home looking clean and homelike, but certain types of plants can double as décor objects. You can place a few different types of flowers around your home. Try to stick with a single theme. You can also get some plants, that flower continuously. Three-tiered ferns for example, will add a nice touch to your home. Just keep in mind, that these types of plants require light to survive. You can't just place them in the basement or any room that gets darkness.

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@Peter-Molnar

Investing In Dividends And Stock Trading: A Beginner's Guide Dividends are an important way to ensure long term financial security and growth of your capital. The problem with dividends is, that they can be difficult to understand. They're not something, that you just read about or learn about in a book. You have to do some research and figure out how to calculate them yourself. How Do Dividends Work? Dividends are a portion of the company's profit, that is paid out to its shareholders, like you. You might think of your share as a slice of the company's profits. You own part of the company, and the company owns part of you. This is how it has always worked and how it will always work. So this means, that you as a shareholder have a voice in what the company does. If you don't like how the company is doing, you can influence the company through your vote at annual shareholders meetings or you can just sell your shares and invest in another stock, if you are sure, that the company is doing well. You can also just keep your profit as dividends and not reinvest it, or do whatever you want with it, like buy something you like or pay off some debt. https://www.eurotrader.com/cfds-and-dividend-stocks-what-should-i-expect/ Who Pays The Dividends? Dividends are paid out by the company, but how they're paid out is something, that can be influenced by the shareholder. For example, if the company has lots of excess cash, it might decide to put, that toward paying out future dividends. This can be good for shareholders, because they'll get a higher dividend in the future. Alternatively, the company might decide to spend its excess cash on things like new equipment or a new product for the company. This can be good for the company in the long run, because it will allow the company to become more efficient and increase production, which will in turn increase the company's profit and allow for higher dividends in the future. What Is Better For Shareholders? This brings us to the whole debate over whether retaining excess cash is better for the company or expanding and making investments. This is entirely up to you as a shareholder. You can decide, that retaining the excess cash is better for the company in the long run and make, that your argument to the company as the new owners of the company. This might be the case if you're not interested in spending that money, but just want to hold on to your steady dividend as your share of profits. Or, you might decide, that expansion and making investments is a better use of cash, in which case you should argue to the company board of directors, that this is the way to go. The other thing to keep in mind is that whichever decision the company makes, you will still make money off of it. It's all relative. Retaining cash in the long term still means you're making money, even if it isn't a large amount. Spending the money means you might not be making as much, but it could mean a bigger prize in the long run. Investing In Dividends And Stock Trading **Investing In Dividends** A dividend investor involves primarily buying parts of a company, that pays you a steady monthly dividend for an extended period. You might go for growth if you feel the company is undervalued and has the potential to increase its profits. You can also "borrow" money by doing a margin loan. This involves loaning your own cash to the company in exchange for a greater percentage of the profit. This way if the company does well, you'll get paid first. If the company does poorly, you won't lose your shirt, since you haven't put your own capital into the trade. **Stock Trading** One of the primary advantages to trading is you can make more money in less time, but this comes with a lot of risk. If you fail to correctly predict the market, you could lose all your capital. Also, the more you trade, the greater the chance that you will tip over into a "loss" and require another "bail out." There are also fees associated with trading such as commission and exchange fees. This is independent of the current price movement of the stock, which could be positive or negative. There are a few different types of trades, that you can make. The most common are buying low and selling high. If you know how to time the market, you can make more trades successfully by anticipating which way a stock is about to move. The other type of trade is called a "short trade." This is only available when you borrow a company's stock and sell it, which allows you to profit from a falling market. There are also options and derivatives trading that you can do. These really require more experience, but if you're interested you should learn more about it. These trades can profit you greatly, but they can also lose you everything if you don't know what you're doing. The time and effort that you put into trading is typically based on how much money you risk. If you're doing a simple buy low sell high trade, then you only need to know which way the market is going. However, if you're doing a short trade or an options or derivatives trade, then you need to know much more than that. Typically, the more complex the trade, the more money you risk. Sometimes the markets provide you a "bait and switch" strategy. You start off by buying a stock at a low price, learning the basics of how the trade works, and getting a feel for the market. Then, when you're doing well, the market unexpectedly changes and you're in a position to make a lot more money. Just like with any investment, you can earn extra money by speculating on the market or by trading. But, you can also earn a lot more money by sticking with a single trade and making it bigger. https://www.andrewdarmond.com/publication/finance/ Some Tips For Trading So now that you know a bit more about the stock market and the types of trades you can make, here are some tips for successful trading: **Know The Market** Before you start trading, familiarize yourself with the market you're going into. Do your research on the companies, recent market activity, and competition. **Keep Track Of Your Trades** It's important to know what you've made and lost in order to avoid a big loss or become extremely rich. You should always track your trades on a regular basis. Doing this allows you to see profitable trades and eliminate losing trades before they get out of hand. **Know When To Walk Away** While trading is supposed to be fun and exciting, you should have a plan in case it's not. If you're not going to be making any money within a reasonable time, then it might be better to stop before you lose everything. Summary The stock market is full of opportunity for those with the knowledge and willingness to take risks. However, make sure you're ready for the rollercoaster ride that's trading can provide. In order to succeed, you need to keep track of your trades, know when to quit, and know when to start over with a new strategy. You should also make sure, that you know the market rules and regulations before you start trading. Finally, if you do well and make some profit, be sure to keep it! Storing your profits in a bank is only going to lose you money over time. Take your profits and move on to another market, or if you were satisfied you can reinvest it to the same stock.

@Peter-Molnar

Self-Doubt: Who Is At Risk And How To Overcome When you have too much self-doubt, you don't take any risks and stay in a comfort zone. You become stagnant and even more afraid of failure. When you're afraid of failure, you won't try new things or try hard at anything. This will result in you stagnating and eventually giving up on life altogether. The other side of this coin is having too little self-doubt. If you have too little self-doubt, you'll be afraid to take chances and will settle for less, than perfect results. You have no doubts about your abilities or anything else for that matter. This can result in your wasting life not living life to the fullest. The best way to deal with self-doubt is to face it head on and not run from it. Think about something you're good at, something you're great at. Think about something you're not so great at. Think about a difficult situation you were in, where you faced some adversity. What would you do? Would you be upset about the situation, or would you be frustrated? Frustration is a normal part of life, but being upset about something you can't change, is a waste of time and it actually makes the situation worse. If you're upset about something, then you're giving power to the situation to get you more upset. How do you react? Do you give in and let the situation defeat you or do you take control and change the situation to your benefit? Self-Doubt is like a monster, that lives in your head. It is there to keep you from taking risks or being satisfied with the way things are. You should stay alert and aware so you can recognize the self-doubt monster when it comes to walk off of stage and face you. Once you recognize it, you need to ask yourself this question: ***"Am I going to allow this monster to rob me of the chance to do something new, or am I going to take control and use this to my benefit?"*** You get to choose. https://www.onstageblog.com/editorials/2019/5/31/powering-through-self-doubt Who Is At Risk For Self-Doubt? Just about everyone to some degree, but those who are at the highest risk for self-doubt are introverts. Introverts tend to have a lower opinion of themselves, than extroverts do. This is probably due to the fact, that extroverts have a reputation for always thinking they're above others. Extroverts tend to talk themselves up and think of themselves as amazing and special, but introverts tend to think of themselves as average or even below average. The internalized criticism, that introverts receive from their own minds is even greater, than what other people think of them. Those that struggle with self-doubt will often times stay quiet or not express themselves at all. They won't pursue opportunities, because they're convinced, that they won't be good enough or they won't be accepted. This leaves them stuck in a comfort zone or even a worse place. Even if a person does manage to overcome their internal struggles, they'll still have to deal with the opinions of others. Everyone has an extrovert or two, who will try to tear them down to build themselves up. A small criticism by an extrovert can turn into a major one by an introvert. Both introverts and extroverts can experience self-doubt, but it tends to be more prominent in introverts. https://pepperdine-graphic.com/introverts-extroverts-and-everything-in-between/ How To Address And Overcome Self-Doubt It's very important to address self-doubt in order to overcome it. Let's look at some suggestions: **Realize That Self-Doubt Is Actually A Good Thing** As already mentioned, introverts have a tendency to doubt themselves. This means they're the ones, who will take risks others won't or won't consider. An important thing to realize is that self-doubt means you're thinking for yourself. It means you're not just going along with the crowd. It means you're keeping an open mind to new possibilities. This can be scary to some, but it's a good thing. **Remind Yourself Why You Are Doing Certain Things** As weird as this may seem, it's very helpful to look at the situation you're in and remind yourself why you're doing it. ***"I am doing this, because I want to be a happy person."*** ***"I am doing this, because I want to make the world around me a better place."*** ***"I am doing this, because I want to help people."*** Whatever your reason, remind yourself of it often. It is a lot easier to do, than you think it is. **Take Breaks From Your Troubling Thoughts As Often As Possible** Self-doubt can be draining. It's important to take breaks from it, otherwise it can consume your mind. Even if you're proud of yourself for overcoming a difficult situation, it's still a good idea to take a break. Go for a jog, play your favorite video game, or just watch some funny cat videos on YouTube. Anything to take your mind off your thoughts for a little while. **Talk To Someone About Your Self-Doubt** Lack of confidence can be a very lonely place. It's even lonelier when you're surrounded by people, who won't or can't help. Find someone, who you can unburden your troubles to. Your best friends could very well be your mom or dad. They're usually there for you, if you let them know how you really feel. Talk to them. Your priest, pastor, or minister would be a good person to talk to. They tend to be there for you during troubling times in your life. **Find A Self-Help Book Or Seek Out Online Communities** Sometimes, the problem isn't your self-doubt. The problem might be something else. For example, maybe you're not good with people, or you're just not meant to work a nine to five job. Maybe you have social anxiety or you've got some sort of condition, that's making it difficult for you to do the job you have right now. Self-help books and online communities can be a big help in these kinds of situations. Maybe you just need to take a step back and reassess, what you're really looking for in life. There are many ways to overcome self-doubt. The most important thing is to find something that works for you. Try to identify what your weaknesses are and try to compensate for them. Sticking to a routine is important, when it comes to overcoming self-doubt. Rushing around from one activity to the next can throw you off balance. Patience will help you overcome self-doubt. Start off by worrying about the small things. Once you've gotten a handle on those, you can move on to the bigger things. It may take a while, but with enough effort you will overcome self-doubt. How To Reinforce Positive Thoughts You can't just think positively all the time. You've got to be able to put those positive thoughts into action. This is the tricky part. Positive thinking without positive action is meaningless. Thinking you're going to win the lottery, but never buying a ticket is pointless. You might as well be thinking negatively, since you're not going to do anything about it. You need to take positive action to reinforce your thoughts. You need to find something you like to do, that you can keep doing even if you don't have much money. Something you enjoy doing, that doesn't require a lot of money. Maybe it's dancing, reading or writing. Whatever it is, you need to enjoy it. If you don't enjoy what you're doing, you're not going to keep at it long. This could be a chore, but it needs to be something you look forward to. Break up your tasks for the day into a number of small tasks, that you can do one after another. It's easier to keep focused on a series of short tasks, rather than one large task. Once you start on a task, keep at it until it's done. If something looks too difficult, you might want to try to turn it into a joke or a song to lighten the mood a bit. If something is too hard, you might want to set it aside for later. After you've completed your tasks for the day, write down how you did. Did you accomplish everything you wanted? Did you fall behind? If you fell behind, was it because you got distracted or did something else come up? How was your day good or bad? Keep track of those things. You need those numbers in order to continue to reinforce your positive thoughts. https://www.clinicalhypnotherapy-cardiff.co.uk/affirmations/ Final Thoughts In today's world, we're constantly being told to worry, be stressed and be anxious. Worrying is good and can help you in a number of ways, but when worrying begins to consume your life, that's when it becomes a problem. You need to be able to distinguish between the appropriate worry and the excessive worry. You also need to be able to recognize, when you're just supposed to be staying positive. If you keep these things in mind, you should be able to overcome the self-doubt, that's made trying to pursue a regular job a bit difficult. Think positively and keep a routine, eventually you'll overcome it all. You will become the person you're supposed to be.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

When Art Meets Science: What We Can Learn From It https://www.teamlab.art/e/artsciencemuseum/ Science and art offer a unique perspective to the world by exploring different realms. It is important to consider creating art through science. It can also help to see the world of science in an artistic eye. Art and Science can be used together to create something new. For example, if you were to combine the scientific method with painting, you could create paintings that are more realistic, than what we normally have access to today. The way that this could be done is by creating a sort of hybrid between an oil painting and a photograph. This could be done by taking a series of photographs of a subject through varied lighting conditions. All of these photographs could then be combined using some sort of digital process to produce a realistic painting. It should be noted, that this process is not exact; hence, the name hybrid. By combining the scientific method with the creation of paintings, we could create a more realistic view of the world. Another way that science and art can work together is by using experiments to test the theories of renowned artists. This method could be used to test the theories of painters or musicians. Through experimenting with these theories, we could discover some that are true and some that are false. This would lead to the discovery of new theories and the elimination of old ones. It is important to keep in mind, that while experiments conducted by amateurs may yield inaccurate results, experiments conducted by professionals must be done with great care to avoid error. This process could be used to discover, which theories of the arts are useful, which are not useful and which are completely false. This could lead to the future development of scientific thought or scientific thought in general. A Look At The Past And Present https://www.quora.com/What-do-we-learn-from-the-evolution-of-the-art-world To better understand the situation of the arts in today's society and how they have evolved, it's instructive to look at the past. Throughout history, the arts have gone through several different evolutions. These evolutions include the following: The clay period of the arts occurred during human evolution. Humans began creating artwork using simple objects, such as stones and sticks. These were the precursor to cave paintings and other similar artworks, that we still create today. The written word period of the arts was later experienced by many ancient civilizations. They would create and create literature until most of it was lost to time. This is similar to how some of our modern literature is forgotten today. The gold period of the arts was experienced by ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and the Romans. During this period, the arts were at their height. Despite their newfound technological advances, the Romans made many artists a part of their society. These included playwrights, poets, orators and choreographers. During the Middle Ages, the arts went through a slow decline. This was largely due to the rise of religion. As a result, it was frowned upon to be excessively creative. In addition, large parts of the population such as the peasants were simply not literate. The Renaissance period of the arts was marked by a slow increase in the arts. It began in Italy and eventually spread to most of Western Europe. Many of today's modern ideas in art and architecture originated in the Renaissance. Finally, we have the modern age of the arts. During this period, many new and powerful artistic mediums were created. These included films, television, video games, technology-based art and much more. Although artistic creation in these mediums is not at a "humble" beginning, the arts continue to develop and change with each new artistic revolution. Despite the numerous artistic revolutions throughout history, one thing remains the same: People enjoy creating art. In fact, it can even be argued, that the arts are what keep society together. How Art and Science Manifest In Their Own Worlds https://www.artworkabode.com/blog/when-art-meets-science/ The world we live in today is a result of scientific thought and discovery. Without the scientific method, society would not be able to produce technology, such as the printing press or internal combustion engine. Even the appreciation of the arts, that we have today would not exist without scientific thought. Take for instance the study of music. Before the invention of the musical staff, notating music was very difficult and inaccurate. With the staff, it became much easier and more accurate to notate music. The staves, that you see today are in large part due to scientific thought. The arts and sciences are intertwined and interdependent. The future of the world lies with the successful combination of the two. If the arts and sciences are kept separate, it will lead to a slow decay of both. This is evident in the world today. If the arts are separated from the sciences, technological advances will not be made, which is evident with the social issues we face today. Although the world could be run on a more scientific basis, this would not be a better world. The extent of the arts and sciences in our society should be equal. This will lead to a world in which the arts and sciences are appreciated for what they are, not for what they can give us. Science And The Artist's Creative Process https://www.wework.com/ideas/professional-development/creativity-culture/understanding-the-four-stages-of-the-creative-process Painting is an art form and requires a certain creative process. The sciences of biology, chemistry and physics are intertwined with the artistic process. One cannot be considered without the other. It is important to understand the scientific process in order to appreciate the artistic process. The scientific process involves a lot of careful observation, conclusion and experimentation. The artist's process is not completely devoid of these activities, but they tend to be more involved in the final result. For a scientific explanation of the creative process, we can look to the field of psychology. **The Creative Process:** **Observation:** The artist observes something in the world around them and records it in their mind. This may be a shape, a pattern, a color or any other detail, that they observe. **Conclusions:** The artist makes many conclusions about what they have observed. These conclusions can be personal and interpretive, such as a change in the position of a shape. They may also be universal and descriptive, such as referring to a shape as a "star." **Experimentation:** The artist applies their conclusions to the experimentation involved in creating their artwork. The experimentation may go on for hours, days, weeks or even months with varied results. **Re-Observation:** After experimentation the artist re-observes their artwork. The artist may notice something different about their new creation, that they did not originally notice during their initial observation. This may involve a new pattern, a different combination of shapes or just an increased appreciation of the artwork in general. Although this is a very simplified explanation of the scientific process, it serves its purpose. Finale Thoughts The arts play an important role in different societies. They can be a means of expression and connection to others. They can be a way of life or, at least, an important part of one. They are important in that they allow people to be creative and not follow the same old boring routines, that many jobs require today. The arts teach discipline, patience, focus and many other important life skills. In the right environment, they can also lower stress, increase empathy and serve as a social equalizer. Art is everywhere in our world. It can be found in the forms of music, dance, theatre, painting, sculpture and much more. Today, the arts are experiencing a new golden age. Thanks to technology and the internet, many artists can now make a living from their work. If you're serious about your craft, this is the age for you. Regardless of your chosen field, the important thing is to appreciate and enjoy it for what it is: an art form.

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@Peter-Molnar

Why Comparing Ourselves To Others Isn't Helpful The problem with comparing ourselves to others is, that we tend to become overly critical and see the world through their eyes. We may not realize it, but this is exactly what we are doing, when we compare ourselves to others. We begin to judge them by how they look, act, think, feel and everything else about them. This is a dangerous cycle, because it makes us less empathetic towards others. It also prevents us from recognizing our own progress and possibly causes us to feel worse about ourselves. For example, let's say you are struggling with some emotional pain, that you keep to yourself. Your friend says to you: ***"I am suffering so much more, than you."*** This is a cliché and not exactly helpful. It is possible to suffer more, than another person yet still have it be OK. Sometimes, we compare ourselves to others in order to feel better about our own situations. If we compare ourselves favorably to others, we might feel more positive and successful. If we do not, we may feel even worse than before. Sometimes people do really have it worse off in life than us. This is different, than people having more pain and struggles, than us. It is different from people suffering in greater ways, than us. It is different from them having more to deal with, than us. It is OK to have things in life, that are harder than others. What is not OK is to make that be the primary thing, that makes you feel worse about yourself. This is harmful, because it prevents you from ever feeling OK about yourself. https://tinybuddha.com/blog/13-things-instead-comparing-others/ Different People Have Different Experiences The other problem is the assumption, that everyone has the same experiences. Even if something is a fact, it doesn't mean everyone will feel or react to it in the exact same way. For example, someone might have a terrible job that they hate. This person still might feel OK about themselves, because of all of the other things they have going for them. Someone else might have the same job and experience severe anxiety every morning at work. This person might feel worse about everything else in their life when they think about their job. Again, everyone has different experiences and everyone will feel them in different ways. Anything that causes us to reflect on our own experiences is a good thing. However, we should try to look at things objectively. There are some things, that make us all the same and there are some things, that make us different. We should try to accept the good and the bad things about ourselves as they come and appreciate all of them. Comparison Often Leads To Minimization Of Ourselves The third problem with comparison is that it often leads to minimizing our own situations. Many problems seem bigger, than they really are, because we are comparing them to things they aren't compared to. This is how the human mind works, it wants to make things simple. The human brain cannot comprehend everything, so it creates a simplified version of everything for us to make it easier to understand. If we constantly compare ourselves to other people no matter what, this is what we will get. We will always be able to find other people, that seem better than us in some way. This will cause us to feel like we are lacking and never good enough. It is OK to feel good about ourselves, because of our own accomplishments. A common example of this is when people constantly compare themselves to famous people or the very rich. They say things to themselves like, ***"If I had money..." or "I should be living like....."*** While it is true that these people have more money and live better lives, than the majority of people, it is not a good comparison. They don't have more talent, intelligence, beauty, or anything else than others. It is simply a difference in what they have. This mindset leads to a very bad logical conclusion which is, ***"So what if I don't have as much money or a better job or whatever it is that others have? I'm still better off than....."*** This is also known as the ***"blaming the victim"*** mentality. It isn't that person's fault that they are living the life they are, it's yours. You chose to live the way you are and you are to blame for your situation. You will never be able to feel good about yourself if you continue to blame everyone else for your problems. This is a logical conclusion, that isn't worth spending your time thinking. It also isn't true anyway, the person may have more money than you now, but what happens when they lose it all in a bad investment? They may be living on the street and you would still be fine. We should all be focusing on improving ourselves in everyway possible. Whether that is our job, our relationships with others, or anything else. Comparison Keeps You From Facing Your Feelings https://www.self.com/story/emotional-regulation-skills Noticing the flaws in others puts us in a better mood and helps us to not feel so bad about our own flaws. It also stops us from putting other people down and stops us from being jealous of others. When we start to do this with ourselves, it's easy to become happier and happier. However, it is possible to go too far with this. It's possible to start to notice our good points so much, that we start to ignore our problems. Eventually, you literally can't feel anything anymore. You are numb. You have no feelings. You may or may not still exist, in which case you're a ***"soulless"*** being. I hope this isn't the case for you, but if it is then I'm not going to judge you for it. It's a Trap! Don't Fall For It! You are currently dwelling on the fact, that you aren't as good as other people, when in actuality, you're in a much better position, than they are. You have wonderful friends, who are like family to you. You have a home. You have a car. You have food. If you died, who would really miss you? No one. Everyone you meet is either better off without you, or not important enough for you to matter. What has happened in your life and who you have been is not your fault. You were a victim of bad luck, terrible choices and bad judgment. This is all in your head, a product of your own warped sense of logic. Nobody else is at fault for anything that has happened to you. Differences: What Matters? When we're younger, different things helps us to learn and grow from other people's accomplishments. However, as we get older and especially past a certain age, it's only going to hold us back. It's important to realize, that everyone started at the same time. There have been people, who have accomplished amazing and world changing things, when it comes to science, medicine and other fields. Some of them were probably born with many advantages that you weren't. At the same time, there are people, who were born into difficult situations such as poverty, and they still managed to succeed against all odds. Every single one of us is different in important ways such as race, gender, class, abilities, etc. These things matter, but they aren't the only things that matter. If you start focusing on the small differences, then it's very easy to feel inferiorized by someone else, who has an advantage. They might be richer, or smarter, or more muscular. The list goes on. While these things are important, we need to remember, that it's how you deal with those differences, that will determine your future. If you put someone else's success over your own, because they had help that you lacked, then you aren't going to be happy with your life. https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a28787295/race-vs-ethnicity-difference/ Focus On What You Can Control Life is unpredictable and things are going to come up, that you won't be able to control. The best thing you can do is to make the best of everything that happens. If you focus on what you can't control, it's going to overwhelm and frustrate you. It's best to just take things as they come, and live one day at a time. Knowing this, it's easy to make the excuse, that you can't do anything about a situation or someone else's behavior. If this is the case for you, then I want you to stop beating yourself up about it. Instead, just change your focus. Look at the situation from a different angle. Don't dwell on things you can't change, and you're less likely to end up in a perpetual state of dissatisfaction with your life. You can't control the actions of other people. All you can do is your best to put yourself in the best position to succeed at whatever you choose to do with your life. You have to make the best choices you can with the information you have now. If you don't like something, then you have to change it. Don't waste your time beating yourself up over things beyond your control. If something good happens in your life, it's very easy to get caught up in the moment and feel like you have everything you want. Sometimes though, it's best to just take a step back and notice all the little things, that are going right. Never take anything for granted, because you never know when something bad is going to unexpectedly push you back or destroy everything you have worked so hard for. If you take the time to appreciate the lighter side of life, it can make the hard times easier to endure.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

What Is A Sense Of Entitlement? In some cases, you've seen it manifest itself in people, who are so self-centered and arrogant, that they think they deserve to be treated better, than others simply because of their social status. You can only imagine how much worse it would get if they were actually successful. This type of person will always have an inferiority complex and will never truly feel worthy of being treated as they should be. They're not really happy unless they're doing things for themselves, rather than helping others. This usually manifests itself in some sort of competition for acceptance. The lesser will compete with other lesser of similar status, rather than trying to excel within their own. All of these traits eventually lead to infighting and power struggles. This would all lead to problems in the long run. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/27-best-ways-to-fix-a-sense-of-entitlement/ What Is A Sense Of Entitlement? A sense of entitlement is the belief, that one deserves something, because they are better than others. It can be in a person's mind or it could come from an external source such as money, power, etc. The problem with this type of thinking is, that it leads to people not working hard and getting lazy. This can lead to them becoming complacent and losing their edge. The other problem with this type of thinking is, that it makes you feel superior to those around you. While this may feel good in the moment, in the long run it is not beneficial. You will not be as successful and you will create enemies. Instead of thinking you are better than others, try to think of yourself as an equal. This will make you a more inclusive person and open up more doors for you in life. You will also find that you work harder, since you are not thinking you get everything easily. Signs Of A Sense Of Entitlement There are a few different signs, that you can look for to see if you have a sense of entitlement. **A need for instant gratification.** **Talking down to people who are less fortunate than you.** **Constant feelings of shame and failure.** **Destroying the things that people have worked hard for.** **Procrastinating on tasks that you should be doing.** **Asking for special treatment for yourself.** How To Overcome A Sense Of Entitlement The best way to overcome a sense of entitlement is to realize, that you aren't better than others, you won't feel as if you are owed anything. This will create a positive mindset, where you will be more motivated to succeed. You can also try to think of people you know, who have overcome hardships, who aren't feeling a sense of entitlement. The more positive individuals you can think about, the easier it will be for you to stay motivated. Finally, you can try to identify the things, that make you feel entitled. Through journaling or talking to someone you trust, you can start to look at the roots of your entitled thoughts. By doing this, you can work on changing them into more positive thoughts. Finding out what makes you feel entitled can be a challenge, but it is well worth it. Once you conquer those thoughts, your mind will be a lot stronger and you will be able to reach your full potential. Inner-Joys Of Mindfulness https://www.ibm.com/blogs/corporate-social-responsibility/2020/05/open-p-tech-mindfulness-course-helped-me-find-clarity-in-chaos/ Mindfulness in itself is a good thing, but when it becomes an excuse to live in a place of entitlement, it can become a problem. If you find yourself with a strong sense of entitlement, it is important to take a look at why. Mindfulness can help you look at your situation in a new way, but it needs to be combined with other techniques as well. One of the main reasons, why some people become entitled is due to their outlook on life. They see everything as either a blessing or a curse, when really life is a bit more complicated than that. Other people become entitled due to their childhood. How you were treated as a child can greatly effect the type of adult you become. If you were harshly disciplined as a child for something you have no control over, that's one thing. On the other hand, if you were blamed for something you didn't do, that's another. In either case, the lesson you learned is, that you are not to be trusted. When you grow up in a household, where it is always one argument after the other, it's easy to not want anything to do with marriage, because it seems like a chore. Those that don't grow out of this difficult stage are often the ones, who end up in relationships with whiny, controlling types. There are many other reasons, why people become entitled, but the bottom line is that it is a habit and like all habits; you can break it. How Is Entitlement Different From Mistrust? There is a lot of confusion between mistrust and entitlement and they are not the same thing. Many people, who come into therapy are mistrustful. They don't trust others, because of a painful experience in childhood. They didn't get along with their parents or were abandoned by them. Sometimes they were betrayed by someone they trusted, but most times this problem goes much deeper. They trusted an adult as a child, but that trust was broken. This caused them to feel pain. They didn't understand, why that person they looked up to would do this to them. They never got over the feeling that it was their fault. Sometimes this type of mistrust can be so strong, that it causes physical pain. Typically, the more one is able to forgive the more this type of mistrust goes away, but in some cases, it never completely goes away. Entitlement: Everyone dislikes being taken advantage of. Entitled people feel, that they are entitled to have things given to them, whether they have worked for them or not. This usually manifests itself in the form of stealing or other forms of fraud. People who grew up in a home, with no boundaries often don't learn, that they can't just take something, that doesn't belong to them. If they can't control themselves, they will take things anyway. The difference between the mistrustful type and the entitled type is that the entitled type truly believes, that they are owed something. They may not be able to articulate it well, but they believe it with every fiber of their being. How To Cope With Entitlement One of the problems with being entitled is that you start to believe it's normal. You don't realize how much of an advantage not being entitled gives you. Other people can take advantage of you, but you can't take advantage of them. If you try, they can take everything away from you. You may have to set boundaries with people, and even limit your social interactions. You need to make sure, that you don't get caught up in dangerous situations, because you're trying to be nice. One of the most important things you can do to help yourself is forgive and let go of any lingering feelings of hurt from your childhood. Forgiveness doesn't mean you have to like what happened, or that you have to continue a relationship with someone, because you're still traumatized from the experience. Forgiving someone doesn't mean you're going to trust them again, and it certainly doesn't mean you're going to want to be friends with them. It just means, that you can no longer harbor a grudge against them. As adults we make our own choices, and we live with the consequences. You can choose to not be a victim. Stop taking everything so seriously. People are not going to live up to your ideals, or even come close. In fact, you shouldn't hold anyone to those kinds of standards. You can't change the world. You can only change yourself. Don't give away your power. If you give away your power, you're basically saying, that you're not capable of taking care of yourself. This will make others feel comfortable taking advantage of you.

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@Peter-Molnar

Foraging: Pick Your Food In Nature Foraging is a method of gathering food from the wild. It can be done in many different ways, but for our purposes we will focus on finding edible plants, fruits and vegetables, that are not normally found in your area. Foraging is an important survival skill, that can provide you with much-needed food in the wild. It's not easy, but it's fairly simple to learn. https://travel.usnews.com/features/6-places-where-you-can-forage-for-your-food How To Become A Forager? The first thing you need to do to become a forager is to identify plants. This isn't always easy, but there are many ways you can go about learning. A good way is to look at wild plants in your area. You can also look at plants, that are currently around you: weeds, for example, often have more uses, than first appear. Learn what the leaves look like, the stems, and the roots. You will also need to know what part of the plant is edible, whether it's in the form of fruit, root, or leaf. If you can't identify something, you can't eat it. Learn what flowers, trees, and other plants in your region look like. All plants have a specific shape and color, that helps people identify them. Learning about plants isn't just about the appearance, either. You'll also need to learn how to identify whether a plant is poisonous or not. This can be done in different ways. One is to read a book about plants and herbs, another is to ask someone, who works with plants. Being a forager means you live off the land. You don't need to buy most of your food, and you can easily grow some of it in your garden. You can also easily travel long distances without carrying much food with you. Being a forager also means you must be self reliant and prepared for any situation. Finally, it means you can improve your own physical condition by using the plants you collect. As a forager, you are self sufficient in the most basic way. You can easily feed yourself and your family no matter what the situation. You will never go hungry if you are a forager. Finding Plants You could go out into nature and look for them yourself. This can be time consuming and tiring, and if you're not exactly familiar with your surroundings, you might not find whatever it is you're looking for. You need to have knowledge about wild plants. Wild food is any plant you collect from the wild, and includes anything from fruits and nuts to roots and herbs. The term "wild" is also used here in the loosest possible sense, as many common foods, that people consider "wild" are simply plants, that grow on naturally occurring wild stands of land. Edible wild plants can be found in greater quantities and variety with a minimum of effort, but most people don't have the time to do this. https://historicbolton.yolasite.com/foraging-bolton.php When Do I Forage? You should pick food, when the plant is in full bloom. This is usually around spring and fall, although some plants bloom more frequently than others. You can usually tell when a plant is ready to bloom by checking the leaves. When the plant is blooming, you can usually tell by the color of the leaf. If it's green, wait. If it's yellow, purple, red or brown, pick immediately. If the flower petals have fallen off, the plant is probably close to being finished blooming. Using Foraged Food For Cooking You can pick many different types of plants to make into food. Some plants have multiple parts, such as roots, stems and leaves. You can eat these whole, or you can remove the less accessible parts for use in cooking. Many plants can be eaten raw, but some taste better cooked to leech out some of the nutrition. For best results, many plants should be cooked for a short period of time before consumption. Also cooking these plants over a fire improves the taste, and helps to destroy any potential harmful bacteria. Why Should I Forage Plants? Picking plants is important for a few reasons. First and foremost, it's illegal to hunt wild animals and collect their meat or other parts without a license. This is extremely difficult to get, and if you tried you probably wouldn't get it anyway. Hunting is very dangerous and most hunters are very experienced. If you're not familiar with hunting, it's just not worth the risk. When you hunt animals for food, you need to either skin and butcher them, or cook them. For most people, skinning and butchering an animal is too much of a hassle. And lastly, cooking doesn't always destroy all the harmful bacteria that may be in the meat. So you may get sick from eating undercooked meat. Picking plants is much easier and safer. First off, you don't need a license to forage plants. The second reason is because you can preserve them easily. Learning To Forage https://www.farmdrop.com/blog/ultimate-guide-wild-food-foraging-spring/ The first thing you should know about foraging is that it's not at all difficult. It's all a matter of finding what works best in your area, and that varies from person to person. Also, you probably won't find everything you need in one area. Instead, you'll have to move about and search different areas. This is where the first rule of foraging comes into play. Don't pick anything, that looks like it could taste bad. Pick only things, that are safe to eat, and ignore anything that doesn't look appetizing. For example, you might come across an area with many poisonous plants. These plants might not have any noticeable taste or smell, so you might mistake them for a nice ripe fruit, even though they could make you sick or harm you in any way. You'll have to learn what all is poisonous in the area, and what doesn't taste bad, but isn't good to eat. The second rule of foraging is the most important: ask questions. Every forager should learn as much as they can about plants by talking to the people, who work with them on a regular basis. This might be a community garden or a farm. This is also where you should go to learn what areas are good for finding certain plants. For example, if you're in the mountains and desperate for food, it probably isn't a good idea to eat anything that looks like a plant. Instead, you should only eat plants, that most people want for food. Berries, for example, are usually desired by most people, so they're usually easy to come by and many people like to eat them. Getting Resources You have two options: **Option 1:** You can join a community garden, a farm, or some other place, where you can work and get food. Many large communities have community gardens for this purpose. You can also ask around at your local college or university. Many students are willing to help a fellow student with extra food, and everyone loves having fresh vegetables! **Option 2:** You can collect berries, nuts, fruit, and any other plants you need in the wild. Of course, you should only collect plants, that you are certain are edible, and you probably shouldn't pick wild berries unless you really know what you're doing. Let's Wrap This Up To become a forager, you need to know what plants to look for, where they can be found, and how to prepare them. Some plants are easy to identify and others require a little more knowledge. When foraging, you should always be aware of your surroundings. Wild plants and animals can be part of a survival situation, so you need to know how to identify them and how they can affect you. Finally, foraging isn't just about fruits and nuts. Some plants can be used as medicine. Knowing these plants and how to use them is important otherwise you can be hurt or sick.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

The Notion Of Luxury And What It Means To Us The notion of luxury has changed over the years. Luxury brands carry a luxury experience. There is a new way of looking at luxury as a department store. Luxury has moved from a rare buy to a market with its own market values. The concept of luxury has been redefined in this new way. You can choose what you want to do, when you want to do it. This is the concept of luxury now. You can choose to spend your money on clothes, cars or houses. You can even choose to spend your money on yourself. Luxury is a choice that you make, just like what you buy or how you live. This is why luxury must be made accessible to as many people as possible. You don't have to be rich to have a luxurious life. https://www.studiolegalemetta.com/en/italian-luxury-property/ Wanting To Make Luxury Accessible As I said before, luxury is accessible to all, but this doesn't mean it's cheap. It just means, that it isn't as expensive as other things some people want. Some people want the newest thing. They want to have the newest phone or car. They want to go to the newest restaurant in the city. These are the people, who spend all their money as they wish and they can afford to do it too. Other people want experiences. They want to go to a certain restaurant, concert or movie theater. This is the mass market that, drives the market. This is why things like hotels and airlines have to rely on these people. Then there are the people, who don't really want anything. They're happy with what they have. These people don't spend money, or they spend very little. These people probably don't go to luxury stores, let alone luxury stores that sell items, that people only use once in a blue moon. So in order to make luxury accessible, companies have to make it appealing to at least some of these people. This is why advertising is used. This is why the newest trends are pushed. This is why sales are held and deals are made. This is why luxury has to exist at all. Luxury And Inequality https://politicsofpoverty.oxfamamerica.org/the-imfs-bold-moves-on-inequality-are-still-unconvincing/ I can already see the comments now, but I'm not saying luxury is bad. Luxury is good, and it's necessary. The problem with luxury is that it tends to be very much skewed towards the rich, which then perpetuates a cycle of wealth and privilege. Just because someone has the money to buy a $10 million car and drive it around doesn't automatically mean, they have $10 million to spend on a house or clothing or groceries or school or whatever else their regular expenses require. Meanwhile people, who work minimum wage jobs don't have enough money to live comfortably. This cycle of poverty is what's causing today's problems. The environment is being destroyed. People are starving. Education is becoming a privilege of the elite, not a right. Healthcare? Forget about it. There's no public option or Medicare for all. This unfairness has to stop. So yes, luxury is good. But only if it's accessible to everyone. And that's impossible. The way to do this is to have a system in place, that takes a cut of the profits from luxury goods and services. This way, companies don't have an incentive to exploit the poor and the middle class has an equal chance at getting the goods and services that the rich enjoy on a daily basis. And if that sounds grim, well that's because it is. But there are steps that can be taken right now to start fixing this problem, and one of those steps is getting the word out. I'm not going to sugarcoat this. This is going to be unpopular, but this is an issue that needs to be addressed and it's not going to be done through social media or in a candlelight vigil. This is going to involve taking some of the stuff that the world has to admittedly to give. I realize, that not everyone can be a part of this. That's fine. But those who can should help. How? By buying luxury goods and using them. By going into debt to buy things you need. By working for the wealthy to pay them, so that they can afford to have more. By doing all of the things that the 1% do. If we truly want equality, then we have to be willing to sacrifice some of what makes us comfortable to get it. I know that doesn't sound glamorous, but it's really the only way we're going to be able to effect real change. The Decline Of A Luxury Economy Think about it. In today's economy, why would a doctor spend $500 on a bottle of wine, when they can get a case of the same quality for less than $100 from a discount liquor store? It doesn't make economic sense for them to buy the better quality wine, even if it's just going to get drunk by themselves. The rich are already doing things in a way that doesn't contribute to society. They're not going to start doing it, because of a luxury tax. Also they have so much already, what's one more tax to them? They're already going to be less likely to give to charity or do any sort of good works anyway. The middle class is hurting enough as it is. They're barely getting by as it is. Raising prices on anything they buy is just going to make them sell their house and get a cheap apartment near work so they can still afford to live and still save what little money they have left. That's not going to help the economy in the long run. So what does this mean for you and me? Well, for starters, it's going to be a little harder to buy some things. We're already stretched out as it is. Buying a brand new car isn't really something that's within our means, or at least not within the means of most of us anyway. The fact is, if we want luxury, we're going to have to make sacrifices. However, I don't believe that this means the end of the world. I actually don't. Free Yourself From Desire And Make It Real https://www.dumblittleman.com/how-to-free-yourself-from-limiting/ When you are at the point of wanting something, but not having enough to acquire it, then you aren't truly free. You are a slave to your desires and you don't want to be. We must free ourselves by any means. Not just the easy ones though. Our rebellion against the system isn't going to be televised. Or at least not for a long time. It is going to be a silent one, with a few isolated acts of civil disobedience here and there, that are going to catch the attention of those in power. That is going to be the work of an underground. But we are underground. We are a group of loosely affiliated individuals and organizations, that share a common goal of subverting the system that's enslaving us. We have no leader, we have no official documents, we have no spokespeople. We are underground, because if we were to appear on the surface, we would quickly be stomped out of existence. There are quite a few of us, but we are still struggling to keep ourselves together and to keep out eventual destruction. The system is still very much focused on our elimination. They just need to make one mistake on our part and launch an attack, and they will find us. We don't have that problem. We have plenty of opportunity to slip up and give them an advantage, but we are going to make those opportunities hard to come by. We have already been fortunate enough to gain the support of some people on the inside. Others are in and out. All of them are on side, because they see the need and the potential for change.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

6 Things To Apply To Live A Balanced Life I know what it's like to be desperate, but I am not willing to go through with it again and again. I've been spinning my wheels for too long now and there has got to be another way. It's time to take action and change things around. The only thing I can think of is to try something new. Something different, something better! Sometimes I feel I want to reach a different destiny. Time to fulfill my potential. I feel it's time to move on to bigger and better things. I feel it's time to start living my life for more than just this moment. This is it, the end of an era. Whatever I feel, one thing is for sure. By finding a balanced life, it would be much easier to fulfill what I want in the rest of my life. Here are six things, that I personally think, would be important to apply. https://www.achievers.com/blog/balancing-life-and-work-support-employees/ Stop Wasting Time With Negative People When you're trying to accomplish something big, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking about what other people think about you instead of focusing on yourself. This is why it's important to surround yourself with positive people who inspire you. You'll find that they become more like family than friends, because they help you along the way. If you don't feel like you have any friends who inspire you, then make some! Find a new hobby that interests you. Then, when you are doing that hobby, go find more people to do it with. Don't waste your time on tasks, that don't matter. When you're running on empty, you will most likely feel like you have so much to do and so little time to do it in. This is a false sense of importance. The real measure of importance is on something that matters to you, not on something that doesn't matter at all. It's impossible. You can't change what you were born with. In other words, some people just aren't going to like you. It's okay; they don't have to like you. It doesn't really matter anyway, because you like and accept yourself. https://www.powerofpositivity.com/signs-too-many-negative-people-life/ Learn To Say No This may seem counterintuitive to some of you, but saying no can actually be a good thing. When you say no to something that isn't important, you have more time to say yes to the things, that are important. Do something nice for someone every day. It can be anything from giving a friend a big hug when they are having a bad day, to volunteering your time to help those in need. You will get that support back I am sure. It's always nice when people return the favor; it's free advertising! Say no to drugs and alcohol on a daily basis. I know this one may be a little difficult, because we live in a time where doing the opposite of what is considered the norm is becoming more popular. Nonetheless, be different and pursue sobriety. It'll be worth it. You will have increased energy levels, and you will even feel happier. A Healthy Diet Helps A Lot To Find The Balance In Life Research has proven that a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, can improve numerous aspects of health. Such a diet is low in fat and carbohydrates and high in fiber. Research has also shown that low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets can increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke, while a diet rich in fruits and vegetables decreases your chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke. What is good for your body is also good for your mind and emotions. Staying focused and healthy will increase your productivity and decrease your likelihood of getting sick in the first place. Since staying healthy is important to finding balance in life, you should probably take a moment to think about your every day meals. and well-being. You might be wondering if skipping meals is going to make you feel deprived or hungry. You could also try eating small meals every couple of hours. This will help you avoid the risk of having a "sugar rush" followed by a "crash" later. The main thing is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Eat whole fruits and vegetables, and avoid fruit juices and other drinks, because they do not contain the fiber, that you need to have a balanced diet. A balanced, nutrient rich diet will help you find your energy and keep you from getting tired. Make sure that your diet consists of a good amount of whole grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds. These foods are rich in fiber, which helps keep you full and satisfied. Try to eat low-fat dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, because they contain nutrients such as calcium, which helps your body function properly. Don't worry though, too much dairy won't make you put on weight; in fact, it's beneficial to your health. You should also eat fish, poultry, and some red meat each week. You don't need to worry about these foods clogging your arteries either. Scientists recently discovered, that people who eat fish have lower rates of heart disease, than those who don't. Red meat is also beneficial, and will help you gain the nutrition your body needs to work properly. If you are a vegetarian, your options become more limited. You can get the nutrients your body needs from fruits and vegetables, like I mentioned earlier, but there aren't many good choices. I wouldn't recommend becoming a vegetarian, but if that is your chosen lifestyle, then there are a few things you can do. First of all, I would try to eat eggs and dairy products such as milk and yogurt. Second of all, I would try to eat as many nuts as you can. They are a great source of protein and will give you that extra bit of energy you need to function. https://theconversation.com/official-healthy-food-guide-hasnt-changed-in-20-years-five-things-that-need-updating-33265 Enjoy Little Things In Life And Don't Be Bored Most of us spend a large portion of our day either at work, or at school. This is where we have to be on certain schedules and at certain places. If you are constantly worried, that you won't have anything to do or that you will be bored, then this is not the type of life you should be living. If you don't find joy in the little things in life, then you need to change your outlook. The key to happiness, as you might have guessed, is to take the time to enjoy the little things. Life is too short to be spending it stuck in a boring job, that you don't enjoy, or with people you don't like. Don't get me wrong; you should work hard and succeed, but you need to make sure, that you are having a little fun along the way. Just spending too much time in the monotony of life, can cause you to become sad or worse, suicidal. There are ways to make your job more interesting and to keep yourself from getting bored. First of all, try to be around people, who you get along with. This can make your day go by faster and make the monotony a little bit easier to deal with. You can always boost your energy with a good cup of coffee, but it's not worth it if the rest of your day is a miserable blur of boredom. Take some time to learn new things. Whether you are interested in computers, or cars, or language, anything you can find that will help you to keep your mind busy. Remember the more you learn, the more options you'll have, when it comes to finding something to do. Lastly, make sure you are staying active. From time to time, take a walk to clear your head, or swing by the local gym and work out. This isn't just good for keeping in shape; it's also good for your mind. Keep Your Body And Mind In Shape I would take a mental health day just to relax. Set aside time to visit a nearby park and just sit under a tree and relax. Do some meditation if you can. If you've been under a lot of stress, you might just be able to catch yourself a little 'spirit' level. Take time to look around you. Look at the people passing you by, or look up at the sky and let your inner thoughts wander, or gaze at your reflection in the surface of a nearby body of water. Whatever you do, don't slack off or take an unscheduled break. You need to keep your body and mind in tip top shape if you want to live a long balanced and healthy life. If you do this, you should be fine. Just remember to set aside time for yourself every once in awhile. https://www.dragonherbs.com/oneness-of-body-psyche-and-environment Find Your Passion And Live It This is very important, because if you don't find something you are good at, then you're going to spend your whole life dissatisfied. Your life will be filled with stress and you'll probably end up getting sick often, or even die of an early disease. Some people are natural-born performers, and they almost can't help, but to show off. In fact, they usually aren't that good at it, but they just have a joy of performing. Other people are natural-born artists. They can draw, or sing, or write stories, etc. almost better, than they can produce it in real life. Don't worry if you are non of them. What you need to do is find something, that you have a natural talent for. I know it seems hard, but if you really want it, you can achieve it. You just have to really want it with all your heart, and that's the main thing that's going to drive you. It's going to hurt at times, but if you keep trying you'll make it.

+2 more

@Peter-Molnar

The Victorian Steampunk Culture Steampunk was originally a term used by British scientists in the 19th century to describe their work on steam powered machinery. It was not until World War I, when it became popular for military purposes. During this time, many of these machines were designed with steampunk influences. These include the submarine, airship, and even some tanks. The term Steampunk is now being used as a general descriptor for any type of technology or art, that is inspired by the past. It is not necessary, that the technology actually works, or even resemble something from the past. This has lead to the culture becoming more fanciful and artsy, rather than practical. Although the culture has grown, it still tends to have a strong British influence. Many consider it a "British thing" and not a "universal thing." However, the British influence is probably what makes this particular culture what it is. The culture has a strong science fiction influence, such as looking at technology in a more "algorithmic" fashion and inventing new technologies to make gadgets, that we would not even consider. The Victorians were a very logical group of people, which is probably why many Steampunk artists enjoy depicting them. They also enjoyed playing with technology and many of their inventions never saw release, because they were too dangerous. This lead to some very interesting inventions, such as the imaginatively named "Time Machine." The name "Steampunk" is a play on the word "Steam." The aesthetics of the culture are supposed to emulate those of steam powered technology, hence the name. The most obvious influence is the Victorian Era which is often mimicked. This usually involves a "gritty" look and "edgy" aesthetics. There is a heavy use of steam power technology, the color purple, brass, and lots of gears. The culture is prone to "highs" and " lows " and a cynicism towards "modern" concepts such as politics, religion, and society in general. https://cogpunksteamscribe.wordpress.com/2016/07/20/steampunk-time-machine-backpack-the-steampunk-ledger/ What Is Steampunk All About? Steampunks are people fascinated with the Victorian era and what could have happened if some of the technological advances of that time had survived into the future. Steampunk writers and artists take inspiration from the past to create a vision of the future, that is both fascinating and believable. The culture is very much inspired by the Victorian Era. Since much of the culture comes from that time, it can be hard to distinguish it from that time. It should be noted, that Steampunk is not simply a " Victorian version of now." Aside from the obvious technological differences, there is a certain atmosphere in a Steampunk setting. Steampunk often times see themselves as an advanced version of the Victorians. They see themselves as a refined group, that has managed to preserve the values of the past. They are a group of noble minds united by the common thread of technology. In a Steampunk world, technology rules. Anything that wasn't a result of technology is looked down upon. Steampunks value the past not because it's good, but because it's perfect. This has sometimes caused a small group of "revisionists" to emerge. These are Steampunks, who have tried to make the culture future focused. They are looked upon with distain by the rest of the community. Steampunk is usually set in the future, but can also be set in different periods of time. In some cases, it can be set in the present day. The exact time period can vary but one constant is that technology still plays a large roll in the their society. The History Of Steampunk The story of how the culture of Steampunk came to be was very different from how it is today. Steampunk as it exists today was born out of a very specific set of circumstances, that have since died out. It was only able to branch out from its roots to what it is now, because of these circumstances and events. The Victorian society was a repressive one. Only the upper class could vote, for instance, and it wasn't until the 20th century, that those restrictions were even lifted. Many societies, and ones based on science in particular, were frowned upon by the Victorians. It was only natural, that these societies would have some influence on the creation of the culture of Steampunk. Steampunk started out as a reaction against the Victorians. The first Steampunk stories were very much parodies of the Victorians. They poked fun at everything from art to clothing to architecture to morality. As time went on, the parodies lessened and the culture started to take on a more serious undertone. The Steampunk stories became more about the struggles of the lower classes. This new direction didn't really start gaining major traction until the late 1890s and early 1900s. It was around this time, that the Utopian societies started dying out and were almost forgotten. It was at this time, that people started to look to the past with a certain longing. Steampunk was the result. Despite this new direction, some of the culture never left. The mad scientists and explorers are still there along with a strong feelings of Utopianism. While Steampunk may not be as wildly rebellious as it once was, the artists, writers and musicians continue to spread the message of scientific exploration and social change. The earliest known works of Steampunk fiction were in the 1880s and 1890s. These works were heavily influenced by the science fiction of the day. Many authors of Steampunk stories claim, that they were already writing about airships and automatons decades before those things were actually invented. The birth of the culture was very similar to that of our own. In the beginning, it was just a bunch of people with a similar interest in technology getting together to talk about their passion. As the culture grew, these people started forming societies. Societies such as the London Steam Museum, the Birmingham Science Fiction and Fantasy Society, the New York Science Fiction Association and more. While the people, who joined these societies were primarily writers and artists, they weren't the only ones interested in this new culture. People from all walks of life were interested in Steampunk and there seemed to be a demand for everything Steampunk. Steampunks like to re-create the past to suit their needs. https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/steampunk-arm-guard-keyboard Steampunk Fashion The clothing is definitely the most recognizable feature of Steampunk. Fashionable clothing with an eye towards the future. The clothing is most often either very ornate or very rugged, rarely a mix. There is no uniform as such, but a lot of the clothing is based on military uniforms of old boots, corset, gas mask, etc. are all common clothing for men and women. Steampunks love to use technology from the past in their designs. Watches, jewelry, furniture, you name it and you can probably find a Steampunk designer working on a version of it. The most famous garment of all is the corset. It has been said, that a properly fitted corset can save your life in case of an airship crash. It has also been blamed for the relatively small size of Steampunk ladies. The corset is not required for Steampunk ladies to look presentable though. The clothing is often tartans or stripes, hence the name "Stripes and Tartans." Shawls and trench coats are also very popular fashion items both for men and women. **Steampunk Skin Care** It is important to Steampunks, that their skin look good. The use of creams, oils, lotions and other items to make the skin luminous are common among the class. Steampunk doctors are also utilized to keep the skin looking good. It is not uncommon for a wealthy man to have his skin pores plugged with wax and stretched to make them appear larger. This makes the skin appear more youthful and is popular with both males and females. There is a long standing belief, that for males to appear masculine, they should have their facial hair removed and for females to look lady-like they should have their legs waxed. Both of these practices are frowned upon by many as they remove major features of one's gender and are unnecessary, but that is a discussion for another time. **Jewelry** https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/56787645293608295/ Stainless steel is a common metal to use for both cutlery and jewelry. Most other jewelry uses a combination of precious metals with less expensive stainless steel. Common rings for a Steampunk would be one with an enameled center, a simple ring with a silver band and a segmented silver band surrounding it. Another popular type of ring is a "conical ring". These consist of a cone made of stainless steel and covered in precious metal, such as silver or gold. The tip of the cone has a small ring attached to it. These are worn on the little finger of the non-dominant hand and are supposed to represent a miniature hat. Watches are also popular. Watches with analog displays are common, but high quality machines with cogs and gears are not uncommon. Other common jewelry includes earrings (no longer studs), which can be designed to have a practical use, such as holding a teacup, or purely for show, such as a model railway controller, necklaces made of chain with a flat amulet, which are popular among the lower classes, bracelets, which are always worn with two, and rings. Lead Image Source: https://madburner.com/blogs/madburner-fashion/a-quick-guide-to-steampunk-fashion

+3 more

@Peter-Molnar

The Importance Of Self-Discipline The key here is self-control. Self-control is a skill, that can be learned, but it's also something we develop over time. We all have moments, where we let go of control. When this happens, we need to make sure, that doesn't happen again. We don't want to get into a situation, where we're tempted by temptation. When we let ourselves get distracted, when we allow ourselves to fall into the trap of letting things slide, then we've lost control. That's why it's so important for us to learn how to keep our focus. Learning self-discipline isn't always easy, but it's important for us in our lives to stay motivated, reach our goals and be successful. https://vancruzer.com/self-discipline-is-important-for-success/ What Is Self-Discipline? To begin with, it's important to know what self-discipline is not. Often, people think, that being disciplined means simply not doing whatever it is you want to do, whenever you want to do it. While this is a necessary part of self-discipline, it is not the only part. When you only focus on the negative of not doing what you want to do, you are likely to give into temptation more often and for a longer period of time. This defeats the overall purpose of self-discipline. Self-discipline is about more, than just not doing something; it's about not doing it for the wrong reasons. Self-discipline is also not about pushing yourself to your limits. If you push yourself to your limits, you could end up injured or you could push yourself past your limits and end up in a mental institution. Self-discipline is about making yourself better. It's about improving yourself and more importantly, your situation. If you are happy with how things are now, then there is no need to change. If you don't believe this is the case, then you must not have everything that you want. This is because no matter how much money you have, what you look like or how many people like you, someone always has more than you do. No matter how safe you think you are, there is always some place safer to live. If you are happy with your life, there is no need to change. Reasons Why Self-Discipline Is Important? Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. The more you don't use it, the weaker it gets. So make sure you use it as much as you can. https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/self-discipline-quotes Here are some of the reasons why it's important to have self-discipline: **You are able to make better decisions.** You don't allow yourself to make impulse buys or say yes when you mean no. **You have more control over your life.** You may make better financial decisions or make better lifestyle decisions for yourself. **You feel less stressed out all the time, because you aren't stressed about so many things.** **People respect you more.** They know that you mean what you say and that you're serious about making the changes you set out to make. Do's And Don'ts There are certain things you should do to build up your self-discipline and there are certain things you shouldn't do. **Do take responsibility for your own actions.** If you're at fault, take the consequences. Chances are, you won't like them, but that's okay as long as you don't blame others. Blaming others leads to nothing good, and it's a sure-fire way to avoid taking responsibility for your actions. **Do concentrate.** If you feel the need to daydream a lot, do it then stop doing it before you get lost. **Do challenge yourself.** We all need to push ourselves every once in awhile or we get stagnant. **Do learn from your mistakes.** We all make them and the best way to learn from them is to acknowledge them and then try not to do them again. **Do push yourself.** Whether it's to read more, run further, write more or anything else that you do. Don't ever give up. **Do stay positive!** Don't spend all your time being upset over things, that you can't control. Take a look at the bright side of things whenever you can. **Don't try to control things over which you have no power.** If you're angry and upset about a situation, don't try to control the outcome of it. Grasping at straws only leads to frustration and it doesn't actually help you. **Don't set yourself up for failure.** If you're going to achieve a goal, don't make it so difficult for yourself, that you'll never succeed. Think long and hard about what you're trying to accomplish before you start. Figure out the steps you need to take in order to make it happen and then only take those steps. **Don't rely on other people.** People are not always going to be there for you and sometimes they can even make your problems worse. **Don't just follow the crowd.** This can be a very dangerous thing to do, especially when it comes to self-discipline. By following the crowd you may find yourself doing things, that you may regret later. **Don't give up.** This is one of the most important things on the list. Always keep in mind, that you can make it if you try hard enough. If you find that you're getting tired or bored, then take a break. Then keep trying, but change something. **Don't worry about other people.** There are a lot of people in the world and some of them are simply going to hate you. That's just the way it is. Let them hate you. You can't change other people anyway. All you can really do is your best and then if they don't like it, well they weren't going to like you either. Were they? **Don't feel guilty about your life.** Nobody deserves everything that happens to them, but that doesn't mean you should sit around and take it. You can't control other people and you shouldn't bother wasting your time worrying about them. That's why you have self-discipline. To stay out of their way. Benefits Of Self-Discipline There are many benefits, that you can reap by having a strong sense of self- discipline. These benefits may not be immediately obvious, but they can make you happier in the long run. Self-discipline helps you achieve your goals**.** It is a powerful tool and needs to be used as such. https://crownmyinfo.com/self-discipline-quotes/ **Self-discipline makes you happier.** Happiness is a byproduct of self-discipline. If you constantly do the things, that you have to discipline yourself to do, you will slowly, but surely feel happier. The reason for this, is that you are taking steps in the right direction. You are becoming more like the person you want to be, which is probably some sort of entertain or productiveness. This process is inevitable, if you have goals that you want to achieve. **Self-discipline is a form of control.** Sometimes life can get hectic and you may find yourself unable to keep up with everything. If this is the case, then it is important to keep in mind, that you control your own destiny. You don't need anyone else to help you and you certainly don't need them to criticize you. You are in charge of your own life and you can make the decisions yourself. You can choose whether or not you listen to their negative criticism. **Self-discipline keeps you out of trouble.** It is important to remember, that while other people's behavior may be reprehensible, you don't necessarily need to imitate it. You don't want to be like that. Besides, just because someone does something doesn't make it recommended for you to do the same thing. **Self-discipline improves your willpower.** Willpower is the key to productivity. The more willpower you have, the more things that you can accomplish. This includes schoolwork, chores, relationships and everything else. The more you improve your willpower, the easier it gets to accomplish all of the things, that you want to do. **Self-discipline lowers your susceptibility to peer pressure.** If you are always the one setting a good example for the people close to you, then they will be more likely to follow your lead. This is because others will emulate you and you will gain respect among others. **Self-discipline gets you rewards.** This may seem counter productive. Wouldn't you rather have things if you just put in the work? The answer is, of course, but there is a catch. If you put in the work, you will reap the benefits in the future and more importantly, you will be happy now. The key is to strike a balance between self-discipline and reward. If you are not careful, self-discipline can lead to depression. If you keep on depriving yourself of rewards, you will become miserable and you probably won't be motivated to do anything in the future. On the flip side, you shouldn't be getting rewards all the time. When you do get them, it's probably best to appreciate them for what they are. If you are always thinking about the future, you may become miserable in the present. I am not saying that you shouldn't put yourself first, because you should. I am merely suggesting, that you need to put yourself first from time to time in order to recharge your batteries. You can't be perpetually motivated by misery, otherwise motivation will cease to exist.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

Writing Prompt #13: Language - Body Language This post is my entry for @JonicaBradley's writing prompt #13: Language. @TengoLoTodo The biggest role in human communication is non-verbal communication. What we see is usually telling others how we are feeling and our body language, touching, facial expression, and other forms of body languages can easily reveal that. In this article I will talk about different forms of body languages and what they reveal about us to others. **Table Of Content:** Body Language: The Basics Touch Eye Contact Head Tilts Gestures Standing Posture Body Language Reveals Our Thoughts Body Language Reveals Our Emotions Body Language Can Influence Others Body Language: The Basics https://news4masses.com/must-know-practical-tips-and-tricks-to-read-peoples-body-language/ First off, let's define some terms. Body language is a term used to describe the way people move their bodies and speak with each other. There are many types of body languages, but for now we'll focus on two common ones: **Tactile Communication:** This involves things like touch, pressure or even just looking at someone's face. It could be something as simple as someone brushing past you when walking down the street. **Semiotic Communication:** This type of communication involves the use of hand gestures, eye contact and other forms of non-verbal communication. It can include higher levels of interaction, such as nodding heads to signify understanding. Most of the time, people tend to use a mix of both types of communication when they communicate. For instance, if someone is telling you a funny story, you would see them telling parts of it with their facial expressions and using a few hand gestures. Touching https://bodylanguagecentral.com/what-does-it-mean-when-a-guy-pats-you-on-the-shoulder/ Touching can range from simple as someone else's fingers accidently touching you on the bus to something as intimate as an embrace. Even the lack of touch can be meaningful. For instance, if you two sit on opposite sides of a table and don't even sit close enough that you could touch, it may still be implied, that you're comfortable enough with each other, that you could if you wanted to. Touching can be a sign of warmth, affection or comfort. A hug can show a sign of friendship. Slapping someone on the back or shoulder can be to congratulate them. Putting a hand on someone's hip can be to reassure them. Placing a hand on someone's chest can show dominance or intimacy. Caressing someone can be a way to show affection. Touching can reveal a lot, but overdoing it can make it seem unnatural or fake. Not all touching is accepted, some people are even uncomfortable with certain types of touching. Eye Contact https://www.salesman.org/3-types-of-eye-contact-salesmen-need-to-know-to-close-the-deal/ The way someone looks at you can be very telling. Looking away when you're talking to someone or being ignored is a clear sign, that something is wrong. It can also show that someone is uncomfortable with what you have to say. Looking away when someone is telling a joke is sometimes funny, but can be seen as disrespectful towards the performer. Someone who is dominating a conversation will maintain eye contact for long periods of time. Someone who is submissive will break eye contact frequently. Someone who is flirting will make lots of eye contact, while someone who is being honest may look away. Maintaining or breaking eye contact can be used to show dominance or submissiveness. Someone who is attempting to show dominance over someone else may look away while someone else looks them in the eye. Someone attempting to show submissiveness will look at the dominant party while breaking gaze. Someone trying to flirt may look someone directly in the eyes, while making intense eye contact. Head Tilts When someone is telling you something, they may tilt their head slightly. Sometimes this is meant to show respect, other times it's to emphasize a point. Someone who is telling you that they're completely serious may even fix their gaze directly into yours while tilting their head. Someone who is trying to convince you, that what they're saying is true, will sometimes decrease the tilt of their head. A person who is lying will tilt their head when they're telling a lie. Gestures Many people make a lot of hand gestures when they speak. Not always for emphasis on the words, but sometimes just to show their mood or ideas. A curved hand can be used to show an idea or thought, that is similar to another idea or thought. A hand can be raised to make a point and lowered to dismiss that point. Raising a palm can be a sign of peace or even ignorance. Thumbing away a potential fight can be a gesture of restraint. Standing Posture https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/body-language/ Your posture can say a lot about who you are. A person with a confident stance is usually more likely to be truthful, because they don't believe what they're saying will change anything. A straight-backed person probably has a clear mind and hasn't lost themselves in the conversation. A slumped person usually has low self- esteem and probably is agreeing with what everyone else is saying to save face. A person who's standing with their arms crossed usually has a reason why what is being said isn't important. They're most likely covering up some sort of major insecurities. Body Language Reveals Our Thoughts We can't speak exactly through our body language, but there are some general ones, that can give away what we're feeling or thinking. Staring someone in the eyes shows doubt or questioning about what they're saying. Leaning forward shows interest. Shaking your head shows disapproval or disagreement. Raising an eyebrow can show confusion or interest. Folding your arms shows protection or unwillingness to communicate. Wringing your hands can show nervousness or nervousness about something. Bending over can be a sign of deference or submission. These are just a few of the ways that you can communicate with other people. There are many more and as you learn them, you'll discover more about the world and yourself. Body Language Reveals Our Emotions Sighing A lot. We all do it. Sometimes it can just be the smallest sigh, like when you're trying to get rid of an annoying mosquito, that has flown into your ear. Other times, it's a major release of air, that has been pent up for a long time. The release can be out of frustration, air out a sigh of exasperation. It can be relief, like when your team wins the game or when you score a goal. It can be sadness, like when you lose someone close to you. It can be anger, like when you find out about a betrayal. It can be fear, like when you get into an accident. It can be happiness, like when you finally pass your certification exam. It can be the smallest of smiles, like when someone says something nice to you. It can be laughter that assaults your ears, like when you watch an amusing show or film. Emotion is expressed through the body, which sends messages to the brain through the nerves. Many emotions involve a combination of the facial expressions, postures and movements, that we make unconsciously. The way we hold ourselves and express certain emotions helps other people understand us better, and can make interactions with them easier. Body Language Can Influence Others Whether we want to be influenced or not, our body language can affect the way people perceive us. This is certainly true in the field of sales, and knowing how to read someone can often help you convince them to do what you want. At times, certain body language can be more successful than others. For example, if you're trying to convince someone of the benefits of a product, stressing on the benefits might work better, than emphasizing on the ease of use. A calm, reasonable and collected approach is likely to be more effective, than an angry outburst. There are also some situations, where a high degree of emotionalism might not be the best choice. For instance, overly humble and apologetic body language might work against you if you've done nothing wrong. A mid-ground approach, reflecting on your experience might be more effective. In general, it's best to reflect on the situation you're in and what your goals are. This will help you determine what your best course of action is. https://www.canva.com/

+3 more

@Peter-Molnar

How People Around Us Influence Our Lives It is important to focus on the people around us, who we interact with, because they can help to shape the way we act and think. The people in your life can have a profound impact on your life. Knowing what you want for your life and sticking to it helps with the cognitive dissonance. I also make sure my social circle has some common ground, that could drive us in the right direction. This means, that if some of them do something, that I think it would alter me in a negative way, I don't go out of my way to be friends with them anymore. It's not like I'm going to change my mind about anything, but at least I won't associate with them as much. The same thing goes for my work environment. If there are certain people, that I feel will cause problems, then I avoid them completely. This includes coworkers and even family members if needed. It is in our best interest to try and avoid people, who are going to bring us down. I'm sure many of you reading this can identify with this idea. Values The other main idea, I want to bring up with this post is values. Many of the people, that you interact with, have their own values. A value is a person's fundamental beliefs about what is right and wrong and how people should act. A person might have a value of honesty, and another person might have a value of loyalty. These values can play a role in how to react in certain situations, or can even dictate how you look at a situation. This can be difficult to recognize, but it's something to think about. Take for instance the idea, that most people have of doing what's right even if it means personal hardship. A lot of the time this is a result of their value of honesty. Not everything in this world rewards the honest man. It's important to think about the values, that are affecting your thought process. We often think of our values as static things, that are carved in stone, but they are more like a spectrum. They can shift over time as we learn and grow, and they can influence the way we think about certain situations. So it is important to recognize other people's value and act accordingly. Influence Of The People Around Us We can never expect to make the world a better place, just by ourselves. It takes the right combination of people coming together at the right time doing the right things. It is through these small influences, that we make a difference. It is important to try and understand the people and factors around us. Their ideals, goals, mistakes, successes, and values. We should not only recognize what is going on with them, but also take the time to understand it, because if we don't understand it, we can't change it and if we can't change it, then that means everyone else's freedom and happiness are in the hands of the few. That's not something anyone should sign up for. If we can help it, we should always try to change the world to a better place. There's no point in living in a world, where everyone is miserable if we can help it. It is good to know, what the world is like, so that we can best prepare for the situations, that are likely to happen. A lot of the time, when I'm trying to figure out how to approach a social interaction, I ask myself ***"Is this in the interest of my freedom and happiness?"*** If the answer is no, I don't bother. It's a waste of time and it's not going to make my life any easier by getting wrapped up in it. That's not to say, that I never take those risks. It's just that I always have an exit strategy. Online Social Networks We often use social media accounts to keep in contact with old friends, make new ones, or sometimes even find a date. And while these are all good things, there is always the potential for trouble. It seems that there's always someone watching somewhere. Your posts, other people's posts, comments, likes, dislikes, photos, everything. Even if they don't do anything major it's best to be careful. Of course that's not even counting all the secret groups or forums you can find out about. I've seen people get blackmailed and targeted, because of what they said in a forum or got posted on a photo. There's plenty of awful things out there on the web and it's best to stay away from anything questionable. We live in a day and age, where everyone has a voice. You have to keep that in mind at all times. How Social Media Newsfeeds Influence Our Lives How we approach our lives is heavily influenced by the newsfeeds that we see. Everything from what we like to what we post, to who we're friends with, and even which groups we join or not. If we only saw the newsfeeds of our friends and only saw the good, then everything would be fine, but unfortunately we see the entire picture. We see everything and sometimes, that can have adverse effects. For instance, if we see a lot of national tragedies we're going to be more likely to become discouraged and stop trying to improve the world. This is obviously a very real danger in today's society. Even if we don't have the means to help, we can still spread the word about what's going on and try to raise awareness. Obviously this can also work the other way around if we see a lot of nice things and are having a down day. Seeing a bunch of photos of cute animals or fun parties can definitely make anyone's day better. The newsfeeds of others can be a bit of a double-edged sword in this case. On the one hand, they can make us happy if we're having a sucky day, on the other it can make us envious of people having fun and get us into trouble. Remember that even if you're not famous or part of the influential crowd, you can have an effect on those around you. Don't do anything, that could potentially hurt your friends or influence over them. Of course every now and then issues pop up on the newsfeeds. Sometimes it's something, that you actually care about and other times it's just a lot of useless posts. Impact On Mental Health Severe cases of depression and even thoughts of suicide have been known to occur from excessive use of social media sites. This sounds very serious and something, that you definitely do not want to happen. How can this happen? Why would one person's social media use effect another? Well, it's all in the research. A common belief among the scientific community and site-admins alike is that our social media use is tied to our real life socializing. If we have a lot of friends, who we don't talk to in real life, this can cause us to feel left out or like we're missing out on things. However, if we have a lot of friends in real life and talk to them, we can get the urge to talk to more people on the internet or log into our social media sites. The other factor is that as we spend more time on these sites, we begin to take on their culture. We start using words, that the people who run these sites use. This can lead to confusion when we're trying to use slang, that is unique to these sites. To a lesser degree, this same factor occurs with music, video games and other hobbies we may have. The people we interact with online may tend to have a similar background and interest in things we do, leading to greater social interaction and a deeper understanding of one another. Both of these can be very positive things, but if not managed it can lead to severe depression. This is why it's important to take breaks from using these sites. If you're feeling down, it's best to just step away for a little bit, rather than using the internet to fill the void.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

Stay Focused In Your Every Day Life Activating your energy can make staying focused easier. Develop good habits so you can maintain a balanced life. Let go when you need too. You have to learn how to relax and let go of stress. You also need to be able to stay calm in stressful situations, which is difficult at times. The first step is to get rid of the negative thoughts, that are going through your mind. Try to think positive things about yourself and what you're doing. If you find yourself thinking negatively, then try to change it up by focusing on something else. Manage your time wisely and do not get distracted. Try to make time to relax and do the things you enjoy. Do not feel guilty about taking breaks, you have to rest too. Being Focused Requires Energy It is important to conserve your energy. When you are focused, you will not have to waste it later, when it will be more important. Sometimes you need to take a break from your task. Go for a walk, talk to someone or watch a funny YouTube video. The important thing is to get your energy back to where it needs to be so you can get back into the mood of whatever it is you are doing. **How To Deactivate Your Energy** In order to conserve your energy, you must learn when to deactivate your energy. Many people waste their energy by focusing on the smallest distractions. A lot of times these are things, that they should be ignoring. For example, if you are writing an email, do not focus on the annoying beeping of your desk computer. It is distracting and will waste valuable time. Another common way to waste energy is to hold on to anger or resentment. If you are angry about something in the past, do not focus on it! There is no use in getting yourself even more upset. If you hold on to anger, it can build up and cause physical problems. The best way to get over something is to realize it is in the past and let it go. It is better to laugh in the face of problems, rather than crying over them. Do not feel bad if you find it hard to turn off your energy. There is no shame in taking breaks and relaxing. The more you practice, the easier it will get. You only need to worry about yourself and how you are affecting others. If you find, that your energy is affecting yourself or those around you in a negative way, then it is best to take a break from whatever it is that you are doing. **Ways To Activate Energy** There are a few ways to activate your energy. Exercise can be a great way to activate energy. It can help you get your mind off of things and gives you a fresh start. If you are able to maintain a healthy exercise routine, it will not only keep you happy, but it will also increase your physical strength which will make you feel better about yourself. Eating healthy will help you with your energy levels as well. Sugars found in most foods tend to make you feel energized, while eating certain textures can make you feel tired. Some of the best foods for energy are fruits, meats and nuts. If you want to increase the amount of energy that you have, you will need to eat a variety of these foods. Exercise and eating healthy will not solve all of your energy problems. If you find, that you still do not have enough energy, you may consider taking a supplement to help. Develop Good Habits You now know how to better care for yourself. Develop good habits and have them become a way of life. Good habits can make or break you, depending on how well you practice them. They can make your life easier or harder. If you smoke and drink, you will probably have a much easier time with those bad habits, as they will help you unwind. But if you want to succeed in life, you will need to quit those bad habits and replace them with good ones. Quitting bad habits is really just a matter of making the right choice most of the time. This can be easier said than done, but with a little discipline, you will find that you can stop bad habits in their tracks. Another good habit is planning. If you make a habit of planning out your day or week in advance, you will find that you will have less trouble when those unexpected issues pop up. This will also keep you from taking unnecessary risks or dealing with unnecessary stress. Staying focused can be a challenge, but it is important. By keeping your attention on the task at hand, you will be less likely to make silly mistakes. This will increase your productivity and your ability to meet your goals. Try to replace bad habits with positive ones. This may seem backwards, but it will actually make you happier in the long run. If you make the choice to think, say, ***"I am a great person who does great things."*** Then, every time your negative thought pattern comes into play, you can replace it with that positive one. This can be difficult at first, but you will start to notice a difference. The most important habit of all is learning how to say no. This can be one of the most challenging habits to develop. If you have trouble saying no to people, then you should try to learn how to do it. If you know how, you can then say no without it bothering you. If you know how, you can say no to an offer or a request without feeling guilty. The more you learn about yourself and the better you know how to take care of yourself, the easier everything will become. Let Go When Needed You need to let go when it is necessary and beneficial to do so. Sometimes this means letting go of a bad situation, even if you feel attached to it. Other times, it means letting go of an old friend. Letting go of something can often make you feel down in the dumps and is a very emotional process. You may feel every emotion, that goes along with that situation, from regret and remorse to anger and even hatred. However, you need to do this if you want to move on. You can hang on to something like a bad job or an old friend for so long if it provides you with a sense of identity and familiarity, but if you want to succeed, you need to break off that old behavior and attachment. Eventually, it is going to hold you back. You need to let go of something in your life. Self-improvement is a long process. You will make progress every day, but it is up to you to make the effort to move forward. When you are stuck in a rut, it is beneficial to take a step back and try something new. Doing this may mean starting over completely or altering your current situation to fit better within your abilities. But again, progress is progress and you need to accept that. When Not To Give Up There are going to be some days when you will just feel like giving up. You won't feel like doing anything. You won't feel like going to work. The world may even seem like it is against you. This can be because of several factors. It is important to realize, that this isn't the world against you, it is just your own negative outlook on life. Other times, it is just a phase that you are going through. There is a big difference between the two, but in time you will learn to tell the difference. Whatever the reason, it is important not to give up. Just because you don't feel like going out and doing something today, doesn't mean you have to keep yourself locked away in your house. You may feel like this every once in a blue, but if you give up, you will give into the negative thoughts and emotions, that make up your depression. The more you do this, the more of a rut you will get into. It may not seem like it at first, but you need to push forward if you really want to succeed in life. Sometimes, you need to forget all your old strategies and just take a leap of faith. Even if it doesn't pan out, you still got to try at least once, right? Tips To Stay Motivated Other than that, you are going to have to rely on your own personal willpower. You need to want to succeed in life much more, than you dislike your current situation. If you don't like your job, then you need to find something, that you like better. If you don't like your living arrangements, then you need to find something you like better. If you don't like the city you are in, then you need to find something else. Going into this with your mind already made up, that you are going to succeed is what is going to get you out of this rut you are in. Don't think about it, just do it. It's like driving a car. You don't think about driving, you just do it. That's because most of the time, your reflexes are faster and you are better at it, than you think. You just need to apply this same logic to your life. You can do this. You have everything it takes. It's just a matter of you believing it and taking that first step. From there on out it just becomes a matter of focus and effort. As you can see, the key to overcoming any obstacle is to have a positive mindset and be focused. This is only going to work if you don't give up no matter what. It's not going to be easy, but if you continue to work hard, you will get through this rough patch. You just need to keep your mind focused on the future. Your mind must see a better future, because if it doesn't, then you won't be able to overcome any obstacle placed before you. You just need to keep that in mind and you will get through this.

+2 more

@Peter-Molnar

Cashless Society: What Does The Future Hold For Us? Remembering back, debit and credit cards were introduced. Employers started to pay their employees to their debit cards. Although cash was still the main medium for payment, because this was the first new payment option to choose to pay our expenses and for groceries. As decades passed by more and more people were using their debit and credit card to pay with and people got so used to it now. The Rise Of The Cashless Society In the last few years, things have changed. People are getting more comfortable with paying with their debit card, credit card, phones or apps instead of cash. This is a trend, that has been going on for quite some time now. It's not like we're trying to be rebellious here, but it's just what society as a whole is doing. We can't stop it though. We're all in this together after all. We've had enough of your "cash only" signs up at the gas pumps, we don't need them anymore! We don't need to count out all our change, either. We can just put it in the app or on our phone and BAM we're good to go. Is it really what we want to do? It's not really up to us is it? You can't just make everyone go cashless. Nobody would be able to pay their bills or buy food! That's not how this economy works anymore. We still need to use some cash from time to time. We're not the only ones, are we? A movement has been going on for a while. It started with some large businesses asking their customers to go "cash free". Then it spread to some of the smaller businesses. Now it's everywhere and it doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon. The government doesn't seem to be against it either, which is scary. What kind of future are we creating for our children if we go along with this trend? The Unknowable Future What will the future bring? Will we live in a "cashless" society? Will we still use cash as a means of exchange? Will we still have a "traditional" economy? The world has changed and is continuing to change at a rapid pace. We can't really see into the future and won't know how things are going to play out. What we already know though is there is a tiny chip can be implanted under our skin to be able to pay for things what we wanted. Isn't it scary? The technology is there, it's just a matter of time before it becomes the norm, rather than the exception. Already, many store aren't even accepting cash anymore. You can use your phone to pay for things, why waste the space in your pocket, that a wallet usually takes up when you can just use an app? And if you're not using your phone, you're probably using card reader instead. Will this be the new way of life? How will it effect people, that aren't as technologically savvy? Or even savvy enough to know what's going on? All we know is these questions, and many more, will be answered in the future. We can't stop it now, or back pedal on the steps we've already taken. It's too late for that. The future has arrived and it is here to stay whether we like it or not. We are the future and we need to embrace it, even if some of us aren't exactly sure what it really means. The Power Of Central Banks The concept of "Central Banks" has been around for a long time. In some ways they are like "modern day kings" in that there is only one "King". There is no "Emperor" or "Empress", that any of the people can rally around. The rulers of this world are a bunch of self serving elitism, that have no care in the world for you. They don't care, if you live or die. They only care, that you obey their rules and pay your taxes. They have been manipulating currency rates (and prices) for so long, that they practically own the world economy. The problem is they don't really have total control over it. They can only "manipulate" things to an extent before the system itself starts to correct itself. Stock markets around the world react positively or negatively to changes in the economy. The more "real" the economy is, the better the markets do. There was a time, where the "Dollar" was the world's reserve currency, but that was a long time ago. You really want to know who runs the world? The people do. That's why we need to start thinking for ourselves. We can only do that though, if we know the "truth" about what is going on in the world. The "truth" is actually pretty simple. The world is run by a small group of people that sit around discussing what is going on in the world and deciding on future plans. They discuss how to best improve their position of power over the people. They also create "memes", that become "common knowledge" like the conspiracy theories you've probably heard before. The world is in a constant state of change and "revision". Sometimes a change is negative, but it's the only way to stay "alive". Nothing ever stays the same. The older a system, the more likely it is to be replaced or changed. Banks In A Cashless Society Think about how much your life has changed since the introduction of the credit card. It is accepted as payment for just about everything you do nowadays. In fact, you can't live without one. If you try to pay for something with cash, the merchant may accept it, but that's it. They are not going to accept cash as payment in the future. You won't be able to get ahold of your money at that point, if you're not careful. Nobody ever expects the "bad times" to come. When they do come, it sucks. You lose all of your money. You can't get a job. You might even go to jail, if the government doesn't deem you a "threat". But what can you do? You were "warned" of this. You were told, that you needed a credit card to survive in the "modern age", but what does it really mean? It means that you have to "besides" everything else. You have to give up a large portion of your freedom in exchange for an "umbrella of safety". Some people call them " advancements in technology". Others call them "social changes". Others still just call them necessary evil, that improve the quality of life for everyone. Maybe it's time you start thinking for yourself. As more and more people come to this realization, the "new world order" slowly begins to take shape. A one world government in theory under the guidance of the "powers that be" begins to form. But it's a "theory" yet, as far as anyone knows. However, that doesn't mean it can't happen in real life. They've already got the plan set out for you. How Can This Be Trusted? The problem is, you can't be sure of anything. You've had your information "laundered" so much that it's practically the opposite these days. Market manipulation is a daily affair in the news now. The government itself is divided on whose "side" it should be on. In fact, US politicians have passed laws in favor of Bitcoin "getting out of control" and then being "put out of commission" as a way to combat it. They can't attack it directly, but they'll try anything. The US government has been effectively put out of commission. It's practically at a stand still and is no longer a reliable source of information. You can't trust anything they say nowadays. The only thing you can do is arm yourself with the truth and make your own decisions. The "powers that be" will probably try to convince you, that you're brainwashed and ignorant. They'll try to indoctrinate you with propaganda and lies. The only answer to this is to seek out other sources of information. When you're "outside the box" thinking, the truth will become clear. You're in the middle of the information war here, and you need to be alert at all times.

@Peter-Molnar

Active Learning: Benefits Of A New Education System The current education system needs to be changed. Active learning would be more beneficial for the children. It should be fun and global. It should happen with the help of students and educators. The education system in the 21 century should be capable of doing so much more, than the education system in the 20 century. Rethink the system in the 21 century. Reconsider how education should be to prepare for the future. What Is An Example Of A Change? Currently children are taught about the world around them. They have been taught about different animals, plants, people and places. Students also have learned about all this information through reading books. They have also been exposed to many different cultures and religions. What if instead of this system, an active learning classroom would be used, where the students were actively involved in the lesson? Instead of them reading books about different topics, they would be part of the lesson and actively engage in the topic. By doing this, they would gain knowledge on a topic a lot quicker. They would also be more passionate about the topic, they were learning about. The Problem In The Education System Many changes could be made to the current education system. The current education system is far too bureaucratic and passive. It focuses on rote learning, not enough hands on learning. Most students do not learn very well in this system, although that might apply to both teachers and students. The student-teacher ratio is usually abysmal. The students are not excited to learn in this system, mainly because they do not enjoy the material being taught and they are not being actively involved in the lesson. By focusing on these things, a lot of the problems in our education system are created. In order to fix these problems, the education system needs to be replaced with a new system. The Solution The system that needs to be implemented is called "active learning". The entire education process should revolve around this. The entire classroom process should be altered. The classroom process should not be so passive. This would entail students being more active in their learning. If the students were more interested in what they were learning, then they would be more attentive. Focusing on a single subject too much can make a student lose interest. By allowing them to be involved in a variety of activities, the students will be more excited about the subject and retain the information easier. Why This System Is Better? Research from the 50's and 60's show, that students do better when they are actively involved in their learning. Instead of just being a passive observer, a child should be more like an active participant. Not just in their school work, but in all their after-school activities too. This would allow the child to have a better grasp on the information. They would be able to remember it better and be able to apply it to their lives. The benefit is huge, but the biggest thing is the retention of information. If a student retains information much better, they will be able to learn additional concepts easier, understand them and be able to apply them to other areas. Active learning is different from a flat out system in which all lessons are taught this way. The flat out system focuses more on the material being taught, but does not allow for any exploration of the subject. The active learning system is more like a mix of the two. There is still a focus on the material, but there is also time for exploration of the material. The student is not only involved in the lesson, but they also have some say in what is being taught. It is more of a cooperative system rather than a strict authoritarian one. This allows for more freedom, but in turn, more responsibility. How This Is Done Teachers would not just be teachers in the traditional sense of the word. They would be much more than that. They would act more as guides and mentors. They would be the ones, who decide what the students will focus on and in what specific amounts. This would still allow the student to take courses outside of their major, but it would be up to the teacher whether or not they are allowed to or not. The system would be run rather inefficiently. There would be classes with the students, who are not doing well or not interested in the main course. They would be allowed to take these "minors" in order to fulfill their schooling. It would be up to the teacher to decide how much of each would be required. This would leave the better-performing students with a lot of free time on their hands. This could be used to the advantage of taking on a job or an internship. These would be arranged by the teacher or mentor. Students could take on jobs such as tutoring or doing research for other classes. Internships would be more hands-on like working in the related field of the study. This would give students a chance to use their new acquired skills and help them earn spending money. This new system would most likely need a lot more money to be pumped into education, but in turn, it would most likely increase graduation rates. The Benefits Active learning means less stress on the student and a more calm learning atmosphere. It is believed, that this system would also prevent "drop outs." Since students would have more say in their courses, they may be less inclined to drop them if they do not agree with the courses or do not like them. It is hoped, that this would lead to a higher graduation rate, since students who are interested would be much more likely to graduate, since they would not need to worry about getting a job or any other responsibilities after high school. Many students would most likely finish their schooling as long as they were enjoying their courses. Another benefit is that less material would be taught at each school. Each school could be focused on the specific subject matter and specialized. Each school could also have more of an "atmosphere." For example, one school may focus on education reform and teach mainly that subject. Another school may focus on how it has changed the world. Still another school may focus on the struggles with reform. A school that teaches how education is changing the world could have a section on the struggles of different social classes and how it effects education. This would lead to new business opportunities. Companies that were starting to enter education or see a rise in it's importance would have a more targeted market. There are also many more niche markets that could be catered to. Controversial Issue Some believe, that the education system should not have as many outside influences because it "could lead to less disciplined students." There is also the issue of how such a massive change would be funded. After the major changes in the funding system and the new addition of student activity fees, there would not much money to go around. This would create a lot of stress on the system. Some students may drop out in order to support their families or they may resort to crime in order to make ends meet, giving the system a bad reputation. There may be an outcry of pay to play system, but it would help to curb the crime rate and provide more funding for schools, which would allow more resources to be spread around and new opportunities to be created.

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@Peter-Molnar

Not Addressing Our Problems Could Lead To Severe Consequences We think about our problems, because we have a place to think about them. We think about it off and on, little and big, spontaneous and planned. We think about the broken windows, the trash on the street, the day-to-day business and personal life struggles. We think about them without actually doing anything about them. That's what we do. That's all we're good at. We're good at thinking about things, but not really doing anything about them. I don't know if you've ever had this problem before. I'm sure most of us have. It happens when something bad is going down, or when someone has done something wrong. You feel like you need to take action, but there isn't any. The world doesn't seem to be changing for the better anyway. Maybe it never will. But that's okay. You're smart, and you've got all the time in the world. You're not in a rush. You have free will and the ability to think things through. You have literally everything you need to solve every problem you'll ever face. All you have to do is think and decide what needs to be done. Then you simply need to execute and the world will be fixed. It's an easy thing to think about, but it can be difficult to put into practice. That's why we have rituals to focus our minds on the difficult things. Most of the time we have personal problems to deal with and those are the most difficult ones. What Makes A Problem Personal? There are a few problems, that are sufficiently important and personal enough, that they require more than just a carefully thought through decision. Those are problems, that force you to make a tough choice between what is right and wrong. Sometimes those choices aren't even easy, but you have to choose. You may not like the consequences of your decisions, but they are yours to make. The most important thing to remember, is that real problems aren't personal unless you make them so. A problem doesn't become personal unless you decide it is. The most important choice you have to make is the one, that isn't even on the surface. The first step is coming to the realization, that a problem exists at all. Problems arise in different ways. Sometimes they're brought on by choices you make. Other times someone does something and that action in turn causes a problem. This chain of events is what leads to you having a problem. Other times, a problem just has to be present to fuel other problems that happen. Take for example a person, who destroys everything around them. They have a habit of breaking things and act in a way, that causes people to not want to be around them. Eventually, these people are alone and isolated. Now they have a problem. They're a loner and part of the problem is they don't know how to interact with others. People don't like being alone. Humans are social beings by nature. We can all agree to that. What Are The Possible Consequences Either Addressing Our Problems Or Not? A person with a problem can either address it themselves, or get someone else to help them. If they choose to address it themselves, then other people will either help willingly or be forced to by the problem. If the problem is severe enough, nobody will want to be around that person, so they're forced to address it themselves. This, of course, can cause the problem to get worse, but in most cases it gets better. Unfortunately, in some cases a problem is so severe, that nobody is willing to help. That's when a person is left with no other choice, but to address the problem themselves. This is where that first step comes in. The first step for a problem is to admit, that it exists. This can be the most difficult step for a lot of reasons. It's easier to deny a problem exists, when it isn't affecting you. For some people the first step is admitting they have a problem. Let's look at both steps. **Step 1:** A person has a problem, but they deny that it's a problem. Sometimes a problem is so minor, that admitting it requires no action at all. If someone realizes, that they say something stupid every once in awhile, it's fine to admit, that they have a minor flaw. Other times admitting a problem means you have to actually do something about it. Admitting that you have a drinking problem is one of those things. When a person realizes, that they have a problem, but don't want to take any action to fix it, they'll either lie to themselves or others. Lying to themselves is easier, because they don't have to face the possibility, that they might be wrong. Lying to others is easier still, because it trivializes the situation. Sometimes this is harmless, but in other cases it can cause real problems in your life. Denying a problem to yourself is never good for your mental state. If you lie to yourself long enough, you might become more and more prone to doing it again in the future. Eventually you might not even realize, that you have a problem at all. It's the same principle as taking too much medication for a minor headache. Eventually the drug will stop working altogether, and you'll be left with a worse headache, than before. **Step 2:** A person admits they have a problem, and takes action to fix it. This step is simple. They just have to admit, that they have a problem and take action to fix it. This can be as serious as getting help with an addiction or as minor as fixing their posture, when they speak to someone. If they take action to fix the problem, they're one step closer to getting their lives back on track. Channel Your Energy Into Your Happiness Most of the time people get stuck in a loop of repeating the same mistakes over and over again and don't realize it. It's only when something changes, that they can break out of that loop. This can be something big, like changing jobs or even changing locations. It can also be something small, like making sure to say "please" and "thank you" every once in awhile. The important thing is to do something, that isn't the same old thing. Everyone makes mistakes now and again. Even if we're making different ones, eventually we'll break out of the cycle if we continue to change direction. This is really important in our lives, because we can't expect to move forward if we don't even realize we're stuck in the first place. Ask ourselves these questions. Is our attitude negative most of the time? Do we have a tendency to blame other people for our problems? Are we only thinking about ourselves? Are we taking on too much? This isn't something that just affects our behavior and how we act to other people. It also has an effect on how we see ourselves. If we don't like ourselves, then why should anyone else? Everyone has their own problems and issues, they have to deal with on a daily basis. There isn't a person alive, who doesn't have flaws, but you're not alone. Everyone has been in a situation at one time, where they feel alone. Just remember that time to time. We have our own set of advantages over everyone else. Our intelligence is one of them.

@Peter-Molnar

The Mysterious Pyramids Of Egypt If you have always wondered what the Great Pyramid of Giza is made of, what the stone was, that was used for this architectural masterpiece, or what was the purpose of the pyramids you might never find the answers for all these questions. If you do some research, it might give you a little more information on some of the subjects, but it won't answer your question about why there are so many pyramid shaped structures in Egypt and how they were built. We can only guess, that maybe they had something to do with the pharaohs, but we don't know anything else about them other than their names. In this article of course I will talk about the Great Pyramid of Giza as well, just because that's what fascinates me the most. Table Of Content: The Origins Of The Pyramids In Egypt The "Pyramid Age" The Science Behind The Pyramids What Type Of Stones Are In The Great Pyramid Of Giza? The Black Granite On The Top Of The Pyramid What Can We Learn From The Pyramids? Conclusion The Origins Of The Pyramids In Egypt There are several theories as to how the pyramids were built. One theory is that a bunch of ancient astronauts came down from outer space, genetically modified people, and taught them how to build the pyramids. Another theory is that the ancient Egyptians themselves were in contact with these "gods" or "aliens" and built the pyramids to honor them. The masons that built the pyramids were forced to undergo a number of steps in order to construct these pyramids. To begin with, they would cut a rectangular block of stone, that had been shaped into a step. On the top and bottom of this rectangular block, they would place two more steps. They would continue in this manner until the pyramid was constructed. It was necessary to have a fairly large number of workers quarrying, moving, and shaping these blocks of stone. Also, immensely more precision was required, than is needed in the construction of today's buildings. This is due to the fact, that the pyramid construction workers had to deal with the Great Flood. The "Pyramid Age" When the pyramids were constructed they marked the beginning of a new era. One of the theories behind the construction of the pyramids is that they were built to last forever. Once they were built, hundreds of men and even human mules were employed to haul the stones, without the aid of modern technology such as bulldozers or cranes. The stone blocks, some as large as a jeep, were carved out and dragged with ropes tied to the block and wrapped around the body. These blocks were then dragged to the base of the pyramid, where they were laid in place. With each layer, the pyramid grew higher. By the time they reached the top, they laid blocks, that weighed several tons. By using this method, the ancient Egyptians were able to build the Cheops pyramid in a single campaign, that could be completed in about 20 years. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built even quicker since the ancient Egyptians had managed to complete it in about three or four years. Another pyramid, the Khufu, was built next to the Great Pyramid. The Science Behind The Pyramids The Pyramids are more than a group of huge stone obelisks built by ancient Egyptians. The pyramid structure itself is actually based on solid scientific principles. The pyramids were designed to act as a great resonating chamber in order to amplify the sound generated by the priests inside. The pyramid shape itself not only maximizes this effect, but it allows the construction of stairs to the various levels, so that the sound resonate even better. A system of resonance is very complex, but there are many examples within everyday life, that can serve as a rudimentary basis of understanding. What Type Of Stones Are In The Great Pyramid Of Giza? The Great Pyramid is primarily composed of two different types of stone: Gypsum or Calc-Sulfate, and Turquoise. The so called "vertical" course of stones, or the stones that make up the inner pyramid are made of Calc-Sulfate. The "side" or "horizontal" course of stones, which are not included in the inner pyramid, are made of a different stone called Turquoise. Both of these stones were placed in the pyramids for sound reasons. The inner pyramid of the Great Pyramid is made of a special type of stone called "Granite" which was placed in the pyramid on purpose. Calc-Sulfate and Turquoise also have beneficial effects on the human body, so it is believed, that these stones were perhaps used in the pyramids to mummify the bodies of the ancient priests. The so called "black granite" that was placed in the Great Pyramid came from a quarry a few miles away and was dragged there using oxen. The Black Granite On The Top Of The Pyramid The Great Pyramid contains a system of what are known as "stone conduits". These stone conduits run the entire height of the pyramid and are located directly across any doorway, that may have existed in the structure. It is believed that these conduits were used to channel the energy of sunlight into the pyramid, thus powering and, one would assume, enhancing the powers of the structure. The purpose of the "black granite" placed on the top of the pyramid is unknown. It could be decoration. It could be a sign of the four thousand year old curse placed on the builders of the pyramid. It could also be to detract people from climbing the nearly sheer face of the pyramid (which is why there are no steps up the side). What Can We Learn From The Pyramids? The pyramids are a fascinating historical mystery. While we may never know who built them or why, there are many fascinating things about the pyramids, that have been uncovered by archeologists. The pyramids were most likely built as a form of burial for the Pharaohs, who were highly revered as Gods in ancient Egypt. How or why the pyramids were built is still unknown, but they were most likely constructed over a long period of time. In order to keep the project secret, it would have been necessary to keep works on the pyramids a secret. Because of this, written records from around this time are very rare. A large workforce of slaves must have been used to build the pyramids. Because of this, there is no evidence of any large works like mines or quarries, that might have provided slaves. It is thought, that the population at the time was so small, that every able bodied man was needed to work in manual labor or the construction of other projects like the pyramids, and they came from far and wide. The pyramids were made of a highly polished stone, which archeologists believe to be granite. Granite has been found in the Giza area, although there are no known quarries there. The polished granite used to construct the pyramids had to be transported from a great distance and cut into blocks with precise dimensions. The stones used in the pyramids do not occur naturally; each is a different color and has a different shape. A great number of different types of stones were used in the pyramids, and due to this fact, they have been the target of many Egyptologists, who have tried to solve the riddle of their exact purpose. Conclusion The pyramids of Giza are a fascinating mystery. Who built them? Why? When? These are all profound questions, that will probably remain unanswered. They are an amazing achievement of ancient engineering and will probably continue to baffle and fascinate people for centuries to come. The pyramids are a testament to the power of the human mind and the will to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. They also serve as a reminder of the important role, that ancient civilizations played in shaping history. Without them, we wouldn't have any of the technological marvels, that we enjoy today, and in many ways our modern world would be drastically different.

@Peter-Molnar

The Dark Side Of The Internet And Affecting The Society The internet has great things to offer as a tool for education, information, entertainment and tool for marketing. As society is changing for the better, the internet has become a vital tool. It allows users the opportunity to show empathy and heal from tragedy with the help of other people. However, it also has its dark side. The internet can be used by those, who wish to harm others or even destroy entire communities. Table of content: The Internet Speeds Up Our Life Affect On The Society Using The Internet To Feel In Control The Changing Face Of Society Equality And Corruption Of Internet Users A Better Internet Finale Thoughts The Internet Speeds Up Our Life The internet is not a new invention. Arguably, it's been around for as long as the computer has. The idea is to connect many computers together into a network so that they can share information. Before the internet, the main form of communication was face-to-face meetings and letters. These worked well enough, but they were extremely time consuming and inefficient. With the internet, you can send a letter with just a few keystrokes and it'll arrive at the other person's mailbox. You can have a meeting with someone online, rather than having to meet in person. The internet allows us to communicate more efficiently, especially when you have the option of communicating anonymously. Affect On The Society The internet has had a large impact on our society as a whole. The internet has changed the way we socialize as well. We no longer have to limit our interactions to those within our physical vicinity. With this newfound ability, we have been able to connect with people from all around the globe. This has recently caused some people to discuss and interact on a more intellectual and emotional level. It has also however, allowed for people, who would have remained hidden from society to come out of the shadows. These people have been taking advantage of the ability to communicate anonymously via internet and meeting up in real life to engage in activities, that would have been impossible without the use of the internet. Regardless of whether you think these people are good or bad, the fact remains that they are able to freely engage in these activities thanks to the internet. This has led to many positive changes in our society, such as the ability to help people in need with minimal fuss and the freedom of speech. However, this has also allowed for criminal activity to thrive. The existence of these hidden groups has had an effect on society as a whole. Using The Internet To Feel In Control In the real world, you can't just show up at another person's house and start bothering them. You have to actually make contact with them first. If you want to enter a store, you have to walk in the front door to shop there. If you want to sit at a restaurant, you have to approach the waiter and ask to be seated. If you want to go into a movie theater, you have to literally go there in person. With the internet, all of these concepts are different. You can show up as yourself on the internet and completely take control. For example, you can create a new online identity with a new social media account. You can create another social media account under another new identity and post anything you want to its comment section. You can also set up a blog and write whatever you want on it. This new identity can have any name you want. You can be male or female, any race, and of any age. This new identity is separate from your "real life" identity and you can use it to behave in ways, that you wouldn't normally without facing the judgment of society. The internet has made it easier for people to act out their darker instincts without consequences. The ability to anonymously say any hateful thing you want about someone and have people anywhere in the world read it without you ever having to face them is a frightening thing. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say, that the existence of these anonymous "trolls" has made life harder for people, who are actually trying to create positive changes. The Changing Face Of Society As society changes, so do the ways in which we communicate. Social media sites such as Facebook have allowed us to connect with each other on an unprecedented scale. We are able to share our thoughts, feelings and experiences with each other in a way, that was never before possible. This has led to some positive effects, but there are negative consequences as well. For one, social media allows for the easy sharing of information. This has led to bullying and fighting with each other on different social media platforms. This can lead to severe mental issues such as anxiety and depression. It is also readily available to the general public, and due to advances in technology, it is able to be accessed by criminals. This has led to various crimes being committed with the use of computers. Stealing information and credit card numbers, hacking into government records, etc. are all common occurrences nowadays. The paranoid nature of certain people or groups in the world has also been created by the internet. This is due to the creation of conspiracy theories and internet rumors. These rumors are spread far and wide by internet users, but not everything posted on the internet is true. Many times false information is spread in order to advance some sort of agenda, such as the Sandy Hook massacre conspiracy theory. Warnings about the potential dangers of the internet are being discussed in the media on a regular basis. Unfortunately, these warnings are generally ignored due to the common "mythical" nature of the internet. The idea, that something you cannot see or touch could possibly be dangerous is hard to believe, for many people. As these negative effects become more common place in society, it will be up to the media to help curb them. Forums, news articles and discussion events are just a few ideas, that could help spread awareness about internet dangers. There are so many things, that people can do on the internet, but unfortunately it has also been used to spread hate and misinformation. As with all things, it's up to us to choose what to make of it. Equality And Corruption Of Internet Users There are two types of internet users: those who know they are, and those who don't know they are yet. Experts are predicting, that the number of "normal" people, who use the internet is constantly shrinking. The internet is a powerful tool and this suggests, that it will only continue to get more powerful in the hands of those, who are willing to abuse its power. Most of the powerful and influential people in the world today have a good idea, that the internet gives the average person the ability to voice opinions, start revolutions, organize protests and more. This is both a strength and weakness of the internet. It would seem, that everything would be running more efficiently now, with all these people online. However, this has led to the opposite effect as governments and other large organizations are having a harder time keeping up with the speed of the information age. This may lead to social instability in the future. Corruption is also a common problem on the internet. It's not as if it was not around in the past, but the ease of access has made it easier for corrupt governments and large organizations to thrive. It's getting harder and harder to tell, who is a government spy, who is simply an internet troll and who is actually trying to provide valuable information online. The internet is quickly becoming a true meritocracy, where anyone can become powerful and influential just by speaking their mind online. Anyone with a good idea or service to offer can easily get online and reach a worldwide audience. This is a very good thing, but it does bring about the question of "who is in control of this new world?" The average person is becoming more and more powerful online. The question is, who holds the balance of power? https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/meritocracy There are those, who believe that the government should hold the balance of power, as they are the ones responsible for the security and keeping up with the internet. Some believe, that large internet companies should hold the balance of power, as they are the ones, who maintain and run the largest parts of the internet. Others believe, that the people should hold the balance of power, to keep governments and large companies in check. Whatever side you may take in this matter, the internet is an ever evolving entity. It is likely, that in the not too distant future, the power to influence events will be in the hands of the masses. A Better Internet We all need to come together to fix this problem. We can't just leave it up to the people, who are engaging in bad behavior to stop. The fact is, the internet needs to be a "safe space", where people can't do anything that could potentially make them feel uncomfortable. Everyone in the world deserves a safe space. Nobody should be harassed online for what they believe or say, and if they are, the person should face legal consequences. We can't allow the internet to become the "Wild West", that it once was. We need to have a ban on doxing. Doxing is the act of searching for and posting someone's personal, identifying information online with the intention of causing harm. Doxing is already illegal in a lot of places, and it should be online too. If we don't take steps to stop this, the line between "free speech" and harassment is going to get blurred, and good people are going to start getting hurt. We also need to have a ban on revengepawning. Revengepawning is the act of attacking someone, who has previously harmed you in some way. This could be something as minor as a troll posting your current location on a forum that you're not even on, or as serious as someone threatening to kill you or doxing you. While there are legitimate reasons, why someone may want to enact revenge on another person, we shouldn't allow this sort of behavior online. Finally, we need to have consequences for saying threatening things online. While some threats should be taken seriously and allowed to stay online, excessive threats should get a person banned from whatever website they're posting on. There are a few other things, that can be done to help improve the internet, but those are the main three that I feel would make the biggest difference. Finale Thoughts I don't have all the answers for how to fix this, and I'm not even sure if it can be fixed. However, I am convinced, that we need to try. The internet has been a source of enjoyment for me for most of my life. It seems silly to give it up, because of a few trolls, but the potential for it to be taken away due to threats is real. We all have to do what we can to make sure that doesn't happen. I know there will always be people, who will never be satisfied. They will always find something to complain about. I wish I had the solution to this, but I don't. Maybe one day someone will and I'll be in a position to listen. Until then, I'll be enjoying my time on the internet as much as I can. Thank you for reading.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

Fear Of Technology: Technophobia Technophobia is fear or dislike of advanced technology. It is the fear of the unknown or what it might do to you or others. It is a result of not understanding or being able to cope with the sophisticated nature of some technologies. There are always steps to be made to overcome technophobia. It may be easier to overcome fear of technology if you figure out why are you afraid. Table Of Content: Fear of Technology: The Fear of Technophobia Identifying Technophobia Reasons Behind Technophobia Technophobia: Not Going To Be A Populist Science Technophobia: Overcoming Your Fear Summary Fear Of Technology: The Fear Of Technophobia The fear of technology can be very frightening and difficult to overcome, but there are many ways to deal with this phobia. Learning more about technology in general and trying to keep up with the rapid development, can be challenging and it may affect you. There are many technological advances in the world today, that could change your life tomorrow, but some people fear such innovations, that will change them or their way of life. It may be enough to make you afraid of such things. This could be a result of not being exposed to certain types of people or the way they live. In some cases, it could be a subtle form of discrimination. Whatever the reason may be, you should take steps to overcome this fear if you have it. The main cause of this phobia is the unknown. It could be the unknown of the possible harmful effects the technology could have or the unknown of an individual's nature. Keeping yourself updated on possible dangerous or harmful advancements can help you overcome this fear. As for other people, you should try to keep away from being around people, who are technophobic. You should try to associate with people, who have a more positive view of the future. Having friends and work mates, who are technologically advanced can also be good as you'll have someone to talk to when your not online. There are also technological ways to overcome this fear. Some devices can be used to keep you calm such as a smart phone to listening to music. Reading can also be a good way to keep your mind occupied. Reading about future technology can provide you with some of the answers, that you're looking for. Other gadgets and devices can also help you including a virtual reality machine, which can be used to immerge you in different worlds. Also, you could try taking a class about the technology you're afraid of, which could help you understand how it works. Identifying Technophobia Technophobia is a very real fear. In fact, there are many different types of it. One of the most common types is the fear of the future. You see the rapid changes, that are taking place and are worried about where it will lead. You don't like the direction, that society is heading and you believe, that it is just a step to anarchy. Another type is the fear of technology. You don't want to engage in technology, because you feel, that it is taking your life away. For some this could be a valid fear. However, there is another type of technophobia, that many people fail to recognize. The type that is driven by nothing more than stupid superstition. It's not just fear of the unknown either. It's the fear of the known, that society has decided is bad. For example, it isn't just the fear of computers, that is technophobia. It's the fear of the computer's software. It's the fear of the internet in general. It's the fear of smart phones. Why is this? Well, for one thing the technology is new and different. Second, it's the brain and mind, that is being attacked. Finally, it's the money, that is being spent on this technology that is causing this. The fact is, in the United States many people believe, that there are certain types of technology, that should not be used. It doesn't matter, if a device can be beneficial or not. It doesn't matter, if an inventor has done an excellent job on the design or not. It doesn't matter, if a product is proven to be safe or not. The superstitious (and in some cases not so superstitious) in American society believe, that it is all bad. Even well meaning inventions by good people can be banned. Why? Because some people do not like them. Reasons Behind Technophobia People are afraid of technology for all kinds of different reasons. Each person has their own fears and concerns, that cause them to avoid new or advanced forms of technology. Some of these are logical and reasonable while others are not. Some of the more common reasons for being scared of technology: **Losing control:** These people are afraid that the government, big business or other large organizations will gain too much power as a result of technological advances. They are also slightly concerned, that a big company like Apple or Google is going to take all of the smaller companies out of business with their unfair business practices. **Loss of privacy:** This can be a very valid concern. With all of the pictures, videos and other bits of information, that are easily accessible online, these days people are very worried about what others will do with knowledge gained. People are also concerned about big brother tracking their every move. **Paranoia:** This is another common fear. A lot of people are paranoid about the government and other large organizations having too much power. They do not trust anyone in a leadership position and believe, that the world is run by a handful of elite. **Lack of control:** It isn't just large organizations, that people are worried about being in control of everything. Even people are a little worried about their own power being taken away from them. For some this is very real and a very serious concern, while for others it is just another excuse to not use or engage in new technology. **Social pressure:** There is a lot of social pressure to use new technology. This is especially true for the younger generations. If you don't use new technology you may feel like you are a few steps behind and not keep up. You may also feel like you are in the way of things and getting in the way of the newest and greatest. If you are in a position of leadership, you may even start to feel like you are letting people down, if you don't lead by example and use the newest advances in technology. **Lack of skills:** Some people are worried that they aren't skilled in using new technology. They are also worried, that if they don't use it, they are going to lose their job or not be as valuable. **Lack of money:** A lot of people are only able to afford certain things. If they don't have the money to buy a new technology product, they may not buy it. **Lack of time:** This is the main reason that drives people to be wary of engaging in new technology. They simply don't have the time to learn how to use it, let alone master it. **Addiction:** This may not be a fear so much as it is an addiction. The technology sector has a lot of addicting qualities, such as having constant stimulus, being able to turn off your brain and being able to waste large amounts of time. This is a big problem in countries like China, where people are so busy working non-stop, that they don't have time for their families and even neglect their future by not having enough children to sustain the population. There is also the problem of people losing their minds in the technology sector. There are some companies, that engage in very questionable practices, such as developing drugs and other ways to alter your mind. This is a common fear with the medical sector. I am sure many people can think of several other reasons, but these are just some of the top ones, that come to mind. Technophobia: Not Going To Be A Populist Science As more and more technology is becoming a part of our everyday lives, not being a "populist" could be detrimental to your future. It's important to keep up with the industry and the newest advancements. If you don't, your potential job prospects may suffer. Even if you do, you could be left behind. Looking down on technology is a little like being afraid of the future. You only have one life to live and you shouldn't waste it being fearful. In the future, technology will continue to impact every aspect of our lives. The question is, what role will you have in that future? The problem or the solution? Stay up to date and make a choice today. Do you think your life could benefit from technology? Think again. Do you think you could stand to learn something new? There are always opportunities. Do you think your life would be better if you embraced technology? You could be right. Do you think you'll look back on your life and not care? There are some people, who think that. Whatever your choice is, your future lies in the hands of technology. Technophobia: Overcoming Your Fear Choose one of the several ways to overcome your fear. Keep yourself updated on future technology, it may be one of the keys to the future. Stay away from people, who have a fear of technology as they might make your life difficult. Go to places where technology is used or experimented with. Trying to keep up with it yourself can also be a challenge, but it could make you more employable in the future. Alternatively, you could take an online class on the subject. You could find one, that is basic and easy or one, that will prepare you for a field of study in the future. Summary Technophobia, as you have probably already concluded is a racket. Like religion it is a way of making money for some and a crutch for others. You should not be afraid of the future. You should not be afraid of technology. You should not be afraid of the unknown. You, as an individual, should not support technophobia. It only encourages the lazy and a society, that is afraid to move forward. This is one racket you should not participate in. Make money without fear of the future. Live for today, because tomorrow may be worse, than the crash. Also, don't believe the superstition. Don't be a hypocrite and ban something, that you yourself use.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

Could You Win The Battle Of Your Life? Many times in life we have to face difficult situations, hard times which can be either a short or a long period of time. Trying to keep optimistic and find some good things whatever the bad situation is. Sometimes it can be extremely hard and we tend to be pessimistic. The other thing is our emotions play a huge part of the role when we try to win a battle in our lives. Which way would we chose? Should we be on the front line and fight and face the consequences? Those cab be either bad and end up losing all hopes or good and win the battle and walk away with victory. In this article, I would like to elaborate on this line of thought. Optimism Vs. Pessimism Optimism and pessimism are significantly different. Optimists tend to focus on the positives and believe, that everything will work out in the end. The key to staying positive in society is to find a way to feel better, even if it is just for a short time. This can be done by doing things, that make you happy or by avoiding situations, that make you unhappy. Pessimists tend to focus on the negative and believe, that there will always be problems in life. They may also worry about the future and what they will do when their time comes. https://www.flickr.com/photos/doublexuan/6823610130 The difference between optimism and pessimism is not necessarily how one feels about the world, but rather how one perceives the world. Pessimism is often defined in a way, that is not realistic. It is unreasonable to expect problems to simply disappear and a specific plan for everything to occur. It's best to be pragmatic and focus on what you can control. In order to remain optimistic in the face of difficult and even hopeless situations, one needs to believe, that there is a way out. This way can come in the form of a new skill, that can be acquired, a change in events or simply coming to see the situation as not as bad as it may seem. Personally I tend to remain optimistic on the whole and I also have a tendency to see the glass half full, rather than half empty. I have managed to maintain a positive mindset in the face of several difficult situations in my life. I also tend to think things through before acting. You know the saying: ***"If something seems to good to be true, it probably is."*** I believe most problems can be solved fairly easily if people are proactive enough. I have been known to worry less about potential problems and focus more on possible solutions. In these cases it is best to remain optimistic. Balanced approaches tend to be the best, when it comes to emotions, but it is up to you how you wish to perceive the world. My Theory On Emotions I have a theory on emotions. I believe all emotions stem from something much simpler. Fear is simply the mind trying to protect you. If you constantly stay in a state of fear, it becomes anxiety. If you are always anxious, it becomes stress. If you are always stressed, it becomes a bad state of mind. If you are in a bad state of mind, it becomes depression. If you are in a depression for long enough, you can become suicidal. https://www.flickr.com/photos/soundphotography/4984206141/in/photolist-8ArmQD-64cJ7Y-r8VdZY-7bKQAB-xJgHMX-T8F8S5-5tscj-2fSVMaQ-qu8WM7-aqQ7JE-HzxSAM-4LGwVx-qpUd2p-hJzNNN-GTKyJw-8wX9od-soX1Hw-SZ7kmY-4DxtvG-8wU9Bz-3F7Fmt-cC7L6G-r2YSZ-2hMmYP-nVszA7-8ArmwT-2kWcoyd-4UbLks-wMTaMn-24WN75z-8nZrC6-TWfM5e-2hMtWc-2hREaU-2hMpFc-2hMkAv-2hMfY8-2hRCWE-bwqKxG-8wU9Ek-83eztC-9o8dxn-5vNjhZ-4U7xcX-8wX9qU-4xsrHP-3c97qC-EQRNFS-4Dt7t8-5QFXq8/ Stress is a natural thing to life. It can even be good for you in small amounts. Without stress, life becomes boring. When you reach a certain point of boredom, you need something to keep you on your toes. That thing could be something challenging or something, that increases your adrenaline level. Unless you are living in a hermitage, you are going to have stress in your life. The trick is how you deal with it and what your mindset is. As for suicide, I'd be very surprised if anyone decided to take their own life solely, because they are too pessimistic. Who wants to die alone? Giving up on everything, no hope, no purpose, nothing? Being depressed or suicidal is usually the last thing on someone's mind at that point. Finally, there are always people worse off than you. It's not the end of the world. Anyway, my point is, why worry about things you can't change? If something bad happens, make the best of it and if something good happens, make the most out of it. Personally I've found, that happiness and success mainly come when I'm helping others or doing something, that I truly love to do. How Do You Deal With Problems In Your Life And How Do You Keep Your Spirits Up? ***"Keep your foot on the gas, and your eyes on the horizon."*** - Speed Racer I guess my problem with keeping a positive mindset would be, what to do if I actually hit a brick wall. I suppose I can just keep going forward, but what if I don't hit another wall? I am not going to see my goals reached in my life, I may even die before seeing them. I can't just keep plowing through life without taking a break. Even the smartest, toughest and most talented of people need to recharge their batteries every now and then. Sometimes it is important to recognize, that you are not invincible and to take things easy. Not struggling against the current can lead to injury or even death. The other thing would be to not push yourself too hard. Some people are just not meant to be warriors or soldiers, no matter how much they try. If you find, that you are one of these people, then take a break. It's okay, nobody is stuck with their chosen path. Still, it's important to recognize your limits and those of others. If you find, that you're pushing yourself too hard, then it is okay to stop and reassess. Don't let others push you into something, that you are not willing to do. I suppose the third thing would be to not get too caught up in the moment. Battle is an intense thing. Sometimes you are going to see people die. This is a horrible thing to every single person there, even the dead. I don't need to tell you this, as this is an extremely hard reality for anyone to have to face. However, it does happen. If you find, that this is becoming too much for you, then I suggest, that you take a break from combat for a while. I don't mean just a vacation, I mean a complete break from it. Perhaps focus on something else for a while or simplify your life. Now I'm sure someone is wondering, if there is any way to prevent this from happening in the first place. The honest answer is I do not know. I have seen many people die and every single one of them knew his or her fate upon being called. Some take it well, others don't. But I have also seen people, who weren't chosen to die. Death is not always a sure thing. The only thing I can suggest is to stay as far away from the front lines as possible. You have a better chance of coming out of a battle alive, if you are not in one of the first lines of combat. This doesn't just apply to battles however, it can apply to any dangerous situation. If something looks dangerous, then stay away. Don't try to jump off a rooftop or charge at an enemy, if you aren't sure you have the skills to pull it off. Of course I suppose, this is easier said than done. The fun thing about battle is the adrenaline rush and the competition of doing dangerous things. Not being in the front lines also means not getting the special weapons or armors, that are only given out at the start of a fight. It's more about who can outwit, outlast, and get the upper hand first. There is nothing wrong with this of course, war is an extreme sport. Still, it can be said, that staying away from the extreme sport of war altogether can be preferable. Let's Wrap This Up, Shall We? If you decide to stay away from the dangers of battle, you will automatically be granted a *"safe"* position. You will not be in the middle of the fighting and you will not have to worry about resources being duplicated. Still, you probably won't have much influence over the outcome of a conflict. If you decide to participate in battle, but want more of a direct role, you can try to join a side, that you believe will win or plan to sabotage the other side. You will have to be careful though, it isn't easy getting inside a fort and it is very unlikely, that you will go unnoticed. If you decide to charge into battle unadvisedly, then you accept the consequences. Being on the front lines also means, that you will get the first pick of all the good stuff when victory is achieved. Well anyway, that's all I've got for you today. Lead Image Source: https://www.fearlessmotivation.com/2016/09/20/battle-of-your-life-motivational-video/

+2 more

@Peter-Molnar

Lucrative Online Income Streams, That Could Create Financial Freedom The beauty of making money online is that you have the ultimate freedom. You can work from from home or anywhere you are in the world as long as you have internet access. You are your own boss and work as many hours as you wish. Not only that, but if you manage to create multiple passive income streams, then you are on the way to financial freedom too. Most online entrepreneurs and people, who built money making ventures on the internet, don't just rely on a single income stream. It is highly recommended to create multiple streams of income in case one goes down or isn't really profitable, then they have other places, where earnings coming in on a weekly or monthly basis. Here are some very profitable and scalable business models, that worth to consider. Selling Online Courses If you are an expert or passionate about something or you think you are good enough to teach, you can build a steady passive income online, by creating courses. There are many different types of courses you could create, but for a passive income opportunity, the video courses are the best ones. If you can create comprehensive video lessons, you just have to upload them to websites like Udemy, Skillshare or Teachable. These three sites are the most popular ones. The beauty of this business model is, that you only create the course once and whenever somebody signs up to your course you get paid. These three websites get huge amount of traffic every month, but you can promote your course in different ways, like blogging or on YouTube. https://www.udemy.com/ https://www.skillshare.com/ https://teachable.com/ Promoting Online Services This business model is related to affiliate marketing. If you don't have a service for sale, then you can promote other people's services for a commission. These are usually monthly recurring income opportunities and as long as your customers remain subscribed you get paid every month without even doing anything. Some services to promote for recurring income are: **Web hosting services, like** **Hostgator** **or** **Bluehost** https://www.hostgator.com/ https://www.bluehost.com/ **Video streaming services, like** **Disney+** **or** **Hulu** https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb https://www.hulu.com/welcome Selling Digital Products This is more like traditional selling and creating a product, but instead of selling a physical product, like a book or a DVD, you are selling something digital like an eBook or software. The main way to sell digital products on the internet is using platforms like Amazon Kindle or iTunes, but you can also use your own website and create affiliate links to products you recommend. Affiliate Marketing Affiliate marketing is a great way to promote other people's products and services and build a passive income online. What you do is you go to different online market places and find products or services, that you think your readers would be interested in. Then, you get the affiliate link for that product or service and promote the product on your blog. If somebody buys the product through that link, you get a percentage of the sale price. There are a lot of different market places you can promote products on, like Amazon, Clickbank, Share A Sale or Commission Junction. Affiliate marketing works with both physical and digital products. https://www.clickbank.com/ https://www.shareasale.com/info/ https://www.cj.com/en-gb/ Freelancing If you have extensive skills or you are a skilled worker, you can attempt to sell your skills on freelance markets places like Fiverr or Upwork. Set your price and if someone hires you, you accept or not. The amount of money you earn on these sites is usually per project, rather than a steady monthly income. However, these markets places have grown significantly over the years and you can find many buyers or clients on there. Some of the best seller services are: https://www.fiverr.com/ https://www.upwork.com/ **Graphic design** **Logo design** **Virtual assistant for social media accounts** **Writer** **Website design** It might take some time and effort to get decent income on the above opportunities, but they all have the potential to become a full-time earner. Dropshipping Dropshipping is a great way to start a passive income business. With dropshipping, you create a website, that sells products from online wholesaler stores. All you have to do is create an account with the store, then, you list the products on your site with your price and description. If you have a sale, then you order the product from the wholesaler and get it shipped to your customer. You keep your profit. The beauty of this business model is, that you never hold any stock and you never have to ship anything to your customer. Your online store can be created by Shopify or WooCommerce. These are the most popular ones and you don't have to have website design skills, because these sites come with build in templates. https://www.shopify.com/ https://woocommerce.com/ Ebay and Amazon both are also good places to sell products via dropshipping. Just make sure the wholesaler store is legitimate and not a scam. Print On Demand The POD business model works similar to dropshipping, the only difference is, that you have to have designs either designed by yourself or order some designs from a freelance graphic designer, then you upload the designs on print on demand sites, like Printify, Zazzle, Teespring, Redbubble or Gearbubble. Then you pick your desired products, such as T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, leggings, cushions, hats and many more. Once you have an order, then the print on demand company will print the design on the product you sold and send it to your customer. They have a base price for the blank product. You set your price just like with dropshipping and keep the profit. POD businesses typically offer products for kids, women, men and unisex. Most websites offering POD products have a shopping cart web system. https://printify.com/ https://www.zazzle.co.uk/ https://teespring.com/en-GB https://www.redbubble.com/ https://www.gearbubble.com/ Digital Publishing Digital publishing businesses are very similar to POD businesses, but these sites offer eBooks, music, videos, software and a lot more. You can create your own digital products and sell them on these market places. For example you can publish eBooks on Amazon and sell them there. As you know Amazon Kindle is the most popular online store to buy and sell eBooks. There are hundreds of eBook publishers, so you have to make sure you do your market research and find which eBook market places your potential customers prefer to buy from. You don't even have to be a novelist to write books. There are other types of books you can create very easily for free. These are called no content or low content books. This means you create for example lined books with a nice cover design and sell it as a notebook or a journal. These are very popular on Amazon. Once you have determined the market places your business should be on, then you can start creating your own digital products and selling them. There are many design tools and materials you can use to build your business. These include, but is not limited to: Canva for example, where you can design nice book covers and interior pages for a journal for free. https://www.canva.com/ I hope you liked this article and let me know which business model would you try or have tried before. Lead Image Source: https://www.noradarealestate.com/blog/best-passive-income-ideas/

+3 more

@Peter-Molnar

Mentalism With My Favorite Mentalist: Derren Brown Mentalism is the art of using the power of the mind to do amazing things to impress or entertain an audience. A mentalist uses mind reading, telepathy, fortune telling and other psychic techniques and deception to amaze audiences. The mentalist powers are in their hands. They can use them for good or bad. There are lots of questions may arise for people, who are not familiar with mentalism. Are they able to control people's minds? Are they able to read thoughts? Are they able to manipulate reality itself? I mean it seems they are doing the impossible. I don't know about you, but I think that what we're seeing here is a lot more, than just "impossible". For me when I attended to a live show of my favorite mentalist Derren Brown I thought I should start to think the way he thinks and what I saw was nothing short of deception. I've seen him fool people into doing things eating broken glass pieces, or walking on hot ashes with bare foot. This is physically impossible. And it isn't magic either. It's just trickery. I mean who eats glass without cutting their tongue and who walks over hot ashes without burning their feet. I don't need to know the technique, because I know right from wrong. Anyway in this article I want to talk about some incredible mentalism "tricks" like mind reading for example. That is one of the most common thing. This article is based on what I have seen on that live show. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derren_Brown https://youtu.be/8SCLQIgLS3I Mind Reading Every mentalists do mind reading. The question is do they really read people's minds? Do they really know what people are thinking? Of course not. They are good actors and they need to be to seem like they really concentrate to look into people's head and tell everybody what they are thinking of. There are two ways of reading mind. One is based on planting a word, a color, a number, a song or anything in your head without you knowing it. It will be in your subconscious mind and you will tell the mentalist what they want to hear. This trick is not working on everybody, but it works most of the time. The other one is based on a simple trick made for example with a deck of card. Both type of tricks are amazing, but I personally like the first one. https://youtu.be/yHNq4SQxyv0 ESP This is more common than you think. A lot of people claim they can read people's mind or see things, that others do not. This is called ***"Extra Sensory Perception."*** When the mentalist performs ESP it seems like they have a very rare ability, but definitely not impossible. I tried it myself and I amazed my friends. It requires concentration and patience, but it's not really difficult and it is a lot of fun to do it. https://youtu.be/YhXTqTPuGQ4 Prediction This is probably one of the most difficult tricks to perform. It requires experience and sometimes it seems impossible. It's a very interesting effect and a great performance skill to master. The mentalist make a prediction based on something you tell them like a number, a word, something they are thinking or even some sounds you make. They try their best to predict what will happen. Of course it's impossible to know the future with absolute accuracy, but they make it seem like they do. https://youtu.be/eHUoQLG7O-o Clairvoyance Clairvoyance is basically the ability to see the future. It's the most impressive trick. The mentalist sees a deck of cards and mentally selects one. Then they tell you what the card is and how many cards in the deck are still left. For example, if the card is the four of hearts and there are 13 cards left in the deck, he tells you that the future is still hopeful. It requires some experience to be able to tell the difference between the fake or real image in your mind. You can improve this type of mentalism with a simple trick. Concentrate on the image of the card you see in your mind. Don't think about anything else except that image. See it clearly in your mind's eye. Now, ask the mentalist a question about that image. Don't allow your thoughts stray and don't try to interpret the images that you see. You will be surprised at the result. Some mentalists are more skilled, than others and some effects last longer than others. Don't be disappointed if your are not successful for the first time. It takes practice and experience. Cold Reading Cold reading is a type of psychic act in which the reader makes the prediction or perception themselves, without taking any information into consideration. A cold reader can cold read people about their past, present or future, and can even do it by telephone. It is one of the easiest types of psychic acts to perform and can be very impressive to an audience. The basics of cold reading are simple, though the method can vary greatly depending on the experience and skill of the reader. In a basic cold reading, the consultant reads a few unrelated statements made by the person they are reading, and tries to make generalizations about the person. They do this by drawing conclusions about the person based upon their personality, patterns in their behavior, and sometimes even their appearance. The statements that are read can be direct, such as the person saying, ***"I like blue"*** or they can be implied, such as when a statement is made with a picture of a person with similar interests. The consultant tries to make the statements sound positive and reinforcing. They also try to make the statements vague and non-committal so that they can apply them to the person being read. The statements can pertain to past experiences of the person being read, such as, ***"I went to a concert"*** or they can pertain to future events, such as, ***"I will travel."*** They can also be statements, that are not either of those, such as, ***"People will want to be around me."*** The most important part in a cold reading is the feedback. This is where the reader provides an explanation for what they have read. A reader might say, ***"You went to a rock concert"***, when the only information given was that the person likes music. The reader might also give a more detailed explanation, such as, ***"You went to a concert five years ago. You wore a blue shirt and your friend's parents were there. It was really fun"*** or they might provide a completely different conclusion, such as, ***"You had an accident five years ago."*** The reader should provide feedback in a proper way. They should only give what they know and should not make things up. They also should provide proper explanations for any generalizations they have made. In a cold reading, it is important to leave the mind open. This means, that the reader should try not to think too hard about what they are reading. Instead, they should let the information come to them naturally. For instance, if a person is being read and the reader notices, that the person has a fur coat, they might then ask ***"Is this person cold?"*** Another important part of a basic cold reading is being personable. The reader should be as warm and as likable as possible when performing the act to make it as genuine as possible. They should also remain polite and professional at all times. Since cold reading works well in front of an audience, it can be combined with other psychic acts to create an even more impressive show. For instance, the reader can be entertaining before, during and after the reading. They can also interact with the audience while reading, which increases the chances, that they will remember the information better. This interaction can range from the reader telling an interesting story about a member of the audience to simply staring at a specific person in the audience and asking questions about them. Cold reading is a basic form of psychic reading, but it is an especially popular one. It is used in restaurants, bars and other small performance spaces, because of its ease of use. It is also popular, because of the amount of attention it draws. Many people are fascinated by the process and want to learn how it is done. If the reader is skilled, they can pull off a very convincing act.

@Peter-Molnar

Quotes About Pets This is my entry article for @JonicaBradley's Pets writing prompt. I have had a cat and a parrot before, but unfortunately I don't have any pets at the moment. I would like to have a nice cat in the near future though. Those people, who follow me and read my articles, know that sometimes I write articles based on quotes. This article is going to be one of them. I will leave quotes about animals here and talk about them. So let's start. Shall we? ***"Animals are such agreeable friends they ask no questions they pass no criticisms."*** - George Eliot Animals have never been known to complain about anything, and if you had any doubts, that was the case with them, you can rest assured now. You are happy to see them whenever you can, and you are glad, that they are a big part of your life. You spend time with them as much as possible, and it is not long before your friends start commenting about how much happier you are now. Pets bring happiness in our lives and in our heart. We have to take care of them, and give them food and drink, but it is always worth it. This is just one of the many ways, pets can make you a happier person. You have an idea, that it is what you need to make yourself happy. You continue spending time with your pets and everyday life goes by with little problems or annoyances now. Pets will never leave you. They will always there beside you, whatever happens. As long as you take care of them, they'll be happy. Sure, you can walk away from a fight, but you can't walk away from your pets. They are always going to be on your side, in any unwanted situation. Pets stabilize emotions and they make the human heart stronger. They are forever loyal, bring joy and happiness into our lives. By having them, you can achieve a state of mind where you are content, because they fill the empty place in your heart. ***“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened."*** - Anatole France Our love about our pets go beyond words. It can wake our souls up. You have no idea what that means exactly, but you know it is true. You feel the warmth of your pet's body and hear their voice as if they were right next to you. When you look into the eyes of your pet, while they are having a rest on your chest or on your lap and you know, that they love you back. Once your heart is open, you have won. That is when you are truly happy. These are the days, that you would look back on one day with happiness and you share these days now with your beloved pet. They are with you during the good and bad times. When you understand each other, that is when the bond is really complete. With your bond with your pet you can grow stronger. When you gaze into their eyes, they will look back at you with seriousness. A bond with your pet can make you extremely happy. You will always have your pet's trust, they will stay by your side for as long as they live and you will have their loyalty too. Though it was not your intention, you have now been connected to your pet in a different way. You feel yourself being able to understand more about them now. You can sense what is wrong with them and know when they are sick. Once you used to see them as mere pets, but now you know, that they are more than that. They are your friends, that have been placed in your life for a reason. Now you can see yourself as someone, who cares for them and not as a master or owner. ***"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.”*** - Josh Billings A dog is the only thing on Earth that loves you more, than you love yourself. You can see in their eyes, that they mean it and you realize, that your dog is your true friend, the one who loves you more, than you love yourself. If you ever feel, that there is no hope and you lost everything and you are going to lose your best friend as well, then you can be sure, that your dog will be on your side and will never leave you alone. You will never feel alone in this world, since your dog is with you. If you have a friend like this be happy and grateful. Love yourself and others around you, for no one else will ever understand you like your dog. Live a happy life and do everything for your dog. Together you will see, that this life is not worth living without your dog by your side. ***"Cats are angels with fur.”*** - Sark You hear a cat purrs and see smiles at you. Your heart flutters and you feel so happy. You look at the cat and think about how much you love cats. Cats are beautiful creatures, that make you feel so warm inside. They give you happiness and joy. Cats are always with you, even when they aren't supposed to be. They are clever enough to find a way to get inside your house, when your windows are locked and your door is secured. You love them, they are your friends and you would do anything for them. They are so loyal and graceful, there is no comparison to any other pet. They are the cat and you are the master. If you live alone, I am sure you are able to do so, since you have a cat. No one else in the World has this wonderful feline as a companion. You love your cat, your cat loves you and no one can replace the other. Just like how no one can replace you in the cat's life. You are the one who decides, what your cat gets to eat and how it is going to be fed. If you don't take care of your furry angel, they won't survive. If you have children, they will love and take care of your cat and the cycle continues. Cats are selfish creatures, that only have eyes for you. They don't love or care about anyone else and they will only devote their attention to you. They will never love another person the way they will love you. They are independent and don't need anything. They are the most self-sufficient animals in the world. They know how to look out for themselves and they are not afraid of taking care of themselves. They are purring machines. They want warmth, food and affection. These are the things they seek from their master and it is your duty to accommodate them. They know how to give love and affection in their own special way. They will always be there to lend a helping paw, when it is needed the most. Cats are mysterious creatures. They know when something bad is going to happen before it does. Apparently they see ghosts and spirits, when no one else can. If you listen closely, you can hear their whispers in your ear. They speak in riddles and warnings, so you know not to make the same mistakes, they encountered before you. You have an ability to understand them, even if others cannot. They seem to know, that you won't ever forget them and they will always remain with you, as long as you live. They will always remain loyal and they will never forget you. Sadly, most people never pay attention to them and just disregard their warnings. You are different from the rest. You have listened to their warnings and you have taken heed. Your life has been changed forever, by the kindness of a cat. They showed you the error of your ways and you have now seen the light. You will cherish the beautiful gift they have given you and you will never treat them with cruelty or disrespect ever again. You will treat them as the pets they are and cherish them always. You love your cat, more than you have ever loved any other living being. All Images and quotes sources: https://animalreikisource.com/12-animal-quotes-that-will-inspire-you/

+3 more

@Peter-Molnar

Be In Control Over Your Brain Sometimes my brain is leading me to a direction, where I don't want to be at all. It has probably happened to you as well. Let me explain what I am talking about. If something happens, that you think it should not be happening, because usually it doesn't happen that way. For example you are expecting your partner to be back at home from work at a certain time and they are late. Half an hour passes, then three quarter an hour, then an hour and they still not be back. They are not picking up their phone either although it is ringing. What happens in your mind? What do you think? We have to admit, that usually most of us think of the worst, that something bad happened to our loved ones an accident or even worse, than that. Then we start worrying. But what if it was nothing? What if everything will turn out fine? That's why we need to relax, because when things are not going the way we used to, we tend to worry too much. This kind of way of thinking creates a negative emotion within us and our mind will be filled with negative thoughts, that lead us to having a bad evening. The thing is you see, that we need to keep calm, because we are not sure at all what is going on. What could be the reason behind our negative emotions? We don't have a clue about it. The only way is to wait, keep your mind occupied, and see what happens. Don't try to explain it away. You can do nothing about it anyway. You can't even check if your partner is okay or not. Nobody can tell you anything, until it is confirmed. Of course I know this is really hard. You are already feeling vulnerable and unable to control your situation. You can't handle the waiting either. I always say to myself in situations like this, that no news is always good news. If something happened I am sure, that I would be the first to know about it. It helps me to calm down. I think you should always remind yourself of this. The only thing you can do is wait. Just wait and try to be positive. https://www.dadabhagwan.org/path-to-happiness/self-help/how-to-take-control-of-your-mind/controlling-mind-and-thoughts/ Don't Let Your Brain Control You, You Lead Your Brain Instead You have to remain in charge of your own mind, and that's really hard sometimes. Your brain is like a powerful machine, that's always busy, but you are the master of it. You can allow it to control you, or you can decide what it will do. Most of the time, our brain automatically decides what we are going to do, just by seeing something or hearing about it. It decides based on our memories and how it links what we see or hear with other memories. So What Can You Do? You can allow your brain to make of you a puppet. Your brain is powerful and will do what it wants, unless you keep it under control. Or you can take control of it yourself and think for yourself. Your brain is making you do things against your will, but you can override this. In the first case, you are a puppet, in the second case, you are in control. If your brain makes you feel fear, then you should do exactly what it says. Because, as we know, fear is the most important personality trait a human can have. Remain in control of your own mind. Don't allow your brain to take over and make you do things against your will. This is one of the most difficult things you have to learn. It takes practice, but it is worth it and it will help you to get through tough situations. How To Overcome Fear? Fear is an emotion, which is very strong and powerful. But it can also be overcome with a little bit of effort. This feeling in your stomach is not there, because you are scared of dying or anything. It is just a feeling of anxiety. An anxious feeling, that keeps on resurfacing. An anxious feeling which tells you, that there is something more going on. This anxious feeling is your brain telling you, that you should remain cautious, and not take any chances. It is a gentle reminder, that you are in grave danger, but it is not an invincible feeling. Your mind is capable of pushing these apprehensive feelings away, but you have to make this choice yourself. If you focus on the anxious feeling, then it will overwhelm you, in which case the fear might take over. If you focus on the fear, then it will remain in control and you'll be at its mercy. The best way to overcome the fear is with reason. You have to use logic to conquer your emotions. Be aware of the fear, but try not to be under it. Release Unwanted Thoughts Take a deep breath to focus. You then enter your mind and begin to systematically release different thoughts. At first, the process is slow and laborious, but you keep at it until it begins to get easier. You start to notice the different thoughts, that enter your mind, some you want to hold on to and some you want to let go of. You try to release the thoughts, which have no bearing on what's going on right now. The thoughts about what you will have for dinner, your neighbor's annoying dog or how much homework you have. All of these thoughts are nothing but noise, and you don't want to pay attention to them. You want to pay attention to the situation at hand. You approach each new thought like a virus. You'll give it a thorough examination to see if it is useful, if it can harm you in any way or if it is just an annoyance. A few of the thoughts pass the test and are released while others refuse to let go. These are the unwanted thoughts. Letting these thoughts control you is useless. You are a hundred times more powerful, than any fluke of the brain could ever make you. You are the ruler of your mind. With a little more effort, you can only reach your full potential. You release the unwanted thoughts and focus on the immediate situation. Remaining in control of your mind is a lot easier when you aren't being assaulted by constant distracting thoughts. Being in charge of your own mind is a very liberating feeling. https://toistudent.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/deal-with-unwanted-thoughts/44385.html Conclusions Choose to be in charge of your own mind. It is up to you whether you let the fear rule over you or if you take control. You are aware, that you've been given a choice, but are you sure about this path? It is always an option to back out. The health of your mind and emotions is extremely important to you. If you had chosen the other option, you would have been overwhelmed with a flood of unwanted and distracting thoughts. From now on, you need to keep this in mind. If you are too focused on something else, your thoughts will be taken away from what is important. You are sure of your decision to conquer the fear within you. This is the first step on your journey towards being a person with strong emotions under control. You have chosen to be in charge of your own mind. Congratulations, you are a person with strong emotions under control. Next up, you need to practice controlling your emotions when you're tired or bored. Keep it up and you're on your way to mastering the mind.

@Peter-Molnar

Being A Unique Blogger Helps You Stand Out To write a unique content or a blog post for your personal blog is one thing. Your content or blog post needs to be original so you are not getting a chance to be in any sort of trouble. A good blogger or content creator knows this. What I want to talk about today is not really how to write an original content or blog post, but rather how to be unique with your writing so you will stand out, remembered and recognized. Importance Of Being A Unique Blogger This is one of those things where you can't just say it's important, you really need to feel it. And I mean really feel it. If this doesn't feel important to you, then it probably isn't and you should just go on to something else. There are a lot of different things, that could be important to you when doing this. Obviously making money is important if that is your main motivation, but what I'm talking about goes beyond that. I'm talking about finding something you are genuinely interested in. If you're doing this just for the money, then I suggest you look for another way of making money. If you're doing this to fill a void, then I suggest you try something else. If you're doing this because you like writing and you feel you could become good at it, then go ahead, but don't make a big deal about it. Nobody is going to be expecting you to become the next Edgar Allen Poe. The point I'm trying to make is, find something that is personally important to you. Once you've found that, everything else will come a lot easier. If you're not going to make this your number one priority, then I suggest you go do something else. This isn't going to be easy and it's not going to be fun. It is going to be extremely time consuming and you're probably not going to be rich overnight by doing this. Also realize, that this is not a guarantee that you're going to be a big time blogger. Big time bloggers don't just happen, they are built. If you're serious about this (and I'm assuming you are, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this) then you're going to have to put in a lot of the work yourself. Nobody will work instead of you. Now with all that being said, if this is something you would be interested in doing, then let's talk specifics. Be Yourself And Add Your Own Style To Your Writing I know what you're thinking, how the hell is this different from the other stuff and to be honest it isn't. I'm just suggesting that you not stick to the traditional ***"How To"*** article structure. What I'm suggesting is that you use the ideas in your article to not just write your posts, but to also market yourself as an individual. You could do a ***"Things I Love Doing "*** type of post. Maybe even a ***"What Makes Me Happy"*** post, or ***"Things That Please Me The Most"*** post, or ***"My Thoughts About..."*** post. The point is, you need to mix it up a bit and not just write how to posts. The next step is to make sure, that you are including your own personality in everything you do. Yes, this means your tags. If you tag something ***"Random"***, then include something random. Don't just tag every post you do with ***"Random"***, actually use it in your posts. You can also use this to your advantage when it comes to your actual content as well. This isn't something you really need to stress about right now, but just make sure the content you post is high quality. Other than that, just have fun with it. Make sure the posts aren't only entertaining for yourself, but entertaining for your reader as well. You want people to click on them and actually read them. Not only read them and they leave after reading, but you want them to enjoy your post throughout and make them wanting to interact with you. The best way to do that is to just be yourself and keep it real. Create Your Own Style Of Writing If you don't have a style just yet, I suggest to create your own style of writing. If you're planning on writing original content, then create a brand for yourself. People tend to remember brand names better, but this can be your own name too. Just think of it as if you were creating a comic. You wouldn't want to write like someone else, you'd want your own voice. The same could be said for writing. Your reader can tell if you're copying and pasting from another source. If your reader can tell this, they can also tell if you're trying too hard to be ***"creative"*** with your writing. Plus, it's boring as hell. The ***"voice"*** part of this is also very important. This is where you need to keep in mind the whole ***"being yourself"*** thing. Not copying someone else, but just having your own way of doing things. This gets a little more technical, but the best way I can explain it is through an example. ***Now at this point, I want to stress, that I do not like to look at individuals here as my favorite writers. Everybody is different and that is the beauty of the whole thing. I want to mention though, that there are people here I know, who are really good at being themselves and this makes them so unique.*** I'm not just talking about the obviously good writers either. I'm talking about the ones who don't necessarily stand out, but write in such a way, that it seems they are the only one who can. I'm not talking about people, who are overly arrogant with their writing. I'm talking about a certain style of writing, that is actually more boring than arrogance. One that is obviously smart, but doesn't try to be, one that has confidence, but isn't arrogant about it, one that really knows their stuff and is willing to own up to it... What I'm saying is, there are tons of different ways of writing and you need to find your own ***"voice"***. I'm not going to say that this is easy, because it really isn't. It takes time to find your way and what you are good at, but it is definitely necessary. Now I can't tell you how to do this, because everyone is different and this process is going to be different for everyone. Picking A Writing Style This is also pretty important. Are you going to write in a first person perspective? Are you going to write in a third person perspective? Are you taking a short story/novella approach? Are you writing a lot of poems? Make sure you stick with your chosen style. Try not to stray away from your chosen style unless you're absolutely confident, that you can pull it off. Sticking to one writing style will help you become more skilled and give you a better opportunity to become good, especially if your chosen style isn't widely accepted in the community. It also makes it easier for people to relate to your work since they will immediately get a visual image in their mind of what you're writing about. Pick something, that you are passionate about and enjoy. If you are not passionate about something, you would have trouble trying to accomplish. Trying to force yourself to enjoy something isn't going to work. In addition, you also want to make sure, that your chosen field has a lot of potential for growth. You don't want to be stuck in a rut writing the same story over and over again. Lastly, you want to pick something, that is going to interest a lot of people to give yourself a chance to get a big audience. Recommended authors and articles to read next: Free Therapy by @Ellehcim https://read.cash/@Ellehcim/free-therapy-331cbed8 August First Happy Bitcoin Cash Day by @Ruffa https://read.cash/@Ruffa/august-first-happy-bitcoincash-day-356debd8#comment-f011e45f Live Life With Colors by @JRamona20 https://read.cash/@JRamona20/live-life-with-colors-eee1ff18 No Kidding by @Meyzee https://read.cash/@Meyzee/no-kidding-db1e20b8

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

6 Benefits Of A Morning Routine, That Creates A More Productive Day Morning routines are essential to have a productive day. Everybody has their own morning routines or can create one for themselves, that is right for them. Establish a good morning routine for yourself, that can help you to be more productive and energized throughout the day. In this article you will find out what the benefits are of a morning routine. **A morning routine benefits you to:** Have more energy in the morning Be more alert and focused throughout the day Stay awake longer without getting tired Get things done faster Feel better about yourself Have more energy throughout the day Have More Energy In The Morning The key to success is taking the time to rest. You need to make sure, that you get enough sleep to allow your body time to recharge and grow strong again. Get up and exercise for at least an hour before starting your day. This is to keep your body and mind active and to prevent any accidents or injuries from happening. Eat a good breakfast. This can either be something, that you make yourself or something you buy from a store. If you make something, then you can make sure, that it is full of nutrients and easy on the stomach. Most importantly take the time to relax and unwind before you start your work. The best way to do this is to go and take a walk or do something that you can relax and keep you mind off of work for a little while. The more energy you have, the better you will do in everything that you do. You just need to take care of yourself and make sure, that you are ready to take on your day. Be More Alert And Focused Throughout The Day The best way to keep yourselves from getting overwhelmed is by keeping your mind alert and focused throughout the day. You can't just sit around doing nothing, you need to get up and do something productive. If you don't have a purpose for being awake then why bother? You've got a lot of things going on in your life right now, but you are not letting them distract you from what's really important: Your goal. You can't let anything distract you from it, because if it should slip our mind for a moment then it might be too late to make a last desperate attempt at stopping it. You should find a way to keep your mind focused on it all the time. You need to be at your best always if you want to succeed. You need to be focused. You can't afford to make the slightest mistake. Be sure to do everything you can physically or mentally to remain at your best condition. Stay Awake Longer Without Getting Tired You don't have to stay up as late, you can get more done in a shorter period of time. This will allow you to wake up with more energy, which will increase your chances for success. This can be done by alternating your activities. Don't stay up for the entire night reading or you will soon run out of energy and end up sleeping most of the day. Instead change up what you are doing so that your body has no chance to get use to the activity and become tired. This will help you to stay awake longer and give you more energy. You will also be more productive in what you do if you don't take breaks. If you have to take a break from whatever you are doing for whatever reason then don't let it keep you up. Go back to what you were doing and you should be fine. As long as you don't over do it then you should have no problems at all. Get Things Done Faster Sometimes you have to act quickly and decisively in order to succeed at your goal. Trying to rush through a process that requires thoroughness could lead to you making an error and losing your chance of success. Sometimes however you don't have much time and need to get a task done quickly. When this is the case, you need to get the job done as quickly as possible and focus only on that. Let everything else take care of itself. Put your mind on only that which is necessary and see it through to completion. Do not worry about the rest. Be sure to take advantage of every second you can, for each minute lost is a minute closer to your goal when you may have needed it most. Be sure to get at least the bare minimum of sleep if not much more. Your mind needs a rest and should not be overworked. This is the best way to be alert and focused at all times. Do not over extend yourself and waste valuable strength by trying to do too much. Your mind will tire and you will lose your edge. Be smart when pursuing your goal. Focus and you will succeed! Feel Better About Yourself A key to success is to always stay positive. When you feel good about yourself then you will be able to better communicate with other people and succeed in whatever you do. You should always take time to relax and try to unwind. This does not just apply to the mental aspect, but also to your physical self. Take time out to do the things that you enjoy doing. Doing these things will not only make you happier but it will also help to improve your success when trying to achieve your goals. Be Yourself You should never try to be someone else or put on an act. This will usually backfire and you will only end up feeling worse about yourself. If you genuinely feel the need to change something about yourself then do so, but otherwise just be true to yourself. People will respect and appreciate you more if you are being yourself. If you are too worried about what others might think of you then you should probably re-examine your priorities. Have More Energy Throughout The Day The more tired you are, the more likely you are to make mistakes or be distracted. It is important to try to rest as much as you can so that you are completely fresh for whatever situation may come your way. Stay away from things like gambling or other things that will drain your energy as this could really put you at a disadvantage. Appoint a certain time each day where you are allowed to do whatever you like. This can either be during your break at work or after work. This should include things like socializing with friends or even just reading. This will help you to feel better overall and more energized. When you are fresh and energized then you will be more successful in whatever it is that you set out to do. Finale Thoughts If you have an established morning routine for yourself, that works for you, you will see, that your day will start easier with less or even no stress at all. You will be more organized and your day will be productive. In a result of this you will return home from work with a better mood, because you know, that your day was not wasted and you actually did something, that was beneficial to you and your company you work for. A productive day does not have to be at work. It can be at home having your free time, but instead of just being a bit lazy you do something for good and you will feel much better at the end of the day.

+1 more

@Peter-Molnar

Cognitive Dissonance: What To Look Out For And Ways To Reduce It What Is Cognitive Dissonance? Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon in which the mind resists or rejects contradictory information. The term comes from two Greek words, meaning "I don't believe this." and "Dissonance" (from the Latin word for "difficult"). It is a common feature of human psychology, but it can be dangerous when applied to critical thinking skills. The problem with cognitive dissonance is that it can lead to irrational conclusions. The more you have a series of beliefs, values, or actions that are dissonant with each other, the more you will strive to reconcile them. For example, if you believe that smoking cigarettes is bad, and you smoke one anyway, you'll experience discomfort. It's a logical response, and one that is designed to encourage us to choose one belief, value, or action over another. In this case, the logical conclusion would be to stop smoking. The problem with this approach to critical thinking is that it's not always accurate. A person could rationalize, that they don't really believe in God and still maintain a strong set of moral beliefs, or a person might be more prone to accept a large sum of money, that they just did a job for without asking for. It works better in some areas of critical thinking, than it does in others. This is where the concept of cognitive dissonance fails us. We should not always choose to eliminate a critical thinking skill merely because it is dissonant. Some are better off than others. Understand where you should focus your efforts, when it comes to critical thinking skills. Should You Expand? Always remember, that you do not need to master every possible skills in order to be a good critical thinker. Not everyone needs that level of skill. Your own personal priorities will dictate, where your focus should be. For example, if you know that a career in medicine is what you truly want to pursue, then it makes sense to focus on critical thinking skills that will help you in that career. If however you know, that you would prefer to play the piano, then it might be better to focus on specific information, that will better assist you in this pursuit. Look at each situation and determine which set of skills would be best for it, then focus on that. In the future, you should also be able to determine which skills would be best for you in different situations. This is just one of the skills, that you will need to pick and choose as you move forward in your life. The more decision making skills you have, the better. The more skills you have that directly contribute to your goals, the better. Look at the skills you have, or have had, that have contributed to your goals so far. Next, look at the skills you have, that are not currently contributing to your goals. Finally, look at the areas in your life, that could use some improvement. Picking and choosing which skills to focus on will be the key to your future success. Types Of Cognitive Dissonances Just like there are skills that you need to expand on, there are also skills that you need to deactivate. These are known as "cognitive dissonances", and they can cause problems in your life. There are many types of cognitive dissonances, and you should be aware of them all. **Cynicism And Idealism** Cynicism is the general belief that people are not basically good. They are mostly cruel predators, that will hurt you whenever they can. This means that you should act in a way, that will keep yourself safe, because people are not good. Cynicism is easy to identify, because it usually comes from a bad experience with someone. Idealism however, can come from anywhere. It is important to remember, that you don't know the entire story of a person. They might have had a horrible childhood and made assumptions about everyone based on that. They might have been the victim of a crime and are now paranoid, that everyone is going to harm them. However they came to their idealism, they probably think that it's true, which makes them cynical. Idealism can drive you towards a career in the helping professions, such as teaching or social work, or it can lead you into the religious field. It's up to you to decide where your idealism is taking you. **Humility And Self-Knowledge** It is possible for someone to be humble without being self-aware. The problem with this approach is that humility tends to make one feel weak and inferior. If you're feeling insecure, then you'll want to avoid humility. You may even try to emulate, what others do and become arrogant instead. Self-awareness requires a lot of introspection and reflection. You must examine your own thoughts and feelings. When you do so, you may find that you're not as confident as you thought. However, if you continue to reflect on yourself, eventually the truth will come out. **Self Actualization** Self-actualization is simply the act of doing what you want to do, regardless of other people. You may get mad at people for not having the same ideas that you do, but if you truly want to be an artist, or a doctor, or whatever it is that you've decided you want to be, then you need to follow your dreams regardless of what other people think. This can be hard at times, however, if you allow your self-actualization to go out of control, if you start changing your major just because you think it might be more enjoyable or easier, then you have fallen into the pitfall of self-actualization. You also need to make sure, that you have good time management skills. If you spend all of your time and money pursuing your dreams, then you might find yourself in a bind. This can happen if you decide to pursue an artistic career, for example. However, if you learn how to manage your time well, then you will be able to achieve your goals. Self-actualization is a double-edged sword. While you should use it to help you through life, it can also be the cause of many problems if not used correctly. There are two ways in which you can deal with the world: through pain or through happiness. Pain is the easy way out of everything. If you're feeling pain, then it's less likely, that you'll do something stupid like kill yourself. Instead, you'll take the easy way and suffer in silence. This approach is not very intelligent, but it does keep you alive. Happiness is the more intelligent choice. It's always better to seek joy and happiness rather than pain. However, you still have a choice. You can continue to make your life a joyless misery by over-opting for the negative, or you can embrace the positive and see what happens. Your life will change for the better.

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