#so HR is like. We’re all gonna take personality assessments and then learn to communicate with people that are different from ourselves<3

[pseud0knots]

we had to do this personality assessment thing at work that was basically mbti with extra steps and then we were supposed to spend like 30 minutes with this consultant going through our results and she spent. 1 hour and 30 minutes with me. and I’m feeling very studied under a microscope about it

[morwensteelsheen]

I’m starting grad school this autumn and honestly I’m getting nervous. Like yes I am v excited about the whole prospect overall and I do miss being a student but am intimidated by 3 hr long seminars and thesis writing and massive amounts of reading… everyone keeps saying it’s gonna be very different from undergrad so okay, but how specifically? Is it the large amounts of reading? I already had insane amounts of reading (humanities degree hurrah) especially in my last two years but could you expound on your own experience and how you take notes/read quickly/summarize or just how to deal with first time grad students?

Oh, yeah for sure! A necessary disclaimer here is that I'm at a certain poncy English institution that is noted for being very bad at communicating with its students and very bad at treating its postgrad students like human beings, so a lot of these strategies I've picked up will be overkill for anyone who has the good sense to go somewhere not profoundly evil lol.

So I'll just preface this by saying that I am a very poor student in terms of doing what you're supposed to. I'm very bad at taking notes, I never learned how to do it properly, and I really, really struggle with reading dense literature. That said, I'm probably (hopefully?) going to get through this dumb degree just fine. Also — my programme is a research MPhil, not taught, so it's a teensy bit more airy-fairy in terms of structure. I had two classes in Michaelmas term, both were once a week for two hours each; two in Lent, one was two hours weekly, the other two hours biweekly; and no classes at all in Easter. I also have no exam component, I was/am assessed entirely on three essays (accounting for 30% of my overall mark) and my dissertation (the remaining 70%), which is, I think, a little different to how some other programmes are. I think even some of the other MPhils here are more strenuous than that, like Econ and Soc Hist is like 100% dissertation? Anyways, not super important, but knowing what you're getting marked on is important. I dedicated considerably less time than I did in undergrad to perfecting my coursework essays because they just don't hold as much weight now. The difference between a 68 and a 70 just wasn't worth the fuss for me, which helped keep me sane-ish.

The best advice anyone ever gave me was that, whereas an undergrad degree can kind of take over your life without it becoming a problem, you need to treat grad school like a job. That's not because it's more 'serious' or whatever, but because if you don't set a really strict schedule and keep to it, you'll burn yourself out and generally make your life miserable. Before I went back on my ADD meds at the end of Michaelmas term, I sat myself down at my desk and worked from 11sh to 1800ish every day. Now that I'm medicated, I do like 9:30-10ish to 1800-1900 (except for now that I'm crunching on my diss, where, because of my piss-poor time management skills I'm stuck doing, like, 9:30-22:30-23:00). If you do M-F 9-5, you'll be getting through an enormous amount of work and leaving yourself loads of time to still be a human being on the edges. That'll be the difference between becoming a postgrad zombie and a person who did postgrad. I am a postgrad zombie. You do not want to be like me.

The 'work' element of your days can really vary. It's not like I was actually consistently reading for all that time — my brain would have literally melted right out of my ears — but it was about setting the routine and the expectation of dedicating a certain, consistent and routinized period of time for focusing on the degree work every day. My attention span, even when I'm medicated, is garbage, so I would usually read for two or three hours, then either work on the more practical elements of essay planning, answer emails, or plot out the early stages of my research.

In the first term/semester/whatever, lots of people who are planning on going right into a PhD take the time to set up their applications and proposals. I fully intended on doing a PhD right after the MPhil, but the funding as an international student trying to deal with the pandemic proved super problematic, and I realised that the toll it was taking on my mental health was just so not worth it, so I've chosen to postpone a few years. You'll feel a big ol' amount of pressure to go into a PhD during your first time. Unless you're super committed to doing it, just try and tune it out as much as you can. There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a year (or two, or three, or ten) out, especially given the insane conditions we're all operating under right now.

I'll be honest with you, I was a phenomenally lazy undergrad. It was only by the grace of god and being a hard-headed Marxist that I managed to pull out a first at the eleventh hour. So the difference between UG and PG has been quite stark for me. I've actually had to do the reading this year, not just because they're more specialised and relevant to my research or whatever, but because, unlike in UG, the people in the programme are here because they're genuinely interested (and not because it's an economic necessity) and they don't want to waste their time listening to people who haven't done the reading.

I am also a really bad reader. Maybe it's partially the ADD + dyslexia, but mostly it's because I just haven't practiced it and never put in the requisite effort to learn how to do it properly. My two big pointers here are learning how to skim, and learning how to prioritise your reading.

This OpenU primer on skimming is a bit condescending in its simplicity, but it gets the point across well. You're going to want to skim oh, say, 90% of the reading you're assigned. This is not me encouraging you to be lazy, it's me being honest. Not every word of every published article or book is worth reading. The vast majority of them aren't. That doesn't mean the things that those texts are arguing for aren't worth reading, it just means that every stupid rhetorical flourish included by bored academics hoping for job security and/or funding and/or awards isn't worth your precious and scarce time. Make sure you get the main thrust of each text, make sure you pull out and note down one or two case studies and move right the hell on. There will be some authors whose writing will be excellent, and who you will want to read all of. Everything else gets skimmed.

Prioritisation is the other big thing. You're going to have shitty weeks, you're probably going to have lots of them. First off, you're going to need to forgive yourself for those now — everybody has them, yes, even the people who graduated with distinctions and go on to get lovely £100,000 AHRC scholarships. Acknowledge that there will be horrible weeks, accept it now, and then strategise for how to get ahead of them. My personal strategy is to plan out what I'm trying to get out of each course I take, and then focus only on the readings that relate to that topic.

I took a course in Lent term that dealt with race and empire in Britain between 1607 and 1900; I'm a researcher of the Scottish far left from 1968-present, so the overlap wasn't significant. But I decided from the very first day of the course that I was there to get a better grasp about the racial theories of capitalism and the role of racial othering in Britain's subjugation of Ireland. Those things are helpful to me because white supremacist capitalism comes up hourly in my work on the far left, and because the relationship of the Scottish far left to Ireland is extremely important to its self definition. On weeks when I couldn't handle anything else, I just read the texts related to that. And it was fine, I did fine, I got my stupid 2:1 on the final essay, and I came out of it not too burnt out to work on my dissertation.

Here is where I encourage you to learn from my mistakes: get yourself a decent group of people who you can have in depth conversations about the material with. I was an asshole who decided I didn't need to do that with any posh C*mbr*dge twats, and I have now condemned myself to babbling incomprehensible nonsense at my partner because I don't have anyone on my course to work through my ideas with. These degrees are best experienced when they're experienced socially. In recent years (accelerated by the pandemic, ofc), universities have de-emphasised the social component of postgrad work, largely to do with stupid, long-winded stuff related to postgrad union organising etc. It's a real shame because postgrads end up feeling quite socially isolated, and because they're not having these fun and challenging conversations, their work actually suffers in the long term. This is, and I cannot stress this enough, the biggest departure from undergrad. Even the 'weak links' or whatever judgemental nonsense are there because they want to be. That is going to be your biggest asset. Talk, talk, talk. Listen, listen, listen. Offer to proofread people's papers so you get a sense of how people are thinking about things, what sort of style they're writing in, what sources they're referring to. Be a sponge and a copycat (but don't get done for plagiarism, copy like this.) Also: ask questions that seem dumb. For each of your classes, ask your tutors/lecturers who they think the most important names in their discipline are. It sounds silly, but it's really helpful to know the intellectual landscape you're dealing with, and it means you know whose work you can go running to if you get lost or tangled up during essay or dissertation writing!

You should also be really honest about everything — another piece of advice that I didn't follow and am now suffering for. The people on your courses and in your cohort are there for the same reasons as you, have more or less the same qualifications as you, and are probably going to have a lot of the same questions and insecurities as you. If you hear an unfamiliar term being used in a seminar, just speak up and ask about it, because there're going to be loads of other people wondering too. But you should also cultivate quite a transparent relationship with your supervisor. I was really cagey and guarded with mine because my hella imposter syndrome told me she was gonna throw my ass out of the programme if I admitted to my problems. Turns out no, she wouldn't, and that actually she's been a super good advocate for me. If you feel your motivation slipping or if you feel like you're facing challenges you could do with a little extra support on, go right to your supervisor. Not only is that what they're there to do, they've also done this exact experience before and are going to be way more sympathetic and aware of the realities of it than, say, the uni counselling service or whatever.

Yeah so I gotta circle back to the notes thing... I really do not take notes. It's my worst habit. Here's an example of the notes I took for my most recent meeting with my supervisor (revising a chapter draft).

No sane person would ever look at these and think this is a system worth replicating lol. But the reason they work for me is because I also record (with permission) absolutely everything. My mobile is like 90% audio recordings of meetings and seminars lol. So these notes aren't 'good' notes, but they're effective for recalling major points in the audio recording so I can listen to what was said when I need to.

Sorry none of this is remotely organised because it's like 2330 here and my brain is so soft and mushy. I'm literally just writing things as I remember them.

Right, so: theory is a big thing. Lots of people cheap out on this and it's to their own detriment. You say you're doing humanities, and tbh, most of the theory involved on the humanities side of the bridge is interdisciplinary anyways, so I'm just gonna give you some recommendations. The big thing is to read these things and try to apply them to what you're writing about. This sounds so fucking condescending but getting, like, one or two good theoretical frameworks in your papers will actually put you leaps and bounds beyond the students around you and really improve your research when the time comes. Also: don't read any of these recommendations without first watching, like an intro youtube video or listening to a podcast. The purists will tell you that's the wrong way to do it, but I am a lazy person and lazy people always find the efficient ways to do things, so I will tell the purists to go right to hell.

Check out these impenetrable motherfuckers (just one or two will take your work from great to excellent, so don't feel obliged to dig into them all):

Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels (I'm not just pushing my politics, but also, I totally am) — don't fucking read Capital unless you're committed to it. Oh my god don't put yourself through that unless you really have to. Try, like, the 18th Brumaire of Louis Napoleon for the fun quotes, and Engels on the family.

Frantz Fanon — Wretched of the Earth. Black Skin White Masks also good, slightly more impossible to read

Benedict Anderson — Imagined Communities. It's about nationalism, but you will be surprised at how applicable it is to... so many other topics

Judith Butler — she really sucks to read. I love her. But she sucks to read. If you do manage to read her though, your profs will love you because like 90% of the people who say they've read her are lying

Bourdieu — Distinction is good for a lot of things, but especially for introducing the idea of social and cultural capital. There's basically no humanities sub-discipline that can't run for miles on that alone.

Crenshaw — the genesis of intersectionality. But, like, actually read her, not the ingrates who came after her and defanged intersectionality into, like, rainbow bombs dropped over Gaza.

The other thing is that you should read for fun. My programme director was absolutely insistent that we all continue to read for pleasure while we did this degree, not just because it's good for destressing, but because keeping your cultural horizons open actually makes your writing better and more interesting. I literally read LOTR for the first time in, like February, and the difference in my writing and thinking from before and after is tangible, because not only did it give me something fun to think about when I was getting stressy, but it also opened up lots of fun avenues for thought that weren't there before. I read LOTR and wanted to find out more about English Catholics in WWI, and lo and behold something I read about it totally changed how I did my dissertation work. Or, like, a girl on my course who read the Odyssey over Christmas Break and then started asking loads of questions about the role of narrative creation in the archival material she was using. It was seriously such a good edict from our director.

Also, oh my god, if you do nothing else, please take this bit seriously: forgive yourself for the bad days. The pressure in postgrad is fucking unreal. Nobody, nobody is operating at 100% 100% of the time. If you aim for 60% for 80% of the time and only actually achieve 40% for 60% of the time, you will still be doing really fucking well. Don't beat yourself up unnecessarily. Don't make yourself feel bad because you're not churning out publishable material every single day. Some days you just need to lie on the couch, order takeout, and watch 12 hours of Jeopardy or whatever, and I promise you that that is a good and worthwhile thing to do. You don't learn and grow without rest, so forgive yourself for the moments and days of unplanned rest, and forgive yourself for when you don't score as highly as you want to, and forgive yourself when you say stupid things in class or don't do all of (or any of) the class reading.

Uhhhh I think I'm starting to lose the plot a bit now. Honestly, just ping me whatever questions you have and I'm happy to answer them. There's a chance I'll be slower to respond over the next few days because my dissertation is due in a week (holy fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but I will definitely respond. And honestly, no question is too dumb lol. I wish I'd been able to ask someone about things like what citation management software is best or how to set up a desk for maximum efficiency or whatever, but I was a scaredy-cat about it and didn't. So yeah, ask away and I will totally answer.

[artificialqueens]

Galactica, Chapter 8 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Guess what? We’re posting this today instead of tomorrow because we just love you guys so much, and your comments made us very productive today! Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: A wild night in the club led to a miserable, hangover-fueled day for Violet--and then a frustrating week, as Fame rejected all of the assistant candidates.

This Chapter: In a last-ditch effort to find a new assistant for Fame, Violet gives Courtney a shot.

***

Never in Courtney’s life had she seen a room as white, spotless and intimidating as Galactica’s reception area. She sat on the pristine sofa, hands folded in her lap, anxiety gnawing at her stomach. She’d been sending out resumes for almost 2 months, ever since she’d gotten to New York, in a desperate attempt to find a job--any job--that would allow her to stay in the United States.

This was only her second interview so far, the first one being a disaster - she’d missed her train connection and arrived late and sweaty from running ten blocks, and then the hiring manager had spent the entire time talking straight to her chest, patting her on the ass as she left while telling her that she was unqualified.

Of course she was unqualified.

Courtney was a 21-year-old who’d just graduated a few months earlier with a philosophy degree and zero office experience. Her current under-the-table job, waitressing at an Aussie-themed steakhouse in Times Square, was not going to keep her in the country. (Although she was grateful to her friend Morgan for hooking her up with it, since she���d be flat broke otherwise.)

Courtney had to stay in the country if there was any hope of her real dream coming true, which was to become a professional singer and songwriter, and maybe even a Broadway actress, if she was lucky. If she could ever get so much as an audition, which had also not happened yet. The best she’d done so far was sometimes singing with Adore’s band, but punk rock wasn’t really her style, and though she was grateful to her bestie for giving her a shot, it always felt awkward and wrong.

While she waited to be called for her interview, she prayed with all her heart; she wasn’t sure she believed in god, but it couldn’t hurt, right?

She prayed that her connection to Adore would mean something here. That Violet would remember her. That Miss Fame would like her. That the hours she’d spent carefully putting together her current outfit, getting her roots touched up and press-on nails to cover her real ones (bitten down to the quick) wouldn’t all be a waste.

Courtney heard the sound of heels coming down the hall, and then Violet appeared from around the corner. Courtney felt relief washing over her, happy to see the beautiful girl she had instantly bonded with the other night.

It was actually amazing that Violet had come through for her, making sure that her application had made it to Fame herself. Courtney smiled brightly.

“Good morning, babes!”

Violet gave her a cursory smile back, quickly checking her watch. “It’s almost noon.”

“Oh, yeah,” Courtney swallowed, feeling like an idiot as Violet looked her up and down like a zoo animal. “I was just making conversa-”

“This isn’t a place for small talk,” Violet said, then pointed at her purse. “Leave that with Roxy.”

“What?” Courtney clutched the bag to her chest. “No!” It was one of her favorite accessories, a star-shaped silver handbag with pink iridescent piping. Not to mention, it contained her phone, wallet, keys, and pretty much everything important.

“Courtney.” Violet made a small, aggravated noise. “If you want any hope of getting this job, you will leave that thing here at the front desk where Miss Fame can’t ever see it.”

Whoever this Violet was, she was very very different from the fun, friendly girl she’d met at the club.

“Okay,” Courtney agreed reluctantly, handing the bag over to the receptionist, who pinched it between her thumb and forefinger as if it was covered in dog shit.

Courtney rolled her eyes.

It wasn’t an expensive designer handbag. So what? Surely she wasn’t the first girl to own a fun, cute, novelty purse.

“Come with me,” Violet then said, taking off back down the hall.

Courtney hurried after her, following her into an immaculate conference room with a huge table. Violet gestured to one of the chairs.

“Sit down please.”

Courtney sat, nerves still on edge.

“So…” Violet sat down across from her, notebook open, looking at Courtney’s resume. She clicked her pen. “How much do you know about Galactica? Miss Fame? What research have you done on the company?”

“Oh, um…” Courtney paused, deflating a bit. She’d been prepared to talk about herself, not realizing that there was going to be a quiz. “Well, I know that it’s a very...uh, influential fashion house. And that Miss Fame is the CEO. And…”

Violet waited for another second, before she sighed deeply.

“Let me explain. Miss Fame is one of the busiest and most sought-after people in town. She started this company with Raja Gemini when she was only 26 years old. They got accepted and won the Fashion Fund on their first try. They’re visionaries. Why do you want to work here?”

“Well, I’ve always loved fashion-”

“Have you now?” Violet said, giving her a stern once-over.

Courtney felt like those judgmental eyes would melt her very soul, and suddenly became extremely self-conscious about her choice of outfit. Was her skirt too short? Did her jacket not fit right? Was she wearing anything as offensive as that purse she couldn’t even take into the office? She gulped.

“Y-yes.” It was the truth, even if Violet didn’t believe her. Ever since she could remember, Courtney had loved putting together fabulous outfits. Usually with her brother, both of them getting glammed up and prancing around the house, pretending that they were posh ladies with all the money in the world. And when they were older, he was the one who dressed her up and escorted her to talent agents and auditions--her own little stage mom. “And I did some modeling as a kid in Brisbane.”

Violet rolled her eyes. “Please don’t say that, it won’t impress her at all.”

“Alright. Well, it seems like it would be a really exciting job. And Adore always talks about how wonderful Fame is-”

“Miss Fame,” Violet corrected her. “You aren’t her friend, call her Miss. And don’t mention Adore.”

“No? But she said-”

“She’ll think it’s tacky. She would never hire someone because of a personal connection. If you get the job, it’ll be on your own merits, not because you know Adore. And not because we danced in a club the other night. Don’t mention that either.”

“Okay. Got it.” Courtney bit her lip. This whole situation seemed less and less likely to work out, the few advantages Courtney thought she might have coming in slipping through her fingers like sand.

“Look, Courtney. Working as Miss Fame’s assistant is not some frivolous job full of exciting parties and fancy clothes, okay? It requires you to be organized, and smart, and always stay ten steps ahead of everyone. You’ll need to anticipate Miss Fame’s every need, before she even knows she has them. Is that something you think you can do?”

Anticipate needs before Miss Fame knows she has them? What in the fuck was Violet talking about? She wasn’t a psychic. But this was a job interview, and Courtney supposed that she should nod and smile.

“Yes. Yes, of course,” Courtney said. “I’m...very intuitive.”

“Mmhmm. And how are you with Microsoft office?”

“Pretty good, I think. And I learn very fast,” Courtney said.

“What about communication? Written, verbal...are you a good communicator?”

“Very!” Courtney exclaimed, gaining a little bit of confidence. Finally, something she knew she could handle.

“I’m gonna be honest with you. You don’t have a lot of experience and she has been very, very picky. So your best bet, when you go in with her, is to keep your mouth shut and just listen. This job isn’t about you, it’s about what you can do for her. You don’t matter. Does that make sense?”

Courtney nodded slowly.

“I hope you don’t think I’m being harsh. I’m just trying to prepare you so that you have half a chance.”

“Oh, I know! And thank you, honestly. I really need this job. My visa is-”

“For god’s sake, don’t mention your visa. If you get the job, HR will deal with that.”

“Right, of course.” Don’t mention the visa. Don’t mention Adore. Don’t mention the club. Don’t mention modeling. Courtney’s head spun, praying she’d remember anything she was allowed to say when Fame asked her questions.

“Look. Everyone in New York wants something from Miss Fame. If you’re her assistant, your most important job is to be the gatekeeper. You need to say no to people without them realizing it’s happening. You protect her from all the madness, support her so that her brilliant creative mind can thrive. Do you understand?”

“Yes. Definitely.” Courtney nodded emphatically, and she saw the first thing that almost looked like a smile on Violet’s face since she had arrived.

“Good.” Violet glanced at her watch. “I need to get back. You can stay here until she’s ready for you. But remember...don’t say anything unless you’re answering a direct question. Okay?”

“Okay,” Courtney said.

“Good luck Courtney, and don’t fuck it up.”

With that, Violet picked up her things and sailed out of the room, leaving Courtney alone. She held her breath for a full 10 seconds before letting out a huge sigh, head dropping onto her arms.

Soon, the sound of heels approaching again caused her to jump, spine ramrod straight as Violet threw open the door and snapped her fingers.

“She’s ready. Let’s go.”

***

Fame leaned back in her chair, assessing the girl in front of her with a discerning eye.

She was certainly a pretty little thing, bright-eyed and well-groomed, definitely the right look. Of course, her shoes were cheap and a bit scuffed, the chunky heels absolutely horrifying, but that could be fixed.

She was trembling like a leaf--although Fame didn’t particularly mind that part.  

Courtney had said very little (another mark in her favor), but from what she had offered, Fame appreciated the accent right away. Something about an Australian accent tended to both impress and intimidate Americans, which could easily work in her favor.

After watching her suffer in silence for a few moments, Fame leaned forward, asking, “So...Courtney, was it?”

“Yes.”

“What do you think you’ll bring to this job that no one else can?”

“Well...I work very hard, and I’m very organized, and, uh...I’m really good at playing dumb.”

Fame tilted her head. Well, this was certainly an interesting answer.

“Go on.”

“Violet, she said that most of the job is protecting your privacy and being a...gatekeeper for people who want your attention. That you have to do it in a nice way.” Courtney cleared her throat, continuing nervously. “I think I would be good at pretending I don’t know things, like where you are when you’re in the middle of something that they’re not allowed to know about. Like, um, acting innocent or like...”

Fame continued to listen, eyes narrowed slightly, watching with amusement as Courtney cringed a bit.

“I’m sorry, that was very long-winded. I think I’d be good at making people feel good even when I’m saying no to them.”  

“Hm.” Fame lifted her resume, looking it over one more time. She was inexperienced. Very inexperienced. But there was something about her that Fame found charming, even shrewd.

Besides, if she took longer to train, well, then Violet would just have to stay longer. Which was no skin off Fame’s back.

“Thank you, Courtney.”

“Oh.” Courtney seemed to realize that this was her cue to leave, standing awkwardly. “Thank you so much for the opportunity. It was an honor to meet you,” she said, looking like she wanted to say more, but deciding against it. Another plus.

“That’s all.”

***

Violet had never been happier to see the end of the workweek than when the clock struck 7 on Friday.

Fame would leave soon and then Violet would finally have time to tie up the loose ends of the day, which had gone by like a whirlwind.

Violet kicked off her shoes to rest for just a moment. She was feeling utterly exhausted but victorious.

Courtney had been hired, the girl shrieking so loudly when Violet had called to tell her the news that she almost burst Violet’s eardrum.

Violet leaned back, looking up at the ceiling, her eyes slipped closed. It was just a moment, just for one single moment.

“Ahem.”

Violet heard the cleared throat, but she was so tired she could barely open her eyes. The front doors were closed, the alarm set up on most floors, so it had to be someone from their own company.

“What can I help you with?”

“Is Fame still here?” Violet didn’t recognize the voice, the tone of it clearly male, but it didn’t matter who it was. They weren’t going to be allowed in.

“She is, but Miss Fame is not taking anymore meetings for today,” Violet sat up straight, and opened her eyes, “so if you could plea-”

Violet froze in place, the man in front of her someone she knew very, very well.

“Mr. Bertschy!”

“Hello.” Patrick smiled.

“Oh god, I am so sorry.” Violet stood up straight, quickly smoothing down her dress. Of course it was Fame’s husband. Of course. He often worked just as late as Fame, and since his offices were also in the building, he had keys and codes for everything. “I’ll call her right away for you sir, I’m so sorr-”

“There will be no need for that, Violet.”

Violet stopped immediately as she heard Fame’s soft voice coming from her office, the woman herself walking through her door seconds later.

“Hello darling.” Fame smiled, a tenderness in her eyes as she walked over that Violet very rarely saw. Fame leaned forward, gently kissing her husband.

Violet looked away quickly, Fame always preferring to keep her privacy around employees, from what Violet knew.

She felt like an absolute idiot that she hadn’t made the connection that the visitor would be Fame’s husband, Violet herself making the very dinner reservation they were on their way to now.

“Are you ready to go, darling?”

Patrick nodded and Violet hurried over to get Fame’s coat and purse from the closet. She walked over, holding it up so Fame could slip into it, the scent of her perfume filling Violet’s nose as she did just that.

“I expect everything to be ready Monday for our new employee.” Fame took her purse. “It will be your responsibility to train her, so be prepared to work overtime.”

Violet nodded. “Yes Miss.”

“Good.” Fame took her husband's arm, the two of them walking to the door where Fame stopped.  “Oh, and Violet.” Fame looked over her shoulder. “Put on some shoes.”

Violet looked down, horror rushing over her when she realized that she had forgotten to put her shoes on.

“Yes Miss, it will happen Miss, right away.”

***

Katya would be hard-pressed to name a place in the world she loved more than their building’s rooftop. What had begun as a little community herb garden and grilling station had expanded over the years into a sanctuary. The rows of trees and potted plants lining the sides provided shade, their own little oasis in the urban jungle. They were chosen specifically to attract birds and butterflies as a tribute to Max, her very favorite birder and someone whom Katya relied on as a source of calm in a hectic world.

With permission from Fame, Katya had blown through the last of her own personal trust fund with a complete renovation to the barbecue area, turning it into a fully functional outdoor kitchen and lounge area, perfect for their weekend brunches.

Trixie had gently questioned her at the time; as someone who grew up with so little, he needed money in the bank or he’d get anxious. But what he might never understand was how much joy Katya had gotten creating a place to share with their friends and neighbors, how the time they spent together was more valuable to her than money had ever been.

Katya’s father was an ambassador, and after their family moved to Washington D.C. from Russia when she was just 3 years old, her life was full of stiff formal dinners, itchy fabrics that made it impossible to sit still, and so many rules that it made her head spin.

What followed were years of stuffy New England boarding schools and regimented summer camps. Every second of every day was planned for her: Latin and classical piano, cotillion and horseback riding lessons. Katya tried, she really did, to live up to all of the overwhelming expectations, but at some point along the line, the pressure was too much and she’d just caved in.

Katya shook her head, not wanting to think about the dark years, how hard it had been to get to this point. Instead, she inhaled deeply, looking across the patio at her wonderful boyfriend, doing his very best to squeeze oranges into juice for their brunch.

“Looking good, sugarbutt!” she called out. “Work those muscles.”

Trixie flexed for her, making her giggle delightedly before returning to the table, arranging the baskets of warm breads and pastries that she had been baking since 6 am. She unwrapped the fruit and veggie platter, artfully carved into elaborate rosettes and whimsical little animals, admiring a particularly cute little kiwi turtle, giving him a secret kiss just before the door swung open to reveal their first guest.

“Kimberly!” Katya skipped over to Kim, greeting her excitedly. Helping her with the mountain of French toast and platter of bacon that she’d brought to share.

As usual, her generosity was overwhelming to Katya, part of the reason that she was one of her favorite neighbors. The other part being her absolute artistry. Katya had been in awe of her makeup skills since the first time she’d seen her work, that Galactica show she’d attended with Trixie so many years ago, nervous to return to a place which had been the scene of one of her most dramatic failures in life.

She and Kim were soon chattering away as they set the table, discussing the latest collection at the Brooklyn museum, an anime-inspired artist who they both adored.

Max showed up next, with a beautiful garden veggie frittata and a carafe of hot tea.

“Thank you, Maxi, this looks delicious,” Katya said, giving him a tight squeeze.

Shangela arrived soon after, with a tray of Southern-style mac and cheese that caused both Kim and Trixie to burst into spontaneous applause, and a large bouquet of colorful flowers, presented to Katya with a wink. Shangela was someone that Katya thought she’d never win over - she’d created a major headache for her during her brief time at Galactica, and would certainly not have blamed her if she’d kept a distance.

But Shangela was a forgiving sort of person—after all, she worked daily with her ex-girlfriend—and had no problem at all giving Katya a chance on her own terms when she moved in. Soon, they’d established a mischievous sort of friendship, a playful flirtation and little inside jokes that Katya wouldn’t trade for anything.

Shangela was just explaining the intricacies of her mac recipe to Kim’s wide-eyed appreciation when the door opened again, revealing Violet in a characteristically chic set of work-out clothes—only instead of brunch offerings, she held a yoga mat in her hands, a surprised look on her face as she backed away.  

“Oh, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to interrupt…”

“Don’t be silly!” Katya called, beckoning her over. “So glad you’re here!”

“I’m, uh…” Violet glanced at the yoga mat in her hands, tugging at the bottom of her matte black tank top.

“Trixie…” Katya put her hands on her hips. “I told you to invite Violet to brunch. You didn’t forget, did you?”

Trixie set the pitcher of orange juice on the table, a sheepish look on his face.

“Oops.”

“Ha! Busted,” Shangela teased, punching Trixie on the arm.

“Hey, come on. It’s been a rough week,” Trixie defended himself.

“I know,” Katya said, putting her arms around him from behind. “Violet, please stay. I promise next time, you’ll get a formal invite, but trust me, we’re thrilled that you’re here.”

“Oh, I...don’t know if-”

“Hey hey hey, it’s my favorite people…” Pearl said, strolling up to the table. The last to show up, as usual, holding a partially empty bottle of vodka and container of strawberries.

“Aren’t those the strawberries that Katya bought?” Trixie asked, one eyebrow raised. He gestured to the platter, where a handful of said strawberries had been transformed into jaunty little penguins.

“Are they?” Pearl asked.

“And thank you for bringing them up to share with our friends!” Katya enthused, hugging her roommate tightly. “You’re so thoughtful.”

Pearl cast a glance over at Violet, lips turning up in a smirk as she assessed her skimpy attire.

“Nice shorts, pumpkin.”

“I-I didn’t know, I’m sorry, I-”

Katya watched as Violet attempted to stammer out a reply, immediately noticing how pink her cheeks got under Pearl’s bold gaze. Well, that would either be the cutest match in history, or end in total disaster. For Violet’s sake, Katya hoped for the former.  

“Don’t be sorry. You look cute.” Pearl gave her a sexy wink and sat down, pouring some vodka into her glass.

“So, are we brunching or what?”

The rest of the group slid into their seats, helping themselves to the bountiful spread.

Max raised a judgmental eye at Pearl as he asked, “I assume you’re the one responsible for the racket at 3 am?”

“She said she’d be quiet,” Pearl shrugged, barely containing a sly grin. “Not my fault she lied.”

“No it ain’t, baby,” Shangela laughed, giving the blonde a fist bump.

“Can we please say grace? I’d like to give thanks that I don’t share a wall with Pearl,” Kim chimed in.

“Awww, Kimmy. Don’t be jealous,” Pearl licked her lips, “I’ve always got time for you.”

Kim threw back her head in laughter, a piece of Katya’s blueberry muffins in her mouth as she said, “Never change, Pearl. The women of New York would really be losing out.”

Katya seemed to be the only one noticing Violet’s face getting redder and redder at all the talk of Pearl’s sex life, as tame as the discussion was. Her fingers were twisted into the hem of her top, and seemed to be pulling at a loose thread.

All too familiar with the telltale signs of anxiety, Katya put a reassuring hand on her back and began to fill her plate. Something told her that Violet wasn’t big on rich, indulgent foods, so she began with a slice of fresh whole-grain bread and then some of her favorite little fruit creatures: a few of the penguin strawberries, of course, a kiwi turtle, and a little tangerine bear. She lined them up on Violet’s plate like she was arranging toys for a child, feeling unusually protective of this strange and beautiful new friend.

It took Violet a few moments to tear her eyes away from the very conversation making her so uncomfortable. She saw Katya’s handiwork and then glanced up at her, the two of them sharing a secret smile of camaraderie before Katya placed one last offering on her plate: an elaborate carrot rose.

Violet giggled, mouthing ‘Thanks,’ and Katya winked, leaning back happily to bask in the warm sunshine. Yes, she’d fit in just fine.

[luovita]

Start your day with a positive, powerful approach, meditate and appreciate who you are

Lifestyle Idea: Did you know that how you

start in the morning actually

sets the mood of your entire day?

    Just try to imagine waking up so late, snoozing your alarm to the nth time, skipping your breakfast and rushing yourself to work. Is it like chaos? Let me help you change that lifestyle habit and start planning. It takes practice but it will lead you to success. Make a habit, a daily routine that will bring positive outcome. This routine will help you reduce stress, enhance focus and improve productivity. You have the power to create the day you wish it to be, or even create an ideal lifestyle. Opportunity comes everyday but without a starting your day right, it can already influence your chance of having a happy day.     Now, we listed a few tips on how you can start your day right which in time can be your daily routine. We bet on this list as we are confident that these tips would not bring you any trouble.   1. Be grateful and stay away from negativity Feel grateful for the day ahead, feel that good things are coming, order the day you want it to be, you put the time and energy into it, this energy will come to you, you're creating something new, a new environment. Take all the negativity away. It will allow you to open your mind to yourself and be grateful. Don’t let fear enter your thoughts. You are strong enough to overcome your fears and face the challenges that the world throws at you.   2. No gadgets Don't let yourself fall into the common trap of starting your day by grabbing your phone as you wake up. For some people like those who are making money online, there is a big chance they are guilty of this routine.  Don't allow yourself to do the first thing you usually do, emailing, messaging, and getting involved with social media. It isn't the most positive start that you could have. A good alternative would be, by challenging yourself when you wake up, to meditate and think about how your day would be, for at least half an hour or more on what could be different and how you could go about creating changes to your normal life.   3. Fix your bed Did you know that a lot of successful people starts their day in making their own bed in the morning? It is setting a good habit of organizing your stuff which can already set a good mood before you even get out of your room and eat breakfast.   4. Do not skip your breakfast It is the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast is essential to boost your energy and maintain the same level even after hours.   5. Well rested body If you wish waking up with full energy, one must have a good sleep at night. A quality sleep is beneficial to the brain and also plays a vital role in your physical well-being. As much as possible, take a 6-8 hrs of uninterrupted sleep.  

Next Step - Be Good to Yourself

    It is not new to everyone that each of us has the potential to become the most critical judge of who we are, what we do and what we can't do. We often feel disappointed in our own actions, in how we look and act in front of other people. I myself feel so conscious about how people would perceive me. The question is, how do we make ourselves less of this. The aim is being aware of this and shift, if we’re gonna be the biggest bully of ourselves that’s only going to work against our happiness. It’s a valuable skill if you start to notice when you do speak unkindly about yourself because being aware of this in the first place is going to be your fist task. It will probably be a habit and that will require practice. But notice when you think something about yourself it puts you on a positive or negative vibration, brings you down or cheers you up. This will be one of the most important steps of helping you improve your behavior, you know, every thought you have is an affirmation, subconsciously either lifting you up or knocking you down, so it’s wise to pay close attention about your thoughts you’re repeating over and over about yourself or your surroundings. What's important now is to start  thinking the opposite. For example if you’re constantly thinking about how traffic is such a waste of time going to your office, then why not think of something that can make the long hours in traffic a productive one. You can actually condition yourself sleeping and waking early so you can leave the house early. And while in the bus or a cab, you can make use of the time reading, or watching educational films online. Another example is about your body,  you don't like your weight, your appearance, you feel ugly and less confident about your physical look. Now, realize that there is something more about life. Physical appearance is just one of them, yet there are other things that matters most. You can shift the way you think in not dwelling too much about how you don't like your physical appearance, but instead thinking over what can be done to improve your looks. This is very shallow of course, but you can think of other reasons that are more motivating. For example, you want to confidently talk in front of people, that way you are marketing yourself way better than before. Be aware that because you have this old habits this thought are still missing but it’s worth practicing, and, day by day this will get easier and easier until the internal monologue inside your head is one that’s supports you, rather than being your biggest obstacle it is going to be your biggest fan. Believe me you’re powerful, you’re a good person, you’re a wonderful person, you’re exactly where you’re need  to be right now in this world and I want you to celebrate that. Celebrate it with yourself first because its only when you learn to appreciate who you are and what  you’re about that you can share that with the rest of the world and we need to be really our biggest fans internally in order to help anybody else and in order to bring about the best we can be and the best person in us so remember how amazing you are today and I hope that you choose to have a fantastic time today and say nice things to yourself, be kind to yourself as much as  you can, stay aware and take care.

Are you sometimes tense?

    Tension symptoms, would you know if you have them? Why not take a Tense quiz?

  The modern world has gifted us with tension, stress, anxiety, depression and many more psychological and emotional disorders. Our ancestors used to live much simpler lives, and were ignorant of these heavy words. But, with the flow of time, we started to lead a busy life that invited some or the other psychological disorders in our life. The best way to get rid of these unrest is to identify them, as they may lead to depression if not controlled on time. Recognizing your own stress or tension is not a tough job. Take the following quiz sessions to find them out. Mornings are the best time to assess yourself. Check if you are getting up lively, happy and with a smile on your face. It means that you are a happy soul with affirmative thoughts. If not, you are heading towards depression. When you wake up tired or with a mind full of incomplete work, it indicates that tension is engulfing you slowly. If in the morning you are not getting up with a delighted heart, take this state of mind seriously as the stress in your life may affect both your physical and psychological health. You might not realize, but stress can be the actual culprit behind your frequent insomnia and dropping productivity at work. You can even take up the quiz while driving or traveling to your office. If you are traveling unworried and enjoying the sights around, you are definitely a happy-go-lucky person and know the essence of living. But, if you are checking your watch after every five minutes and thinking of the day ahead, then you are not only missing the beautiful sights around but also gradually welcoming stress into your life. Unfortunately, in this busy and eventful world, most of us are unaware of the true purpose of living. Most of us either live with the regret of our past deeds or with our future expectations, and thus miss the beauty of the present. We forget that we do not have any hold on our past or future, rather, we should always cross the bridge when we reach it. I advise my readers to cross the bridge at the right time rather than wasting time thinking about it. uiz yourself often to analyze your state of mind. If you find that you are living a tensed life, take a deep breath and relax. Trust me, self-help is the best help and only you can uplift your mood by taking everything easy.  

Next approach, ask yourself 'How Can I Learn to Meditate?'

    In health wellness lifestyle, there are so much we can do to keep ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. Luovita will focus on one, Meditation as one of our healthy lifestyle tips. Like fitness training, which is a technique to train the body, meditation too is a technique to train the mind. I would say, learning to meditate can be compared with riding a bike. Once you have learned it, you will not forget it for a lifetime. But where can you learn to meditate? Today, in this era, internet is considered to be an excellent medium of learning and communication. There are a lot of meditation tutorials on this platform. So, you can often start learning meditation from these online courses as long as they are not complicated with lots of jargon. In general, most of these tutorials are good and explain the terms they are using, in detail, so that the beginners can understand them with ease. When you are starting out, it's important to choose a meditation method that's easy to pick up. I would personally suggest practicing breathing exercises in the beginning. Meditation is all about focusing on something and thus, one can learn to meditate by focusing on breathing, walking or any action of their choice. If you prefer, you can also go for a high-tech meditation like Centerpointe, where you need to sit down in a comfortable place and play a CD with a relevant and peaceful music. Once you have decided on a meditation method, try it for a week or so, to check whether you have really got the hold of it. If you have already progressed, keep going with it. And if you haven’t, then try another method instead. Remember, like other aspects of life, not everyone gets on with every method of meditation. So, never be embarrassed if you find you can’t get along with a particular technique. A week or two's trial is a good length of time for learning to meditate. As I said above, meditation is more like driving a car or riding a bike, and it will probably take you more than one lesson to learn it appropriately. Choose a particular time and place to practice meditation each day. We are creatures of habit. Thus, when you are learning something new like meditation, you must set aside a specific time of the day when you know you are not likely to be disturbed and carry out your meditation practice freely. Apart from that, meditation can be learned and shared to everyone. You can influence other people of the good benefits of meditation. You can even blog about it and making money through blogging. Yes, you read it right. You make extra money at home or earn money online as you do blogging. You can read more about here : Blogging  

    To be optimistic in life and know the secret behind a happy lifestyle, read my blog How learn to enjoy your life    

Quick Guide on How to Meditate

      Here is a guide on how to meditate and connect to

your inner being.

  Meditation brings so much positive effect to our body and mind, healthy lifestyle habits that one must start practicing. IWe all deserve this wellness and only takes us 5 minutes every day to at least improve our being.     Even if you are super busy, try to find at least 5 min a day to do this:   1. Get yourself a quiet place that is free of distraction and create an ambiance where you can focus. 2. You may shut your eyes because it’s one of the best ways to meditate, but even if it is not so quiet and peaceful, you may try to concentrate just a little harder. It's a question of mindfulness, observe and embrace exactly where you are. 3. Take slow deep breaths in and out, breath in any way you feel comfortable. 4. Start to release any tension and observe the conscious awareness you are experiencing right now. 5. Invest time in yourself, in your mind and body, in your wellness, if you want to do it with your eyes open, just focus on something peaceful, something with that you feel at peace. 6. Choose to use all senses, bring your attention to your feet, notice where your feet are, and how your soles of your feet feel, on the ground or in the shoes you might be wearing. 7. It is all about observation. Focus on where your feet are in the world. Now shift your mind to the rest of your body, are you seated or standing or lying down? How does it feel where your hands are right now? What can you feel? What sensations is there that can be felt? 8. Are you breathing gently in and out? Divert your attention to the coolness of the air, the gentle rise and fall of your chest and your diaphragm. Observe any noises around you and every sound you can hear, take it in, observe it, and notice any tastes you have in your mouth, any smells around you right now. 9. And if you have your eyes closed imagine a visual light in front of you, a ball of light. Think about what color might be right for you today and focus on that ball of energy. If you got your eyes open, observe the colors around you, and the variety. 10. Stay in there as long as you like, when you are ready, focus on your breathing, then, slowly bring yourself back, feel free to observe the senses further, choose to have a peaceful day today.  

  Finding the Time to Meditate Regularly

    If you won't drive yourself to find time to meditate regularly, then you are missing its benefits. If you want to change your lifestyle, then you must be serious about it. It is identical to the idea of you wanting to earn money online, yet you are not dedicated and committed then result may not be favorable. Nowadays, we all are living a very busy life and always seem to be in a rush. There are so many things around us, competing hard for our time. From food and coffee on the go to speaking on the cell phone and typing away at the computer, all of which clash with each other to get our attention and time. In between all these, we struggle to manage time for positive things like meditation. So, in this fast-paced world, how can we devote at least 15 to 20 minutes of our precious time, simply to meditating? Remember, like brushing and bathing, meditation too is an essential activity for your overall health. Initially, it might seem to be an uphill struggle, but with proper synchronization of time and regular practice, finding time to meditate will no more be a pain. If you seriously want to give some of your valuable time to meditation, start finding it today. Get up earlier than usual, as you never know what would work for you. If you are an evening person, dedicate a few minutes to meditation before you go to sleep. There is no particular time to meditate. Prioritize it at any time, when you are free, calm and at a relaxed state. If you can’t devote sometime every day to meditation, then consider becoming a weekend meditator. Usually, Saturdays and Sundays are not that hectic as the rest of the week and thus it is advisable to indulge yourself in meditation during the weekends.  You will still get benefited from these sessions. Meditation sessions allow you to step away from your busy life and cultivate your inner peace. A small action like re-arranging the schedules of the day can help you to find time to meditate. If you watch the TV news, skip it. If something important happens, it will certainly crop up again in the news channel. You can even ask your family or friends to brief you on the latest updates. I personally practice this habit of skipping the news and catch the important ones on the weekly news. If you have a television recorder, use it to skip the advertisements. This technique will save 15 minutes or more per hour of television you watch. Trust me, when you have the willpower, everything goes smoothly. So, never make an excuse of ‘running out of time’, but rather, find an appropriate time to sit down and close your eyes to meditate. Even if it’s only for a minute, it will do its job perfectly.    

A Tip - 2 Ways to Create Your Own Custom Subliminal

Messages

    A subliminal message is basically an affirmation for your mind, which can be visual or auditory presented below the normal limits of human auditory or visual perception. These suggestions are hidden or exposed for such a short period of time, that your mind may not consciously register them at that time. Instead they are listed in your subconscious. Subliminal messages can be either positive or negative. In this blog, I will discuss the 2 different ways through which you can create your own customized subliminal messages. The best way to prove that subliminal messages work is through a situation you have most likely already experienced. I am sure that you have been in a crowded room with many animated conversations happening all around you. Now, if someone calls out your name from amongst the crowd, you would still most likely be able to hear it, wouldn’t you? The first method I will discuss about is subliminal audios. The great thing about this method is that you can apply them anywhere and everywhere, unlike the other method I will tell you about next. These audios are usually accompanied with either binaural beats or very relaxing music. The messages are repeated so fast, that our conscious mind has no idea what it is suggesting. You can get pre-made and customized subliminal audios. This particular route to persuasion or influence is similar to auto-suggestion or hypnosis. The subject is encouraged to linger in a relaxed state of mind, so that suggestions can be directed to a deeper avenue, the subconscious. The other popular method requires flashing messages on your computer or movie screen. Here, the messages are repeated so fast that your conscious mind does not have time to even read them. You would have probably heard stories of the government and large companies using them in advertisements, etc. Today, you can acquire software which displays subliminal messages on your screen while you are working on it. You can choose and personalize the messages before they are even displayed. Recent studies indicate that subliminal messages, when displayed, reflects a person’s normal interpretations of stimuli. It’s about challenging your mind power. However, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the viewer will initiate actions based on it.   You may want to check this also:

    Meditation naturally improves memory. No supplement, no

medical intervention, just meditation.

    Meditation is an ancient technique to relax your mind and body. It focuses on concentration and breathing exercises, through which stress can be released from our mind. Practicing it regularly, allows a person to be more receptive and open. Meditation can be beneficial to memory too. Studies say that when a person is relaxed, his memory improves. Few situations like forgetting your loved one’s birthday can encircle you with guilt. Mostly, this happens due to stress, but, the guilt in you starts feeding the cycle of forgetfulness by making you more anxious. As the anxiety grows, you start forgetting other things too. Practicing different meditation techniques, opens up your mind and allows your memory to function well. With gradual execution, your memory will improve, and you will be able to recall things like phone numbers, dates and names easily, without referring to phonebooks or calendars. Meditation is a great alternative to some very vigorous exercises and simple enough to perform on a daily basis. I would recommend you to take meditation classes along with some memory developing programs. This would boost your memory more. Primarily, to meditate, you need a quiet place and finally, the suitable mood and relaxation requires the use of candles and essential oils. It is a proven fact that essential oils are highly soothing and relaxing, and thus, can be beneficial for your memory. Nowadays, meditation classes are offered in gyms and natural wellness centres all over the country. You can find one near you, with a purpose to boost your memory. Apart from improving your retention power, meditation has other benefits too. With its regular implementation, it also helps to improve your self-esteem. If you don’t want to join a class, there are plenty of manuals, books and other equipment in the market, that can help you to start meditation at home. The simplest form of meditation that can be practiced at home is the breathing exercises performed with certain poses. Remember, when your mind is calm and relaxed, your memory will get enough room to grow. Everyone seek for a happy life living an ideal lifestyle and practicing a healthy lifestyle habits.  

Finally - Be Yourself

    Staying honest and true to yourself, looking at yourself clearly and letting people see the real you is the greatest reward you can give yourself. You are not limited in pleasing other people, in interacting how most people interact, you are unique in your own ways. There's nothing really wrong in trying to fit in, but its not always the best idea. You can be who you are so long as you don't hurt someone else. Obviously, people who are not pretentious are more happy.

Let me share some ugly truths about not being yourself, and I hope

it will make you realize to start being real.

  Listening to other people's voices over your own opinion and stand Making other people proud whatever it takes Being conscious of your actions worrying what other people will say about you Trying to fit in when you don't actually need to Losing your self-esteem and thinking less about yourself Your standard is not your own preference, but others   Do you think, you'll feel happy being that someone who isn't really you. Don't make yourself a prison of your own. Be free, from that point on you’re going to feel empowered, more in control of your life, more in control of your happiness and you feel a sense of trust with the world, trust in yourself, trust that you actually know what you’re doing. It feels wonderful to actually be able to live your life with that in mind.    

In the past, I always tried to please others and I am so

afraid of being judged. Here are some realization I learned

in my existence, hope you also realize it sooner than me.

  I am unique, I don't need to fake and pretend I could be like others who are more acceptable by our society or at least by those people around me.     I am happier, there's no pressure at all. Accept me for being me because I won't compromise my happiness just to please you. Sorry for being brutally honest, but that's how I feel. You can't love others, if you ain't loving yourself more. How can you give something you don't have, it's pretty simple right? Being true to yourself, is acting who you are and believing on what you know is right. Self Respect. When you respect yourself, others will respect your too. People will see how strong and that you can stand for yourself and in your beliefs.

How to be true? Try these list below, it worked for me.

Be genuine to yourself and you'll be perfectly fine in being genuine to others Take a firm stand on your value Be decisive, you can make decision on your own Appreciate your own potentials, your talents, your skills Remember that there's nothing wrong in being different Keep in mind that you are influencing people to be the better version of themselves   Now, don't be afraid to show the world the real you. It will make you happy and it will guide you to an amazing life experience.  

  Check out our shop with all these resources:

Read the full article