These are uncertain times, but if you want to find out what your future has in store keep up to date with our daily horoscope forecasts and astrology readings.

TODAYS MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:

Talk doesnt cook rice. Chinese Proverb

TODAYS WISDOM FROM AROUND THE WORLD:

If you let everyone walk over you, you become a carpet. Bulgarian Proverb

TODAYS CHINESE PROVERB:

There is no one to sweep a common hall.

FOR THOSE OF US BORN ON THIS DAY:

Happy Birthday! The months ahead are likely to start on a great note, as romance starts to smolder. Singles are likely to find themselves the center of attention, while attached people will spend some quality time with their partners! October is the month for promotions, rewards, and new career directions, while November introduces a potential friend! Beware of making an unwise decision regarding cash matters in December, or youll spend much of January trying to do an about face! February is a great month, with travel well aspected, but you might need to tighten your belt beforehand if you are to fund these travels! March should bring a fabulous opportunity to make some definite changes to your life! August might slow down in terms of love, but September will pick up again!

Its a day to take care with how you respond, particularly with new suggestions and/or proposals. It certainly wont help your reputation if you ditch any previously agreed commitments and ongoing deadlines for something on the near horizon. All that said; it may be possible to have the best of both worlds!

Todays Numbers: 2, 11, 15, 21, 33, 46

An easier vibe is likely to contain a half-liberating, half- unreliable quality. It may well feel as though its a good choice to step beyond your comfort-zone for the best results, especially when it comes to ongoing agreements and arrangements, but it may be wise to have a safety net too!

Todays Numbers: 7, 16, 24, 31, 37, 42

Its quite possibly a day to be more receptive to verbal, informal advice, guidance and direction. Something might seem like a good idea right now, but others may well express doubt. If so, listen. In addition; an ongoing development could contain a hidden advantage for romantic matters!

Todays Numbers: 5, 14, 22, 25, 40, 47

Theres a dominant theme of getting ahead and achievement. Everyday and routine matters will be well-aspected, and although you could feel as though youre not really making much progress, its possible that a current obstacle will begin to shift. Just give this a little more time!

Todays Numbers: 8, 13, 24, 26, 33, 44

In the light of fresh and liberating planetary accents you may be tempted to rush certain matters. You may even feel as though you need to take full control, particularly when it comes to a personal matter. However, if offered the choice between perfect but slow or speedy but adequate, try opting for the middle of the road!

Todays Numbers: 1, 15, 26, 31, 36, 42

Fresh planetary accents are likely to point to remedies, solutions and good strategies when it comes to a personal matter. Youre also likely to get that little bit more determined and ambitious when it comes to one specific, possibly ongoing goal. Just be careful that you dont take on too much just to prove a point!

Todays Numbers: 3, 7, 12, 24, 36, 45

Breezy planetary accents have the capacity to revitalize your airy traits and possibly lift a weight from your shoulders. Communications are well-aspected, but you may feel reluctant to act on any incoming information. If you can shake off this reluctance, there may be something to be gained!

Todays Numbers: 5, 11, 22, 26, 32, 48

Fresh planetary shifts have the capacity to help you negotiate an obstacle or mental block, particularly when it comes to material matters. There could be some insightful exchanges. However; dont believe everything that you hear. Do hold off from committing to anything that cant be reversed!

Todays Numbers: 1, 5, 16, 27, 34, 43

Small but significant changes to your lifestyle, your image or your career aims could begin to filter through from today. Theres a distinct emphasis on self-improvement, but you may have to deal with something that right now youd rather shelve. A postponement may be a short-term answer!

Todays Numbers: 2, 18, 23, 34, 37, 49

Something that seems to have been going wrong could finally be corrected, thanks to fresh planetary accents. Theres the potential for catching up or making up for lost time, and although this may involve taking a few steps back, it may well benefit you in the longer term!

Todays Numbers: 7, 13, 19, 26, 31, 45

Communications are strongly aspected, with a definite angle on your friendships in general. That said; it is possible that youll have mixed feelings about one particular development and lingering doubts could play a part. It might be a sensible strategy to avoid looking for hidden meanings!

Todays Numbers: 2, 16, 23, 34, 37, 43

Fresh planetary shifts will usher in a more cooperative vibe. There is also the potential to boost your reputation on the work- front. A single opportunity could develop, but you may need to postpone something else in order to take advantage of it. This could develop into an either/or choice!

Todays Numbers: 5, 14, 21, 26, 31, 48

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY:

Famous people born on your birthday include:Kel Mitchell, Gene Simmons, Regis Philbin, Tim Burton, Elvis Costello, Sean Connery, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tom Skerritt, Claudia Schiffer

CELEBRITY GOSSIP:

It may be a surprise to many, but the movement of the planets indicates that Courteney Cox is about to pushed back into the public eye. It isnt clear why, but the planets are definite that a celebrity boost is about to happen for Courteney!

Horoscope content supplied under license. The feature and content may not be reproduced or distributed electronically, in print or otherwise.

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Lucky Numbers and Horoscopes for today, 25 August 2021 - The London Economic

In the wake of a mass shooting in Plymouth, England, fresh questions are being asked about incel culture and whether crimes committed by its adherents should be considered terrorism.

Jake Davison went on a shooting spree in his hometown, killing five people, including his mother, before taking his own life.

As part of our ongoing research into online radicalism, our team at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation archived Davisons social media profiles before they were shut down in order to investigate the extent to which he was engaged with incel subculture.

In the three months prior to the attack, he was active on multiple Reddit subforums (known as subreddits). He also uploaded eight YouTube videos in the month leading up to the attack. Davison had an Instagram account where he mainly followed pages of young, female Instagram models and a Facebook account, where he was ostensibly less active.

The term incel, a portmanteau of involuntary celibate, is used as a self-description by some individuals who desire sex but find themselves unable to obtain it. While this condition is not necessarily confined to one gender, inceldom exists largely in misogynistic online forums frequented by men.

Within this ecosystem women are demonised as the architects of mens failure to have sex. Incels claim that women control the sexual marketplace, leaving them without chance of a romantic partner if they are not considered good looking. While not all incels support violence, the subculture has been connected to a string of attacks.

Davison appears to have had an ambivalent relationship with inceldom. He did not explicitly identify as an incel but did describe his mental state as being blackpilled a term some incels use to describe a fatalistic belief that they will remain virgins forever due to a predetermined genetic order that rules them out of the social order. According to blackpill incels, no amount of self-improvement acts, often referred to as looksmaxxing can alter this.

In a Reddit post made three months prior to the attack, Davison admitted that reading about the blackpill was getting him down, describing it as toxic negative bullshit. However, in a YouTube video uploaded one month before the attack, he suggested that being blackpilled is increasingly common among men. He said that in modern society women no longer have need for average men as they are able to be more selective in choosing sexual partners, settling only for chad which is the term incels use for a stereotypical alpha male.

Davison also engaged in misogynistic tropes. In one YouTube video he described a lot of women as very simple minded and as being conditioned by social media to want to be treated like princesses by rich, good-looking men. This dehumanising language is typical of men embedded in the online communities of the manosphere, including inceldom.

Davison stressed that since being exposed to the blackpill he had become increasingly self-conscious about his looks. In multiple posts he expressed a desire to become leaner, posting three videos of his workout routine to YouTube, and shared multiple pictures of himself on various subreddits, asking users to rate his physical appearance. This indicates that he may have been interested in looksmaxxing.

In one of his final YouTube uploads, he lamented the fact that going to the gym for years had not changed his life outcomes. He also commented that 80 percent of men are plain looking and illicit no emotional response upon seeing them, indicating that he may have bought into the incel concept of hypergramy. This is the incel belief that only 20% of men are deemed attractive by 80% of women, known as the 80/20 rule.

While it is not yet known whether Davison spent time within more extreme incel communities, it is worth noting that the subreddits he posted in were neither extremist, nor places which necessarily indulged hateful aspects of incel subculture. The subreddits he frequented were dedicated to mocking commentary of incels, or in theory helping others out of inceldom.

These pages explicitly rule against posts containing misogyny or calls for violence. So although he went on to commit the gravest form of violence, we cannot automatically assume that his violence stemmed from violent incel culture specifically.

Davison also framed his lack of sexual experience as one of many problems he was facing, indicating that he wasnt singularly consumed with the incel subcultures obsession with a lack of sex. He also appeared concerned with his mental and physical wellbeing, as demonstrated by various posts he made to the r/Depression subreddit.

He said he was feeling socially isolated and beaten down and defeated. Davison also frequently referenced domestic tensions with his mother, whom he described as vile, and felt played a role in his lack of romantic success with women. Therefore, Davisons grievances cannot solely be associated with a lack of sexual success.

Davisons online footprint reveals a complicated picture. We know he was familiar with incel tropes and expressed views which were steeped in misogyny, yet his social media also suggests he may have attempted to distance himself from the incel label. Davison also appeared to struggle both with his mental health and his relationship with his mother.

The explicit motivations which triggered the attack remain unclear but Davison clearly had diverse grievances. That indicates the need for a broader conversation about how involvement with misogyny online, including the incel subculture, may interact with a persons other personal problems. That will better help us understand how violent acts ultimately happen.

See the original post:
Incel culture: what we've learned from investigating Plymouth attacker's digital footprint - The Conversation UK

I am Gucci Grandpa.

I am excited for an anxiety-free summer.

If all else fails, I can just marry a monarch.

Prior to this year, these statements may have come across as arbitrary proclamations, grand statements of manifestation that fall into the category of obvious denial or irony but since the advent of @afffirmations, it might just be the most 2021 thing ever.

If youve been on Instagram at all since January, you may have noticed people sharing these affirmations to their story. @afffirmations is easily recognisable through its cooked or fried aesthetic nothing to do with food, but everything to do with the incomprehensible level of overstimulation experienced when viewing. Its posts consist of heavily saturated, glowing stock images stretched to a square ratio, reminiscent of tacky 2000s real estate pamphlets, and accompanied by glowing sans serif font as the icing on the cake. Theres a glorious sense of ugliness, absurdity and viral subversiveness to the pieces.

Mats Nesterov Andersen is the genius (I would be careful using terminology as such, he warns) behind what he terms a Global Self Hypnosis. This is what I usually say that Im doing. Im doing self-hypnosis on stories and posts, he says.

Andersen joined me on an evening Zoom call (mid-morning for him in Norway) seated outdoors at a cafe wearing his signature sunglasses, rugged up in a tan Fred Perry track jacket zipped to the top. We chatted about the weather and our mutual newfound interest in being outside. The only pauses in our conversation were when he ordered a coffee, lit a cigarette and unzipped his jacket. It was almost surprising that he maintained the exact persona he exudes on the account, oozing an ironic level of seriousness and entertaining conviction that is perhaps only paralleled by Mr Worldwide himself.

Anyone who has watched the Instagram Reels of Andersen enthusiastically reading affirmations,each with a different backdrop,may wonder whether its all just a joke (the baguette he flourishes throughout this first video may have something to do with this feeling). But the authority and confidence in his voice, as well as his unrelenting 10-affirmations-a-day content schedule, may just command us into feeling genuinely affirmed. Perhaps this persistent output is just him putting into action one of the earliest affirmations on his page: I CAN BECOME AN INFLUENCER.

I dont know how people consume [@afffirmations]. Im not sure if many people think its satirical, which its not. Its not ironic. Im being serious when Im doing this, he says.

The practice of manifesting and using mantras has entered Westernised practices as a vehicle of actualising our goals and intentions through sheer will. The trend was further popularised through TikTok at a time when hitting goals became an unactionable impossibility. While Andersen is firmly part of the wellness phenomenon on social media, he distances @afffirmations from the aesthetic of simplicity and minimalism associated with more typical wellness accounts. I would say most of these wellness accounts are very bland aesthetically speaking and boring, he says.

Andersen says he created the account as a form of high conceptual art that involved months of research prior to launching at the beginning of January. Eight months on, @afffirmations is creeping towards the 700,000 follower mark a testament of popular success that Andersen expected considering how young people are experiencing an age of loneliness.

This didnt surprise me, I knew that this account would make a huge impact. The thing about doing it in 2021weve spent a lot of time alone [and] looking in the mirror. [@afffirmations is] sort of a reflection of how we are relating ourselves to the world right now. If not me, somebody else would have made this account, he says.

Indeed, it does feel like an inevitability. The account is inseparable from a New Age context centred around secular spirituality, where horoscopes, binaural beats and healing crystals are critical practices of self-care. Revitalising the popular quarantine practice of manifesting, with a post-ironic touch, makes @afffirmations particularly consumable for audiences particularly young people that now view goal-setting as a memory reminiscent of a distant reality. The mere thought of chasing self-improvement and creating memories in lockdown feels prescribed by hustle culture and online productivity gurus where memes, irony and post-irony are the only weapons worth wielding in the face of this hopelessly ridiculous expectation.

@afffirmations artstyle draws on inspiration from early web art, childrens cartoons and Y2K culture, which perhaps appeals to 20-somethings nostalgic for simpler times, and, whether intentionally or not, engages with post-capitalist imagery and consumer culture. @afffirmations has nothing to do with politics whatsoever, says Andersen. But I realised that where we are in the world right now, neoliberal tendencies dominate in our culture. The music scene revolves around materialism and wearing gold chains and using designer clothing. I realised that people are familiar with these things. What Im trying to do is commentate and capture it in some sort of way, Andersen says.

Perhaps then, @afffirmations is the best example of a newer and transcendent kind of art practice one that is able to distill abstract vibes and atmospheres into just a few words and images and genuinely resonate with thousands of people. When asked about how he, as a 20-year-old, was able to start @afffirmations and coin such ~relatable~ terms as CONTINENTAL VIBE, he points to his variety of life experiences.

I was a black metal musician. I wont talk too much about that. I dont do music anymore. And Ive actually written two books in our region. But I have no plans of releasing it. Its just something I did for recreational purposes, he says. In some ways, its hard not to see @afffirmations as a reactionary account,journaling the anxieties and emotions felt by young people from issues ranging from COVID, to student loans and climate change; the cryptic messaging only furthering its appeal. With terms like Epic Life and Coastal DJ having entered my everyday vernacular, I cant help but wonder whether the affirmations are working.

Go here to read the rest:
I CAN BECOME AN INFLUENCER: Wellness and post-irony with @afffirmations - Honi Soit

Updated / Thursday, 19 Aug 2021 09:27

More from Maynooth University

Opinion: if the pursuit of happiness makes us feel better, how come we're wracked by depression, anxiety and other lifestyle diseases?

The self-improvement industry is growing rapidly year on year, and its best-selling topic is happiness. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin hit the bestseller lists within minutes of being published. Cheryl Strayed's book Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found On the Pacific Crest Trail turned into a box-office phenomenon with gross sales hitting almost 50 million and a trail of coaches, consultants and "gurus" following who have made their money advising others how to be happy.

But if the pursuit of happiness makes us feel better, how come our society is wracked by depression, anxiety and other lifestyle diseases? Is it possible that we got it all wrong? Positive psychology, the science of wellbeing, may have some answers to these questions.

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From RT Radio 1's Drivetime, Dr Paul D'Alton from UCD on why it is the pursuit of happiness that is making us miserable

Over the last two decades, researchers in positive psychology have endeavoured to unpack what it means to be well and happy and have also tried to identify the myths of happiness that stand in the way of people feeling better. Research with adults and adolescents suggests that valuing happiness and pursuing it excessively is linked to lower levels of wellbeing and even increased experiences of depression and bipolar. Here are three evidence-based reasons why the pursuit of happiness might not be helpful for us, and may even be harmful if taken too far.

The day we decide to pursue happiness is the day we realise we are unhappy and want to do something about it. If happiness were a measuring stick, we see it in our mind's eye and place ourselves somewhere along its length. This spectrum reminds us that others are happier than us. Worse yet, we are reminded that our future selves will be happier than we are today. This is how we become more deficit-focused, which makes us feel worse.

One of the hallmarks of happiness is an ability to see what we already have for which we are grateful, regardless of how small it is. What helps us do this is downward comparison, whereby we look at others who are worse-off than us and we feel blessed that our situation is not as bad, which as selfish as it sounds, makes us feel more grateful, thus happier.

From RT 2fm's Jennifer Zamparelli show, Prof Brendan Kelly on his new book The Science of Happiness

However, the opposite happens when we begin to pursue happiness and value it too much in our lives. Instead of practicing downward comparison, we practice upward comparison. We start thinking of what others have that we do not have, which results in us feeling more miserable. This is one of the reasons why the pursuit of happiness is often associated with decline in wellbeing and experiences of depression.

We tend to become self-centred when pursuing happiness. We are focused on ourselves and not others. We think about what we want to get from life, not what we can give. Yet, research indicates that others' focus has a more powerful effect on our happiness. When we help others, it means that we have something valuable to give them. This increases our self-esteem making us feel happier.

Being self-centred does not serve us well because an inward focus makes us less mindful of the outside world. Yet, it is the people around us that can help us become happier. We smile 30 times more when in a group than on our own. Supporting others and knowing that we can receive support when needed is more likely to enhance our happiness than aloneness. People matter but we may forget to reach out to others by focusing too much on self, which is why the pursuit of happiness can make us lonelier.

From TED, psychiatrist Robert Waldinger on lessons from the world's longest study on happiness

When we value happiness too much, it prevents us from maximising our positive experiences and enjoying our lives. When we try to figure out why we feel bad, it has the potential of enhancing our wellbeing. When we try to figure out and overthink happiness, it is associated with a decline in wellbeing.

We become so stressed about finding situations that boost our wellbeing that we don't fully engage with the opportunities at hand which make us happier. Furthermore, when we are happy, we start worrying about losing happiness, which ultimately reduces our wellbeing further. This is yet another reason why pursuing happiness may be detrimental to us.

Happiness is not something we can catch and keep. It is a journey, not a destination. Don't ask yourself 'am I happy?' 'Am I happier than last year?' 'How can I become happier?' Insteada, focus on living a good life. Introduce healthy behaviours such as eating well, moving and sleeping soundly. Engage your mind in positive practices, such as reflecting on what went well for you, savouring the good times, boosting your optimism and hopeful thinking. All these activities will impromptu result in enhanced happiness and help you go on a happiness ride filled with peaks and troughs. After all, this is what life is all about.

The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RT

The rest is here:
3 reasons why the pursuit of happiness can make you miserable - RTE.ie

By FELICITY DARVILLE

A WOMAN of many talents, Bridgette Bell Bastian has found after decades of using those talents to help others, that all along, they existed for her to help herself most of all.

Its a beautiful thing to help others, and Bridgette gets immense satisfaction from that. But it wasnt until her husband, Vaklev and other loved ones encouraged her to value these talents more, that she began considering starting her own business. For many with a mindset like Bridgette had, they shouldnt be charging for these gifts. Deeply spiritual, Bridgette felt she was doing Gods work and found much satisfaction in making others happy. At some point, she had to realise the long hours and extreme effort she put into helping others would leave her drained and that she deserved compensation.

Today, Bridgette has successfully launched two businesses and there is a possibility even more will be born from this young woman. She is a gifted singer, artist, designer, photographer and so much more.

By profession she is a secretary of 28 years. By calling, she is a counsellor and mentor although she may have never called herself one her story made this evident.

Bridgette is enjoying how her life is unfolding. Because of this, she has chosen to share her story so that others who may be sitting on their talents, devaluing them, or not confident enough to make a business out of them, would be inspired to take a leap of faith and get even more out of life.

Maybe it was having to battle with cancer a few times in her life that made her value herself more and what she has to offer. Maybe its because she helps so many others with their cancer battle that she realised the significance of acting now. Whatever actually spurred her to make her own quantum leap, people have responded overwhelmingly and are supporting her in her business, showing her that it was a decision that was worth it.

Proverbs 18: 16 says a mans gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men... I have multiple talents and if I fail to use them, it would be displeasing to the Lord, she shared.

I loved art drawing and painting as a child. When my mother (Norma Bell) worked at various pre-schools then eventually had her own pre-school, she would give me the wonderful task of outfitting the walls with colourful ABCs. I would draw life-sized cartoon characters to go with them. I did that for years. As I got older, I began doing graphic art and photography.

She started using a programme called ProMaster back in 1993. She then learned Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign. She enjoys using Photoshop most because she has been able to edit her photos as well as create her many designs in the software. She began designing business cards, flyers, logos, stickers/labels, booklets, programmes, menus, brochures and signs.

Bridgette is a graduate of Bahamas Academy of Seventh-Day Adventists. After graduation, she studied Computer Information Systems at Success Training College. She gained additional professional certifications in Computer Information/ Business Administration from Sojourner Douglass College.

So, the talents were all given to me by my Heavenly Father, but none of them I went to school for, she said, explaining that she taught herself.

I started designing anything that people asked me to. I did it for years and years without charging. But everyone kept coming to me. It would take me hours and hours to get it done because I am a perfectionist.

Finally (through the advice of loved ones) I decided to charge for my services. Being one that fought with negativity, never feeling adequate or like I was worth much, I was reluctant to charge, but decided to give it a try. Someone came to me to create a programme for an event and I told them what it would cost. I was afraid but surprisingly, they said ok! I am happy I did because to date, photography and graphic design has become a source of extra income for me. I watched myself grow as I was challenged by some who asked me to create or design things for them and sometimes, I surprised myself! People began to put my work on Facebook, and others referred me by word of mouth. So without officially advertising, I got more customers and I would burn the midnight oil to fulfill the orders.

Bridgette named the business BNB Designs with the motto: If you can think or imagine it, I can create it! Her creative designs are even extending into interior home design something she may develop seriously in the future.

But Bridgette faced a series of health roadblocks that could have broken her, had it not been for her upbeat attitude and support of loved ones. She is a two-time breast cancer survivor. She first felt a lump in her breast in 2005. At that time, just in her early 30s, her doctors chose to watch the lump and for six months, and sent her home. When they finally sent her for testing, the lump was indeed malignant.

She had the first surgery to remove the tumor. After that, she took a natural, holistic approach and went to Uchee Pines Retreat, a Seventh-Day Adventist institution for natural treatment located in Alabama. She continued the healthy living regimen after the retreat.

In 2008, the cancer returned in the form of a painful, golf ball sized lump under her arm. This time, Dr Charles Diggis was her doctor, and she credits him for his exceptional care during a cancer journey that involved a total of ten surgeries to save her life, including the removal of 14 lymph nodes and a full hysterectomy, performed by Dr Charles Lorne. Dr Diggis performed all of her biopsies and some of her surgeries. For the series of chemotherapy treatments, she decided to seek care in the United States. She says Dr Krill and the staff at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami were wonderful throughout a difficult process, but one that she overcame.

The five months she spent in the US doing chemotherapy was, in itself, a journey: My big sister, Karen, left her home to spend five months with me in the US. The friends who had promised to take me in, changed their mind the week before my first treatment. A friend of Karens put us up for a week while we figured out what to do. Joseph Evans, Jr, was our first angel, then Carlisa Waters. They both opened their homes to me, never asking me for money towards rent or food. Karen and I had to catch the bus to my treatments in the beginning. She had to bathe me, feed me, dress me... she stuck with me every step of the way. I thank all of my siblings who stuck with me and stayed positive for me even when I was in pain and depressed at times. Biggest supporter, my ride or die husband, Vaklev Bastian, would call me and encourage me every day as he patiently waited for me to come home. My mom prayed and cried for me daily. A mothers prayer is very powerful and she kept me covered.

Twelve and a half years later, Bridgette has remained cancer-free. During her trials, she would often sing the song My Redeemer Lives by Nicole C Mullen. She sang that song with such belief and passion that today, she is still called on to sing that song at various church services and special events.

There were not all good days, but I was able to keep myself above water, Bridgette explained.

I would cry whenever I needed to, but I didnt stay there. I had to get up and be like, ok, its time to fight again; lets go, bring it on! I had to tell myself that this is not a death sentence. I had to say even if I have to die, I wouldnt go down just like that... I had to fight. When things happened to me, I used to say, Lord, why me? Now I say, Lord, why not me? You outfitted me to handle this because one day, I have to be an encouragement and a testimony to someone else... So why not me?

Since then, Bridgette has found herself encouraging many others who go through the cancer journey. People would come through and be so encouraged that they would tell others about how Bridgette helped them. In this way, new friends have unfolded in her life and she has found an even higher calling.

Even through her own trials, Bridgette had a burning desire to help her mother, who was getting up in age and all her children had left the nest. She faced medical issues and she also needed repairs to her home. Bridgette decided to sell nuts. She sourced what she felt would be the freshest nuts and found unique packaging for them. She combined her graphic design skills with her products and would personalise them for special occasions. Her friend and church member, Tamara Taylor encouraged her to take her nut business to a higher level, and even helped her to garner new sales. Today, Bella Bella Gone Nuts is a hit and her product line is growing.

As she continues on a quest for self improvement and spiritual advancement, Bridgette has learned that by believing in herself, anything is possible.

Read the original post:
FACE TO FACE: Seize the day and Bridgette's doing just that - Bahamas Tribune

Below, in a conversation edited for clarity, Newski chats about the project and puts anxiety in perspective:

Brett Newski: I've been schlepping American highways as a full-time touring musician the past nine years. That's how I make a living. We fit into that '90s alternative sound, even though we were just little kids in the '90s when Nirvana and all that was happening. Some of those bands have taken us under their wing and brought us on tour, which really helped get going. Some bands we've played with include the Pixies, Violent Femmes, Manchester Orchestra, New Pornographers, Courtney Barnett and Better than Ezra.

I've had anxiety and depression as long as I can remember. I just never knew what that fuzzy brain haze was until recent years. When I felt down, it was like I would stop seeing in color for a few hours or days on end. It's good to have a definition for anxiety. Even if it's just made-up words by humans. It made me realize those moments of existential dread are only temporary, and most other people experience them, too.

When I was but a wee man, I would draw my own sports trading cards in my parents' basement for hours on end. I would create my own sports leagues and play out simulation games by myself all day. I would literally dunk on myself on a Fisher-Price plastic basketball hoop in my parents' basement.

One afternoon I was trapped in my brain, and I started drawing to make fun of my own "disloyal," anxious brain. My brain was attacking me, and I saw drawing as a way out. I posted a few of them online and the response was really friendly warm. So, I kept making them for three years. Eventually I had over 200 drawings and my editor Anna and I whittled them down to the best 140 for the book.

The idea of the book was to share the tips and hacks that help me get out of my own head. It entails everything from specific stretches to going to the driving range to how to escape social media. It uses ham-fisted humor to boost mental health, even if just a little.

Anxiety is fuel. Anxiety is not all bad. In fact, it's the catalyst for my ability to write. Anxiety is that fight or flight in our DNA. There's examples from history. When certain species don't have a fight or flight, they just get clubbed by a caveman and cooked for dinner. Anxiety keeps me alive. When you're in an anxiety "toilet bowl," it's hard to have the awareness to realize you're just bullying yourself. When the clouds part and you get out of that anxiety spiral, you finally realize how 99 percent of your worries were irrational and silly. I find many of my anxiety spirals to be hilarious in retrospect.

It's medicine. Maybe part of it is self-avoidance, but for the most part it's free therapy. You can vent out a lot of your brain toxins through creation. Even if it's just drawing something on a napkin.

It's OK to be sad. I think Instagram culture pummels you with other people's "greatest hits," which is unrealistic. It creates a flawed barometer for how it actually is to be a person. It is hard to be a person, no matter who you arerich or poor or successful or not, or whatever. The brain is a marvel and a beauty but it's also a complicated apparatus that often doesn't work in our favor. It's OK to down sometimes. It's just part of the cycle.

See more here:
Brett Newski Playfully Explores Mental Health in Art and Song - Muse by Clio

Welcome to YouTube Millionaires, where we profile channels that have recently crossed the one million subscriber mark. There are channels crossing this threshold every week, and each creator has a story to tell about YouTube success. Read previous installments here.

This weeks installment of YouTube Millionaires is brought to you by Bright a learning platform focused on real conversations that level up your life.

In the vast crowded wilds of the internet, creators who have built an audience can (understandably!) be nervous about moving away from the kind of content that drew in those viewers. But over the past year, 2HYPEmemberJiedel has proven that not only can he switch content niches and retain his viewershiphe can switch and grow it.

The 25-year-old, Los Angeles-based YouTuber has been making videos since 2014. Healong with his brotherJesser and the rest of sports/gaming collective 2HYPEgot his start as a video game-focused creator whose uploads revolved around gameplay in titles like NBA 2KandMadden. That niche made up the bulk of his channel until 2019, when he got into sneaker customization. And then, in 2020, he shifted again.

Over the past year, Jiedel zeroed in on a combo of culinary and challenge content. Hes tested popularTikTok recipes, tried the best pizza L.A. has to offer, held 2HYPE trivia parties, taken Gordon Ramsays masterclass, bounced his way through a trampoline basketball tournament, and much, much more. He uploads at least once a week, swapping from topic to topic with each video posted.

This subject-switching is exactly the kind of thing creators can be leery ofbut for Jiedel, mixing it up has paid off, pushing his channel up past one million subscribers.

Check out our chat with him below.

Jiedel:With the pandemic keeping us all inside for over a calendar year, not a ton has changed for me personally. But on the channel side of things, Ive definitely focused more on food, cooking, and self-improvement videos through my masterclass series.

Jiedel:It is a very cool feeling and Id like to thank everybody who helped me hit that goal. Having said that, its just a number, and I feel like Im the same guy I was at 900k, 800k, etcetera.

Jiedel:Before YouTube, I was a journalism student at Rutgers University. I was an intern for the NFL the summer before graduation working on their YouTube channels, so becoming a full-time YouTuber was what I was preparing for, in a sense.

Jiedel:When I first started with YouTube, I was doing NBA 2K MyTEAM videos, I took inspiration from my brother Jesser and KSI with their respective series. Even though the videos were love commentaries, I always liked the narrative arcs that would form across episodes.

I knew I wanted to do gaming videos (at first), but didnt always know what to do. I loved doing rebuilds on Madden and NBA 2K, but didnt know people were going to be interested in watching that until years into doing YT. I also want to give a shout-out to Jon Graham, who used to go by Digitalph33r, for being a gigantic inspiration for me wanting to make YouTube videos. His Halo videos are what ultimately made me fall in love with the platform.

Id also note that I change my zone every single year, Ive never consistently done the same thing. In 2017 it was NBA 2K MyTEAM, 2019 NBA rebuilds, 2020 sneaker customizing, 2021 cooking and assorted challenges.

Jiedel:YouTube has been my full-time job since February 2017. We film for 2HYPE on average once a week, and for my personal channel on average two to three times a week. I also film for 100 Thieves from time to time.

I film a lot, but I would say when I was on the come-up and I was younger, I certainly did morein the sense that I now have a great team to help me film and edit that I didnt have before. Ive also gotten older during my five or so years doing this, so other life responsibilities can eat into my time.

Jiedel:Spending time with my brother and the other guys in 2HYPE. Id say the guys are all my best friends and a lot of the content creators I know are some of the nicest and most genuine people Ive ever met.

Jiedel:Kris, Jesse, and I launched TruCreator, a company making sports-like cards of content creators. People have really liked the two products weve put out so far, and we have even bigger things on the horizon for that.

In regards to other platforms, Im happy existing as a YouTuber, and if the other things come, they come.

Jiedel:Im not sure what Im filming tomorrow, let alone 2022 and beyond, so well see.

This weeks installment of YouTube Millionaires is brought to you by Bright a learning platform focused on real conversations that level up your life.

On Bright, participants receive unprecedented access to learn from their favorite creators, icons and experts within an intimate, live video chat setting. More than 1500 talent are on the waitlist to lead Bright Sessions for audiences looking to improve their lives. Fans come face-to-face with their favorite talent, ask questions and are able to make requests from the VIP area while joining talent on the Bright Stage for direct exchanges and personal learning among other Bright interactive features.

For more info and to experience conversations that level up your life, head over to Brightlive.com.

See the rest here:
YouTube Millionaires: Jiedels Channel Is A Grab Bag Of Gaming, Sports, Cooking, And ChallengesAnd Viewers Dig The Variety - Tubefilter

Kaiyah Jones spent her senior year excelling academically, at work, at track and at motherhood.

Despite working past midnight on a regular basis, the recent W.T. White graduate finished her school year with strong grades and as an acclaimed track-star who earned an athletic scholarship.

One of my biggest track accomplishments was running a lap (400 meters) in under a minute, she said. I was able to finish school, work, go to practice early in the mornings, and still make good grades and do everything right. I had a baby last year and still participated in Cross Country, came to practices, went to every meet and graduated.

Jones ran with the team that qualified for regionals in the 4 200 and was part of the Longhorn squad that won District Champions in the 4 400 (two track competitions in which teams of four athletes run a relay race where each runner completes 200 meters or 400 meters, depending on the event). Individually, she placed as a district finalist in the 800 meter-race and is a two-time regional qualifier in the 400-meter dash.

Coach Michael Martin has taught physical education at W.T. White for 17 years and has led the Longhorn Girls Track team for the last 13 years. When he met Jones during her sophomore year, he was amazed by her attitude of relentless self-improvement. He noticed that she had a great work ethic and a natural gift of leadership.

Shes a nice kid. We never gave up on her and she never gave up on us, Martin said. She practices hard and is one of the athletes who gets her teammates to practice. And as a student, she did what she was supposed to do, took charge of a tough situation and did the best she could. Her efforts paid through, because she ended up getting an athletic scholarship.

Jones relentlessly kept her grades up, worked long hours into the night and continued to support her team, even throughout her pregnancy and after giving birth to her daughter Legacy in July 2020.

I was working at a movie theater, and I was always the night person, she said. My shift would start almost immediately after leaving school, and sometimes I wouldnt get out until 2 a.m., depending on when the last movie ended. Id go to practice for Track and Cross Country the next day at 7 a.m., every day, and do it all over again.

Three months into her pregnancy, Jones realized that she wasnt able to run as well she normally could. She had not told anyone at school that she was an expecting mother, and she knew that having a baby meant giving up athletics for a couple of months.

It was really hard to stop running, she said. I loved working out, I loved practicing with my friends and being part of the team, so much. I didnt want to miss out on anything.

She gave up the sport until after Legacy was born. And while she wasnt able to continue breaking her personal records and pushing her endurance in the 400-meter track, her coach found another area where she could continue supporting her team and excelling.

Jones became the team manager, and helped her teammates anywhere she could, from getting water for the runners to helping the freshmen improve their times. After Legacy was born, Jones was back on her feet, with her running shoes on and one goal in mind: graduating and going to college.

When she told us she was pregnant, we embraced it. Her family, her teachers and I did what we had to do to get her through, and she did the same. I told her: Were going to get you through this, but were not going to let you quit, Martin said. There was a lot happening at once, especially for her at 18 years old. There were ups and downs, and a lot of emotions. But we worked it out, and we all agreed to get this young lady to the next level, because she had the talent and she persevered.

Jones wants to become a police officer and is set to start college with a partial athletic scholarship at the University of Southwest in New Mexico in the Fall of 2021. She will major in Criminal Justice and run for the Mustangs women track and field team.

Something that Ive learned at W.T. White and being part of the Longhorns is that giving up is a mental thing, she said. If you give up mentally, then youre going to give up in every other aspect of your life. And the only person who can make you quit mentally is yourself.

See more here:
Graduating senior excelled academically, athletically and at motherhood - Dallas ISD

Effective Learning Systems, the company that pioneered the practice of Productive Meditation more than 45 years ago, recently announced the launch of their first mobile app, WiseGuide, putting the companys entire library of powerful, time-tested self-improvement techniques at everyones fingertips.

WiseGuide goes beyond the benefits of traditional mindfulness and meditation teachings to deliver a vast library of targeted, impactful programs that can help users achieve specific, life-changing personal and professional goals, including boosting athletic performance, building healthier relationships, cultivating better concentration and managing addictions.

Most people experience positive results immediately and remarkable life-transformation with regular, consistent use, said Effective Learning Systems founder Bob Griswold.

Features of the WiseGuide App include:

Over 120 prescriptive titles that address specific goals, including smoking cessation, weight control, stress management, better sleep and much more

A childrens collection for self-image and self-esteem

Effective studying and test taking for children from grade school through college

Programs to listen to while driving, exercising, working or even sleeping

Works on any iOS or Android mobile device

It is never too late to break bad habits, overcome fears, manage stress or improve virtually any other aspect of life, and its never been easier. The WiseGuide App can help people use the power of their own minds to take control and make lasting improvements. And all they have to do is listen.

The WiseGuide App was developed by Effective Learning Systems, whose founder Bob Griswold has been helping people harness the power of their own minds to make transformative changes for more than 45 years. His unique approach to meditation, guided imagery, positive affirmations, relaxation, self-hypnosis and more make his programs uniquely effective.

For more information http://www.thewiseguideapp.com

Original post:
The WiseGuide App: Gain Confidence, Happiness and Success - Women Love Tech

Once you start having a crush on someone, there is always a possibility of being friendzoned by that person which, if it happens, hurts more than a breakup, to be honest. You dont only lose a possible romantic relationship but also the friendship youve built with that person.

T-series

Moreover, while in a breakup you mostly start keeping your distance, this is not always the case in the friendzone.

You always nurture this hope that maybe one day youll get out of it and thats why you stick around, only to see them going out with other people and hurting yourself more in the process.

iStock

Its definitely not an easy task to move on from a relationship that you never had or a girl you love who doesnt reciprocate your feelings, but the sooner you realise that it is important for you to get over her, the better.

Colour Yellow Productions

It has happened to almost everyone and some who managed to fall out of love and move on (not out) from a friendzone situation shared some pearls of wisdom.

Here are some tips on how to get over someone who friendzoned you and move on, for real:

iStock

I feel like your priority is to improve your self-esteem and your mental health first before her.

Focus on improving yourself through exercise, videos about self-improvement (how to be caring, more confident, more social, etc.), your clothing style, your looks and more." --Reddit User.

Dharma Productions

Is there a solid friendship there independent of your romantic interest in her? Im in a similar situation myself. Theres a girl I love very much that I could see myself being either friends or in a relationship with. Weve been friends for a while. I told her she should consider dating me. She said no. Were still good friends because theres a solid friendship there and I wasnt just waiting in the wings to try and get in her pants. --Quora User

Dharma Productions

Just disconnect yourself slowly and surely. Get away for a bit. Keep reminding yourself you're just friends with her. If you could set her up with someone you know so you can turn on that she's a girl with a boyfriend mode unless that hurts too bad. Then go with disconnect. --Reddit User.

iStock

Distract yourself with video games with online friends (my preferred method lol) You don't necessarily have to reach out every time to help her. Just let her know that you're there and available to listen. --Reddit User.

iStock

If you are getting dates or hanging out with other friends, the friend who friendzoned you becomes second priority. The point is to not let a friendzone keep you from enjoying your life and dating and possibly starting a life with someone else. --Quora User.

More:
5 Men Who Were Friendzoned Share What Helped Them Fall Out Of Love & (Finally) Move On - MensXP.com