[callmebliss]

Y’ever read something and have understanding that has eluded you interminably suddenly stop, curl up, and snuggle neatly into a fold in your brain because a new way way opened to it?

[macleod]

I've seen this passed around a few times, and I have one thing to say:

It's online. The book was carefully and wonderfully recreated online by hand. You can find it here. The entire book is this easy.

calculusmadeeasy.org

[solassitudes]

sometimes it’s better refrain from deep introspection and allow yourself to just be.

[solassitudes]

and by that I mean: I don’t have to sit with myself and overthink and analyze and rationalize every ounce of my being. I am not a case study I am a person. faults and all. like any other person. sometimes I have to look at my mistakes and avoid self flagellation. sigh and learn what I can and move on. remember that I am living, and this is part of the process. free myself of that inner critic. allow myself to be, and try again.

[dimetrodone]

People horrifically fucking up facts about evolution and genetics too support their stupid beliefs or to seem smart and “rational” is probably one of my big pet peeves 

[bogleech]

Yeah. An enormous number of racists, misogynists, homophobes and transphobes I’ve met eventually whip out something about evolutionary biology and they never, ever, ever, ever have the slightest shadow of even a half-right idea what any of it means or ever cite a claim ever actually made by a scientific study.

Here’s a quick handy reference list or anyone who isn’t sure:

Homosexuality does exist in almost all social species.

“Alpha males” are not a real phenomenon and in fact the most aggressive males tend to be the least reproductively successful.

“Survival of the fittest” simply means that the success of a species hinges on how well it “fits” its environment. It does not mean that stronger or smarter individuals are supposed to succeed. Those things can even be a detriment in nature by wasting too many resources.

“Race” is not a biological concept. Someone who looks different from you has the same human genes, just a different grab-bag of dominant traits.

Evolution is not a march towards higher complexity, more intelligence or even more adaptability. It’s just a fluctuation of characteristics dictated by environmental pressures and mutation. A slime mold isn’t “less evolved” than a hawk, just adapted for success under different parameters.

People didn’t evolve “from apes.” It’s more complicated than that. We are a category of ape, sharing a common ancestor with the other apes.

No human on Earth is “closer” to an evolutionary ancestor than any other. We all descended from the same one.

Neanderthals were also a “sibling” species of ours. We didn’t evolve from them.

Some of us did, however, cross-breed with Neandethal man. It is exclusively non-African races, such as white people, who still carry hybrid human/Neanderthal genes. Whoops, sorry “white purity” skinheads, you’re actually mixed with a whole other species.

[sunny-butch-deactivated20220919]

Some more stuff!

Humans are actually more genetically homogeneous than most people suspect. This is possibly due to a population bottleneck at some point in our evolutionary past. Two chimpanzees from different sides of a jungle are likely more genetically different to each other than any two human beings in the world.

Our big brains may help us use tools, but what was really principal in their development was the need for empathy, communication, and cooperation.

Humans. Are. Social. So social it drove an incredibly energetically costly increase in our brain size.  Don’t believe anyone who says its our nature to fight “every man for themself.” We’re humans, not bears. We fight for each other.

And we always have. Fossil remains are found of ancient humans who bore signs of crucial mobility impairments that lived to notable ages. Some even have sticks or other mobility aids – community care and support is our way. We don’t cast off those with impairments, we stand by them.

Human sexual dimorphism is on a decreasing trend. Our ancestors had greater difference in canine size and overall size. Our dimorphism gap has gotten smaller.

Occam’s razor is the principal that whatever is the simplest explanation is probably the most likely one. Don’t believe someone who says the reason we evolved bipedalism is so that males could carry gifts to females to woo them. Yes, this is a real ‘theory’ on how bipedalism evolved.

Skin tone is an adaptation of UV levels vs vitamin D levels. Both come from the sun. UV is harmful, so where sun is plentiful populations develop a darker skin tone for more protection. The skin needs sun to create vitamin D, so where sun is scarce, the skin tone lightens to allow more sun in. This is literally all it is.

Final thing: No one’s mind is really equipped to fully understand how long a billion years is, or a million, or even tens of thousands of years. Evolution takes place over a loooong time. Its very, very, slow, slower than we can really comprehend. We can’t “stand in the way” of natural selection by caring for our ill. We don’t need to “help” evolution in any way. It inevitably happens, but not on any sort of timescale we could possibly affect, so don’t fall for anyone that tells you not to “stand in the way” of natural selection. That’s fascism, and its utterly pseudo-scientific.

Not to mention natural selection doesn’t have a “will” that you can stand in the way of. Its not an entity with wants, its a millions-year long process. And its impossible for our decisions to “stand in its way.” Our decisions to care for one another are what brought our species where it is, plain and simple.

[hermajestyimher]

Knowing that at the end of the day you only have yourself in this life, that you must ensure to set strong boundaries with the people and world around you to protect yourself, because nobody else will have to endure what you endured to be where you are in life, is essential. Never feel guilty for practicing self-preservation and ensuring that you always seek the things that are conducive to your best interests.

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

7 Tips for Overcoming Feelings of Inadequacy

1. Remind yourself that you are not who other people think or say you are.

2. Remind yourself that everybody makes mistakes at times, has areas of weakness, and things they want to change.

3. Remind yourself of ways in which you’ve grown and changed with time. You’re not who you once were - so celebrate how far you’ve come.

4. Also, the ending isn’t written and the future isn’t fixed. You’re free to change your image, and an old identity.

5. Identify the lies you have believed about yourself – and work on changing them so they’re more accurate and true. Also, don’t reinforce those lies by acting like you think they’re true.

6. Remember that your feelings are not the same as facts. Don’t live based on your feelings … as that will keep you trapped.

7. Hang out with those who see, and who appreciate, your worth. And take their words to heart, and let them help to build you up.

[just-shower-thoughts]

Saying “Fuck it” actually motivates me more than “You can do this”.

[addigni]

Because saying “fuck it” includes the total acceptance of failure as the outcome, meanwhile “you can do this” focuses only on the hopes of a successful outcome and the lack of acknowledgement of the equally probable failure outcome induces a certain level of unspoken anxiety

[prettyvixenavenue]

Do you have any tips on how to be consistent?

key to consistency:

being consistent can be hard but once you get into doing it and staying on top of doing it then it’ll we get easier. being consistent also help you reach goals, see results, and get all the things you want. what’s your motivation? what is two of your biggest goals and two of your smallest goals? and so on.

getting to a place that took time to reach but finally getting there is going to make you want to go harder. thinking about being inconsistent wouldn’t even cross your mind because it just wouldn’t fly in your book anymore. you know where inconsistenty gets you and stepping up and doing what’s needed, does.

small tips:

writing it down and seeing it what your eyes could help motivate you in being more consistent. (ex. block scheduling)

printing out pictures of this and that (vision or mood board) and decorating it in a way that you would like + detailing it by how, when by, where you will get this particular thing. or doing it online (pinterest) even in a powerpoint. so seeing that can be a big push. (ex. dream car, dream job, wishlist of things you want in your procession ).

powerpoint example of my old front cover of my manifestation/vision board:

also, setting alarms 🚨 or timing yourself on being on a particular app or doing a certain thing so you can move on and get done what needed to be done. (block scheduling)

it’s really nothing to it, you just have to have discipline, have motivation, and stay focused.

[eatapreist]

Academia for Med Students

hand drawing anatomy notes with excruciating detail, having specific study rituals, dragging yourself out of bed for early lectures, constantly switching between specialties, getting very excited about your field once you do settle on one, learning more about pain and human nature than you thought you would, being at peace with death, feeling like you’ve found yourself when you put on scrubs and a stethoscope, knowing the harm of all your vices and trying to make them better, and knowing all the work and long hours will be worth it in the end.

thank you @_ha.nnah on instagram for working with me on this!

[p96al]

self care is also being honest with yourself about your negative habits and mistakes. it’s also taking ownership of your faults and growing from them. self care is diverting from a negative space to a positive one. creating light and balance. blooming. watering your own flowers. being gentle but honest with yourself.

so take care.

[teacupstudies]

listen to me: you DO NOT always need to give it your 100%. you really do not. because let’s be honest, you’re human and you’re simply not always going to be able to. there are days when you can only give it your 80%. or your 50%, or heck, even your 10%. and THAT IS OKAY. only skimming one paragraph, only solving one equation, only memorizing 5 words is better than not doing anything because you have this idea in your head that things are only worth doing when you can give what you consider to be your 100%. 10% is better than 0% and some days that is all you can give. it will still add up, and you will still succeed, i promise.

[left-reminders]

[bakwaaas]

damn

[veralernt]

studying without the struggle to feel good enough. studying with interest and people to talk to when you don’t understand something. people who get lost in those topics with you over a drink or dinner in the evening, in a cozy bar after a day full of productive hours. walks and bycicle rides in the nights and in the early mornings because you spent the night in some shady apartment or club. motivation because you’re all in this together. happiness because it’s worth it. because you’re not alone.

[achillesreborn]

for those who do not love their education deeply

you are not 'spoilt'

you are not 'wasting' anything or anyone's time

the educational system is awful & you have every right to speak out against it

a teacher must teach you, but they must also entertain and encourage you. if they do not, that is out of your control

most dark academics are making the best of a bad situation

your mental health matters more than grades

not every subject will thrill & excite you. not enjoying literature, poetry or art doesn't make you a 'fake' academic

you can enjoy a subject without studying it & you have every right to say you enjoy it

barely passing or failing a course is not the end of the world. you will get better, whether that means continuing the course or dropping it for your true passion

sometimes you're not good at something, even if you love it. don't sacrifice your mental & physical health to pass a course that you find impossible, but let yourself enjoy it if you can

remember your worth is not in your grades.

[eintsein]

SOURCES + LINKS

Dr. Bradberry, Travis. (January 15, 2018). “How to make yourself work when you don’t want to.” Retrieved from: https://medium.com/the-mission/how-to-make-yourself-work-when-you-dont-want-to-f4f251a85514

MacLellan, Lila. (January 15, 2018). “How to stop procrastinating.” Retrieved from: https://work.qz.com/1159212/how-to-stop-procrastinating/

Sun, Michael. (February 17, 2014). “Psychological Skills: Changing your Emotions - An Intro to Cognitive Reappraisal.” Retrieved from: https://www.psychologyinaction.org/psychology-in-action-1/2014/02/17/psychological-skills-changing-your-emotions-an-intro-to-cognitive-reappraisal

My masterposts, infographics, printables, + more!

[driedrosy]

Don't sabotage your identity trying to name it. Let it be undefined, permeable, mixed, peculiar, unapologetically authentic. Be in peace with being unprecedented, with not fitting anywhere, with being adrift. Before flight, there's a free fall.

[figs-and-olives]

I actually dislike the fact that modernity and corporate culture and even the medical education system makes us define ourselves and our identities to prove our worthiness. Yes, I understand the employers/schools want to get to know you- but the extremism by which we are forced to know who we are a surface level rather than deep internal exploration is disturbing. Like what if I never felt like I fit in? What if all I want is to be authentic? Is that enough to land me a job in the career I want? Or are we doomed to being fake, confused versions of ourselves forced to name every little aspect of being before we’ve even understood who we are? 

[arvbicsoul]

education