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miracul0us-multishipper · 4 years

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Felix Idea

Continuation of this

“-and anyway, I told Marinette pink is just her color, but I’m sure you would have swooned if you’d seen her in that blue dress she made. Like, not even you, Sunshine would have been able to get out a word in the presence of that angel! A revelation in pastel hues, lemme tell you!”

“Alya,” Felix managed to interrupt her when she had to take a breath. Finding the Ladyblogger had been easy, but getting her to shut up for long enough to speak? Not so much. “Marinette” - or Marian, or whatever her name had been - “looks great! I believed you the first fifteen minutes you told me about it, and I still do now.”

“Oh, but you can’t believe it until you have seen her!”, Alyas blonde friend - Rose? - emphasized as her goth girlfriend nodded along. “We should go visit her right away or you’ll miss the opportunity to witness true lov- beauty!”

God, how did his cousin survive these girls. Felix had only been in their presence for minutes and he already felt the urge to stick his head in the Seine, just to drown out their voices in his ringing ears!

“Later.” he promised, “But I came here to ask you something, and it’s really important.”

Alya had the self control to keep her mouth shut and nod. Finally.

“A few months ago, you posted that interview with Ladybug on your blog, remember?”

Alya nodded again, enthusiasm sparking in her eyes. Before Felix could stop her, she was talking again.

“Pff, if I remember? Boy, that was like, the kickstart of my journalistic career! If our little networking Queen hadn’t managed to convince LB-“

“Alya!”, he interrupted again, his mind racing to keep up with her. Networking Queen? “I need you to listen. You’re my friend, right? Friends listen.”

Immediately, she let herself fall back next to him.

“Right! Sorry! Gettin’ a little carried away here.”

“No problem!”, Felix pressed out with the friendliest, most Adrien-like smile he could muster up. Even if he was at the brink of loosing his mind.

“Anyway. Our ‘Networking Queen’... I need you to get me a meeting with her. Today.”

Alyas eyes began to sparkle in a way that made Felix wonder of this had been a mistake.

“Oooooh, I get it.”, she all but cooed. “You want some alone time with your ‘just a friend’?”

“A date between model and fashionista?”, Rose chirped up, that same expression in her eyes.

“Chat Noir’s voice talking to our Everyday Ladybug?”, Juleka followed suit, red eyes eerily unblinking.

They could’ve texted him in ancient hieroglyphs and he would’ve understood more than the nonsense that had just left their mouths.

He was about to give up - fuck it, he’d just create an Akuma and wait for Ladybug to show up - when a shrill voice caught his attention.

“Did I just hear ‘Ladybug’?”, snickered a blonde girl walking out of a nearby boutique. “Because if you want to talk heroes, Adrie-chérie, you’ll want to talk to me!”

“Chloé”, Alya growled, but Felix wasn’t listening anymore.

Everything clicked into place.

Networking Queen? Chloé knew lots of famous people by living in an exclusive hotel.

Adrien’s ‘just a friend’? Who else could it be than his oldest companion, who was also too much of a headache to ever be considered more than a friend?

Fashionista? Well... personally, Felix would have preferred to go blind this very instant before having to look at that garish yellow jacket again, but Chloé’s mother still was the Style Queen.

And an Everyday Ladybug? He might not know how, but Chloé did have a miraculous at some point, making her a lower-tier, more ordinary hero. An everyday Ladybug, if you wanted to flatter her and insult the goddess that was Ladybug.

In other words: The contact that would get him Ladybugs attention? It was Chloé Bourgeois! Everything made sense now.

“Well, that’s my cue.”, Felix told the three furies next to him and got up. Chloé looked surprised when he actually walked over to her, but the girls? They looked flabbergasted.

“W-Wait a sec! Didn’t you want to go to Marinette’s with us?”, Rose pouted, tears forming in her ridiculously oversized eyes.

“Yeah!”, Alya complained. “Since when would you rather hang out with Chloé than grab some pastries and compliment Mari?!”

That’s it. Felix had had it with their pushy, unhelpful and downright obsessive interest in his view on some amateur-designers dress of the day! Jesus Christ, did Paris do this to people or were they just born with an endless reservoir of mindless chatter?!

“For the record,” Felix’ friendly facade began to crack as his smile turned malicious, “I do not want to visit Marinette. In fact, I do not care about this Marinette at all! And I don’t care about you, your infuriating riddles and your absolute gibberish either!”

Chloe next to him spit out the smoothie she’d been slurping and stared at him in disbelief, but he wasn’t done yet. Now that their faces varied from shock to anger to hurt, he had an idea for a back-up plan. Prime Akuma-material was prime Meeting-Ladybug material, after all.

“It has been almost half an hour until something even vaguely useful left your mouth!”, Felix happily continued his rant. “Up to then, the only thing you did was bore me to death with your tabloid of a blog, some band I now wish I’d never heard of, and the oh-so glorious color choice of a dress that isn’t even finished yet! I mean, I don’t know about you, but I have a very important and busy life! So, if you’ll excuse me?”

He straightened his jacket and turned towards Chloé’s limousine.

“I have interesting people to spend my day with.”

All four watched him get into the car, mouths agape, before a sharp “Chloé!” Let the blonde remember she was supposed to follow him.

“Uh, Yeah!”, she stammered towards the other three. “So long, you... uh... uninteresting people!”

“Are you alright?”, Chloé asked him for the third time since they had arrived at her room. “I mean, not to say I don’t approve of you realizing how stupid they are, but that was kind of... sudden.”

“I told you, Chloé.”, he faked patience. “I just want to spend some time with you! My best and oldest friend!”

“Oh”, she perked up. “Well, then! We didn’t hang out in ages, Adrikins!”

She threw herself into a red-cushioned armchair, sighing.

“It’s been so long, I don’t even remember what we used to do all the time.”

A shrill, uncomfortable laugh escaped her, slowly dying down when she realized he wasn’t laughing along.

“So... uh, what do you want to do? We could play Ladybug and Chat Noir! I have these wicked expensive cosplays in my closet you have to see, maybe I’ll let you borrow the Chat Noir one! Sabrina usually plays him, but she’s got a cold and I definitely won’t let her contaminate it with some sort of poor people disease! So-“

“Why don’t we talk a little, for now?”, he cut her off, inspecting the numerous wardrobes in the room. Any sign that Ladybug frequented this place would be enough to raise his mood.

“About you being Queen Bee, for example! You and Ladybug must be... close.”

He turned around to her and she laughed.

“Close? We are BFFs! I mean, sure, she hasn’t given me a Miraculous in a while, but she still adores me. Everybody does, right?”

She laughed again.

“Right?”

Not bothering to answer, he rolled his eyes.

“Surely you must have a way to contact her.”, he hinted at his end goal of this conversation. “As close as you are, you must be talking all the time.”

“W-well...”, Chloé started, something unreadable in her expression, before she shook her head. “Of course! The bee signal, it’s on my balcony.”

She led him outside, proudly turning on what looked like a giant spotlight with bee motive.

“Cool, huh?”

Felix’ carefully cheerful face crumbled. This... was it? His chance at meeting Ladybug was nothing more than a glorified pocket torch on some rich girls‘ roof?!

“Cool?”, he laughed in disbelief. “Tell me, Chloé... has she ever actually answered your signal?”

The girl faltered.

“What?”

“Did Ladybug”, he hissed, anger pooling in his chest, “ever react to this thing?”

“I mean...”, she shrugged, “One or two times, I guess? But you can’t measure our friendship in how often she visited me, right? I mean, you didn’t visit a lot either!”

She laughed, but it sounded insecure now.

“Wow, that came of accusing! You know I adore you though, right, Adrikins?”

Sighing she leaned on the balcony railing.

“I bet you missed hanging out with me! It’s just that so much is changing for you right now, adjusting to school life and all, and you’re so crowded by these losers all the time. Sometimes I think you forget that we’re friends entirely, ha ha! That is, until I... until people are upset with me for some stupid reason.”

She talked on and on and on. Why was everybody talking so much today? Why did no one see how important this day was? How long he had pined for this moment to arrive, only to have it kept just out of reach.

“Hey, do you think you have time on Friday?”, Chloé finally ended her monologue. “Daddy is officially opening up our new spa area, and we’ve deserved a little break! Being popular is so exhausting.”

Felix let out a dry, bitter laugh and finally turned to his cousin’s childhood friend.

“Popular?”, he wanted to snarl, but it came out tired. “You’re not popular, Chloé. Get real.”

“Um, excuse-“

“No. I have had a thoroughly disappointing day, and I can’t stand to see more uselessness today.”

He sighed, ignoring how Chloé was backing away from him.

“Nobody likes you.”, he said matter-of-fact. “Who are you kidding? Ladybug won’t show up, and neither will anyone else. Any day. And I guess you should come to accept that, because the longer you entertain yourself with your little illusion, the more it will hurt when you realize you are hopeless.”

“Adrien, what’s gotten into you?”, she shook her head, trembling hands balled to fists. “You can’t speak to me like that!”

“Yeah?”, he mocked her, desperate to let off some steam. “Why not? Is your Daddy going to throw money at me? Is your Mommy going to call me by the wrong name and pretend to fire me? Or is it just you she does that with?”

Now she actually flinched, eyes as wide as dinner plates. He can only muster up a halfhearted chuckle.

“Do me a favor, Chloé, now that you couldn’t even get Ladybug here. Go away. You bore me so, so much.”

He expected a fight - hoped for one, actually. So when she retreated, carefully, before turning and running away, he was almost disappointed. Because now he was alone on the roof, with no Akuma in sight, and the glorious Ladybug spending her day somewhere else entirely. Or maybe she was with Adrien. Maybe she had arrived the minute he had left, because that was just how lucky he was.

He sank to his knees, exhaustion pulling him down.

It had always been like this. Adrien was the lucky one, and he was just his little cousin.

Adrien, the prodigy son. The heir to a fashion empire, with parents who actually cared about where he was. The junior fencing champion, and multilingual genius, and the flawless face that was plastered all over Paris. Everybody loved Adrien, that was just how it was.

Even... Even Ladybug. For some reason his birdbrained, pampered cousin had the attention of the one person Felix wanted for himself.

No matter how unlikely, or unlogical, or unfair it was: Adrien always won, without even trying.

Meanwhile Felix schemed and planned and worked, but it never amounted to anything. Even though he was so much smarter. Even though he looked almost the same as his cousin. Even though he deserved it! God, with his luck, Adrien probably had a Miraculous too and spend all his freetime wooing Ladybug!

While he was stuck here, with children unworthy of his time, wasting his precious day in Paris.

He should have just-

“Chloé?”, a voice interrupted his laments. He looked up. That voice...

“Chloé!”, she repeated, landing skillfully next to the pool. “Are you alright? You turned on the signal, is there an Ak... A-Adrien?!”

Felix rose to his feet, staring at the apparition before him with awe. Black hair, tied into playful pigtails on the back, framed a face that “beautiful” didn’t even begin to describe. Clear blue eyes looked at him from underneath her red mask, the look in them so open and happy he felt his heart swell.

“Ladybug”, he whispered.

For once in his life, he was lucky.

- - -

Our spoiled brat is throwing a pity party, but now we‘re getting to the fun part!

#miramu writes #miraculous ladybug #mlb #ml felix #chloe bourgeois #alya cesaire #rose lavillant #juleka couffaine #felix agreste #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng

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btsorpheus · 4 years

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(BTS (방탄소년단) MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 'Interlude : Shadow' Comeback Trailer; Jan. 9, 2020.)

MIN YOONGI IS DEAD, WHO KILLED MIN YOONGI?

BTS have never been afraid to be horrifically personal in their works. Even in 2013, when they first started out, their songs criticized the grueling nature of being a K-pop idol. In “We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2,” one of the songs on their first album, RM declares that they are, indeed, “bulletproof” even as Jungkook recalls “[giving] up sleep for [his] dreams” and Suga confesses, “My limit was broken in the / double standards and many oppositions.”

Out of the seven members, Suga has been the most revealing of his interiority. This usually comes through his music more than any other source.

One of the songs my roommate cried through was on his solo album, Agust D. Agust D is one of his many monikers: born Min Yoongi, beginning his rap career as Gloss, rebranded by Big Hit Entertainment as Suga, and self-declared Agust D (which is “Suga” backwards plus DT, which allegedly stands for Daegu Town, his home). Agust D is a deeply personal album in which he discusses his social anxiety, depression and implied suicidal intent, and growing ambition amidst it all.

Which is the real man? The vulnerable and furious rapper, the K-pop idol, or the boy born in Daegu?

The answer feels like it should be obvious. But as Hitchcock’s 1958 thriller Vertigo proves, people don’t always want real.

Vertigo is an Orphic film that intertwines with celebrity. By the time this film was released, Alfred Hitchcock was already an established director and the film’s star, Jimmy Stewart, was a popular and well-liked Hollywood leading man. Though the film was largely unrecognized when originally released, it has since become a cult classic with a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Like BTS, Vertigo has slowly accumulated celebrity and respect over time.

In the film, the hero, a detective named Scottie, falls in love with Madeleine, the woman he’s been tasked by an old classmate to follow. However, Madeleine appears to be possessed by her ancestor, a woman named Carlotta. And to top it all off, Madeleine is not even real--she’s really Judy, a young woman hired by the classmate to pretend to be the true Madeleine.

Three woman exist in Judy: herself, Madeleine, and Carlotta. Scottie is convinced that he is in love with Madeleine. Even when just Judy wants him, he tries to reshape her into the Madeleine he thought he knew.

Scottie occupies the role of Orpheus--a man chasing after the woman he loved, a woman who is technically dead. Scottie’s attempts to resurrect Madeleine echo Orpheus’s attempt at guiding Eurydice out of the Underworld. It is, from the start, a doomed endeavor.

Judy/Madeleine must then represent Eurydice. Though perhaps not evident in Ovid’s myth, Eurydice is often depicted as different in life and death in later iterations. Judy/Madeleine is extremely fragmented, but even the Eurydice of French filmmaker Jean Cocteau’s Orpheus (1950) changes after death. Lively and happy in life, she becomes quiet and stiff in death.

(Orpheus (1950) dir. Jean Cocteau.)

In both films, the mirror is used as a signal to the viewer that there is a separate virtual reality that the characters are in contact with. In Orpheus, the mirror is their portal to the Underworld--a physical parallel reality. In Vertigo, the mirror is a nod to Scottie’s deluded belief in the Madeleine he thought existed.

In Suga’s music video for “Interlude : Shadow,” he opens the song by standing in front of a door, which transforms into a reassembled mirror--that then acts as a portal to introduce a second Suga behind it (as shown in the header image on this section). It’s eerily similar to the mirrors of Cocteau’s film--gateways to a separate, parallel reality.

The Orpheus myth demands a death. Eurydice must die so that Orpheus can make his katabasis, and she must remain dead so that Orpheus can mourn so powerfully that he "[draws] the trees, / the beasts, the stones to follow” (Ovid 259). Eurydice must die so that Orpheus can succeed.

On Agust D’s “The Last,” Suga kills Min Yoongi: “Min Yoongi is dead already (I killed him).” If Min Yoongi is dead, then who is singing? Since the album is credited under Agust D, then it must be him. But his idol identity as Suga is still present; a majority of the listeners tuning into Agust D are only doing so because they already know him as Suga from BTS.

Min Yoongi must die so that Suga can succeed. In Vertigo, Judy and Madeleine can’t coexist for Scottie, and though Scottie and his grief-stricken attempts to bring Madeleine back make him an Orpheus-figure, the mytheme of the fated separation of lovers is echoed in Madeleine and Judy’s inability to coexist even if both women, though one is fictional, have fallen in love with Scottie.

Suga can’t constantly exist as both his constructed (or, fictional) idol persona and his organic self. RM recognizes this same conflict in “Intro : Persona,” in which he questions his identity and who he wants to be. The idea of death comes back into play as he asks, “Who the hell am I? / Tell me all your names baby / Do you wanna die?” Though the question is posed in the second-person, he later addresses the several personas he has to wear in his daily life:

“The 'me' that I remember and people know”

“The 'me' that I created myself to vent out”

“The 'me' that I want myself to be”

“The 'me' that people want me to be”

“The 'me' that you love”

“And the 'me' that I create”

“The 'me' that's smiling”

“The me that's sometimes in tears”

(RM dancing in front of a set of mirrors in the MV for “Intro : Persona.” March 27, 2019.)

As an internationally famous group, BTS face a lot of pressure to maintain a public image. To do so, they must sacrifice who they would’ve been otherwise: the idea of being a normal person with a normal life. Now, they must play the personalities that “people know” and “love,” and who “people want [them] to be.”

They essentially confirm the existence of their public masks in a Q&A during a fan event, 2019 Festa. It’s not just RM who feels this pressure, but all of them. J-Hope and Jin both discussed their need to be “cheerful” and full of “energy” on-camera and in public in order to maintain the optimistic façades that their fans are used to seeing.

But the public self isn’t always a danger. Jimin commented, “As BTS, I tend to be assertive and I’m a very confident guy. But what troubles me is whether Jimin as BTS and Park Ji Min should be more alike or different.”

They project qualities they admire in an effort to be perfect idols, but in doing so have become almost static, idealized role-models both for their fans and for themselves.

(BTS (방탄소년단). Jungkook in BTS MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 Concept Photo Sketch #2. Feb. 19, 2020.)

As the youngest member of BTS, Jungkook presents another form of Eurydice’s death in his solo song on Map of the Soul: 7, “My Time.” In it, he recounts his journey from being a trainee to his current position as one of the most popular idols in the industry.

Because he’s the youngest member, Jungkook debuted at the age of 16. This isn’t unusual in K-pop; superstar Taemin debuted at 14. But he’d been training all through his formative years and begun his career before even graduating high school--because of that, he’s had to “[become] a grown-up faster than everyone else.” As his peers continued their education or completed their compulsory military service, Jungkook has been caught up in the constant whirlwind of the entertainment industry, feeling “alone in a different time and space.”

Jungkook describing his career as an idol as a form of isolation is reminiscent of Eurydice’s fatal imprisonment. There’s a reason the musical Hadestown depicts the Underworld as a highly industrialized institution that Eurydice binds herself to, locked up behind a restrictive contract not dissimilar from a K-pop “slave contract.”

Like how Suga sacrifices his private self for the glory of being a public figure, Jungkook has sacrificed his childhood to grow into a celebrity. In an interview from the third episode of BTS’s documentary series Burn the Stage, Jungkook calls his sense of self “a manifestation of all [the other members’] characters coming together.” Jungkook says, “What I see, feel, and learn is mostly from the members.” Whoever Jungkook would’ve become had he not entered the Korean entertainment industry has been lost. But unlike Suga, who intentionally “killed” Min Yoongi, his loss has been a gradual, perhaps accidental one.

In this, BTS continues the Orphic myth: whether Eurydice’s death is an accident or not varies on the teller.

In this way, BTS have come to occupy both the Orpheus and Eurydice roles. As Orpheus, they’re powerful and influential musicians who cross physical and linguistic boundaries. As Eurydice, they sacrifice a part of their selves in a performative death to be public personalities.

Even though Madeleine and Judy can’t coexist, Orpheus and Eurydice come in a pair. The Orpheus of Sarah Ruhl’s play Eurydice is distraught without her--he loses his sense of reality and self when she dies, and it’s this distress that motivates him to find her. The clerk officiating Orfeu’s marriage in Black Orpheus turns to Mira, a woman outside the myth’s typical structure, to jokingly ask if she’s Eurydice under the assumption that Orpheus and Eurydice must always be together.

Black Orpheus, like Vertigo, is a film surrounded in stardom. The fame of Brazil’s Carnival, the holiday during which Black Orpheus takes place, surrounds the film, and portraying Orpheus as a local celebrity plays into the struggles of maintaining a public image. Orpheus is expected to marry Mira, the queen bee in their community, but pines after the quiet newcomer, Eurydice. He struggles between maintaining his reputation as a beloved musician and becoming the man who breaks Mira’s heart--and when he chooses the latter, his once-fans immediately turn against him and destroy his home.

Because BTS’s songs are as much about the downsides of fame as they are about BTS--their personal struggles, or at least the ones they’re willing to share, stem from that aspect of themselves.

BTS, with their public personas, come to embody both halves of the mythic pair. And while Eurydice must die in some respect (“I killed [her]”), she lives on, like a ghostly shade, in others.

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jose-a-perez · 5 years

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXP3n8eywuc&t=154s

I have been both: the dark and the light.

I have been both the victim and the persecutor. I have experienced ego to its extremes of illusion of control, and I also have been blessed by the divine Grace of illumination.

I have experienced both anger and joy, revenge and hatred, love and pure compassion.

I have been all these people. I am all of you.

I am beyond that which is called ego. I am eternal divine Love.

Wisdom is the precious nectar that I collect after all my inner work as a dedicated bee/pupil of life on Earth.

All the self forgiveness and forgiveness towards others is the ultimate work of the master within.

Humility and the courage to face the truth is very scary to the ego. And yet, it is the only path to true liberation into the authentic Self, where ego takes its righteous place as the servant to the Soul and heart.

Ego becomes the joyful motivator and collaborator to our ever infinite expansion and growth into more of our veritable Light. Heart and Soul lead the way, always.

This is my real work. To focus within, and look beyond the past hurts, beyond the illusory reality we have been playing in.

To incarnate the inner master within, I must deliberately focus my attention within my inner truth, my true heart’s guidance in a balanced and wise way.

My most difficult work consists of being part of this world, and yet, not so much of it in order to create what truly resonates within my true being.

As I gave away my power every time I cared about what other people thought, did, and expected of me and of this planet, I turned away from the inner knowing that all is created from within. I turned away from my own capacity to choose for myself, and let others choose for me. Which in itself has been an interesting experience and taught me well.

The source of all suffering is when we deny ourselves of the truth and extent of our true Power.

Now that I remember who I truly am, I am blessed with the veil being uplifted on my temporary amnesia. I remember and realize all that I am within, first.

Dedicated practice to look within with Love and Compassion, to look outward into the mirror of truth is the opportunity we are presented with every step of the way.

The wisest ones used to teach that illumination and practice is one and the same. It is not so much an event, as it is a continuous process without beginning or end. It is an infinite upward spiral, if you choose so.

Becoming aware of one’s every thought, becoming aware of how it truly serves you or not in each moment is a very powerful and refined art that requires dedicated practice and devotion to the evolution of one’s own consciousness and that of All that is, for ultimately, one’s transformation affects all.

This is the true Service of the Lightworker. This is our true purpose, whether we realize it in our own way through our own path as unique individuals walking on Earth at this time, and immemorial times past and future.

Look into the eyes of others you encounter on your path without judgement but using discernment as you see into the windows of their Soul. Become the compassionate observer, and offer your divine presence as an uplifting embrace.

Let go of all your attachments and judgements. Ultimately, let go of all of your fears, look right into them and make them your ally so that they do no longer control you.

You only reclaim the Power that is You when you melt and die with your fear. Then, and only then can you be truly free.

Unconditional Love is who we truly are; it is our divine inheritance. And yet, it takes practice to ground and anchor it more within our earthly being. As with everything, the more you practice the more it becomes easier. Love naturally flows with ease and grace.

You are meant to flow with ease and grace. This is the promise of the shift. Of the New Earth.

Let it come, with your devotion and the power of your intention. Trust in your intuition – in your inner knowing – about when and where to be in each moment. You are always where you are meant to be to serve your purpose.

Life is truly magical. We are magical beings. It is imprinted into our DNA.

Our divine blueprints as Gods and Goddesses, Creators and Weavers of the Light is right here. Within, ready to emerge and be realized once again.

As above, so below.

There are no limitations whatsoever to what you may achieve, other than your own beliefs.

The inner Buddha/Christ lives within all. It is within you, ready to soar and shine brighter and brighter as you read these lines.

The time of your sufferings is over. The power is within your hands. It has always been within you.

You always have the choice to look deeper and beyond; into the higher purpose of things.

Apparent challenges are only opportunities to discover the power of your inner Light. All serves your evolution and transformation into who you are meant to be.

Trust in the infinite wisdom of Soul. The whole Universe is at its service.

This is what teachers and masters have taught for ages. This is what your inner master naturally knows. Let her/him lead the way.

You are more than ready. For you are the ones we have been waiting for.

With all my Love,

As we are part of each other.

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staymotivatedbyself · 4 years

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Tips to Always Stay Motivated By Yourself

I used to think I was unstoppable. Only six months ago, I had been Juggling a demanding full-time occupation, graduate faculty, and a site while maintaining a decent social life and a joyful marriage. I then made my job and began working for myself.

I opened an Etsy store, recommitted to blogging, and envisioned a hectic career in the not-so-distant future with many different creative freelance opportunities involving writing, making, teaching, and consulting. With my additional 40+ hours per week, I really could do EVERYTHING.

Subsequently I obtained re-acquainted with reality. Where once I was a steam engine, composing blog posts in my morning commute, completing papers on my lunch break, squeezing brunch, Orange Is The New Dark , and laundry into a weekend filled with readings and research, I was now only a sedentary homebody--getting plenty of sleep, thinking about food a good deal, and appreciating easy moments of silent nothingness.

Like a balloon from the previous weekend's birthday celebration, I had been gradually deflating, losing all motivation to do whatever , let alone everything.

What Occurred? Unexpectedly, I had to deal with the absence of pressure. I was forced to determine the way to do things in my own, for myself, at my own pace. Sounds great, however, ideal?! Wrong.

When you've spent years relying on outside deadlines to keep you busy, you are left feeling pretty lazy and uninspired when these pressures vanish. Fortunately, there's a wealth of research on the best way best to stay motivated and stimulate imagination, which is particularly useful for artists, designers, manufacturers, and anybody self employed in a creative field.

Here Is What I've discovered:

Watch Motivational Movies

as per experts stud shows that if you watch motivational movies your motivational is also high. so, if you feel demotivated watch motivational movies which helps you to stay motivated.

Use Your Strengths

Positive psychologists Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman. Have found that comprehension and actively practicing your best character strengths enhances your general well-being and enjoyment. Capitalizing on your unique character strengths during work may also energize you and lead to a more satisfying career.

All these Character strengths, or"values in action," incorporate a listing of twenty five positive traits, from prudence to gratitude to bravery, we strongly identify and exercise regularly. Discover your top personality advantages through the free VIA Survey of Character Strengths [http://www.viacharacter.org/Survey/Account/Register], then correct your job to best use them in your everyday targets and tasks.

For Example, I know that one of my top character strengths is standpoint -- discovering ways of making sense of the world and sharing shrewd counsel with others. Just how can I use that in my creative work? Maybe by collecting the information I know about imagination and inspiration and sharing that with other girls...

Seek Intrinsic Motivators

Why Did She Makes Things card [https://www.etsy.com/listing/62380611/why-did-she-make-things-card] from Pinwheel Designs

Extrinsic motivation is so last century. According to best-selling writer Daniel H. Pink, External rewards and punishments, or"carrots and sticks," are not only unsuccessful at inspiring quality work but also detrimental. "Science is showing," Pink says,"that carrots and sticks can promote bad behaviour, create addiction, and promote short term thinking at the cost of this long-view."

So what is the solution? Harnessing your inner drivers of success, your inborn motivation. To try it, suspend the thought for a moment that you are engaged in a creative quest to finally earn gobs of cash, fame, praise, and appreciation. Sure, it is great to try for them, and you clearly will need to exude sufficient success to encourage yourself, however, the best way to create truly great work is to locate intrinsic motivators. Here's how:

1. Infuse your creative job with more significance, a larger purpose, which will help direct you through the difficult times. 2. If appropriate, battle for freedom (by which I mean alternative, not necessarily independence) in everything you can do, when you perform it, how you can do this, and that you do it with. 3. Create command a main focus. What is more rewarding seeing yourself improve on your craft? Set"Big Hairy Audacious Goals"We

All know the value of establishing goals for ourselves, but the majority of the advice I have read sings the praises, almost exclusively, of little, realistic, short-term goals. Do not get me wrong, these are crucial to advancement. Reachingn incremental goals gives you the confidence to keep going.

Equally significant, but are such giant, pie-in-the-sky objectives. I do not only mean dreams and aspirations but those big, hairy, audacious goals--painfully challenging but also concrete and quantifiable.

The expression"BHAG" (declared BEE-hag, short for Big Hairy Audacious Goal) was coined by industry advisor and writer Jim Twenty years back, and the phenomenon has been a important part of company leadership ever since. A BHAG, which is meant to be quite difficult but not impossible to achieve and require ten or more years of commitment, is meant to be so exciting the vision of achieving it kicks into gear, and working toward it will necessarily change you, even if you never reach the finish line.

Put the Mood

Write Drunk Edit Sober print [https://www.etsy.com/listing/120924719/write-drunk-edit-sober-ernest-hemingway?ref=sr_gallery_3&ga_search_query=write+drunk+edit+sober&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=1&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery] available at Harvey Grey

The best time to be creative may not be when you believe. If you're a morning person, it is likely late at night, once you're unfocused, calm, and at a positive disposition.

For night owls, the exact same is true in the first morning. So once you have to get the creative juices flowing, avoid waiting till you're in a rush on a project then downing some coffee to jolt you into equipment. In reality, the stud demonstrates that a beer may be more useful in sparking creative thinking, while the coffee is more helpful in executing your thoughts.

Also consider painting your workspace a Cool, calming color, like blue or green. Research conducted by the University of British Columbia showed that"blue enhances performance on a creative task."

And, Of course, make certain that you're getting enough exercise, which will not only enhance your physical health but also boost your sleep, reduce stress, enhance your mood and overall well being, also lead to growth in the other areas of your life [http://blog.bufferapp.com/why-exercising-makes-us-happier], such as your creative practice.

Set Your Schedule

Which defines the daily programs of the planet's most famous creative folks, it is that there is not any one-size-fits-all program. If you are starting a brand new creative venture or attempting to reinvigorate your current artistic practice, consider experimenting with different routines.

The very first place to begin is in bed. Make sure you're getting the Right amount of sleep for your particular age, health, and way of life. The 8-hour recommendation which most of us know is actually just an average [http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need] -- a few adults need fewer hours though some need much more.

Next, when starting a creative job, make sure to give yourself enough time to find stream (psychology), The psychological state related to being"fully immersed in a feeling of energized attention, full participation, and enjoyment in the process" of an action that is perfectly suited to your current skill level (i.e. not overly simple in order to be dull, not so challenging so as to be bothersome ).

And finally, do not forget that your focus has a natural rhythm, just as your body understands when you will need sleep (notice: circadian rhythm [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm]) and when to menstruate. Attempt to schedule routine breaks [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208131529.htm]Throughout your workout to deactivate and refresh your mental attention. My favourite method for doing this, especially during more emotionally taxing tasks, is the Pomodoro technique [http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/the-pomodoro-technique-is-it-right-for-you.html]. Stay Creatively Fuele

This May be a difficult one to swallow, however, the very best fuel for imagination is distress. The easiest way to churn out the exact same work over and above is to get familiar with your skills and techniques, but seeking new problems will challenge your abilities. Conflict can be a hidden resource for inciting innovation [http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/turn-conflict-into-creativity-5-tips.html]. Bettering your worldview through authentic multicultural adventures will improve your creative thinking

Never Underestimate the ability of this buddy-system, from crossing the street to crossing things off your list. Commit to a group of similar creatives or identify a person in your field who may appreciate some mutual responsibility, a close friend or relative who isn't afraid to call out you for slacking, or, ideally, someone who is both.

Create urgency by regularly setting hard deadlines and sticking to them. Research shows [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12009041]That imposing strict deadlines on your own results in far better and more consistent performance. It is a no brainer. Consider creating a simple accountability chart [http://www.sparringmind.com/productivity-science/] to maintain progress.

Procrastination? Just Say No.

Easier said than done, right? Well, understanding the science of Procrastination might help you overcome it. Psychologists think that procrastination has all to do with disposition [http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303933104579306664120892036]--we delay beginning a job to prevent the negative feelings of anxiety or worry connected to the challenge. The remedy is to concentrate on repairing your mood in much more productive ways:

* Time Travel: Visualize how good you will feel when you finish your task. * Just Get Started: Inform yourself you only have to do the first one or two steps. Everyone's done it, at least one time... * Easy Things First: Build momentum by beginning with the steps which you feel like doing.

Persevere

YouTubeRecognize that disappointments and frustration are inevitable. Hopefully, you've already been inspired by this quote from Ira Glass to keep trying despite feeling as if you're falling short.

Also, Know the key to your success will not really depend on your own skills, abilities, talents, or even your intellect. What you want to triumph is grit. Psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth discovered that the greatest predictor of a person's achievement is self explanatory, the tenacity to perpetrate long-term goals despite hardship.

#motivation

0 notes

mlmcompanies · 4 years

Link

You’re probably here because you’ve been dreaming about a new life… but instead of creating it you just keep passing out and waking up to the same life every day.

Burn your vision boards and trash your bucket lists. Drop the get-rich-quick schemes and “get skinny while eating pizza all day!” diets.

There’s no magic to success. It’s hard work… but that’s not all it is (although you do need to stop being lazy).

It’s about smart work. You know the old saying “80% of your success comes from 20% of your efforts”. Being more successful is about working toward your goals in a smarter way so that all of your efforts lead to success and you have more time to live your life instead of wasting away in an office.

For similar articles, check out the best online business ideas, the best small business ideas, and how to start a business.

Travel bloggers, 25 year-old CEOs, and stay-at-home-moms making six figures. It’s never been easier for just about anyone to achieve their wildest dreams. This list favors means to success that are digital, automatable, and scalable, because that’s how you squeeze the most success out of your efforts.

41. Take action now

If you want to make a change, start by taking action right now (well, after you finish this article). If you’ve ever read The Confidence Code by Claire Shipman and Katty Kay, you already know that taking action is the #1 difference between people who have confidence and people who don’t. (1)

Put down the self-improvement books and blogs every once in a while. Doing something, ANYTHING, even if you fail, will help you build the belief in your ability to succeed.

40. Quite chasing shiny objects

While you’re out there taking action, make sure you focus on one thing at a time. Too many people make absolutely no progress because they start on their cool new business idea, give up when the novelty wears off, then leap to the next cool thing.

Folks, success isn’t easy to come by. If we’re talking business have to pick one business idea and go all in on it, even when it starts to become mundane. Otherwise, you’ll never taste success.

39. Get new friends

We’ve all heard it before: “if you want to see who a person is, look at their friends.”

You don’t have to drop your old friends, but you should be looking for new ones who live their lives the way you want to. Surrounding yourself with successful people is the single most underrated key to success. You might even persuade your old friends to join you on the journey to success.

38. Develop grit

Angela Duckworth, professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, studied everything from West Point cadets to high power salespeople to national spelling bee competitors to figure out the number one predictor of success in all of these different contexts. Intelligence? Nope. Good looks? Social connections? Nope. (2)

Grit. What Duckworth defines as a combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals is actually far more important than talent. And unlike IQ, it can be learned over time.

37. Network, network, network

When a high profile exec is flipping through hundreds of resumes, emails, and business pitches every day, connections are the only way to make sure your name stands out. Start by using social media (Twitter, Facebook groups, and LinkedIn are great for this) to engage with people in your industry.

36. Get out of your comfort zone

They say that life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Get used to being uncomfortable because staying inside your comfort zone will doom you to a life of mediocrity.

How do you get out of your comfort zone? Do something minorly uncomfortable (but socially and legally acceptable) every day. Being uncomfortable is a sign you’re growing.

35. Get a daily routine

Now I’m not talking about going back to that 9-5 BS, but sticking to a daily routine that promotes good habits is the foundation for building bigger habits for success. Even the smallest habits, like waking up a little earlier or meditating before bed, can totally change your life.

According to Business Insider, one of the most popular habits among highly successful people from business mogul Kat Cole who became VP of the Hooters corporation at age 26 to Huffington Post founder Ariana Huffington is about as simple as it gets: drink a glass of water every morning when you wake up.

34. Get in shape and stay healthy

Hit the weights, run on the treadmill, ball on the court. Whatever you do for exercise, being fit gives you more confidence, more energy, better health, reduces stress, releases those feel-good endorphins, and it makes you look good, all of which can contribute to your success in a big way.

Plenty of rich and successful people would agree with me. (3)

33. Vet your social media feeds

Good chunks of many social media feeds are people complaining about whatever they can complain about, or showing off the highlight reels of their life. Unfollow all these people and replace the negativity by following people you look up to or strive to be like (aka successful people). You’ll get plenty of motivation and education delivered straight to your timeline every day.

It’s similar to surrounding yourself with successful people, just with your social media.

32. Don’t be afraid of failure

Part of being successful is failing a bunch of times. If you’re scared of failure, you’re never gonna get anywhere. Instead, you gotta think of failure as a chance to learn something.

It goes back to the tip at the top of this article. Don’t wait around. Act, fail, brush yourself off, and try again.

31. Trash bad habits

According to Marketing Strategist Jerome Knyszewski (4), the two most important bad habits to avoid if you want to be successful are saying yes when you should say no and not planning for the future.

While you’re at it, quit smoking, throw out the junk food, and limit yourself to one hour of TV per day.

30. Improve your emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your own and other people’s emotions. Having a high level of emotional intelligence is an asset to your success because you can understand and control your emotions well. Plus, emotionally intelligent people know how to empathize with other people, which is obviously important to creating professional relationships with others and building your network.

29. Sleep well

The most important habit to break? Quit skipping sleep. Studies show that a single night of poor sleep affects your entire work week, and the problem of bad sleep among the U.S. workforce costs our country a collective $411 billion per year. (5)

According to Harvard Medical, you should sleep for at least 7 hours, maintain a regular sleeping schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, avoid stimulating food and drink in the evening, and exercise regularly for optimal sleep conditions. (6)

28. Set SMART goals

We all know it’s important to set goals, but writing vague things like “get rich” and “be happy” up on your dream board aren’t going to get you anywhere.

S.M.A.R.T. goals are used by everyone from Fortune 500 companies to MIT, because they work. Make sure your goals are: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. (7) So, instead of “get rich”, write something like “make over $70,000 in 2018”, or “average $6,000 per month in 2018.”

Another piece of advice? Break these S.M.A.R.T. goals down into smaller “bite-sized” goals. Keeps you motivated when you’re hitting goals on a regular basis and before you reach that big goal.

27. Just say no

Steve Jobs was no tech genius. But he said that the one thing that made him stand out from other people and helped him succeed was an ability to focus.

According to Apple’s co-founder, focus is all about saying no. “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things.” (8)

26. Quit seeking external validation

You aren’t going to get very far if you have to ask everyone around you if they approve of your ideas or actions. After all, you can’t please everybody.

Just get to work and find success in your own way. If you feel like you’re doing it right, you don’t need someone else to tell you you’re doing it right (barring your mentor, of course).

25. Growth mindset

Adopting a growth mindset means recognizing that we not fixed and are all capable of growing and changing, of shedding old habits and adopting new ones, and of learning to be successful. That person who always has “bad luck” keeps failing because they believe that those failures are an innate, permanent part of who they are, whereas the successful person sees those failures as an opportunity to change and grow.

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck explains that the growth mindset means believing “that a person’s true potential is unknown (and unknowable); that it’s impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, toil, and training.” (9)

24. Self-improvement

In order to act on that growth mindset, successful people regularly engage in self-improvement. They read on a daily basis (kudos for reading this post today, cross that one off the list), they learn new skills, they identify their faults and weaknesses and foster their strengths.

Instead of wasting your spare time on activities that provide no return, like binge-watching Netflix for 6 hours or hitting the bar every weekend, use that time to get ahead. Read a book, take a course, hone your skills, work on your business, etc.

23. Celebrate your wins

Working hard is important, but you can’t be “on” all the time. Take a break to celebrate your wins. Not only will it keep you motivated and looking forward to accomplishing the next goal, but taking a break to do whatever you want every once in a while helps you recuperate so you can attack your work in full force.

22. Get a mentor

Ramit Sethi schools us in “Why Successful People Don’t Want to Mentor You.” (10) The answer is simple: they’re busy, and you’re wasting their time. Stop asking them generic questions and expecting them to do work for you, and start doing the work yourself.

Instead, find yourself a good mentor, do your homework on them, put some work in to show them you’re serious (maybe read their book and reference specific chapters), and ask focused, thoughtful questions. Basically, STOP BEING LAZY.

21. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Speaking of mentors, don’t be afraid to ask for help from them and from your own network. After all, even the most “self-made” people in the world didn’t accomplish so much completely on their own.

While you’re at it, make sure to thank people who help you as well.

20. Practice delayed gratification

The classic Stanford marshmallow experiment: Back in the ‘70s, a group of children were given a marshmallow and told that if they could refrain from eating it for 15 minutes, they’d get a second one. Some kids said “screw it” and ate the marshmallow while others waited for the chance to eat two marshmallows. (11)

Well, 40 years later the researchers tracked down these same kids, and they found out that the kids who delayed their gratification for a higher reward grew up to be significantly more successful than the other kids by a number of different measures.

19. Upgrade your skills

One of the quickest ways to ensure success is to beef up your resume with some solid, in-demand skills. Here are some skills that the World Economic Forum and Bureau of Labor Statistics determined will be even more useful in the next 10 years: software development, data analysis, physical therapy, digital marketing, customer service, teaching, accounting, business analysis, and social media. (12)

Thanks to the internet, now you can learn a lot of these skills from your home for wayyy less than a college degree by taking some online courses. Khan Academy, Udemy, and Lynda are all great places to pick up skills online. (13) (14) (15)

18. Save money

The Instagram-friendly picture of lavish success, popping bottles and paying to do a photoshoot on a private jet that’s not yours (yes, that’s a thing) (16), actually just leads to debt and bankruptcy.

No more fake friends. Truly successful people live within their means and don’t overspend. They save their money for lucrative investment opportunities and top-notch business ideas.

If you really want that Instagram lifestyle, you can buy it once you actually have the money to do so.

17. Track your finances

Speaking of saving money, tracking your finances is the key to understanding your financial health. It’s important to know how much money’s coming in and going out so you can make changes to stay in the green and avoid debt.

Also, you can monitor your progress towards your financial goals by keeping track of your money.

16. Stay positive

Some things are cliche because they’re true. Self-help books can be cheesy and generic, but there’s a reason that The Power of Positive Thinking has sold over 5 million copies and is still flying off the (virtual) bookshelves almost 70 years after being published. (17)

More than talent, skill, connections, and money, attitude is the most important factor for success.

15. Learn to adapt

The world’s always changing. If you can’t learn to adapt to changing situations, you’re going to get left behind. Learn to be adaptable and take change in stride, as having this skill will help you react effectively and succeed.

After all, adaptability is what allowed us humans to go from cavemen to the highly advanced society we live in today.

14. Sales training

What’s the one goal that every single business on the planet has in common? Make money.

A reporter for Inc. Magazine asked 20 different major CEOs and business owners for the one skill that contributes to success in every single industry, and they all said the same thing: sales. (18) Without sales, you’ll never succeed in anything. With sales, you’ve got half the work done. Read up on sales and psychology, then get some training if you can afford it.

13. Real estate

This is one of those fields that has a low barrier to entry and no ceiling to how much you can earn. While you do have to get educated, licensed and trained, it’s pretty affordable and only takes about a year.

After that, the sky’s the limit if you’re good enough – just look at someone like Barbara Corcoran. Plus, thanks to websites like Airbnb, building up your own real estate empire by buying out buildings and renting them is more feasible than ever.

12. Learn to code

“Code is the new literacy,” and now you can learn to code from home for free at places like Code Academy. (19)

Whether you’re looking to work from home, create your own start-up, flex your creativity, or make lots of money, web development has all the markers of a fulfilling career. Senior software engineers are topping up at $160k/year…not bad. (20)

11. Graphic design

Sure, websites like Fiverr are dragging down graphic designer prices to lows like $5 (ouch), but clients who pay that little aren’t always great. Legit companies will pay way, way more than that for a designer who actually knows their stuff.

If you can leverage design to increase conversions, you can make big bucks, and your success won’t dry out with increasing automation because creativity is hard to copy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that top-level graphic designers can hit $78k/year. (21)

10. Project management

According to a study done by the World Economic Forum on automation, the skills that will make sure you can still succeed ten years from now are things like people management, coordinating with others, critical thinking, and project management. (22)

Start by learning your way around project management software programs like Trello, Slack, and Basecamp.

9. Start a blog

Regardless of what field you go into, blogging is still a major way to get your name out there, increase brand recognition, and ultimately paint that picture of success for yourself. For those who’ve made it, blogging is a great way to give back to aspiring mentees who want to learn about how you did it, closing up the circle of success.

Plus, blogging itself can be turned into a very lucrative online business or complement your main income stream.

8. Data analysis

Big data, SAS, web scraping, machine learning…we’ve all heard the buzzwords. Data analysis is one of those elusive skills that are actually not that hard to learn if you have some time and an analytical mind, and having the ability to understand and manipulate data is an incredibly powerful skill in all fields.

Data analysis skills like SAS (Statistical Analysis System) will get you a 17% increase in any field of work. (23)

7. Pick up photography

Photography is a great supplemental skill for furthering your success in other fields. Basic photography, photoshop, and even some video editing and web design can help you land better jobs, or they can help you make side money or get your online business idea off the ground. Working for yourself is the dream, right?

6. Start tweeting

There’s a reason most companies look at applicants’ social media profiles. A big part of success is branding yourself online. Good branding on social media rakes in the cash and, more importantly, helps you get recognized and make connections.

Twitter is great for industries like journalism, blogging, film, finance, aviation, and telecommunications, whereas Instagram is a requirement for photography, art, fashion, travel, etc.

If you’re into business, marketing, finance, or tech, hit up LinkedIn and start writing articles.

5. Digital marketing

Everything is digital. There are 7 important components to digital marketing according to Forbes: analytics, SEO, HTML, WordPress, video, basic design skills, and SQL. (24)

You don’t need to become an expert in them all, but having a basic understanding of each one will increase your chances of success in just about anything.

4. Learn SEO

Google runs the world. Learn about SEO, and you can be successful in doing just about anything online.

I’ll give you the basics: do the keyword research (tools like SEMrush, Moz, Ahrefs), and create high quality, epic content that targets those keywords.

Build relationships with high-level publications, blogs, and websites that will share and link to your articles.

3. Start a vlog

If you’ve got a little video editing know-how, starting a vlog is one of the best ways to get your name out there – arguably even more than blogs.

Famous vlogger Casey Neistat uses nothing but an iPhone to make his videos, and he has over 8 million subscribers, has gotten sponsorships from companies like Burton and GoPro, and has been featured everywhere from the BBC to the New York Times. (25)

Good content is everything in business, and it’s not easy to outsource. If you can do it well, companies will pay big money. The starting salary for a copywriter is $10,000 more than the national average. (26)

2. Content writing

Improving your ability to communicate with writing translates to success in every field. A study by Grammarly shows that LinkedIn professionals with fewer grammar mistakes in their profiles have significantly higher positions and more promotions. (27)

But it’s not just grammar and spelling. Learning how to inform, persuade, and tell stories through writing is a powerful skill to have on your side.

1. Generate leads for local businesses

If you’ve been paying any attention, you’ll notice that most tips for success in today’s world involve sharpening your skills and then using them to do something digital, automatable, and scalable.

But the very best ideas are also painfully simple.

Local lead generation is about as simple as it gets without trying to sell you a BS get-rich-quick scheme. It’s got a low barrier to entry, low competition (you against a handful of local businesses instead of you against the whole internet), and the market is completely unsaturated, unlike everything else on this list.

Plus, it can be done from the comfort of your own home (or the Bahamas), and once you get it right, there’s no ceiling to what you can earn.

If you ever want to branch out, local lead generation will make you a pro at SEO (#4 on the list), and that’s a skill that can take you just about anywhere in life.

#MLM companies #network marketing companies

0 notes

antionetterparker · 4 years

Text

Ranking the 41 best ways to be successful in 2019

You’re probably here because you’ve been dreaming about a new life… but instead of creating it you just keep passing out and waking up to the same life every day.

Burn your vision boards and trash your bucket lists. Drop the get-rich-quick schemes and “get skinny while eating pizza all day!” diets.

There’s no magic to success. It’s hard work… but that’s not all it is (although you do need to stop being lazy).

For similar articles, check out the best online business ideas, the best small business ideas, and how to start a business.

41. Take action now

Put down the self-improvement books and blogs every once in a while. Doing something, ANYTHING, even if you fail, will help you build the belief in your ability to succeed.

40. Quite chasing shiny objects

Folks, success isn’t easy to come by. If we’re talking business have to pick one business idea and go all in on it, even when it starts to become mundane. Otherwise, you’ll never taste success.

39. Get new friends

We’ve all heard it before: “if you want to see who a person is, look at their friends.”

38. Develop grit

Grit. What Duckworth defines as a combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals is actually far more important than talent. And unlike IQ, it can be learned over time.

37. Network, network, network

36. Get out of your comfort zone

They say that life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Get used to being uncomfortable because staying inside your comfort zone will doom you to a life of mediocrity.

How do you get out of your comfort zone? Do something minorly uncomfortable (but socially and legally acceptable) every day. Being uncomfortable is a sign you’re growing.

35. Get a daily routine

34. Get in shape and stay healthy

Plenty of rich and successful people would agree with me. (3)

33. Vet your social media feeds

It’s similar to surrounding yourself with successful people, just with your social media.

32. Don’t be afraid of failure

Part of being successful is failing a bunch of times. If you’re scared of failure, you’re never gonna get anywhere. Instead, you gotta think of failure as a chance to learn something.

It goes back to the tip at the top of this article. Don’t wait around. Act, fail, brush yourself off, and try again.

31. Trash bad habits

According to Marketing Strategist Jerome Knyszewski (4), the two most important bad habits to avoid if you want to be successful are saying yes when you should say no and not planning for the future.

While you’re at it, quit smoking, throw out the junk food, and limit yourself to one hour of TV per day.

30. Improve your emotional intelligence

29. Sleep well

28. Set SMART goals

We all know it’s important to set goals, but writing vague things like “get rich” and “be happy” up on your dream board aren’t going to get you anywhere.

Another piece of advice? Break these S.M.A.R.T. goals down into smaller “bite-sized” goals. Keeps you motivated when you’re hitting goals on a regular basis and before you reach that big goal.

27. Just say no

Steve Jobs was no tech genius. But he said that the one thing that made him stand out from other people and helped him succeed was an ability to focus.

26. Quit seeking external validation

You aren’t going to get very far if you have to ask everyone around you if they approve of your ideas or actions. After all, you can’t please everybody.

Just get to work and find success in your own way. If you feel like you’re doing it right, you don’t need someone else to tell you you’re doing it right (barring your mentor, of course).

25. Growth mindset

24. Self-improvement

23. Celebrate your wins

22. Get a mentor

21. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

While you’re at it, make sure to thank people who help you as well.

20. Practice delayed gratification

19. Upgrade your skills

18. Save money

No more fake friends. Truly successful people live within their means and don’t overspend. They save their money for lucrative investment opportunities and top-notch business ideas.

If you really want that Instagram lifestyle, you can buy it once you actually have the money to do so.

17. Track your finances

Also, you can monitor your progress towards your financial goals by keeping track of your money.

16. Stay positive

More than talent, skill, connections, and money, attitude is the most important factor for success.

15. Learn to adapt

After all, adaptability is what allowed us humans to go from cavemen to the highly advanced society we live in today.

14. Sales training

What’s the one goal that every single business on the planet has in common? Make money.

13. Real estate

12. Learn to code

“Code is the new literacy,” and now you can learn to code from home for free at places like Code Academy. (19)

11. Graphic design

10. Project management

Start by learning your way around project management software programs like Trello, Slack, and Basecamp.

9. Start a blog

Plus, blogging itself can be turned into a very lucrative online business or complement your main income stream.

8. Data analysis

Data analysis skills like SAS (Statistical Analysis System) will get you a 17% increase in any field of work. (23)

7. Pick up photography

6. Start tweeting

Twitter is great for industries like journalism, blogging, film, finance, aviation, and telecommunications, whereas Instagram is a requirement for photography, art, fashion, travel, etc.

If you’re into business, marketing, finance, or tech, hit up LinkedIn and start writing articles.

5. Digital marketing

Everything is digital. There are 7 important components to digital marketing according to Forbes: analytics, SEO, HTML, WordPress, video, basic design skills, and SQL. (24)

You don’t need to become an expert in them all, but having a basic understanding of each one will increase your chances of success in just about anything.

4. Learn SEO

Google runs the world. Learn about SEO, and you can be successful in doing just about anything online.

I’ll give you the basics: do the keyword research (tools like SEMrush, Moz, Ahrefs), and create high quality, epic content that targets those keywords.

Build relationships with high-level publications, blogs, and websites that will share and link to your articles.

3. Start a vlog

If you’ve got a little video editing know-how, starting a vlog is one of the best ways to get your name out there – arguably even more than blogs.

2. Content writing

But it’s not just grammar and spelling. Learning how to inform, persuade, and tell stories through writing is a powerful skill to have on your side.

1. Generate leads for local businesses

But the very best ideas are also painfully simple.

Plus, it can be done from the comfort of your own home (or the Bahamas), and once you get it right, there’s no ceiling to what you can earn.

If you ever want to branch out, local lead generation will make you a pro at SEO (#4 on the list), and that’s a skill that can take you just about anywhere in life.

via https://mlmcompanies.org/be-successful/

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plottpalmtreescom · 5 years

Video

youtube

PURA MIEL: the Moringa VEGAN FRIENDLY HONEY from Mayan Bees, ~TheKingMor... We are very sick in the western world. Everyone needs to be on it. To eliminate all the heart disease, one in two get in America, cancer which is one in two in America. We are the sickest nation in the world. It’s due to our bad diet. I don’t know why people completely overlook this or aren’t registering this fact. We have the fattest and most sickly people in the world, makeup only 8% of the world population or so, and consume 87% of the Pharmaceuticals created. 33% are obese and 76% are overweight or considered fat. Diabetes is 1 out of 3.And this list goes on for days and guess what? #MoringaK can prevent and reverse all of them. So no, more Americans in this western world NEED TO BE TAKING Moringa daily to get to optimum health. People consume it daily In PHILIPPINES for their whole entire life and are super healthy and live longer. We need Moringa to ward off and battle all these mineral and vitamin deficiency’s in the store and our soil. Luckily I get mine from the source with the heirloom organic seed and this is rare. This is why many people don’t benefit from Moringa, because they don’t have the real authentic source. I finally found it and the soil that it is grown from is mineral rich. I have tried other people’s hybrid Moringa trees and supplements of all kinds, and it did nothing good for me and even Zija made me sick. So, not all Moringa are the same. There is an article written on this. Be careful and buyer beware when obtaining Moringa and not all Moringa trees are the heirloom grown trees. Sadly they are fake and won’t do the body any good. That might be why you think Moringa shouldn’t be taken by all. You aren’t consuming the real original Moringa tree source.That’s fine as most are a victim to this PKM1 seed grown Moringa tree, it came from Europe and developed in Indian. It was created to bastardize Moringa and it’s benefits worldwide, and it is your standard mass production scheme. Meaning the leaves and the tree grow faster and the tree and it’s leaves get much bigger as well, and it is round up ready. It’s all around fake Moringa and about 99% of Moringa you are ingesting or seeing In America is this non beneficial Moringa.Literally it is not considered a wholefood any more and actually becomes COMPLETELY NON BENEFICIAL TO THE BODY, and in many cases can be toxic or acidic to the body. Be careful and get your Moringa tested before you eat it.If it isn’t the traditional rare heirloom seed, than you never had Moringa to begin with. That is most people in United States who claim they have had Moringa, actually have not.Plus you should read all the thousands of people Eric Plott has cured in the United States with this plant. His testimonials are all public. I will post them in my walk. Wall.He has helped reverse so many people of cancer with this plant. So why would not advise to promote producing this plant in America and all over the world? This one plant has been healing nations worldwide for thousands of years. It originates in Khemite Egypt where it was Cleopatra's secret weapon for anti-aging and beautification. She used to bath in tubes poured from vases filled with Ben oil aka Moringa oil. Of course, they have the rare heirloom cold-pressed Moringa just like this company who has specifically sourced this one raw organic rare sourced seed, hence why they have ranked the number one Moringa in the nation Its no joke not the same as that hybrid Moringa. Sadly millions will never stop to figure this out. So it is truly a blessing to come across MoringaHeaven.eCrater.comAnd #TheMoringaQueenOr#TheKingMoringa.If it wasn’t for this company I would have died of breast and cervical cancer. The owner of the company helped his dad reverse his life long diabetes and his own cancer.So, I think before we go on helping other nations, maybe we should get healthy and fix ourselves first. The top ten leading causes of death are all contributed from the culprit of animal products meat dairy and eggs.So, yes Moringa is needed everywhere we live daily with our meals and menus. That is the goal in order to offset this western diet that is killing millions each year. So what do you mean about selective breeding. It’s not the difficult really. Keep it simple. We need the authentic Moringa heirloom seeded tree and leaves, everyone in the world should be on this trees leaves, bark, stems, seeds, flower blossoms, or even roots; all parts of the tree are therapeutic and beneficial to the human body at any and all ages.This can be used to end all wars, as the Moringa oil can be used as efficient and effective biofuel. That is probably why they aren’t trying to give this plant too much notice or credit of adue.So, the seeds when crushed can completely purify all water impurities. Why aren’t they? It’s like that movie IDIOCRASY, I think ethics hasn’t kept up with technology and humans who have influence are lazy or being corrupted by compromise.-So Yes, just consuming the Oleifera version of Moringa you get all 8 essential amino acids. You get omega 3,6,9 and b12 along with boron and iron at quality amounts. A great collection of videos to watch on this is #Divine12CHART , which talks about what each antioxidant and mineral found in Moringa can do to our body for benefits.Also, the high levels of protein and calcium and all the other vitals a-z that it offers.Yes, it can end world hunger and poverty as well. As I have been making money by commission referral of this company. Imagine if we all could quit our day job and help each other grow and get healthy while getting wealthy.Imagine then I purchase maybe 50$ per month and don’t have to worry about any nutrient deficiency or maybe I love the oil for my skin and soap etc. then we can get the real raw rare heirloom seeds and go to other countries and grow it and educate them on what they have in their own backyards. In Uganda and Central America, they aren’t even aware of what blessing they have.The research and science on this plant are incredible. It’s one thing after another of endless findings. This is why this man has developed #MoringaTRIBE, so we can all at least come together and take Moringa and her motivated to keep it in our body.I was about to get a back seasonal flu and I double dosed on #MoringaK and guess what it went away. I always get sick during season changes and not anymore.So, we have it all here. PLott has like 800 plus videos which have reached over 112 million people and while that doesn’t seem like much, it is a start to get people awaken to how this tree can literally save all people worldwide.This gets out and it can reverse all mineral deficient which would end obesity and gluttony if people took this man's info more serious. Got off all the meat dairy and eggs, we could experience a happier and healthy world and end all this illness and that is happening. That is the most important topic right now.He doesn’t have time to waste. He just sent out a metric ton of Moringa powder to many people and companies just now, that is what is the most important part. Getting it out now. Saving lives while we can. #13Dynasty #UltimateTruthWarriorXThey need heirloom breeding from the Oleifera Not sure what you mean selective breeding, u know that is what I was talking about the entire time. We can’t be using the popular seeded hybrid as it is a fact that you can actually get sick from the wrong Moringa. So we are arguing the same point actually. The Latest PROMO SITE Is MoringaHeaven.eCrater.com FREE SHIPPING AND 10% OFF COUPON AS "MoringaQueen" and this helps support all this video work. We have Fan pages REUPLOADING The 800 PLUS 11 YEARS OF DISABLED Works at Facebook.com/REALPlott and Business page is Facebook.com/TheKazwehThe Epicesy of Abbabolla at facebook.com/ABBAbooBO LET GO OF ALL FEAR! #MoringaTRIBE Is where it is at and you can get a FREE Professional Health Evaluation and Hourly Sessions at TheMoringaKingdom.com is the Team and TheKazweh.com is the resources You can't grow wrong at PlottPalmTrees.com. Sub @ TheKingMoringa.com.Every single word in this book is going to be fulfilled. Look and read the words, it is Astounding & still never ceases to amaze me. Even after almost 30 years, I can say my ACTIONS = LIVING IT (Livit) there is by far nothing compared to actually BREATHING and MEDITATING. GUTS NO FEAR! For True Truth. CLICK #UltimateTruthWarriorX #BeLIFE and don't beLIEve anymore. BE REAL BE WISE.READ MORE ON Pura Miel Blog Article herehttps://thekazweh.com/blogs/news/moringahoney BELIZE MISSION WRITE UPhttps://www.facebook.com/REALplott Belize Live Music from Yours Truly herehttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcDf6VLT7XMyd4l1lI8HT3yHfFpZ1dirb Look up WHEN DREAMS AND PALM TREES UNITE PlottPalmTrees Youtube video, I have artist personal rights to all Jordan Rudess and John Petrucci's music and Proof in that video for all their songs and Dream Theater as well. LIVE LATEST WATCHPARTY HEREhttps://www.facebook.com/watchparty/3043561792326334/?entry_source=USER_TIMELINE LATEST DEVIN DEVINE TALK HEREhttps://www.facebook.com/RhondaGriffinKay777/posts/10220020701208941?notif_id=1571473061994575&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic ALL WORK THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED AND BANNED Is being Processed and REuploaded again. Erik Plott had 233 Videos banned off VIMEO for the #BlackSunBABY Absolute True Truth and 800 VIDEOS And 8 Accounts from Facebook- which equates to 11 years of hard work, photos, and video content! LIKE THIS PAGE TO REDISCOVER WHAT YOU MISSED HERE: https://www.facebook.com/realPlott/ The Most Offensive work yet is #OfficialBlackSunBAbyMOVIE Watch Full Official Black Sun Baby Movie herehttps://www.facebook.com/RhondaGriffinKay777/videos/10218673998102205/ ORDERS GOING OUT LIKE CRAZY From MoringaHeaven.ecrater.com HOW THE STRONGEST MEN IN THE WORLD WERE ROMAN GLADIATORS; And How they were completely VEGAN Accoding to BONE TEST. They Called them "BARLEY MEN".WATCH PARTY CURRENT https://www.facebook.com/watchparty/3043561792326334/?entry_source=USER_TIMELINEYES YOU CAN STILL GET OUR PlottPalmTrees.com PALM TREES AND OTHER EXOTICS That are Facebook.com/theKAZWEH and SHIPPED ANYWHERE IN THE NATION. Ask About What Palms we have available and other COLD HARDY SPECIMENS, if you are wanting that TROPICAL PARADISE That brings relaxation to you! Call TOLL FREE 855-841-9659 To Ask Questions, Inquiry or MORE...Leave your Name, Email, Number, Question, and BEST TIME FOR CALL BACK, if you get the MESSAGE MACHINE. Thanks Watch Full Official Black Sun Baby Movie herehttps://www.facebook.com/RhondaGriffinKay777/videos/10218673998102205/ STUDY THAT SHOWS WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE RANKED ONLINE SUPERFOOD STORE From TheKazweh.com IN THE NATION; If not the WORLD; also check out our full #Divine12CHART video to learn more about WHY QUALITY #MoringaKing Produce is needed and how study results PROVE We are the BEST, And WHY EVERYONE NEEDS To Be taking this plant daily clic that hash tag above. MORINGA FREEZE DRIED AWESOME SMOOTHIE VIDEO FROM TheMoringaKingdom.comERIK PLOTT CUTS HIS OWN HAIR OFF AND DONATES TO CANCER PATIENTS WHO NEED IT. This Video Was Taken down; so Promote our ANTI VIMEO Hashtag below for their consistent HATE In not allowing the absolute true truth to get out today The ULTIMATE MORINGA WATER DETOX FAST VIDEO: Also Available on the Moringa Kingdom Youtube Channel" There is the Plott Palm Trees Channel, Plott's Health Channel: The Moringa Kingdom, RAW PLOTTS Channel, Tropical Channel 573 . Blaze1145172 ERIC PLOTT Channel and MORE! Coconut Clare Plott Channel, LOOK ANY OF THOSE UP, there are Thousands of HEALTH AND INTERESTING FUN Videos and Movie Productions. How to Grow WILD JUNGLE CRAFTED FROM PlottPalmTrees.com CELEBRATION AND #AntiVIMEO #EricPlottVIDEOS #EPVideos = They Removed 233 Videos at VIMEO and over 800 VIDEOS and 11 Years Of Hard Work, Post, Pictures, Content and over 800 VIDEOS OFF FB while Disabling all the PlottPalmTrees.com PRODUCTIONSTheKingMoringa.com NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE With over 110k NEW FOLLOWING! TheMoringaQueen.com is the NUMBER ONE RANKED online Superfood store in the nation with the BEST #MoringaK #MoringaSOP #MoringaX and MORE! SECRETS VIDEO TO 2019 CHEERS a Toast to the #MoringaTRIBE and #13DYNASTY #UltimateTruthWarriorX MEMBERX That https://moringaheaven.ecrater.com/c/2230207/my-produce SUPPORT the Page with Purchasing something above TheMoringaKingdom.com MoringaMONEY.comhttps://www.facebook.com/realPlott/videos/2783438305002179/TheKazweh.com Watch is Magnetismhttps://www.facebook.com/Abbaboobo/photos/a.649529165545455/713483022483402/?type=3&theater Taking Referrals to Belize here https://thekazweh.com/blogs/news/moringatribe?_pos=3&_sid=d1107052d&_ss=r Belize QUALITY PAGEhttps://thekazweh.com/blogs/news/belieze?_pos=1&_sid=d1107052d&_ss=r 11 Year Anniversery Page about Demographics of Belize and Other "Third World Countries" Being the Happiest Nations in the world herehttps://thekazweh.com/blogs/news/10-year-anniversary-award-to-plott-palm-trees-productions?_pos=4&_sid=d1107052d&_ss=r #Abbaboobo #BlackSunBABY Playlist herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWxVSQ52EQ4&list=PLcDf6VLT7XMwmc-nZ6-coM4Qa8u8R5azF #TheKazweh Mysical Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlRuVegE3eg&list=PLcDf6VLT7XMyd4l1lI8HT3yHfFpZ1dirb #13Dynasty Playlist herehttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcevEW85NmQwhsCpClUCChjuhIwLMgAYF Moringa Kingdom Playlisthttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcevEW85NmQyyZ5upCx4tIhm3Xr0fkX8A OFFICIAL BLACK SUN BABY MOVIE (Active Now)https://www.facebook.com/RhondaGriffinKay777/videos/vb.1265923088/10218673998102205/?type=3 WHO is DOING this?https://www.facebook.com/TheKazweh/videos/2043099025999462/UzpfSTEwMDAzMDY1NTY1NzUwNjoxNjg3NjE3NzQxNTU2Nzc/ Take A Gander at this when you get a chance, this is what Moringa Can Help with: We Are Ranked #1 in the Nation for Raw Online Superfoods...Because We Use no SPRAYS OR ADDITIVESNO CLEANING SOLUTIONSNO ETO, NO GMO'S, NO FOOD COLORINGS ETC.http://www.themoringaqueen.com/

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pauldeckerus · 5 years

Text

7 Ideas Motivating Me in My Photography Right Now

A huge part of my photo practice is not taking photos. Photography is an inner game. What comes out in our photography is the total expression of who we are, how we think, and what we see.

I realized a few years ago that to create good images I need to feed myself with ideas that really inspire me and help me grow.

Henry Miller describes being a writer in this way:

Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.

I think the same is true for photographers. We need to look outside into the world and find ideas that ignite our imagination and our energy.

Sometimes I find listening to music or seeing the work of an artist makes me want to pick up my camera and go out to shoot. Sometimes it’s something else entirely — things I read about, such as developments in science or nature, philosophy or personal development.

I don’t care where inspiration comes from, as long as I am always using it to develop my photography and enjoying this creative journey.

One of the great joys of life is creativity. Information goes in, gets shuffled about, and comes out in new and interesting ways. —Peter McWilliams

Here are some ideas that really made a difference to me this year, helping me as I traveled the world with my family creating new photo projects, and in my teaching of photography.

#1. New experiences slow down time

There is this idea that time speeds up when we get older. I mean it feels that way, right? When you were a kid, a boring wet Sunday afternoon felt like it lasted for days on end. Whereas now, time vanishes in a “who knows where?” kind of fashion.

But science tells us that this actually has more to do with familiarity than age. The more familiar we become with things – our environments, routines, habits etc – the less information our brain has to process, and this makes it work quicker. Hence time goes faster.

Interestingly, when we are in new surroundings the brain has more information to process, and this makes time seem to go slower.

I have found that it doesn’t have to be brand new places or brand new experiences that create this sensation of time going slower.

There are hundreds of changes you can make to your life right now that can bring in the new. Take a new route to work, visit a new area of town – or one of my favorites, go out very early in the morning or very late at night.

I spend a lot of time photographing dawn – not just because it’s pretty, but because there is rarely anyone about. It’s amazing to be up when people aren’t around – you get a totally different experience of the world at first light – the birth of a new day.

Similarly, I spent several nights this year going out at midnight to photograph the full moon over the sea. A beautiful and a totally new experience for me — one that is marked in my memory forever.

How many experiences of your experiences this week can you say that about?

It doesn’t matter how habituated you are to your environment, there are always new ways to experience the world and life around you.

#2. Bring the unexpected into your life with silence

We all know how important it is to not have a life so full of work and distractions that you don’t get time for yourself for being creative.

I recently came across a quote that puts a new dimension on why silence and having undistracted, unscheduled time can bring unexpected things into your creative work and life:

Silence is not only the space in which there’s no sound, but there’s no program. Nothing is there so that whatever is essentially unprogrammable can happen. How does anything new happen? In a world where everything is scheduled, everything is listed, everything is programmed, the first thing one needs is space… You have to be open.

It doesn’t mean something enormous will happen, but nothing can happen until you clear that space… Nobody has time to even receive anything that is actually new, including their own thoughts. —Ursula Franklin

Perhaps you want to create a new photo project, or are looking for ideas on what to shoot next – becoming quiet, and doing nothing, is always my first step. Stopping all the rush and busyness of life, and instead allowing your mind to wander instead.

Being quiet isn’t an absence of activity, but a whole other activity entirely. One where new ideas can unleash, without the distraction of your daily thoughts and habits that make your mind an often too-crowded place.

#3. Do it now. Often later becomes never

Last year my wife and I left London with our kids for a long-term travel/work adventure to teach photography online and create new photo projects.

When we started to tell people about it, so many people said things like, “Oh, I almost did that with my kids, but we never managed it.”

Hearing that breaks my heart a little. Because I know at the time the barriers to doing what you really, really want often seem insurmountable. I know. It’s easy to say — later, later, later. Usually when you have a better camera/ more time / more knowledge etc.

Here’s a thought, though — what if that magical time never comes and you get to an age when it becomes impossible. What will you feel when you think back about the obstacles that were in your path at that time? Will they seem that impossible from afar?

It’s rare that obstacles for doing something you love are totally insurmountable.

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them. —George Bernard Shaw

Which leads me nicely onto:

#4. “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” –Jack Canfield

The subtle presence of fear is everywhere in our lives, including our creative pursuits – photography.

Think about when you are out and about and see a very cool looking stranger. I’d love to shoot him, you might think. But then something stops you.

Instead of plunging ahead and taking that shot, you might just freeze and walk away. Or you might get the courage together and shoot them, but you are so fearful that you don’t get close enough and are too self-conscious to keep going until you get the best shot.

Fear can inhibit our creativity in so many ways. It can stop us from going to full manual because we think we fear we’re not technically adept enough. Or we don’t wander down that road in a strange town because we aren’t sure what we’ll find (but we want to because it looks intriguing.)

Or perhaps our innate self-consciousness stops us from lying down on the floor in the street — it’s the best possible angle for the shot we want, but we feel weird with people all around us and we are worried about looking stupid. I see this type of thing so much in my workshops.

I believe that obstacles, for the most part, are actually just fear. Fear of the unknown, of making a mistake, of messing things up, of losing something.

Yet if we think that fear is just an emotion, I like to think of it almost like a mist, that if I can accept it, and allow it – all I need to do is allow it to pass through me and then on the other side is that awesome thing I wanted!

What we often think about when we are considering taking a risk is what we have to lose, but really shouldn’t we be thinking about what we have to gain?

For me in photography – it’s the shot no one else got!

#5. The magic of wonder

Awe for me is the beginning of everything with photography. I need to be in awe, in some way, of my subject otherwise it’s unlikely I’ll get anything that looks great.

It doesn’t have to be earth-shattering awe – it can be the small awe we feel when we notice a bee doing its busy work, and wondering how it has that innate knowledge to know what to do.

Or it can be some incredible evening light after a rainstorm, lighting up a beautiful valley. It doesn’t matter what fills you with awe because we are all attracted by different things. But getting yourself into a state of wonder of your subject will help to create more compelling and exciting images.

The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper. —W.B. Yeats

Look around with intense curiosity and you will always find subjects that will bring forth wonder and awe in you.

#6. “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working” –Pablo Picasso

I love this quote because to me it doesn’t matter how many techniques you have up your sleeve, how awesome your camera is and how well you know how to use it – you need to get out there regularly if you want to improve.

Don’t wait for perfect circumstances or amazing light – which is one of my weaknesses. I’ll tell you, though, that I have got so many awesome shots on days I didn’t expect to and had literally to shove myself out the door.

#7. “If you want something you’ve never had you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” –Thomas Jefferson

I really like this quote – because quite frankly most people I know, myself included, can get a little stagnant and habituated in our lives. As we get older we stop seeking out what is exciting and thrilling to us, we stop trying new things.

But if we love photography and making photos, then we are people who are excited by the visual world around us. We are mesmerized by beautiful light, interesting people, color, shadow, and shapes.

We love to find ways to translate this infinite world into the tiny moments of photographs.

We are people who see the world and not just want to pass through it. We want to explore and discover.

That’s what I have to remember when I am going about my daily life. To keep trying things I can’t do, to keep reaching beyond capabilities so I can evolve as a photographer.

About the author: Anthony Epes is a photographer whose work has been featured internationally; including on BBC, French Photo Magazine, Atlas Obscura and CNN. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Epes is also a teacher – writing in-depth free articles on his website. Receive his free ebook on the two essential skills that will instantly improve your photos, and sign up to his weekly newsletter providing inspiration, ideas and pro-photo techniques. This article was also published on Cities at Dawn.

from Photography News http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PetaPixel/~3/0boLfr02BX4/

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rapmillionaire · 7 years

Text

SALLOUM INTERVIEW

Tell us about where you are from and how you got to this position today. I was born in Charlottesville VA in the late 80s. Growing up I was into sports. Drums as well. Though there wasn't any space, nor the ability for my parents to buy a real drum set for me, they bought me a pair of drum sticks which i played on the house furniture (laughs).Growing up my parents always had music playing. From classical and opera overtures such as Beethoven, Mahler, and Strauss to pop and rock & roll hits by the likes of Neil Diamond, The Beatles, and the Bee Gees. Pretty much hits of any given year, some of which was played on cassettes in the car. Not to mention Arabic tunes & songs. On TV they would watch performances by Andre Rieu, Andrea Bocelli, Metropolitan Opera performances and other classical concerts. And VH1. Once I reached middle school I played percussions in the school band and the marching band. At age 18, I moved to Richmond for VA Commonwealth University, and that's where I began rapping, around the Winter of 2006. A few people on the hall were doing it. After a couple of years I left Richmond and moved to the DMV area. I continued to write, and really got into reading books on spiritual traditions, philosophy as well as books on success and achievement. Eventually I graduated from George Mason with a degree in geographic information systems.

Tell us about one of the hardest challenges you've had to face so far in the industry? Having blogs and sites grant me their light and platform currently is my focus. Another has been having people take an initial listen to the music. At certain points, you realize you're not quite ready yet to make that next move; that it happens when the Creator plans for it to happen, rather than when you want it to. I realize that is how it is for everybody. There is a lot of potential in an industry like music for people to live the American Dream. That's what makes it one of the most competitive industries to break into. But if you know what you're capable of and keep knocking, doors eventually open.

What was one of the biggest setbacks in your career and how did you bounce back? Not really a set back as much as circumstance and that was learning to balance doing my music while attending university. Throughout that time period, something within motivated me to hone my rap skills, and read a lot of books on spirituality, philosophy, and achievement. Self-knowledge. My jewel is my heart and my mind. If I can translate that into the music, it feels right. Eventually, Epitome Perennial was completed at the cost of me taking a semester off from university. Plus I am grateful for the educational opportunity as well. It has provided me a solid platform to launch from financially speaking. Since day one, it's been non-stop; writing rhymes, marketing, doing open mics, recording, organizing goals and promotional plans. The best part is I have learned so much along the way,- from what it takes to succeed in creating a project from scratch, to persisting through frustrations and doubt, to actually seeing the discipline and determination pay off. It took me five years to hone my rhyme skills and construct my first project, which took even more time and energy to actually finalize and release (Epitome Perennial, 2013). What's kept me going is the fact that no more than 50 years from now the only part of me that will be to show on this earth are my thoughts. It is important for people to understand the full picture I am trying to paint. In reality it is limitless. For them to come near that, it is up to me to present my creations in a way where they comprehend, and have it resonate within themselves. That is the reason why I create a unique website for each project. I think the basic theme of the music will always reflect an aspect of what it means to stay true to self and really be confident. At the end of the day, that's what defines success in life.

What are some things artists need to be careful of? What I learned early on is to not take the easy road. Do the legwork yourself. Promote, create, and own all of your aspirations. That way you have no regrets. The onus of success and failure is up to you completely. Another, for aspiring rappers, would be to not chase radio and TV. The only real validation is the rhymes you kick. Hip-Hop itself is founded upon peace, love, unity, and having fun. With that said, it's important to be cognizant of what one is actually creating because what I say about myself has the potential to happen in real life. Salloum is my rap name, which derives from my real name Suleiman, which comes from the root word Salaam, which is "peace" in Arabic. So for myself, I represent Hip-Hop's first principle in my own unique way. And lastly, when I was initially starting off, an important move was that I did not release any of my music right away. If you keep your dream a secret, the potency of your desire to manifest it actually makes it happen. So even though I'd been rhyming for 2-3 years, it wasn't about releasing something as soon as possible for people to see that I could rap. At that point in time, the skill level of my craft, between the first two years and the next two years, is like comparing a baby crawling to a kid running. While I was crawling, I had already convinced myself in my mind that I was sprinting. That's what allowed me to actually manifest the "sprint", through continuous practice... If I would have shown my raps to someone during my years of crawling, in my mind I'm sprinting, but to them, they don't see my vision, so they see it for what it actually is. But that is too vulnerable of a position to place oneself in, because you potentially allow yourself to believe in the doubts others place on your talent. When you're still honing and practicing your craft, there's a greater chance of you doubting your abilities the first moment anybody tells you it's not that good, because at that point you cease to see it from your vision point of view, but from the point of you they're telling you exists. If you actually manifest the vision, or even a whole idea or theme project, at that level you already know what it is, and intuitively you're ready to share it with the world. And anybody who knocks you, you justify as them putting their own fears on you, or they just don't know what sounds good. So my advice would be, focus on yourself completely.

What suggestions do you have for other artists like yourself? Actually writing it down on paper- your visions, ideas, and goals is essential. With regards to making it in this game, if you're good, eventually you'll get noticed. The first step is to create good music. To create something that is unique; that automatically puts it above average. But only you can define that for yourself by discovering your unique ideas. There is no blueprint for what works or what doesn't work. With that said, it helps to have a system where you can execute your talent at the highest level. That helps create consistency. Discipline + focus = consistency, with an optimistic attitude, creates a continual renewal of desire = Persistence. And that word is pretty much synonymous with "success". If you die tomorrow, but your mentality up to that point was one of aspiring toward your goals, then did you really fail? To the outside world maybe, but to yourself, until the point that you decide to give up, all the work you put in is moving you closer and closer to it actually happening.

Saturday, August 5, 2017

#hip-hop #goals #dreams #persistence #desires #riches #success #failure #love

0 notes

fire-bear · 7 years

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Wound Up

Didn’t think I’d finish this thing!

So this is really late but.... Well.

The layout is odd, though, and it may be better to read it on AO3 once I’ve posted it.

Warnings: Major Character Death, Suicide, Drug Use, Mental Illness. Tragedy.

Going out with a bang, I suppose.

A Note: I was actually gonna make it a Clockpunk story but that didn’t happen, whoops.

Arthur had only just gotten home from the chemist when his mother arrived.

Upon hearing the knock at the door to his apartments, he hurriedly stashed the bags into his usual cupboard, inwardly cursing his luck that he had been interrupted. However, he didn't often get visitors so he was curious as to who it could be. Somewhere deep inside himself, he hoped that it was someone he was friends with as he hadn't seen any of them in months. He really should have known better.

Opening the door revealed his mother, resplendent in a violet dress in the current style. Which meant she had Gigot sleeves, making her look a little puffed up. Arthur hated the newest fashion in women – he thought they looked ridiculous. However, he did prefer the bonnets women now wore and he thought the ringlets his mother must have painstakingly curled into her blonde hair suited her. At least, they did until she pressed her spectacles onto her face to look at him, her eyesight evidently getting worse in her old age. With the glasses, she looked like she was trying far too hard to cling to her youth.

"Ah, Arthur, darling," his mother said in a tone that made it sound as if she hadn't been expecting him. "I was just passing and thought I should look in on you." She stepped forward and Arthur knew there was no point in trying to turn her away. He moved aside and watched as she and her Lady's Maid entered his home, the maid curtseying as she passed him.

"What a pleasant surprise," Arthur drawled, wishing he had at least managed to take some of his laudanum before she had arrived. He had the feeling he would be needing it before long.

"Yes," Mrs. Kirkland said, looking over the main room. It was in a mess, papers everywhere, his work spread over floor and table and chair. The maid was quick to move a mass of them from the chair his mother picked and Mrs. Kirkland sat, brushing a stray sheet from the arm. Arthur watched it float slowly to the wooden floor with a frown. "You really should find yourself a valet, at the very least," she commented.

"I would much rather not," Arthur answered, beginning to close the door.

"Oh, don't do that. The footmen are coming."

"Footmen?" asked Arthur, confused. Why would the footmen be coming up all the steps to his apartments? They should be with the carriage and its driver.

His questions were answered when two footmen, dressed in their fancy uniform, entered. They were both carrying boxes and Arthur realised his mother had come here with a purpose. He grimaced: the last time she had sought him out had been when she had tried to arrange a marriage between him and the daughter of a Duke. It had not ended well and he was sure his mother was still disappointed that he had no interest in the beautiful young woman.

"These are for you," his mother said as the footmen placed the boxes down and trooped out. "And I actually have something to tell you."

"Oh?" said Arthur, moving away from the door.

"Your grandmother has died."

Arthur thought of his mother's mother who was single-minded and hadn't rested until his father had agreed to take his mother as his wife. Mrs. Kirkland had married up and his grandmother had never let anyone forget that, least of all Arthur himself. Evidently, his mother owed a lot to his grandmother but he had never been fond of the old bat. However, his father's mother was a brilliant old dear, charitable and accepting of Arthur's need to write instead of going into the army or being social. He'd gotten along well with her before he took himself off to London for 'life experience'.

"Which one?" he asked, hoping it was his mother's mother.

"Your father's mother. Terrible business. Died of consumption. Your father is taking it hard, said we should have taken her in, even though she much preferred our second house and all her trinkets."

Gripping the back of his couch, Arthur took a deep breath through his nose. The news of someone so beloved being lost to him was making him ache for his laudanum, even the cocaine which sat beside it. He forced himself to be strong for the moment and looked around when the footmen returned with more boxes. Frowning at them, he turned back to his mother.

"When is the funeral?" he asked.

"That was weeks ago," his mother said dismissively, waving a hand rather imperiously.

"What?!" Arthur exclaimed, making the maid flinch. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Perhaps the message was lost in transit."

Suddenly understanding, Arthur's eyes narrowed, fury coursing through him. It was obvious that his mother hadn't bothered to contact him, probably telling everyone else that she had. This was payback for the refusal of his refusal to marry that girl. That was why she had turned up on his doorstep – she now considered him 'forgiven'. Arthur wanted to slap her but the footmen returning stopped him, his fists clenching as he turned to find out why they were puffing so.

It turned out that the box they were carrying was huge. Thankfully, his door was wide enough for it to be carried through. They took it to the far corner and hefted it up onto its end to set it down. Once they had, they turned, bowed to both Arthur and his mother and left them to it, closing the door behind them.

"What are those?" he asked, trying to keep himself from sounding angry. It was unlikely that he succeeded.

His mother gave him a hard stare in admonishment for his tone. Arthur stared back, jaw clenched. Evidently, she saw that she was pushing her luck as she smiled thinly. "Your inheritance."

"Inheritance?"

"Your grandmother thought you'd like them."

Eyes widening, Arthur strode towards the closest box. Prying off the lid, he peered inside and saw the many different, elegant and beautiful little music boxes his grandmother always wound up for him to listen to. He had always loved listening to the sweet sounds, feeling at peace when the music swirled around him. The larger box, Arthur knew, was a unique one which his grandmother had never wound up for him. He had always been curious to see what was inside it and he felt a sudden itch to open it right away. Instead, he turned back to his mother.

"Thank you," he said, despite still wishing she would get out of his home.

"Perhaps you could sell them," his mother suggested, primly. She didn't bother to turn to address him.

"What?" Arthur stared at her in shock. Was she really so callous?

"Well, dear, you wanted to be the one to pay for these rooms, didn't you? True, you have sold a couple of your little stories. But I do not think it will sustain you for much longer. Those will fetch a pretty sum, especially the big one. You must see the logic in this," she added, finally turning her head to raise her eyebrows at him.

Arthur's eyebrows lowered in response. "I see the heartlessness in it, yes," he said, icily.

His mother sighed. "Arthur, really. You are acting just like a petty child."

"And you are acting above your station, madam."

Gasping, his mother stood in outrage. "You dare-?!"

"Please leave," Arthur said, stalking to the door. "I would like to mourn my beloved grandmother in peace." Almost wrenching the door from its hinges, he turned to her, gesturing sharply at the door.

For a moment, she looked as though she was going to protest. Then she sniffed haughtily, turned her nose up and strode from the room. Her maid hurried after her, pausing to curtsey and send him an apologetic look. Angry, he slammed the door shut and hurried to his cupboard to find his precious laudanum.

It was the middle of the night before Arthur came down from his high enough to feel the motivation to move. He had cried at some point, his face still damp and sticky and a little raw. There were several pages of something on the table before him and he was lying on his side, pen dangling from his fingers. He dropped it as he pushed himself upright.

Though the laudanum had made him forget for a while, the pain of losing his grandmother and not being able to say goodbye hit him once more. It was an ache in his heart, so painful that he considered merely using more of his laudanum or switching to cocaine. In fact, he had stood and wandered the length of the couch before he stopped himself, almost kicking the box he had opened. He blinked down at it before crouching down to reach in and draw out one of the music boxes.

It was a beautiful mahogany one, decorated with a garden scene, flowers in full bloom and bees and butterflies flitting between them. He turned the key and opened it, setting it on the table to listen to the birdsong which poured from it. Then he began to pull more and more of them out, winding up each one and letting them sing. Each one was beautiful: some had pearl inlaid, others had golden filigree. There were even pure silver and gold ones, probably the ones which would fetch the largest amount of money.

Not that Arthur would part with any of them.

Every single box conjured up memories. His grandmother creating a lovely little robin in the corner of his favourite handkerchief. Playing in the garden as a child, throwing a ball between his brothers and the older woman who had obligingly kicked it back for them. Whispers of stories and dreams and the sharp fear of nightmares. Her loving smile and kind eyes. Seeing his father sing with her at the piano, something which had warmed his heart the day his brother had gotten married and his mother had become obsessed with weddings.

The jarring music continued and he danced around them, spinning and stepping. He realised that the laudanum was still in his system as he began to see the characters from the boxes around him. Bunnies hopped and fish swam away from his disturbance.

After a time, he fell onto his couch and into a deep slumber, the last box slowing to a stop.

When Arthur next awoke, the sun was almost at its peak and real birds were singing outside. He stumbled to the curtains and opened them, squinting at the street below. Then he took out some meat and bread, poured himself a glass of wine and had some breakfast. Once that was done, he took some laudanum and, suitably fortified, began closing all the music boxes.

Only four of them were closed when he remembered the large one in the corner. He made his way over, slipping a little on the paper still strewn on the floor. Once he was in front of it, he stared at the large key which was in the middle of the door. Looking around, he realised that the clockwork within obviously opened the door itself. Arthur put all his strength into turning the key, making sure to turn it more times than he would normally wind a music box. Then he stood back and watched, using the back of the couch to keep himself upright.

Slowly, the door swung open. There was a squeaking noise and the innards were thrust out. Arthur stared in shock at the huge cylinder which appeared, the 'keys' of a piano attached to it. Sitting on a stool before it was a man. Arthur was so startled, he shouted. But the man didn't do anything except turn his head and open his mouth. Then the cylinder moved and a beautiful song began to play.

It took him a little time to process what had happened before he moved forward, staring at the thing. Obviously, it was part of the music box, rather like a cuckoo clock or one of the clockwork travelling shows. The doll was of a handsome man, his blond hair tied back except for a few strands which hung down to frame his face. With its head's movement, the eyes had opened and Arthur could see that he had smouldering blue orbs within. Its lips looked soft and its hands were delicate. The ornate suit from a previous decade hugged the doll's form closely and Arthur's eyes were drawn down to its slim hips. All in all, the doll looked far too lifelike.

Shuddering, Arthur backed away from it only to slip on the paper and fall flat on his back. That seemed to be the last straw for his downstairs neighbour as, almost before he had recovered, the woman was hammering on his front door and he resigned himself to being yelled at. As he crossed the room to answer her, the song wound down and the doll and its piano retreated into its box. Arthur cast one last frown at it, wondering why his grandmother had never let him see it before.

A few days later, in the midst of writing a death scene of tragic proportions, Arthur remembered that his grandmother was dead. It followed hard on the heels of him thinking of his lonely life and knocked him for six. He hurriedly took a dose of laudanum and, when he was still near to tears, he took some more.

When his head settled, his eyes settled on all the closed music boxes that had been spread throughout his home, pages of stories littered between them. Barely registering his decision, he was soon winding them all up and letting their sweet, twining music envelope him. He even ventured to wind up the large one and watched the doll emerge, its music overpowering the others. That narrowed Arthur's attention to it alone and he watched it move, its movements more lifelike than the last time. For a moment, Arthur watched him.

Then he said, "What's your name?"

The man stopped and looked at him, blinking. "Francis," he finally said, the piano still playing, his fingers flying across the keys.

"Ah. I'm Arthur. Nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure."

"I'm a writer," Arthur explained for lack of anything else to say, gesturing at the room.

"Are all writers so messy?" Francis asked, smirking a little.

"Mm. I don't have time to tidy up. There are so many ideas!"

"Such as?"

Arthur spent the rest of the day telling Francis about his many stories, winding him up when necessary.

Over the next few days or weeks or months (all his days started to blend into one another), Arthur spoke with Francis, reciting his writing and bouncing ideas off of him. He complained about people he knew and people he didn't. Relationship talk had Arthur sitting on Francis's lap as he hugged him tightly while he wept. With all the drugs he took habitually, his emotions were all over the place, especially when he hadn't taken a dose in a while.

During those times, he was also a little more lucid. Either that or his mind was sharper. Whatever the reason, it was then that he reminded himself that 'Francis' was a clockwork doll, that he didn't exist. It was probably all in his mind, starved for company as he was. But the company of his neighbours was repulsive and he could only stand Francis, even when he was arguing with it.

Slowly, he began to realise that he didn't want to be with anyone else. He wanted Francis, needed him to listen. His heart ached when he woke from a stupor and found him shut away. Every time he retreated into his box, Arthur would feel tears escape him. Always, always he wound the clockwork as much as he could so Francis would be in his life for longer.

He fell in love.

Upon realising that, Arthur began to fantasise about kissing those soft-looking lips. He dreamed of sitting in Francis's lap for hours instead of the scant minutes he could get. His cock took an interest, giving him images of them in bed together.

One day, Arthur was telling Francis about a story he had crafted, explaining what each little detail symbolised. Francis interrupted him. "Are you really going to write such detailed scenes?" he asked. "Won't people be... scandalised?"

"Why?" asked Arthur, drunkenly. He'd run out of laudanum and cocaine and had been drinking copious amounts of wine to make up for it.

"You're talking about writing intimate scenes between men and women."

Arthur snorted. "I don't see why they would be. Everyone does it. There's even people that are intimate with men." He paused, eyeing Francis, wondering if he would be offended.

"I know that," Francis said, simply. "But it isn't spoken about. Won't people be angry with you?"

Pouting a little, Arthur sidled up to Francis and slid into his lap. "You think I should destroy it."

"No," said Francis with a smile. "You should merely keep it to yourself."

"As I do you."

"Yes."

They sat in silence for a while, Arthur's gaze fastened on Francis's pretty lips. What would they taste like? What did a kiss feel like? Would he like it? Would Francis like it? "May I kiss you?" he found himself saying.

Francis stared at him in shock. Then he nodded, practically thrumming with excitement. He looked ecstatic and hopeful. "Yes!" he breathed, his breath sending tingles throughout Arthur.

Grinning, Arthur leaned in. "I've never kissed anyone before," he thought to warn him, just before their lips met.

When they did, Arthur was blown away. His breath was stolen as they pressed together, softness pressed against his bitten lips. With his heart beating wildly in his chest, Arthur slid his arms around Francis's shoulders. Then Francis tilted his head and his tongue was slipping between Arthur's lips, the kiss deeper and more intense. He moaned into it, pushing himself closer. Francis smiled against him and Arthur felt elated.

Behind him, the piano music slowed. To Arthur, it felt as if time was coming to a stop. He tightened his grip on Francis. The last few notes sounded.

Without warning, Francis pulled away and shoved at Arthur. Startled, Arthur fell on his backside, sprawled at Francis's feet. Confused, he blinked up at Francis, mouth agape. Had he done something wrong? He couldn't figure out what had happened.

"I'm sorry!" Francis cried. "But you can't be here when-"

Before he could finish, the music box began to close, drawing Francis away from Arthur. He dazedly watched as Francis was forced to turn back to the piano, the doll's fingers finding the keys again, ready for the next song. The whole set up slid into the box and the doors shut with a definitive click. Arthur stared at it, still hurt from the rough treatment, unable to bring himself to wind it up again.

I need to see him.

Do I want to see him taken away again?

It's not a real person.

I love him.

No I don't, I can't.

It's all in your head.

"Isn't this more than the last time?"

"What of it?"

"Can you pay for it, Arthur? I know you-"

"I have enough. Just give me it – I need it."

"Right. ... One of your friends was looking for you the other day."

"Oh? Here?"

"Said you weren't answering the door..."

"Huh. Here. Give me it."

"Well..." A sigh. "Have a nice day, Arthur."

One day, Arthur watched Francis play the piano. He sang as he played, his voice as beautiful as ever. Arthur had taken some laudanum and cocaine earlier and was sipping on an ale he had gotten from his local tavern. He'd taken to buying a barrel and bringing it home so he could be with Francis while he drank. Francis drank the wine.

Or Arthur drank that as well.

Sometimes he couldn't remember.

The tune changed, becoming light and airy. Francis turned his head to smile down at Arthur as he sang lovely words. It seemed to be a love song, pouring from Francis and into Arthur. He shuddered as the words entered him, smoothing out his pains and fears.

And his uncertainty.

Rising from his spot on the floor, he crossed over to Francis slipping sideways onto his lap. "Francis," he murmured. The man's smile widened and the tune became a little more intense and much more passionate. Arthur smiled back and kissed Francis, using a lot of tongue. They kissed like that for some time, the music becoming more and more sensual as time went on.

Soon, Arthur was hard, shifting restlessly.

Francis stopped the kiss for long enough to ask, a little breathlessly, "Would you like to be intimate with me?"

"Yes," Arthur replied.

After shifting around and removing clothes, Arthur ended up sitting on the stool, clinging to it as Francis slowly lowered himself onto him. Heat and tightness wrapped around his throbbing cock and he gasped with it. Once Francis was sitting in Arthur's lap, he pressed his forehead against Arthur's shoulder. They took deep breaths to steady themselves before Francis began to move, Arthur's hands on his hips.

Slowly, they built up speed. They had just gotten to a pace which made Arthur moan and shift restlessly on the seat when Francis grabbed his wrists and stopped, breathing heavily. "Do you... hear that?" he asked, looking over his shoulder towards the piano, looking concerned.

"Wha-?" said Arthur, trying to thrust into him. Listening over the sound of his heavy breaths and pounding heart, he realised that the music was slowing.

"Oh, no," breathed Francis – and he suddenly stood. "Quick!"

Before Arthur could react, he pulled Arthur up and pushed him away. Arthur frowned at him, reaching for him and grabbing hold of his arm, pulling him with him. Francis didn't protest, even as the box began to close. So Arthur pushed him over the back of his couch and pushed back in him. Then he began to fuck him, moving quick and going in deep, making sure to shift till Francis screamed.

It was a short time later that Arthur came.

When he finally came down from his orgasmic high, he realised he was collapsed over his couch. Dazed, his head hurting, he frowned at the sudden absence of Francis. Then he looked down at his body, taking in his cum covered hand wrapped around his own dick.

Dearest Arthur,

......

... I worry about you.

... I really think you should come home-

......

... Of course, if you need money, I still think those music boxes would-

All my love,

Mother

"I haven't had a shipment today, Arthur. And you only came in yesterday!"

"I need more!"

"Well, you'll have to go somewhere else?"

"Where?"

"There's one a few streets away, I think. But I really don't-"

A growl. "Which direction?"

I love him.

But it hurts.

Because he's not real.

Arthur couldn't take it any more. He was in so much pain and his medicine wouldn't dull it. Somewhere inside him, he knew that his pain would never be fixed with medicines or other remedies. It was deep inside him.

In his mind or heart.

But, right now, his heart was aching more and more. Francis's box was closed and he ached. For he was in love with Francis – but Francis only existed in the box, with the music. And it was a doll, not a human. He couldn't love him.

The ache within his heart grew. It felt as if he was dying, slowly, suffering through slipping away from life to death. But how much longer would it take? The only thing which could take his mind off the ache was Francis and that knowledge made him cry out while the doll was stuck inside the box, made him scream and curse. When would this end?

Francis was nothing but a fiction, just like on the pages strewn across his apartments. He was seeing things as had happened with the other music boxes. Bunnies and butterflies and fairies would often surround him and he'd happily interact with them. However, he knew they weren't real. It was just his imagination – and that was what Francis was.

That acknowledgment made the pain deepen.

If I'm going to die painfully, Arthur thought, why don't I just make the pain stop?

At first, he fought that idea. But, over time, as he fell more and more in love with a man who didn't exist, it became more and more tempting. Soon, he was sloppily sharpening his knives, readying himself only to get scared and turn to his medicine instead.

When his local chemist stopped selling to him in order to keep his supply for others, Arthur couldn't do that. Talking with Francis helped for a while but he was soon drowning. He couldn't keep it up. Was it truly worth the pain to be able to see him?

On the day he decided the pain was too much, his curtains were open and he could see that it was a sunny day, smiling on his conclusion. He dressed in his nicest clothes and set the equipment he needed on a chair he had placed to face Francis's box. Then he moved around his apartments, winding up all the boxes to let them play. Soothing music washed over him as he wound up the big one, stepping back to drop into the chair as it slowly opened.

"Arthur?" said Francis once he had turned his head to sing. He looked Arthur up and down and froze when he saw what was sitting in his lap. "What- What are you doing...?"

Ignoring Francis's shocked expression, Arthur said, "I love you." Then he picked up the knife and drew its sharp edge across his wrist. Pain blossomed there and he gasped. He tried to pass the knife to that hand but it slipped from his grasp. Looking down, he realised it was a far deeper cut than he had expected he would make. Blood was gushing out of it, dripping onto his lap. It pooled there, warming him even as his core began to chill.

Everything spun and Arthur had to close his eyes for a moment to stop it. Suddenly, he was on the floor, lying on his side. There, he gazed at the object of his affections and the cause of his grief, breath labouring.

Just before he lost the ability to see clearly, Arthur thought he saw a tear run down Francis's cheek.

You are free to choose whether it was all in Arthur’s head or whether Francis was a cursed prince/whatever who needed Arthur to say he loved him to break the curse.

Some things: here’s some stuff about the drugs I mentioned in Victorian times (cause I see this as being early 1800s, about the 1830s).

This is about the women’s clothes I mentioned.

I had some other sites I looked at, too, but that’s the ones I actually used something from.

#frukspringfestival2k17 #Day 6 #(well not any more)#hetalia #fan fiction #fruk #tw: suicide #tw: drugs

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howellrichard · 7 years

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The Healing Power of Flower Elixirs (Interview)

Hiya Gorgeous,

Like you, I’m always looking for new ways to reduce stress and increase my energy, creativity and daily joy. So, I was very intrigued to learn about flower alchemy when I met Katie Hess, founder of Lotuswei and author of the fabulous new book, Flowerevolution.

I fell in love with Katie’s posie potions a few years ago. Then, when we were creating the goodie bags for my Crazy Sexy Juice book launch, Katie donated hundreds of bottles of different flower essences for all our guests. Not only was this wildly generous, I swear it helped lift the energy in the room. Everyone was high on juice, flowers and loving life! (Thank you again, Katie.)

Since that time, I’ve been adding more flower power to my own life, and though I don’t really know what I’m doing (hence this interview), I love exploring anything that connects me to the healing and grounding power of nature.

Through my personal journey and work with readers like you, I’ve realized that when we lose our connection to the planet, we lose our connection to ourselves. And, one of the quickest ways to heal what ails us is to spark that connection again. That’s why Katie’s work is so soulful. Through the beautiful world of flowers, she teaches us how to bring nature back into our everyday lives. Sounds pretty awesome, right?

According to Katie, flowers can also serve as teachers or messengers to remind us of the preciousness of life and to inspire us to live our lives fully, madly, deeply.

Learn how you can use flower elixirs to decrease #stress, improve your mood, relieve insomnia + more! @Kris_Carr

Plus, research has shown that flowers have specific qualities that affect us in unique ways, from helping us manage our daily stress to boosting our immune systems. Most people would never suspect that quiet, unassuming flowers have so much to offer us—inside and out.

To learn how to use the subtle healing power of plants, Katie trained internationally with flower essence and meditation practitioners. She’s studied mindful-awareness techniques with several Tibetan Buddhist masters, including The Dalai Lama, The Karmapa—Tibet’s next generation leader—and Ayang Rinpoche, a master of compassionate death and dying.

Flower alchemy has changed Katie’s life and she wants to show you how it can improve yours, too. So, without further adieu, let’s chat with her about it!

Kris: What is flower alchemy?

Katie: Flower alchemy is the practice of harnessing the life-force energy of a plant. Within any plant or botanical, it is the flower that contains the highest concentration of life-force, or “chi”. This chi can be captured in a water and alcohol solution that when taken internally or applied externally, works through the acupuncture meridians to shift our state of mind within minutes, with a growing effect over time.

Kris: How can flower elixirs help us?

Katie: In a modern world where stress, tension, distraction and insomnia are the norm, flower elixirs provide a simple way to experience more happiness, ease, creativity, clarity and better sleep. Over time, the flower elixirs have increasing effects, helping to dissolve old unwanted habits and magnify our best qualities. They can support us to be at our best more often. By reconnecting people to the magic of flowers, we reconnect people to their true potential in life.

Kris: Are flower elixirs different from essential oils?

Katie: Yes! Flower elixirs don’t have a scent and they work through the acupuncture meridians. It is a liquid infusion of a flower or plant’s “chi” or life-force, whereas an essential oil is distilled or extracted from the plant into a highly aromatic oil.

Essential oils require huge amounts of plant material for distillation, but only a small amount of blooms are required for making flower elixirs—making them one of the most sustainable forms of natural remedies. Flower elixirs are hand-collected from flowers in the wild or in special gardens, following cycles of the moon and a dilution process. The final dilution no longer has any plant parts in it—only the energetic imprint or essence of the flower.

Kris: What are the different ways we can start incorporating flower elixirs into everyday life?

Katie: Find out what flower can benefit you most right now: take our quiz or if you already have the Flowerevolution book, check out page 120. These resources will help you identify the flower you’re most attracted to! I recommend using the indicated flower elixir on a daily basis: take five drops sublingually, five times each day or put a full dropper into your water bottle each time you fill up. Typically, within 3-5 days you start to notice a difference in how you feel and think, with an increasing effect over time.

There are two types of elixirs:

Combination flower elixir blends target an issue from many directions, working synergistically to enhance a particular state of mind. For example, in Quiet Mind, there are flowers for physical tension, monkey mind, not being able to let go and going on overdrive. So with one blend, you can address many of the issues causing sleep problems.

Single flower elixirs target very specific patterns. The effects of single flower elixirs may appear more subtle, yet they go deeper, hitting the bullseye. While it may take longer to discern the shifts taking place, the effects can be profound. Every flower is different, but you can target anything from relieving phobias or aggression to increasing confidence or patience. Kris: Are there any safety issues we need to look out for when using flower elixirs?

Katie: Flower elixirs are so gentle, anyone can take them. They complement other healing modalities and can be taken in conjunction with other remedies. Children love them, too! Since we use honey in the elixir, we recommend using them after babies reach one year of age, but babies get all the mood-boosting benefits from the elixirs that their nursing mamas use. And for anyone wanting to avoid honey, the Aura Mists, Serums and Anointing Oils are 100% vegan (aka bee-free!).

In the Serums, Aura Mists and Anointing Oils, we combine flower elixirs with aromatherapy essential oils. Since some people are sensitive to certain scents and essential oils, you’ll need to use your own judgment regarding safety. If you have any concerns, consult your naturopath or midwife.

Kris: If there was one message you wanted everyone in the world to get from your work, what would it be?

Katie: To this day, the motivating factor of the business and everyone who works alongside me is the positive ripple effect that it has created. Using flower elixirs regularly leads people to not only feel more joyful and peaceful but to create more joy and peace. Our moods are infectious: when we’re happy, the people around us are happy. When we’re in a grumpy mood, it also affects people around us.

We can change the world from the inside out: taking charge of our state of mind is the most powerful agent of change in the world.

Kris: As a fellow entrepreneur, I’d love to know how you stay nourished and inspired? What are your non-negotiables? Katie: Practicing meditation daily gives me spaciousness of mind—this is my number one personal non-negotiable. Taking it slow in the mornings at home or at a coffee shop is really nice, too—allowing for brainstorming and creative time.

Other ways I stay nourished and inspired: I love music, salsa dancing and using flower elixirs to wake up the best parts of me. I love playing and snuggling with my dogs. And whenever I’m near an Asian bathhouse—I go there to take a few hours off, sit in the sauna, dip in the hot and icy cold baths, eat spicy soup, lounge and do nothing. That’s deep rest for me and nourishes me for more creating later.

Psst… Wanna try a new meditation? Get free access to my Pep Talk Meditation track now:

Kris: Thanks, Katie!

If you have questions about flower alchemy or experiences with it, please share in the comments. And if you’re looking to deepen your flower power knowledge, grab Katie’s book! It’s packed with information, stories and rituals. Here’s some fun: Find out what flower you’re most attracted to says about you. What is your favorite flower telling you about yourself? Oooh, I want to know!

Peace & petals,

The post The Healing Power of Flower Elixirs (Interview) appeared first on KrisCarr.com.

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lewiskdavid90 · 7 years

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