#this is what happens to chronic over thinkers

[assiraphales]

captain kuro (who has 1000 plans) deciding the best course of action is to fake his own death, become a mild mannered & trusted butler for three years, have his old crew destroy an entire village, hypnotize his young ward and kill her, kill his entire crew, and run away with the cash. all bc he didn’t want to be a pirate anymore………instead of literally anything else

[aquaquadrant]

I was wondering if you had an estimated date of when you will post the next HTP chapter?

Like, leaving us on such a cliffhanger must be a crime! It cant be legal!

Anyways, while I wait for it, Ive decided to copy paste every chapter into a doc and mark it up color code style for all my over analyzing needs. It took me an hour but it was worth it.

Have a good week and take care :)

(This is meant to be genuine, not mean or passive aggressive, just so you know. While I indeed am anxiously awaiting Chapter 10 by highlighting the chapters on a doc like that one photo of a bible page that’s highlighted with different colors. This isn’t meant to be mean or pressuring, take your time and take care of yourself)

⬆️(Ah poo, Im an over thinker

hey there, no worries y’all- i love seeing my reader’s enthusiasm and it’s reassuring to see continued interest in the series. i’d been hoping to have BOTH of the final ‘from eden’ chapters done before summer. but i have to admit, progress on the next chapter hasn’t been as forthcoming as i’d expected, for a couple reasons.

the first is health-related. not to be too TMI, but i recently got diagnosed with crohn’s disease. my symptoms started ages ago but have really ramped up in the last couple months, and the diagnosis was a lengthy and involved process (started the hunt back in november, presumptively diagnosed after a colonoscopy in feb, definitively diagnosed when biopsies came back over spring break) and even when i was simply waiting for results, it occupied a lot of my mental capacity. and ofc it happened to line up with me turning 26 and needing new insurance, which has caused lots of delays. anyone dealing with the american health care system while chronically ill will tell you it’s a frustrating, exhausting process. as of right now, i’m still waiting to start treatment 🫠

but honestly, even more than that, the biggest thing stopping me from writing is… me? 😂 so there’s this thing that happens after i post a chapter that’s like… decision paralysis? except it’s just that sometimes, i literally can’t bring myself to start the next chapter. it’s like, i have this unfounded fear that all my writing up until this point has been some magical fluke out of my control, and i’m not capable of ‘pulling it off’ again. i guess you could call it a form of imposter syndrome (which i already encounter enough in my vet school life). it gets worse after posting something that was a particularly massive undertaking or was insanely well-received bc i’m scared i won’t be able to top it- even though the impact of storytelling is supposed to be cohesive, and it’s unrealistic for every chapter to be ‘bigger and better’ (what does that even mean?) than the last one because they serve different purposes at different points in the story. i know this, rationally, but that doesn’t stop the irrational fear of failure from making me avoid writing.

i’m not sharing this to make excuses or garner sympathy, or fish for compliments, and certainly not to make anyone feel guilty for asking about updates. i just feel like maybe this will resonate with anyone who has the same experience. and also to share hope, because despite how often this feeling rears its ugly head, i’ve still been able to push through and get back to writing- and i’m always very happy with the result. sometimes it just takes longer than i’d like (pro tip: writing on ur phone is less intimidating, tho it’s more of a pain). but in any case, the next chapter of ‘from eden’ is well underway and i still hope to have the series done before summer’s end^^

[seokjinsonlyone]

Ari hi! This thought just came to me. You know those “this is what your bias says about you” yeah I think you should do that! Like I literally love your headcanons and takes on members so I think you’d kill this too! I know you’re a working woman, getting your bag and all so no rush with this or even if you didn’t want to, its all good! Lol

first of all THANK YOOOUUU crazy the amount of faith you have in me 🤪 it's funny bc when i first read this i was like i don't even know if i'm capable of that but then immediately after my lil brain started churning SO

this is what i think your bias says about you:

jin: chaotic and unserious; like really just be doing stuff just to do it; treats life like a social experiment probably; don’t take yourself or anything really too serious; but at the end of the day you handle your bidness; big proponent of rest and relaxation; got a rebellious spirit like you really just have a level of autonomy that you have to have like you bend where you can but if you can’t you don’t; you’re probably hot like even if you’re not physically you got that hot state of mind

yoongi: you got issues <333 like you’re probably mentally ill in one way or another; you probably have an rbf; you know exactly what you wanna do and you gonna make it happen one way or another like there’s just a tenacity about you that makes things work; you probably always late; you’re as soft as you are sharp like you got a big heart and you’re not afraid to show it but at the same time you not about to sit up there and be treated any kind of way; you probably always up to something be plotting and scheming sometimes it amounts to something 

hobi: you’re loud and energetic like there’s just something about you that screams rainbows and unicorns; probably a horse girl; chronically online; a little cringe but also very cool; you like to have a good time; a little air headed at times but also you always know what to do and not afraid to take charge; you have some kind of natural talent and are good/can get good at multiple other things; you probably have a good fashion sense and an affinity toward chunky shoes

joon: you’re kind like you’re always looking out for other people and willing to put their needs above your own; you’re an over thinker; you probably got a temper; there’s an obsessive side to you like sometimes you just can’t like things a normal amount; as mature and capable as you are you’re also like a little lost puppy like you’re probably a lawyer who gets off work and calls their mommy to get step by step instructions on how to make spaghetti; you probably out the house more than you in the house

jimin: you’re a hard worker; you have goals and you’re going to reach them no matter what; you like a sour patch kid like there’s a streak of evil within you but also you’re very sweet; you’re probably in a constant state of existential crises; lowkey intimidating; got that 1d syndrome like you don’t know you’re beautiful and that’s what makes you beautiful; despite being in the midst of modern society you probably don’t know what’s going on; former gifted kid

tae: you probably feel like you were born in the wrong generation; babygirl; you probably have a lot of guilty pleasures and struggle with a couple vices; you have a diverse music taste; hard headed; if you saw a shooting star you’d probably wish for either world peace or a stick of bubble gum there is no in between; you feel things very deeply; super creative; you just want everyone to be happy frfr; secretly a furry

jk: your head is in the clouds; probably a hopeless romantic; you had an alt phase complete with 6 layers of eyeliner and side swept bangs; you like things done in a sequential manner; you probably shut down when you’re frustrated; you have at least 3 niche interests like if i asked you could probably tell me the current active volcanoes and their most recent eruptions or something; you like sets and collections; you probably stay up late at night; you unabashedly enjoy pop music; hello kitty girl 

so like was i way off or what 👁️👄👁️

[neoncherryblossom]

New Fic Idea I've had rattling in my brain for actual months:

Post Collector, Alador begins reconciling with all his old friends. And it goes mostly okay except for Darius, because he refuses to talk to him. Unlike everyone else, him and Darius' fallout was a lot more personal than 'we stopped talking one day' and he's kinda horrified of even trying to repair that bridge.

So he does the next best thing that comes to mind.

"So here's the plan. I want you to tell me how he's changed since high school, what he likes and how I can make him... open up to me."

"You want me to what?"

(He decides to go to Eberwolf, the only person Darius consistently talks to that didn't go with them to school.

All the shenanigans you think can happen, will happen. And Darius will be very confused on the sidelines as Eber tries to explain to this chronic over thinker that just talking to Darius will probably be enough of a starting point to kickstart a friendship, not whatever this '35 step plan to get Darius to not think I'm a spineless coward!' plan Alador has got going on.)

[princelylove]

Good afternoon or morning your highness!! I cannot physically get Leone off my mind. I will be in my classes and find myself zoning out trying to create scenarios of him, but I lack creativity and always end up blanking. Your writings are exactly what I need, down to the way you words things, it’s all perfect, it’s all what I hoped it’d be. I was wondering how our dear Leone would be with a cold darling, a darling that is rather odd and off-putting with many similarities to him if you know what I mean. Thank you dear prince! :3

It kills him, to be entirely frank.

Leone is a chronic over-thinker, he takes small rejection as... big rejection. Those small, almost-funny comments drive him up the wall. He normally responds by scoffing, or he seemingly ignores them, but we both know he'll think about them for weeks in an attempt to dissect what you meant.

He always comes to the same conclusion, you just hate him. Leone doesn't see the nuance- he takes most people's behavior as-is, if you're acting like he's soooo damn annoying then he's probably doing something wrong. He'll try to rack his brain around it in his off hours, but when he comes up with nothing, he just drinks about it in an attempt to forget it's happening in the first place.

The mixed messages are pushing him over the edge. He doesn't understand it- is this a game?? Are you toying with him?? One second you're reaching over him to grab something and the next you're rolling your eyes whenever he speaks. ... Do you not like it when he scolds Narancia? You like Narancia. God. Why is he even trying????

If Leone's darling is consistently cold to him, he's 'fine' just loving you from a distance. It's a secret, between him and God. Sure, he cuts when he finds out you're with someone else (subjective, you just didn't push Narancia off immediately), but it's none of your business.

He's so depressed. There isn't a low like your love loving someone else. Of course you'd pick someone else, of course you find him to be annoying- he's constantly a dick to you, nobody wants a lover that isn't affectionate. Maybe it was never going to happen in the first place, you think he's hideous, like a beast...

It's not really recommended to lead him on. Leone's not the most stable individual. He may be more likely to act on impulse and take you if the opportunity presents itself, or he may be less likely, because he's already bothering you so much. It depends on if he's manic or not, and if there's any threat to your relationship.

[dancedance-miserable]

Does anyone else remember when Pete posted a single photo of himself with a mustache and then all the comments were (jokingly) mean and he deleted the photo and never posted a picture with a dad stache again? People have always "protected" Patrick and babified him but then turned around and took jabs at Pete like they were bffs with him, just because he was more in the limelight. Yes he's a grown man but also a chronic over-thinker and a sweet, empathetic soul.

The same thing happened with people making fun of him during that mania bubble bath stream. You could see his smile falter. Like maybe leave him the fuck alone!! Y'all aren't his friends!!!!!

And not to even mention the berating that happened when he did cornrows!! When he's literally mixed!! I can't fully speak on that as a white guy but I can't imagine what that's like.

Yeah... anyway Pete please do whatever you want I will always love you. And PS I thought the mustache was hot

[pufffinn]

blease tell us abt trollitics (troll politics) & dewdrop

OMG YES YAYYYY TYSM FOR ASKING

ok so like. basically after i watched the third movie i was thinking about how gristle was paying for the wedding venue and that’s literally what started my whole thought process here. cause the venue is. well yes it’s technically the plaza but it is RIGHT under the troll tree. so maybe it’s a popular wedding spot but it got me thinking who exactly like. owns the area under/around the troll tree?? you would think the monarchy right ( aka king gristle ) but gristle seemed pretty stressed about having to get out of the venue in time 😭 yes i know it’s all played for jokes but i’m a chronic over thinker so what were any of us expecting. so ANYWAY. surely, after the bergens and trolls make peace, wouldn’t the trolls want the tree back? and that got me thinking MORE like how did they transition the ownership of the troll tree back to the trolls. and are there now troll-bergen laws? troll protections? troll TREE protections?? reparations for literally eating trolls alive for years? THERE IS SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY HERE to make a whole thing about how the bergens and trolls learn to exist with eachother and it is so so interesting to me.

so what kind of laws and protections are there now?? how do they get established?? WHO’S establishing them?? troll and bergen lawyers?? so many questions and so many possible answers

but now that we’ve got like a bit of backstory and politics and my lead up of thoughts out of the way which i could rlly just go on forever about. we’ve got whimsy’s introduction!! basically what happens is between the events of world tour and band together, some pop trolls start wanting to move back to the troll tree ( whimsy among them ). but the main village in the forest is too big and settled for everyone to want to move, and it is still the main village, so poppy spends most of her time there and can’t go back and forth between the two places all the time ( tho she certainly tried ). so after a bit of this they need to appoint a headman for the troll tree village to help keep things runnings, to act as a spokesperson for poppy, report back to the main troll village every once in a while, etc etc. ( i could’ve grabbed an unused canon character but why do that when this gave me a chance to make another oc ). said headman for the troll tree ended up being whimsy dewdrop!! it’s a very busy troll nowadays, and ends up working a lot with the bergens to make agreements and laws regarding all the intricacies of bergen and troll cohabitation. whimsy also ends up spending quite a bit of time with poppy and occasionally branch when they come to check up on the troll tree and everyone living there. whimsy herself is a little more down to earth than some other pop trolls but she still loves all the classic pop troll activities. she also LOVES glowbug watching and was very excited when they started hanging out around the troll tree again.

also i think that later on in the game when everything is much more settled, the bergens and pop trolls work together to make the troll tree plaza more hospitable to the trolls, creating places for trolls to move around outside the immediate area of the troll tree!! trolls can generally get around pretty easily even in large spaces, but i think it would be neat for the trolls and bergens to do things like business ventures together, and for troll decoration/architecture to kind of bleed into the plaza. maybe a bit unrelated but i also hc that the troll tree grows/thrives from joy, and also that it was regularly trimmed to keep all it’s branches inside the old cage. now that it’s free to grow and has lots of joy and hope and happiness to thrive off of, it starts to spread over a very large majority of the plaza.

i really just wanted to explore how the ‘common’ trolls and bergens would learn to live with eachother and what that would entail. and ofc troll politics. who doesn’t want to think about that. anyway if you guys made it this far ily muah tysm 🫶

[alexanderlightweight]

So while I absolutely believe that the show timeline was way way longer than 3 months, I actually believe that the whole sword fiasco happened with a day. I think Alec was told about the sword, had 3 hours until lunch with Magnus, and then like 3 more hours before Magnus confronted him. And Alec is a chronic over thinker so I feel like he was processing and would have actually told Magnus once the info downloaded into his brain. I feel like the show didn’t do a great job of showing how fast that happened in context of the rest of the plot.

They really just did not want a coherent timeline.

Huh, that makes sense. I always considered it happening in a 48-72 hour period of time but i can see that because it does come across as very succinct

i mean thats true and the show really didn't give him much time in regards to events playing out. i also think alec would have told him, but that it would have taken him a couple days to think it through and also figure out what this meant and what kind of precautions alec would need to make

like alec would have been trying to figure out a way for the information to get out WITHOUT it being an obvious case of treason

if i remember correctly, that information was important enough that robert got away with blackmail? or that could be a headcanon and also the moment the info gets out, that blackmail has lost it's value

thats a lot to process. but yeah still, i never get why they wrote alec telling his siblings. thats the least smart choice possible.

and also a giant mood. they had no fucks to give with the timeline

<3 lumine

[ikkaku-of-heart]

A Few FYIs to All Current/Potential Ship Partners

Mostly posting these because I am a chronic over-thinker and worrywart about certain things, especially when it comes to shipping, so I figure I’d write some stuff out for my own peace of mind and possibly even my partners’ or mutuals’ who wish to ship but have been too shy to approach.

I ship based primarily on chemistry, but that doesn’t mean I’m not open to discussing the possibility of shipping. Hop into my DMs and I’m certainly happy to talk OOC about it and we can see what it would take for the ship to develop. Hell, even if there is chemistry, please come into my DMs and discuss making the ship official because like I said I’m a worrywart and frequently psyche myself out into thinking that I’ve misread the situation and the chemistry is one-sided.

I am multiship AF. Ikkaku is a social, flirtatious, vibrant woman so naturally she gets around. This ranges from one-night stands to friends with benefits to hateships to actual romantic relationships. However, each ship, unless we decide otherwise for plot/characterization reasons, is in its own separate universe. Ex. in a verse where Ikkaku is shipping with Nami, Ikkaku x Zoro isn’t a thing unless we decide it would make for interesting characterization or plot stuff.

I absolutely ship with duplicates! For example, I ship with two different Eustass Kids and am perfectly willing to ship with more, so don’t be afraid to approach if you want to ship. Each person’s interpretation of a character is different, and therefore each ship dynamic will have its own nuances and cool moments. Because of this I’ll be making a different ship tag for each version, because each one is special and deserves it. 

On the subject of duplicate shipping, I only ask two things:

Don’t assume that just because I'm shipping with one person’s version of a character, that your version is automatically shipping with Ikkaku, too. Like I said, each interpretation is unique and I generally ship based on chemistry.

I know I can’t ask people to completely avoid feelings of jealousy, but if you feel I’ve been showing favoritism towards one version of a ship over ours, please just come talk to me so we can instead work things out. 

I don’t do exclusives. If you want me to exclusively ship with you or your muse, I’m sorry, it’s not happening. Nothing against those who do exclusives, but it’s not for me and certainly not something Ikkaku would be happy with.

On the subject of Hawkins, I know I’ve written more than a few things for him and Ikkaku lately as an NPC ship, but I want to make sure that this is not how I would expect any current or future Hawkins RPers to interact with me. Now, if you decide you want to explore this version of the ship with me, I’m absolutely for it! But I also treat it the same way as I do duplicates - it’s its own separate verse and does not reflect on my interactions with Hawkins RPers. For non-Hawkins RPers, if you want to make this ship part of ours’ canon, I’m also all for it! Feel free to DM me to discuss!

I adore all my ships. I will gladly talk about them all day if prompted. The problem is, I frequently worry that I’m annoying people when I talk about my ships, especially unprompted. So, if you’re ever worried I’m cooling towards our ship, just poke me and I can almost guarantee you’ll be treated to dozens of headcanons and thoughts I’ve had about our ship.

For those who interact/are interested in interacting with Ikkaku’s grandfather, Tomasu, shipping is a no-go for him. Arashi is and always will be his only love. He doesn’t even do casual sex decades after her death. So if he’s ever involved in a ship meme, it’s 99% likely as a joke.

[thebreakfastgenie]

I think possibly the other reason you might come across as "lacking nuance" is because you tend to be very confident in a lot of the opinions you express and a couple of times I've had the impression that you assume you already know the counter-arguments people will raise to what you are saying and jump a half-step ahead. I think that combined with you being a debate-oriented and a person who maybe likes to have the last word sometimes it adds up to an impression. That's also probably why that other anon said you're a bit scary.

I am not saying this as like a gotcha or an insult but to explain where I think the impression is coming from. In another context it may be referred to as you having a "strong personality".

That’s fair!! I do anticipate counterarguments! Sometimes it’s because I’ve discussed the issue before and have experience with them (this is the case with feminism for example), sometimes it’s just because I’m a chronic over thinker so I’ve just thought of it on my own. Sometimes (this tends to happen with fandom discourse but not only with that) it’s because I’ve seen takes around that I disagree with, but I don’t want to confront OP directly or vague post, so I just make my own post with my own take. But then people reply with the take that got me thinking about it in the first place and of course they don’t know that but I do. People assuming I don’t know something or haven’t thought of something gets my hackles up which I need to work on!

[bangtann-bangdamn]

Oh wow Yoongi is really trying here. Nice though that yn could be honest with him and that he is so okay with it all. But wow she really isn't over Jin yet. I really thought she was but well it still IS a Jin x yn story xD

I don’t know if I would call it trying. He sees a pretty girl who he thinks was treated poorly. She seems low maintenance and he think he’s got a shot at wooing her - so he’s taking his shot. The only thing stopping them, in his eyes, is this unknown entity that happens to have fathered Ara and he doesn’t see him as a threat because Yn’s not with him and he clearly wanted nothing to do with Ara so Yoongi thinks it’s going to be easy to sway her affection.

And that’s partly why YN tells him. Because she does like him. She’s not sure in what capacity (if you remember from the beginning, she’s quite easily swayed by her emotions and Jin’s not the first guy she’s been infatuated by so she’s being extra cautious from being burned one too many times). Plus add in the fact that she knows they’re friends and she knows that once Jin knows about Ara for definite then things are going to change and she doesn’t want to ruin a friendship along with potentially exploding Jin’s life to be on her conscious. That and she’s not sure how anyone’s going to react. Hoseok could drop her (he was Jin’s agent first after all), Jin and Byul could go for full custody, Yoongi might not want to date his friends ex, her label might drop her because she’s a scandal waiting to happen and… it’s just constant bad thoughts going on in her mind.

Basically YN is a chronic over-thinker and that really gets in the way sometimes and is 100% the reason why she keeps delaying telling Jin.

I also find it really funny how everyone is automatically team Yoongi when this wasn’t a part of the original story line and I added it because I needed there to be more conflict in the story and now even I’m struggling to deal with the fact that this is Jin’s moment to shine and he’s being eclipsed by Yoongi, who is quite literally doing the bare minimum 😂🫣

[yesterdayiwrote]

Ok, I will drop this here in anon form because I need to vent a little and though I'm trying to be as rational as I can, there are so many thing that are adding on top of one another as of late that I'm starting to really dislike. So, I read Lewis' newest bbc interview, and ok, I'm not a team insider so wtf do I know, right? I still don't like they wording he used when talking about George's technical work within the team. I can't help but feel it a bit belittling tho it makes perfect sense 1/2

Hey anon! Feel free to vent! I feel your pain, I’m a chronic over thinker and so I do find myself deeply analysing this stuff on the regular so trust me, you’re not alone.

I’ve always had some questions over the “Lewis sacrificed everything to run experimental set ups and George did nothing” narrative. Was Lewis forced into running experiments by the team or did Lewis choose to run experiments out of sheer determination to find the answer. People have automatically jumped on the first but this article makes it sound more like the latter? And sure it doesn’t matter really, but it does if it’s being used as a stick to beat the other with. George chose to run conservative set ups and benefitted from it, but equally Lewis’ data is worthless without the standard data from George’s car for comparison. It’s still team work.

I think some of the wording is unfortunate and a bit clumsy and I would hope not intentional however I do feel like Mercedes are incredibly bad at protecting their drivers when it matters. They make a big song and dance about Valtteri all the time now, but they very much hung him out to dry last year when he was really struggling and I worry slightly because I can see the same happening again with George. Of course Lewis is their star attraction, but George is their driver and they also have a duty of care towards him.

Toto is the one making comments about them all being little kids left in the rain, but he’s simultaneously harping on about tough love and I think there’s definite limits to that that he maybe doesn’t always recognise. We don’t see the full workings of everything behind the scenes of course but as people have started turning on George it’s almost felt like it’s come from all angles. He’s stated a few times recently that he’s suffering from self doubt, and so seeing Toto contribute to that, along with everyone suddenly saying he’s the worst driver and simultaneously undermining what he has achieved in order to acknowledge that maybe Lewis hasn’t done as badly as everyone tried to imply at the start…it’s not very nice seeing all that happen at once because it feels like a fast track to some kind of spiral if you’re not equipped to deal with it.

I think it’s sadder to me because George is SO vocally outspoken on supporting Lewis and Mercedes, even downplaying his own results at the start of the season, that it does feel kind of sad not seeing that entirely reciprocated whether that’s verbally or via the team social media or whatever. Although I think it’s easier to ruminate when you’re in a fan position and you end up ultimately reading and processing everything that’s said about a driver you like. It is very easy to feel parasocial about it, even if it’s from a protective place. Not worrying about things I can’t control is still something I’m trying to master so I’m not the best person to advise in that sense! At the end of the day, we know he’s had a great season all things considered, the rest of it. The results will go in the history books and the ultimately meaningless discourse won’t 🤷🏼‍♀️

[aimeecabo]

The Love of Learning with Aimee Cabo - Education as a Path to Overcoming Adversity

Teachers look for this characteristic among their students, parents instill it in their children, and therapists support it among clients. A love of learning can help people overcome setbacks more readily.

It Helps You to Learn New Skills

Aimee Cabo emphasizes that learning new skills helps us overcome obstacles that appear in life. Although hardships may not be something we seek out, they're part of life's experience and provide invaluable lessons - about adapting to a new job, taking on more challenging classes, or managing chronic illnesses more effectively. There is always something worthwhile that can be gained from experiencing hardship.

As you learn, your brain forms neural pathways more rapidly. That is why it is vitally important to embrace new learning experiences even if your brain may not yet be ready.

Love of learning is a character trait found across society, found among individuals from all backgrounds. People who exhibit this strength find learning enjoyable and motivational regardless of the subject, whether history lessons, fashion shows, bike mechanic classes, or reading theology books. Possessing this character trait can make school less stressful for children while inspiring them to explore their interests and pursue them further.

It Encourages You to Think Outside of the Box

People with this character strength enjoy learning and are intrinsically motivated to acquire new skills or knowledge. They relish mastering topics rather than attending school classes; they feel good about themselves when something new is caught!

Curiosity and love of learning are interlinked strengths in the VIA Classification, yet they can still be distinguished. A person who values education will seek knowledge on all topics; conversely, a curious individual might prefer more niche subjects.

Aimee Cabo highlights that one effective strategy to foster children's enthusiasm for learning is encouraging them to explore their interests. Research shows that children benefit greatly when given control over which subjects and topics they want to study; this allows them to acquire relevant new skills that resonate with them, ultimately helping them become more creative thinkers. It's also crucial that children be encouraged to challenge the status quo; Thomas Edison was known for sitting in his chair holding steel balls in each hand and then when in a hypnagogia state, clanging them together before thinking up ways he could improve them further.

It Helps You to Enjoy Your Work

Assuring your children develop an enthusiasm for learning is one of the keystones to their academic, personal, and professional success - not to mention overall well-being and happiness. Children who show enthusiasm for education tend to adapt well in today's dynamic environment by showing inventive problem-solving abilities and an insatiable curiosity.

According to Aimee Cabo, attracting children to learning requires making it enjoyable and captivating, which you can accomplish by providing various open-ended learning activities and encouraging children to ask questions such as "Why," "How," and "What would happen if..." Involve them in active critical thinking so they can identify problems more effectively and solve them more quickly.

Create resonant learning by tailoring it to their interests, experiences, and goals. Use humor or an engaging story to engage children with a subject; brain breaks (short activities that break up monotonous lessons or assignments).

An appetite for learning is something educators, parents, and therapists all strive to foster in their clients, and employers seek to encourage in their employees. A passion for education can be an incredible motivator in overcoming hardship and realizing one's dreams.

It Helps You to Be More Brave

Love of learning is one of the hallmark character strengths within the virtue category "Wisdom." Strengths within this category that foster learning include creativity, curiosity, judgment, and perspective - all characteristics essential for effective use of wisdom.

Individuals passionate about learning don't fear change and are always ready to explore new opportunities, even if that means learning something unfamiliar. Furthermore, they don't fear showing their vulnerability by admitting when they don't know something. This courage can be found anywhere from asking for assistance when needed to opening up about feelings with others.

As per Aimee Cabo, parents can promote a love of learning in their children by making education a top priority (and modeling this behavior for them), encouraging subjects that interest them to explore, and providing educational resources. Parents can also use open-ended questions to explore children's interests further and spark deeper conversations; asking, "Why do you like that car?" or "How does it work?" can open their thought processes and foster higher critical thinking skills.

It Helps You to Be More Open to Change

Learning something complex - such as learning a foreign language or how to ride a bicycle - usually takes effort and dedication. At the same time, small things, like teaching words or facts on the spot, can often happen almost effortlessly. Studying is associated with effort and focus; in contrast, learning encourages discovery.

People who love learning tend to be more adaptable and open to change in their professional and personal lives, which can be especially helpful when facing hardship or obstacles you haven't seen coming. Learning can also open your mind to possibilities or solutions you hadn't considered previously.

Fun is also essential in learning experiences. This may mean using humor or telling a tale to add spark and make tasks less monotonous or more complex ones more bearable. Another strategy may involve "brain breaks," short activities designed to refresh students and return them feeling rejuvenated to their tasks.

Teaching your child to appreciate learning is essential to long-term success and must begin by nurturing their natural curiosity. One practical approach to this is encouraging them to explore their interests and passions while acting as an example for them and being an enthusiastic champion for education!

It Helps You to Be More Confident

Learning new skills can help increase your self-confidence, especially if they are things that have previously challenged or intimidated you. Conquering such obstacles and showing that you possess what it takes can be both exhilarating and fulfilling.

People with the character strength and love of learning are motivated to gain knowledge in subjects they find interesting or relevant, such as history, fashion, or bike mechanics, that require extensive studying or practice. This trait does not equate with school love or an endless thirst for knowledge. Instead, people possessing this character strength are intrinsically driven to gain new information while not seeking external rewards like grades.

It Helps You to Be More Open to New Opportunities

An enthusiastic desire to learn is an inherent motivation that drives individuals to expand their existing knowledge or gain new ones, as suggested by Aimee Cabo. An interest in education also opens them up to changes in the job environment - for instance, technological advances may impact many industries significantly and necessitate new skills and knowledge to advance.

People with this character strength enjoy learning, even if it requires hard work. Their internal motivation fuels them to keep pace with an ever-evolving business landscape to advance in their careers.   

Inspiration of children to love learning can be challenging. Still, teachers can facilitate this effort by providing their students with the tools they need (books, magazines, and online resources) to explore individual interests and find stimulating yet enjoyable approaches to studying their subject matters.

Parents can inspire curiosity among children by asking questions that allow them to identify areas of interest and then provide resources related to those areas. Parents can use humor or stories in lessons for additional engagement.

[pandemic-info]

Another couple of comments saved from elsewhere; not mine:

I don't understand your reasoning. Being one of the few who have not knowingly been infected should only increase your conviction to continue your precautions, because you can literally see that what you are doing is working. It makes absolutely no sense to want to stop masking or protecting yourself simply because you are the last person you know who has managed to avoid becoming ill. If this disease had a 50% casualty rate, and as a result, all of the people in your social circle died or became chronically ill/disabled, would you now say, "well, all my friends are screwed so now I feel like I'm missing out--I guess I should just get it over with?" COVID infection is not a "one and done" thing. It's not as if you get it once and then you can just behave like everyone else and pretend it doesn't exist anymore. Each time you get it, each time you get sick, you are rolling the dice on your long-term health, and it doesn't stop you from getting it again. I don't understand why so many people still don't fucking get this. "Oh, got my life-threatening respiratory disease last month, still can't breathe normally, guess I don't ever have to worry about it again!!!" Sorry if I sound angry, but I am. I'm not angry at you. I'm angry because I see this kind of flawed reasoning day in and day out, and the scientists who I would have thought would "get it" are now telling those of us who are still being careful to get over their supposed psychological trauma and just accept the risk. It has really made me realize just how deep the misinformation and cognitive biases go, and as a scientist myself, I find such lack of evidence-based reasoning to be contemptible. That said, I don't go to the precautionary extremes that some of you do, although I applaud and wholeheartedly support you for understanding and taking action in accordance with your personal risk level.

And:

“…get over their supposed psychological trauma and just accept the risk.” This is infuriating to me. There are all kinds of non-fatal things that a person doesn’t want to have happen to them. The only non-luck way to reduce or prevent them is intentionally living in a manner that is aware of the risk and effective mitigations. That they decided the risk is acceptable and thus consider all those who haven’t made the same decision as psycholgically traumatized is disgusting. For all the gains made in mental health acceptances I believe there is an almost equal weaponization of it. A unspoken tendency to perceive anyone who is too many degrees from normal or to many degrees from the given thinker’s POV as “sick” and thus easily disregarded as defective; whose thoughts and preferences, no matter how reasoned are merely symptoms of disease.

[solatgif]

TGIF: Roundup for May 12, 2023

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we are grateful to share this remarkable testimony from our friend Matthew D. Kim: We Are Not Immune: Lessons from a Mental Health Crisis. Find more resources in our Identity & Health collection.

For Mother’s Day, check out our Moms & Motherhood collection. Featured authors include Faith Chang, Amy Loh, Alice Kim, Heidi Tai, Grace Lung, and Kristen & Karisa You.

This newsletter is one of the many ways you can keep in touch with us. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more, check out my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group and TGIF Playlist on Spotify. You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram.

Aaron Lee, Editorial Curator

Enter to win this beautiful book! What does the gospel mean for moms? Written by sister-in-laws Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler, Risen Motherhood (Deluxe Edition) gives gospel hope for everyday moments. Read my review. Thanks to Harvest House Publishers for providing this book for our giveaway, in partnership with my newsletters for @diveindigdeep and FCBC Walnut.

Articles From Around The Web

Sara Kyoungah White: The Gift of Loneliness: 3 Ways God Uses Our Desert Seasons

“What my mentor had prayed over me in my college days was true: loneliness, when in the hand of God, can indeed be a gift. Sometimes seasons of loneliness stretch on for longer than we would like. Sometimes the ending is different from what we had imagined. But always, the gift is this: under the care of our ever-present Father, loneliness will bloom into promised love.”

Gray Sutanto: What is Neo-Calvinism?

“Christianity is not just a theological confession for the church, but rather it’s also about how the confession implicates every area of life.”

Duke Kwon: ‘Memorizing’ the Scars of South Korea’s Gwangju Massacre

“Chun Woo-won’s apology for his military dictator grandfather’s sins is Nehemiah in action.”

The SOLA College Writing Cohort is our new writing cohort for college-age students to receive mentorship and training as young Christian writers. Editorial Board member Soojin Park will personally be leading this initiative, and she is very excited at the prospect of nurturing the next generation of Asian American thinkers and writers who will help encourage and edify the Church!

Books, Podcasts, Music, And More

Ekstasis: Mended to Make: An Interview with Makoto Fujimura by Chris Carter

“Artist and author Makoto Fujimura, known also as Mako, is no stranger to the perplexing questions that silence raises, both in the concept itself, but also in the titular book he bases much of his theological pondering upon.”

9Marks: On Missions Work in Central Asia, with Tyler Markson and George Jamieson (Mission Talk, Ep. 13)

“In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan and Mack chat with two missionaries in Central Asia about their ministry and work.”

Aaron Lee: Related Works

Book Review: True to His Word by Jon Bloom. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group.

For Mother’s Day, check out our Moms & Motherhood collection! Featured authors include Faith Chang, Amy Loh, Alice Kim, Heidi Tai, Grace Lung, and Kristen & Karisa You.

Featured This Week On SOLA Network

Aaron Lee: The Great Reformer: A Book Review of “An Explorer’s Guide to John Calvin”

Who was John Calvin, and what did he think about God? While some might be familiar with the term Calvinism, what did he contribute to the Reformed faith? In An Explorer’s Guide to John Calvin, Yudah Thianto takes you on a tour of the life and mind of the great theologian John Calvin.

Matthew D. Kim: We Are Not Immune: Lessons from a Mental Health Crisis

“In 2022, I almost died – twice. The first time was during a battle with COVID pneumonia. The second happened several months later when chronic insomnia spiraled into depression, psychosis, and suicidal ideation.”

Heidi Wong: Digesting Beef

“Left to our own devices, we may be prone to channeling rage sharpened by rationality. If we are already heading down this path, it may be worth it to stop and ask ourselves if there is a better story, making sure to digest it all before carrying on.”

Rick Hardison: 10 Takeaways from “Should Every Church be Multiethnic?”

“Ethnicity matters. It’s a good thing. It’s a good gift God’s given us. And we will not run from it. We will not pretend it doesn’t exist, but we should lean into it, and ask God to use it to further his mission.”

TGIF: Roundup for May 5, 2023

My Church Band Raised a Hallelujah on Netflix’s ‘Beef’ / A Litany of Humility for Writers / Behind-the-Scenes: Christian Publishing / Life and Works with Tom Schreiner / Neo-Calvinism vs. Paleo-Calvinism

General disclaimer: Our link roundups are not endorsements of the positions or lives of the authors.

[jae-rowe]

Since I’m already on a roll with stories of my mom from times she was under the influence... It reminded me of the time she embarrassed me in front of my best friend, Ruby. 

It was one of the first times I was having a sleepover alone with Ruby. It had to have been when we were in 8th or 9th grade. We didn’t really start to get close until then. We had fallen asleep in my living room, watching TV. In the middle of the night, I woke up. I saw my oldest brother, his girlfriend (now my sister-in-law), and my mother at the kitchen table. They were all extremely drunk. They began to open more bottles of alcohol and were talking loudly. Seeing that Ruby was still asleep, I tried to ignore them and fall back asleep myself. 

My attempt at sleep was soon disrupted when my mother dropped a wine glass. It shattered. I sat up and became upset with them for being so loud. I felt anxious that my friend would wake up, see the commotion, and not want to be friends anymore -OR- tell her mom and be banned from hanging out with me -OR- tell other people and ruin my social reputation. I guess I’ve always been a chronic over-thinker. 

Well, Ruby ended up waking up. What she woke up to was:  Me, crying and yelling at my mom. Ruby was confused and asked what was happening. I didn’t want to explain in the moment so, I suggested we move upstairs. We got into my bedroom and she asked what happened - again. I don’t know if it was because I trusted her or if I was just physically and mentally exhausted but, I decided to open up to her. I’m kind of surprised Ruby stayed my friend after the emotional breakdown she witnessed that night. 

I think the experience definitely changed her view of me. But I am glad it didn’t deter her from being my friend. She is one of the closest relationships, outside of family, that I have been able to form within my life. I guess trauma-bonding is partially to thank for that!