Itâs a common misconception that positive people see the world through rose-colored glasses. But according to Joffrey Suprina, the Dean and associate professor of the College of Behavioral Sciences at Argosy University, itâs about becoming a realistic optimist. At first glance, that might seem like a distorted oxymoron. However, Suprina states, âPositive thinkers are individuals who recognize both the bright side and the negative, but they choose to focus their energy and time on the side thatâs going to promote the most positive outcome.â
In other words, itâs not about ignoring one side of reality, but rather accepting the whole ofâŠ
Truthfully, when I wrote this I was actually falling apart. When I create content for you guys, I donât go in with the mindset that I have all the answers. Because I donât.
In this case, I wrote about what I strive to be one day and hope that you guys get there, too. I just want to say thank you to all our fans for your amazing support. Without you, this wouldnât be possible for me. <3
Today, I am grateful for the little things that make the bigger, more difficult things easier. I am grateful for coworkers that make the mundane fun. I am grateful for my boyfriend who manages to put a smile on my face even though we are both busy working during the day. I am grateful for the effort I am putting into my running (even though Iâm still very slow at this point). I am grateful for my students (some, at least), that make teaching worthwhile. As you can see, there are so many little great things that happen during the day, but oftentimes, they are overlooked as we power through other tasks at hand. Stop to focus on what makes you happy. Appreciate those things that make everything great in your life. Once you really stop and become mindful of those little joys, youâll see how truly wonderful life really is.
This is someone dying while having an MRI scan. Before you die, your brain releases tons and tons of endorphins that make you feel a range of emotions. Tragically beautiful.
Hey! It's been a while...So, I recently came across a series of videos on social media from this entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk. Needless to say, I was motivated to buy the book after hearing what he had to say...you should, too! Really inspired to build on what makes me happy: my art. Has also motivated me to come back to my blogs again. Thank you!
Are you having enough fun in your life? You might be going out a lot, or doing a lot of socializing, but are you maximizing the fun and personal enjoyment that youâre getting? There are some people who always seem to be surrounded by joy, no matter what theyâre doing, and there are others who donât seem to be enjoying themselves even in the most fun situations. Hereâs how to have more fun in your life (hint: itâs all in your attitude):
Check your bad mood at the door. Who care if youâre stressed about work, school, money or your relationships when it comes time for fun? Learn to leave those stressors behind when you get into a fun situation and focus on just enjoying the moment. If youâre preoccupied by worrying about other things in your life youâll never fully enjoy anything and even the most amazing moments can pass you by.
Unplug. Itâs great to take photos or videos and to document the special moments in our lives, but there comes a time where you need to put down your camera, phone, etc. and just experience whatâs happening around you. Donât live your life looking through the screen of your phone, worrying about capturing the perfect photos to post on Facebook when you can be actually living and experiencing the fun. Take a few quick snaps and then get into it rather than sitting and watching.
Go Figure:Miami Free Art Fridays: A Stroke of Genius You've hit your refresh button several times in anticipation for this day. Phone is charged and you're ready to go. That's right, ladies and gents. It's Friday. But not just any Friday: (Miami) Free Art Fridays. If you're a stranger to the movement, you might ask yourself, "what is this all about?" Well, the answer is pretty straightforward: artists from around the city produce beautiful works of art and share it with others. For free. Snap a pic. Post a hint. Boom. Fair game for all. Such a simple yet powerful concept has spread like wildfire, mainly as a result of the efforts of Registered Artist, the founder of Miami Free Art Fridays, who has utilized all forms of social media to get the word out regarding this group. Another great tool has clearly been word of mouth; an individual joins, for example, and then recommends someone else to follow suit. With over 2,000 followers and counting, it might not come as a surprise that some might find problems with the logistics of the concept in general. For instance, it may not go over so well if someone snags 5 pieces in the course of a day. Even so, such occurrences have not deterred the group, but rather added fuel to its blazing fire. The beauty of Miami Free Art Fridays is this: some of the most talented artists in the city are putting their treasured works of art out in the city for whoever comes across it. You are literally putting an extension of yourself out there in hopes that someone will see it. Unquestionably, it takes a lot to create something so beautiful, particularly the not-knowing-if-someone-grabbed-it-or-not please-post-a-pic-if-you-did is the killer. That's what's so amazing about the process, though: you create, not with the sole motivator of someone attaining it, but rather finding yourself as an artist along the way.
Go Figure: Take A Sip Of Coca Kolar It has been said that an artist draws their inspiration from the most unlikely of places. Coca Kolar did just that. A young street artist hailing from across the pond, Coca Kolar began his art journey seven years ago, and has been putting out amazing works of art ever since. "I was in the pub once and I was driving so I had a Coca-Cola. I liked the sound of cola so I changed it a bit," remarked Coca Kolar as to where his name came from. With that came the advent of his works, unique creations that can be seen in the quiet, remote areas of Reading, England. Coca Kolar admits that he enjoys the illegality of the art as well. "I always try to do something a little different" states Coca Kolar, using different styles, color combinations, and techniques. Coca Kolar also draws his inspiration from surrounding towns were the street art scene is thriving. "..towns like Bristol and Brighton have a graffiti scene that is banging..." It goes to say that, with any blossoming art scene, not all that glitters is gold. "There is a lot of crappy trashy graffiti around there," commented Coca Kolar when asked how the British culture has influenced his art. With that, he sought influence from other artists, including German ones. The use of big, bold letters, common amongst the German street art scene, have become a staple of his works of art. What's most inspiring about Coca Kolar and his art is the fact that, coming from a small town where the graffiti art scene is insignificant at best, he makes a continuous effort at venturing out and producing these notable works of art.
Go Figure: Hec One Love's Loveism Pop Up Shop Every good story begins with heartbreak. In this case, Hec One Love's "Loveism Pop Up Shop" is just that: his heart reflected through his various works of art. Hec One Love's "Loveism Pop Up Shop" was the main event this weekend (October 25-27) at the Wyn317 gallery, located in the heart of Wynwood. The first pieces that catch your eye as you walk in to the gallery are the "100 Loveisms"âblack and white abstract works central to all of his other pieces on display. While in conversation with Hec, he mentioned that by having so many works of art, the pieces on display were actually in a box the week before. The more I looked at these pieces and thought of what he said, the more I realized how perfect the analogy was for his pop up shop; love is not black and white, but rather a colorful, vibrant energy that needs to be expressed on a constant basis, not pent up. In this case, his expression of love carried onto his "loveisms," which have now become his most prominent works of art, some of which can be found on various walls in Wynwood today. His "loveisms" have clearly become something he stands strongly behind. I inquired about the beginnings of the term "loveism," and he jokingly shared his anecdote about the influence of a former love in his life and how she focused not on love, but rather the materialistic aspects of their former relationship. From that stemmed his "advocacy" toward love, striving to bring it to the forefront of how he conducts every aspect of his life. With that, Hec One Love took the perception of love and allowed it to evolve into what we know now as his ideology "loveism.â
You donât need anyoneâs affection or approval in order to be good enough. When someone rejects or abandons or judges you, it isnât actually about you. Itâs about them and their own insecurities, limitations, and needs, and you donât have to internalize that. Your worth isnât contingent upon other peopleâs acceptance of you â itâs something inherent. You exist, and therefore, you matter. Youâre allowed to voice your thoughts and feelings. Youâre allowed to assert your needs and take up space. Youâre allowed to hold onto the truth that who you are is exactly enough. And youâre allowed to remove anyone from your life who makes you feel otherwise.
Are you sick and tired of being dateless? Do you sit at home week after week while your friends are out on dates? Are you surrounded by people in relationships? Itâs time to get out there and meet someone for yourself! Here are 10 tips on how to meet people:
 1.   Get out. You will never meet anyone if you sit at home alone. No one is coming to knock on your door to meet you. You need to get out of the house and surround yourself with other human beings if you ever hope to meet someone.
2.   Practice makes perfect. If youâre shy it can seem daunting to start chatting up strangers and trying to meet someone, let alone asking someone out. Start practicing your social skills by talking to everyone. The cashier while youâre shopping, the bus driver, the lady in line behind you at the store, etc. If you make a habit of engaging strangers in conversation in low-pressure situations, youâll get used to doing it and be a pro at it by the time you want to talk to someone that you want to meet.
3.   Reach out. Let your friends and acquaintances know that youâre ready to meet someone. Ask them to set you up. They know you well so they can pair you with other people that they think youâll be a good match with.
I know these probably donât look too appetizing, but they are phenomenal. If you are a banana bread fan, youâd love these! Itâs an easy fix and super healthy.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine: 1/2 medium banana, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tablespoon ground flax seed, 1...
Today, the weather felt like Fall. I canât complain after the heat wave we just had. I absorbed it all up! I spent a couple hours reading a book by the lake with Mr. Grumples. The Fall weather made me crave pumpkin flavored anything! I remembered my friend, Anna,...
WAZZOCK
Wazzock was a particularly prevalentâand particularly loutishâinsult in the 1990s. At the time, âlad cultureâ ran throughout British music and television, and wazzock, a North-England accented contraction of the sarcastic wiseacre (a know-it-all) became a powerful tool to shoot people down in an argument.
LUMMOX
Though the etymology of lummox is heavily disputed, one thing is for certain: It came from East Anglia, the coastal outcrop of Britain above London. There, around 1825, someone threw out the word as an insult, and it stuck, becoming a typically British go-to term. Some linguists believe it comes from the verb lummock, which typified a lummox: it means a clumsy oaf.
SKIVER
Skivers and shirkers are one and the same. Someone who manages to duck under any responsibility and loaf around, doing very little, is a skiver. The origins of this particular insult are contested: some think itâs from an Old Norse wordâskifaâmeaning âslice,â whereby the worker slices off as much work as possible.
MINGER
Often hurled at the opposite sex, to call someone a minger is to say they are objectively unattractive. Though etymologists struggle to agree where the word came from, it seems likely that it stems from the Old Scots word meng, meaning âsh**.â We didnât say it was pretty.
NINCOMPOOP
For such a colloquial word, nincompoop actually has a very learned past. Samuel Johnson, the compiler of Englandâs first proper dictionary, claims the word comes from the Latin phrase non compos mentis (ânot of right mindâ), and was originally a legal term.
PILLOCK
As words are used more regularly, the laziness of pronunciation can often warp them slightly. So it was with pillock. Originally pillicock (a Norwegian slang word for penis), the word has since been condensed to plain old pillockâthough its meaning remains.
CLOD HOPPER
According to the brilliant Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, dating back to 1811 and compiled by Captain Francis Grose, a clod hopper refers to a country farmer or ploughmanâwith the implication nowadays that youâre slow witted and bumbling.
DUNAKER
Groseâs Dictionary of vulgarities is a rich seam of overlooked insults. In the 200 years since it was published, there have been several terms that have fallen out of favor. One of them is dunaker, a common thief of cows and calves.
GIT
By calling someone a git, youâre invoking the old Scots word get, which means âbastard.â When it came down south of the border, it lost its harsh vowel sound and became something softer, albeit with the required spikiness in.
