The Books are of knowledge oceans, from every book we learn some thing new and to improve our knowledge and build our personality
BOOK Defination
we all know that a lot of English words come from ancient Latin – that’s because the Romans occupied England for almost five hundred years from 54BC to 410 AD. … The word book comes from Old English “boc” which in its turn comes from a Germanic root “*bok-“, which means “beech” – as in the beech tree
Types of Book Reviews
Endorsements: Hand-picking Relevant Reviewers Before Your Book is Published. …
Trade Reviews: Publishing Professionals May Advocate Your Book To The Industry. …
Reader Reviews: Individuals Recommending Your Book To Each Other. …
Editorial Reviews: Third Parties Publishing Reviews About Your Book.
Why write book reviews
Book reviews give books greater visibility and a greater chance of getting found by more readers. On some websites, books that have more book reviews are more likely to be shown to prospective readers and buyers as compared to books with few or no book reviews.
How to write a book review
Start with a couple of sentences describing what the book is about. …
Discuss what you particularly liked about the book. …
Mention anything you disliked about the book. …
Round up your review. …
You can give the book a rating, for example a mark out of five or ten, if you like!
In this days most of people like to read blogs because they have simple and clear to understand content
Some of people read books by help of Book review, its give simple summary to understand that book
“Writing is the best way to talk without being interrupted.”
Jules Renard
Today’s article discusses as to what makes writing an interesting task which will be highlighted by our special guest that is Alpha – The Typewriter.
Hello Peeps! I am glad to be here with you and speak on this interesting topic. I know I have been introduced already, but I would like to do that again. This is Alpha – A Silver Reed Typewriter. Just in case you aren’t aware of the tasks a typewriter performs, we were used in ancient times (and perhaps even today) to write on a piece of paper. In short, we were alternatives for pens! The keyboard used for the computer today is inspired by the typewriter because it comes with a similar design as on us. However, we refused to offer the flexibility of making mistakes. A single mistake, be it in the spelling, grammar or punctuation, couldn’t be rectified. Instead, you were supposed to start all over again by inserting yet another sheet of paper unlike the keyboards today that offer a delete key, thereby making room for amendment of mistakes.
Moving to the mainstream now. Writing has always been amazing since ancient times and shall always continue to remain an astounding art form. Even in the most difficult of times in the ancient period, writing was never forgotten. Instead, it always remained alive as long as humans existed. I will now be discussing what makes writing an interesting task through a step by step approach.
“The Flexibility To Write Anything!”
Writing isn’t limited to any topic that you must choose. There isn’t any obligation as long as you are working on a paid job and are assigned topics. You are free to write as per your choice and there is no possibility of people judging you on the basis of that (unless you tend to not select a controversial topic, you are safe ;)). In short, there is no obligation when it comes to choosing your own topic.
“The Possibility Of Attaining Fame!”
You never know what impact or influence your writing has on the audience. Perhaps you could attain fame for that which sounds amazing, doesn’t it? The best thing is to know that your content is influencing and inspiring readers which for an author, is an indescribable feeling!
“Room For Infinite Creativity!”
Writing is a generous process that houses your creativity thereby enhancing your write ups. You have no limit to imagining and coming up with any sort of creativity you wish to involve. Thus, writers are free to choose any insensible, fictitious topic on the pretext of creativity which is a bonus!”
“No Time Limits!”
There aren’t any time limits honestly, unless you choose to create one! You are free to utilize your own time and people won’t be mad at you for that because writing leaves the impression of ‘a mind boggling task’ so you are free to work according to your convenience.
“Spreads Insightful Messages With Ease!”
Writing, in its various forms including writing prompts helps spread intense messages which could be philosophical or social with utmost ease and pleasure. Through quotes you could pen down certain inspirational thoughts in less words thus, providing the flexibility of Laconicism.
“Freedom To Write In Any Way!”
You are free to write in any possible way. This facility is mostly due to the presence of various genres in the writing process. Drama, Fiction, Sci – Fi, Mystery or Horror, you are free to commence your favourite one from the list.
Thus, I would conclude stating that writing is all the more interesting when you personally have the will and interest to work on it. Though writing doesn’t come with many restrictions or limitations, the one rule that applies is, that you MUST admire the process! Don’t hesitate. The process is exhilarating.
The Lord Shiva shrine of Kedarnath is of extreme importance to Hindus. Kedarnath temple is situated in the laps of the Himalayas and is said to have gained prominence after the Mahabharata tale depicted how the Pandavas urged Lord Shiva to forgive their bad Karma.
The temple is said to have been built or resurrected by the great religious Guru Adi Shankaracharya to its present form.
The Kedarnath Mandir (Temple) that nestles at the foothills of the Himalayas is one of the holiest sites of Hinduism. A shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Destroyer of Evil, the temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas across India, one of the Char (4) Dhams (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Gangotri), and one of the 5 Kedars.
Given the treacherous weather in the region, this temple opens to devotees only between the months of April to November each year. It is said that this temple was constructed by a king from the Pandava lineage. His name was Janmajeya. The Shiva Linga here is very ancient.
The temple’s architecture style is said to be the same as most ancient temples of its period – the ashlar style of construction – wherein stone slabs are interlocked into each other without the use of mortar or cement. Each year, thousands of Hindu pilgrims flock to the temple to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.
History of the temple:
The shrine finds a mention in the Mahabharata but the temple one sees today is said to have been built under the orders of the great Guru Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th Century. Some also claim that it was built by Raja Bhoj of Malwa region in the 2nd Century. After the April-November season of darshan, before harsh winter temperatures set in, the murti (vigraha) of the deity is carried to Ukimath for the next 6 months. The Rawals (the priests of Karanataka-origin) travel along with the deity and carry out worship there.
The Mahabharat connection:
It is said that after the Mahabharata war ended, the Pandavas were full of remorse at having lost thousands to the violence. They handed over the kingdom’s reins to grandson Parikshit and started for Varanasi to seek Lord Shiva’s pardon.
Not interested in meeting them, Shivji leaves Varanasi/Benaras/Kashi and heads for the Himalayas in the form of a Bull (Nandi, the Bull). He reappears in Guptakashi as the bull and the Pandavas reach there.
Shiva escapes again and this time reappears as the bull in five different parts of India as 5 different parts of the bull’s body: the face at Rudranath, arms at Tungnath, navel and stomach at Madhyamaheshwar, the locks at Kalpeshwar and the hump at Kedarnath. The powerful Pandava – Bhima – is said to have grabbed the bull’s tail, forcing him to appear before them and forgive them. The Pandava brothers then built the first temple at Kedarnath.
These 5 places where the bull had appeared in parts after diving underground are known as the Panch (5) Kedar.
Situated in a region of Glacial activity, the temple is said to have been under snow for 400 years. The signs of glacial assault are still there on the walls, say geologists. The temple was miraculously saved by a BhimShila (massive boulder) that rolled down the mountains during the horrific cloudburst and natural calamity in June 2013. It is said Baba Bhairo Nath saves the temple.
Nara – Narayana connection:
Nara and Narayana – two incarnations of Vishnu performed severe penance in Badrikashrayain devotion to Lord Shiva Bhole Shankar himself appeared in front of them. When the Lord granted them a boon, Nar and Narayan requested Shiva to take up a permanent abode at the place to benefit the devotees. Therefore, it is believed that Lord Shiva assumed the form as a Jyotirlingam at Kedarnath so that all people who worship Shiva shall be freed from their miseries.
From Dr. Dre to Drake, and many more, the Rap genre is something for parents, a spot that needs to be shaded from — to be ceased to exist, this predominantly stems from institutionalised racism. The notion that is perceived as a sensible reaction is how the drugs that these people have consumed — irrespective of the truth— is something that can’t be shaken off of anyone’s mind. No one bothered to listen or hear these pieces out, like any form of musical expression, be it classical music or pop culture, music is always a tool to express, and let your emotions dance for itself, to the musician and the audience alike.
But culturally, classical music just by its nomenclature and more, is given hight importance, and priority, making it a shining star; this definitely requires us to actively engage in discussions on your views of high and low culture, which I would be excited to hear, because the prevailing idea to control societies with these dichotomy needs to end, preferably now.
Rap or other form of expressions need to be universally accessibly without it’s prejudiced taboo, the artists needs to be who they are, to hold their identity as thy want and we all need to understand their angst and respect it, and not just being apathetic about it, but validating them and regarding them with the same Honore given to Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, et cetra.
Let’s hear what A$AP Rocky, Eminem, Lil NasX, and other have to represent, because since beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, let’s appreciate the beauty that these artists have birthed, the passion, the emotions that they have put behind it.
And trying to not drag the same argument again and again, isn’t it prerogative for all of us to know these artists as well to better understand them, to acknowledge their struggle, to celebrate their success as well, because they deserve it; this doesn’t mean we could ignore the works of artists like David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, or even bands, from Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Nirvana and then some, these people are deserving of much more, but 2Pac, Fifty Cent, are also names that we can’t ignore.
We can’t ignore histories or pick-and-choose which history we need to show our support to, we need to bring all the collective history together, uplift them for everyone to see and carry the tradition without bigoted views about topics pertaining to the genre of rap.
One of my readers recently replied this to one of my weekly newsletter emails:
“How are you so positive?”
I thought to myself, “Haven’t I written about this before?” I went through all my articles and the answer is no. I have written about the importance of having a positive mindset a lot.
But after 6 years of blogging, this was the first time I got that question. And it’s so on point. Sometimes we take things for granted. Even though I’ve experienced many challenges in life (like almost every other human being), I never gave up my positive mindset.
Often, we look at the world and consider it negative. That’s not a surprise. Because taking one glance at a news website will make the steadiest person depressed. It happens to me too. But calling the world negative is a misjudgment.
That will only cause frustration. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus made that evident in his teachings, two thousand years ago (quote is from The Good Life Handbook):
“So when we are frustrated, angry or unhappy, let’s hold ourselves responsible for these emotions because they are the result of our judgments.”
The Stoic perspective is all about being objective in your perceptions. When your thoughts become negative “because” of something, you’re making misjudgments. Epictetus continues:
“No one else is responsible for them. When you blame others for your negative feelings, you are being ignorant. When you blame yourself for your negative feelings, you are making progress. You are being wise when you stop blaming yourself or others.”
Not blaming others nor yourself is one of the most important things if you want to stay positive. But there are also 4 other things I do to stay positive. Here they are.
1. Practice gratitude
Taking a few moments every day to write down a few things you’re grateful for changes your perspective. The funny thing about this practice is that when you read about it, you think, “It can’t be THAT effective!”
I was exactly the same. But once I started actively practicing gratitude, I felt more in control of my life. A while back, I stopped writing about the things that make me feel grateful. For the first few weeks, I didn’t feel any different.
But after a few months, I noticed that I complained more than usual. I was also more frustrated compared to before. When I started practicing gratitude again, I went back to being consistent. Consistently calm, that is.
A lot of our frustration comes from what other people do or say. “OMG! I can’t believe he said that! How does he dare?!”
Well, maybe it’s time to lighten up a bit. We overanalyze every single thing people say and do. Sometimes, people just do dumb things. Not everything people do is personal.
If you want to live a good life, you can’t take everything personally. Understand that there are more important things to life—things like your health, family, and career.
A partner that doesn’t listen to you, colleagues who piss you off, a landlord that doesn’t fix the drain, the loud neighbors, you name it. No one’s life is perfect and tranquil.
That’s something we really need to understand. But that took me many years. I always thought that you could achieve some kind of magic place in life where you would have no stress and annoying responsibilities.
But then I grew up. Life is basically one challenge after the other. We can’t let that get the best of us. That’s why we need to let it all out.
All your anger, frustration, anxiety, insecurity—it needs to get out of your system. Whether you do that by journaling, talking to a friend, or going to therapy is your choice. Just make sure you don’t keep all those things inside yourself.
4. Focus on improvement
Look, life’s not always pretty. And we tend to overemphasize the bad times. When we experience a setback or negativity, we blow it up in our minds. “This is the worst thing ever.”
Think about it. Is it really? Or is there a way you can improve your life situation? Because that’s how I like to look at it.
Where you are now is a temporary situation. No matter how good or bad it is—this very moment will pass. Do you realize that?
Because if you do, you know that you have a chance to improve your life. And to me, that’s the best use of your time and energy.
Don’t spend one second on feeling sorry for yourself and focus on what you can do NOW to improve something about your life. It doesn’t even matter what it is.
Go for a walk. Take a shower. Shave. Start a journal. Fix something in your house. Write down some ideas. Set a goal.
You can even do those things while you’re feeling bad. Because that’s not the point. As am I writing this article, I’m not feeling well. I ate something bad two days ago, and I have food poisoning symptoms since yesterday morning.
I feel weak. And yet, I feel better mentally after I wrote this article.
In the back of my mind, I know I will recover. I understand this is a small example and much worse things happen in life. But when you practice a positive attitude on the small stuff, you will be better at dealing with the big stuff.
I like how Napoleon Hill, the author of the famous self-help book, Think And Grow Rich, put it:
“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”
It’s unquestionable: Doing small things will make you feel better. But you don’t need to believe me. Just go and do a small thing now and see it for yourself.
Cinema has been a part of our society right from the ages and we don’t have to explain it now as we are spending most of our free time watching movies in this quarantine. Cinema is said to influence the lives of people in many ways. It helps people to break themselves from the olden thoughts and culture. Movies are said to provide good pleasure and rejuvenate us. Even though it has many benefits, it also leaves a negative influence on people, especially on youth.
ADVANTAGES OF CINEMA
Cinema has a lot of advantages if we try to focus on the positive side. It is the reflection of society. It portrays the facts that common people are not aware of. Cinema has always been a platform to showcase the hidden vulnerabilities right from abuses to murders. We have many movies portraying the different aspects of society. The films related to society are taken with the motive to reach these messages to the public. We have movies depicting the difficulties faced by women to get their rights and recognition in society. These encourage every woman to stand and fight for themselves. Similarly, we have movies like Dangal which depicts the hard work, never give give-up attitude, and the father’s support for his daughters. Movies like Dear Comrade and Jersey showcase the difficulties to get selected for a sports team despite our talent and passion. They reveal the beast-side of the higher officials who take advantage of the helplessness of the talented people. All these have always been motivating for everyone and guides them to take each step carefully. It also characterizes the truth behind politics and social media. Moreover, it convinces people to accept different artforms and cultures. It depicts family values and relationships. The artists who act in films create an excellent impact on people’s thoughts. People get convinced easily about something they don’t agree with if actors keep them as a request to their fans. For example, we have many in our society who are not ready to get vaccinated. But they change their mind and become ready to get their jab if their favorite actor or actress does that and ask their fans to do the same. That shows how fans are influenced by their fav artists’ words and we have many more to cite as an example. Thus, it makes people learn and be aware of the things that are covered up in our society.
DISADVANTAGES OF CINEMA
Although there are many advantages, we have disadvantages too. Movies influence people badly at times and get addicted to them. They get deviated from their life and desperately wait for the first look, teaser, trailer, or movie release. They also became mad in the name of fans bathing the cutouts and posters with milk. Cinema showcases violence and vulgarity in action and other sequences. These influence kids in a very bad way that they start using unparliamentary language. Most of the time, romantic and other genres are just fantasy showing things that are quite impossible in actual life. On seeing these, people tend to believe that the same happens in reality. This increases their expectations and later everything will go in vain. For example, we have movies expressing college life as a carefree and most enjoyable life. But we get to know the fact only we step into our college life and get disappointed as we expected it to be the same as shown in the films. The sexual content shown in the cinema arouses the young to engage in eve-teasing and several cases of abuse that happen in our society.
On the whole, Cinema has its good and bad influence on people as well as society. So, it is our responsibility to take the good things and leave the bad things behind. Everyone can leave a happy and regret-free life if we always try to follow “Too much of anything is good for nothing”.
I wasn’t one to believe that playing popular interactive (group) mobile games were a type that proves to be helpful to anyone, rather a huge waste of time that could be invested in something constructive. Over the course of the Pandemic with the certain and every persistent highs and lows of my Mental Health, it has presented this sort of way to let go of what is around me, and calm myself down.
This definitely comes with an impact for the fact that we may never know to just shut down and stop playing your choice game, which leads to string of another problem, addiction being top of that. Here, our smartphones may be smart enough to help us; by setting app limits, like so, if you need to use your favourite app for 60 minutes you can do so, and then your phones may shut the app off for the day; a great way to imply restraints in our life. A consistent and not addictive pattern of using applications makes you not enslaved to it, and consistency is always a good practice with regard to struggles with Mental Balance.
But what if your parents get behind, nagging at you ? Oh.. yes they will be nagging, thus creating boundaries with your device becomes prominent also once in a while improving our small talk skills and conversing healthily with our family or people around us, is certainly refreshing, it helps in being emotionally more available and present and aware of someones problem more respectfully because you yourself are very clearheaded.
But probably this still won’t be convincing, to someone who believe to strongly detach themselves from such ‘juvenile’ apps because a common misconception is that the violent video games are detrimental but, these games, are just mere stimulants, not necessarily violent, probably some word puzzle that would help you rewind after a stressful, tiresome day.
However we all know how tech companies are capitalising on such gas production, which wants you to be hooked, but we need to acknowledge the fact that these games can’t have us hooked unless we consent to it, give them the power to it, be subservient to it, which we’ll not be, because we are above and better than that, and this is something each one of us needs to know and fundamentally give our selves credit for it.
Therefore from self-help to self-restraint and even an enabler, such moderated use, of any application, not just games, but anything in general, would always be useful. The key to it is, to not let anything overrule you, and you’re good to go.
As we know that every person is related to each other in some way or the other. Whether it is a relationship of friendship, parents, siblings, and many more.
But there are some relations which have no name. Yet,they connected,they communicated.
He may remains anonymous throughout his life. But still they exist forever and become so important. When we are in any nameless relationship.They live every moment with wholeheartedly, but at the same time there is also the fear of losing . Our heart is in dilemma of the scariest thing of distance whether this diversion would erase all beautiful memories or will they be alive in the core of their hearts.
No one knows their limits in this relationship. We just keep on flowing like a stream of water. This is all life and fate so we have to breathe, belief, hold on and let go off the things with their own pace just to see what happens next.
Even though relationship is unnamed and we don’t know what we are for each other? But we still inside know the name of this unnamed relationship and know what she is for you and you are for her.
We all thought this was a temporary thing. But here we are. People are already calling this the “COVID era” as if they are reading about it in a history book. But we’re still going through it.
For most of my friends and family, the social distancing and handwashing aren’t that bad. We got used to that stuff quickly. The tough part about this era is that life has changed permanently for many folks.
Rifts are created between people with different beliefs on wearing a mask. Complete industries are swept away and will probably never be the same. The world has truly changed.
In this article, I’m sharing 19 lessons I’ve learned from observing all these changes. Hopefully, these short reminders will make life during this era easier for you. These things surely have helped me a lot.
It’s hard on everybody I know your life is hard. But so is the life of your neighbor. That puts us all in the same boat. So go easy on yourself and others.
Nothing is forever It seems like this will last forever. But everything dies. And so will pandemics.
Accept it as if you chose this This is the only form of useful lying in the world. Trick yourself into believing you wanted a more tranquil and solitary life. This is a classic Stoic exercise. Simply accept everything that’s outside of your control as something you wanted. Life will be a lot rosier.
Take a breather Literally. Take a moment for yourself and breeeeath…. Aaaah. Yes, that’s the feeling.
Exercise every day Stay in shape. If you’re not injured or ill, it’s your duty to take care of your body. Never take this lightly.
Get off social media It’s a waste of your time. “Always?” Pretty much.
Read books This is a better use of your time. We all have reading lists with hundreds of books on them. And we’re not going to live 200 years. That means you need to make some tough choices. Which books will you read before you die?
Learn new skills Technology is improving and changing so fast that we’re not aware what’s going on. We just learn it after the fact. But that’s too late. So stay on top of your field and keep learning new skills you need to do good work.
Keep a daily journal This will probably be one of the weirdest times of our lives. Don’t you want to document this? Even if you never read it again, it’s still worth writing because it makes you a better thinker.
Inspiration comes from within “I need to go to Paris for inspiration.” Replace Paris with any city or place in the world. Why do we think inspiration comes from the outside? Look inside!
Good food improves your mood One of the few pleasures that you never get used to. Research new recipes, be creative, and cook food that makes you go, “Hmmmmnn.”
Objects will not make you happy STOP BUYING CRAP ONLINE! I had to tell myself that after a few too many useless purchases.
More money is not the answer Look, I’m not going to lie. Having a little bit of money will lighten the load. So start that online business or side-gig you’ve been thinking about. But don’t expect that money will make you happy. It just solves your money problems. Nothing else.
Do work you enjoy Just because you need to survive, don’t say yes to the first available job you encounter. And also don’t start some kind of soulless online business so you can make a few bucks. Find something you enjoy and pays the bills.
Appreciate what you have The grass is always greener. We tend to forget. So here’s a reminder: If you’re reading this on your smartphone in the comfort of your house, your life isn’t so bad.
Give back Do something altruistic. It’s fine to give money to charity. But I’m not talking about that. Talk to your elderly neighbors, hold the door for someone, share your hard-earned lessons with others. Small things that have a positive impact on people.
Change is good This is a difficult period if your industry got swept away. But remember, change is a part of life. And in the long-term, it’s good. We just don’t see the sunshine when we’re going through a storm.
Stop consuming—Start creating
The world never changed for the better by doing nothing. Right now, our biggest challenge is paralysis by consumption. We’re over-consuming everything: News, food, clothes, entertainment, you name it.
To get through this era, we need more action. So stop sitting there and go create something. Without creation, there’s no progress.
We live in a uniquely safe, risk-free, and good time.
Mortality rate is at an all-time low. Poverty is decreasing year over year. Diseases are treatable. You get to live longer. And technology makes life easier and safer.
Evolution is a beautiful thing (if you only look at the facts).
However, that’s not the full story. People are still miserable. Suicide rates increase. People have more depressions and burnouts. More and more people are on meds. I’m not going to flush you with all the hard statistics. It’s not pretty.
Because to me, that’s what I think everybody is doing: Dancing around all the time and saying, “I’m alive! I’m alive.” I can’t be more wrong than that.
The reality is that we, humans, are ungrateful idiots. Always have been.
The Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus, who lived between AD 50–135, put it best:
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
Why do we always desire what we don’t have? Desiring things you don’t have is not necessarily a bad thing. That same trait is also the reason the world developed the way it did. If we didn’t desire unattainable stuff, the world probably wouldn’t advance one bit.
But when I read about historical figures such as Christopher Columbus, the Wright Brothers, or Nikola Tesla, they used that desire for good things. They didn’t complain and had an innate desire to achieve things.
Can you image Columbus saying: “Fuck this stupid boat. Let’s sail back home, I want to chill out.”
And that the Wright Brothers said to each other: “Man, screw this flying thing. Let’s play checkers and drink beer.”
Or that Tesla would say: “Who cares about current? Let Edison and his stupid DC current win. I’m going for a swim in the lake.”
Of course not.
Just Be Thankful For Goodness Sake.
Two words. That’s all.
Say it. Believe it.
Thank you.
Easy.
Or you can go with a casual “thanks.” You can say it to people, but more importantly, you can also say it to random things.
When I wake up, I just say: “Thanks.”
I don’t even know who I’m thanking. God? The universe? Life? I’m just happy to be alive. And that mindset changes everything in your life. When you say thank you, and you truly believe it, you become a grateful person.
Gratitude changes the way you:
Think
Behave
Talk
Walk
Eat
Love
You can also say it to people. When your mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, friend, colleague, manager, does something for you (no matter how small), say: “Thank you.”
What you will find is that people appreciate you too. Gratitude goes both ways.
“Thank you.”
“No. Thank you.”
Saying thank you is a habit. It shows that you appreciate everything. Big things and little things. And appreciation is an important aspect of a happy life.
The French philosopher Voltaire put it well:
“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”
If you want to enjoy life, start by appreciating it.
Do you ever get upset about the nasty behavior of your co-workers, friends, or even family? Well, if you let others upset you, it’s not their fault.
“It’s not me, it’s him!” is what most of us say. We’re always quick to blame others for how we feel.
We say that others make us feel that way. But that’s false. You decide how you feel about the things that happen in your life.
Events can’t harm us. Our perception of an event harms us. That’s one of the most important ideas of Stoic philosophy.
In other words, you decide what meaning you give to the things that happen in your life. If your friend tells lies about you behind your back, and you get upset, that’s because you decided to get upset.
After all, you don’t control others. That’s why who you spend your time with is a matter of life and death.
The great Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, said this in his Manual For Living:
“Avoid fraternizing with people who don’t share your values. Prolonged association with those with false ideas can only tarnish your thinking.”
It’s something I truly live by. I’ve seen others destroy people’s lives too often to take this idea carelessly.
And I bet that you’ve had your share of, for lack of a better term, “toxic” people in your life.
There Are Two Kinds Of People
People with values
People without values
I think that less than 1% of the population has values. Values entail nothing more than answers to questions like:
How do you treat people?
How do you treat yourself?
What’s right and what’s wrong?
Here’s an easy way to detect people without values: When you see that someone becomes an entirely different person in a heartbeat — that’s when you know someone has no values.
For example, at our company, we recently hired a toxic intern. The intern turned out to be a different person from the person we thought we hired.
Of course, that’s our mistake. Even though we talked extensively about values during the interview process, we didn’t detect any warning signals.
And everything was fine during the first week. But as soon as the intern found a partner in one of our other interns, things started to change.
All of a sudden, with this new-found support, the intern started gossiping, trying to manipulate others, and causing mayhem. Fortunately, we identified it quickly and communicated that we have a zero-tolerance policy for toxic behavior.
When you lack values, you automatically gravitate towards natural human behavior. And that’s very dark. I recently read 12 Rules For Life by Dr. Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist, and a professor at the University of Toronto.
His fundamental proposition is that people are malevolent and that life is suffering. To prove that statement, Peterson shares compelling examples of human history with us.
He’s right. People have always lied, killed, and deceived their way through life.
But There’s An Alternative
Look, you can easily go down the rabbit hole of nasty behavior. Just spend enough time with bad people — eventually, you will become one of them.
You can also fill your days with gossiping, lying, and manipulating others. And you’ll probably also feel good when you do it. A sense of power, no matter how it’s achieved, gives people satisfaction. That’s how our minds work.
So when you recognize someone who doesn’t have principles, shows nasty behavior, and has multiple personalities — step away.
Instead, surround yourself with people who want the best for you.
Not with people who are jealous, can’t see your success, and thrive off negativity. I think this is important to realize for anyone who wants to live a good life.
A few years ago, when I started to live a conscious life, I had to say goodbye to people who only wanted to live a life of pleasure.
And I’ve also seen other friends that started to change their life for the better but were dragged back into the bottomless pit of darkness by others.
But as you and I both know, life is also full of warm and caring people. It’s not all bad.
Be Stingy With Your Time
“You’re the average of the five people you spend your time with.” It has become such a cliché. But I don’t think that we truly understand the impact that other people can have on us.
Like Epictetus said, others can tarnish your thinking. Is that worth it?
Look at it this way. Would you give $1000 to the people in your life if they asked for it? If the answer is no, stop giving the people who don’t share the same values as you, your time.
I’ve narrowed down the list of people I spend 90% of my time with to my direct family and my two best friends. Other than that, I spend my time working and exercising. That’s what I mostly do. And I’ve never enjoyed my life this much.
So if you have a job you love, and a few people in your life who you love, you don’t even have more time to spend.
Nothing else gives more satisfaction than having a meaningful career and a strong family.
“But what if my family is toxic?”
Inspire them to change for the better. I don’t give up on my family. Even if it takes 10 years, I will still try to help them.
Create Your Values, And Stick To Them
To live a virtuous life, you need principles. Without principles (or values), we have no character. And without character, we’re nothing.
“Who cares!”
Well, you should care. You’re the one who looks in the mirror every day. Are you happy with what you see?
That’s the only measure I have for my life. I must like the person I see in the mirror. If I don’t like that guy, I’ll change. That’s what I’ve always done. And that’s what I still do every day.
Improve Yourself
What’s the alternative? Like Peterson concludes in his 12 Rules For Life, there’s no other viable option for life.
You recharge your phone when it runs out of juice. You refill your gas tank when you’re running on empty. But sometimes, you forget to take a break and recharge your most precious possession: Your body (and the brain that’s inside of it).
Whether you love what you do, are in between jobs, or have a job you hate: You’re working. Living is also a job. A pretty tough one, actually. Just the act of getting up in the morning can be a daunting task. And I’m not even talking about all the responsibilities we have.
So why do you make your life even more challenging by not taking a vacation to recharge? I’m not talking about your weekends that are packed with activities, or holidays where you do more work than relax.
No, that type of “free time” only costs energy. I’m talking about resting with a very specific reason: To recharge your battery so you can get back to living a productive life.
A break reduces stress and improves productivity.
Scientific research shows that a vacation decreases perceived job stress and burnout. Now, that’s a pretty solid benefit of taking a few days off. But there’s more.
As you may know, I’m always interested in productivity. In the case of resting or a vacation, my question is:
Will I get more things done when I get back?
The answer is yes, but there’s one major thing to keep in mind. But let’s back up a bit: What does it mean to get more done? Getting things done has nothing to do with time—if you work more hours, you don’t necessarily get more done.
In fact, research shows that working more hours general means less productivity.
Why? Well, we often waste time if we have a lot of it. It’s simple: If I say to you, you have a year to write an article. What would you do? Put it off until tomorrow, right?
But what if I tell you that you only have 2 hours? You’ll probably get started right away. So in a way, having more days off, and fewer days to work, forces you to be more effective with your time.
Research shows that a vacation in itself won’t make you more productive, but when you have more days off, you have a strong desire to get more things done in less time.
And that’s a win-win situation for everybody: You, your business, or your job. You take off a few days, recharge, spend time with your family or friends, and when you come back, you’re more productive.
Sounds great. But wait, there’s a caveat.
When your vacation is stressful, the positive benefits go away. So keep the stress at a minimum on your holiday. Otherwise, you’ve wasted a perfect opportunity to relax and boost your overall productivity.
I recently felt I needed a break for several reasons. I had a few injuries that didn’t seem to go away and had less energy. I could have powered through, but instead, I decided to go on a vacation with my family. For a week, I did absolutely no work. And when I came back, I was full of energy.
Here are a few tips that might help you to take a break that fully recharges you.
1. Do What You Want
There are no rules for taking vacations and everybody relaxes in a different way. If you like to plan your holiday, just do it. If you want to go with the flow, then do that.
Want to wake up early? Do it. Don’t like waking up early? Sleep in. Even if you go on a vacation with your partner, friends, or family, you don’t have to be together 24/7. You can also sometimes do things that you enjoy.
The key is to not have expectations on your vacation. Let go of everything. I also don’t like to post vacation pictures on social media. Otherwise, I’m constantly thinking about taking a cool picture so I can impress others.
You’ll probably even do things you wouldn’t do just to take a picture. “I really need to rent a jet ski so I can take a picture with it.” No, you don’t.
Who cares? Focus on enjoying the moments you experience. Whatever those moments may be.
2. Read
Bill Gates is famous for his voracious reading habit. He is also known for his ‘Think Week’ where does nothing else but read and think.
You don’t have to be Bill Gates to think about your life and career. We all have our daily, weekly, and monthly routines. Usually, routines and habits work very well. However, you can also get stuck inside a loop.
That’s why I recommend you to step back from your daily life and career. If you do that, two things can happen: When you step away, you miss your daily life and can’t wait to pick up where you left off.
Or, the opposite will happen. You don’t want to go back. See that as a sign that you need to make a change. Either way, a break always serves a purpose. It doesn’t only help you to recharge, it will also make you think.
That’s why I like to read for hours on my vacation.
3. Get Bored
One of my favorite strategies for finding new ideas is to get bored out of my mind. It sounds easier than it is because of distractions.
In the past, I would do everything to NOT get bored: Watch TV, go out, browse Facebook, etc. But did you know that you can use boredom to your advantage?
Instead of giving into distractions, just give into the boredom and see it leads your mind to. In fact, one of my favorite artists of all time, Andy Warhol, embraced boredom. You can tell by the boring films he made or the references he made in The Philosophy Of Andy Warhol about getting bored.
Whenever I hit a creative wall, I just do nothing. Literally, nothing. Try it sometime. It’s a great strategy; maybe you come up with the next best thing in your industry.
It’s never a good time to take a break.
“I just need to finish this project.”
“My boss will never accept it.”
“People will think I’m lazy.”
“I don’t have time.”
“My family needs me.”
Yeah, yeah, I’ve been there too. But what would you rather: Continue to work without resting and burn out? Or take some rest before you’re tired?
So before you use all those valid reasons to not take a break, think about what all the people in your life have to do if you’re not here anymore. Yes, you’re important. So take care of yourself. Take a break and come back with more energy.
Just admit it, you’ve thought about it before. Social media is great and all. But you and I both know that it also sucks.
Does this scenario sound familiar?
It’s late at night, you’re in bed, you dread waking up early tomorrow because you have to go to work, so you grab your smartphone, you open up Instagram (or whatever app you’re addicted to).
And you start browsing, you go from one picture to the next, you watch some videos, you start feeling bad about your life, because all the other people have fun, and you have to go to work in the morning.
Alright, we’re at a very bad place right now in that scenario. Because now the existentialism creeps in slowly. And finally, you think:
“My life is shitty compared to these other people. They look amazing, have money, travel the world, and they are important too. Who am I? I’m nothing. What have I done? Nothing! FML.”
And what do you do besides feeling like shit? Nothing. You just go on with your life and repeat that whole process the next day. And some days you counter the posts from other people by ‘crafting’ your own cool posts.
Just admit it, this whole thing is not cool. Of course, I’m exaggerating, and social media is not the source of all our problems. Don’t expect that your life will be awesome when you get rid of social media. I don’t believe in fairy tales.
But you get my point. Social media has a negative impact on many of us. Some people love it. If that’s you, there’s no need to read this article. But if you ever thought about quitting social media, keep reading.
Actually, just stop reading, and go on and delete the apps that make you unhappy.
Just follow the example of Louis C.K. When asked about why he quit Twitter in an interview, he said:
“It didn’t make me feel good. It made me feel bad instead. So I stopped doing it.”
That makes it very simple. If something makes you feel bad, stop using it.
It’s the opposite of the scientific approach to quitting social media that Cal Newport took. He makes some good points about why social media is bad for you.
But to me, that’s way too rational. And we’re not rational beings. We’re emotional. That’s why I like the approach of Louis C.K.
Here’s why I got rid of my social media.
I only used it for self-promotion. And I don’t like that. I don’t think that’s fair to people who follow you. So I got rid of my Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. I only have Twitter and LinkedIn (for now). But if I don’t use them, I’ll get rid of them too.
This article is not about convincing you to do the same. Or about getting rid of all your social media profiles. All I’m saying is this: If you ever thought about quitting social media, just do it already.
You’re limiting yourself by not pulling the trigger. Now, you might say: “It’s just social media. Who cares?”
But you’re not getting off that easily. If you want to live a happy and stress-free life, you have to be decisive. When things linger in your head, it’s all dead weight. And you don’t want that.
What’s it going to be? Do you use social media or not? Does it make you happy? Does it improve your life or business?
I know what you’re thinking. “What if I ever need it?”
You don’t need anything for business or your career.
People who have stakes in social media will never tell you to stop using it. Why? Because their career depends on it.
But what did you think people did before social media? It’s all a matter of perspective. Many successful entrepreneurs I know have never used social media.
Is that why they’re doing well? There’s no way to tell. One thing is sure: You can do well in life with and without social media.
It’s up to you to decide. And it comes down to self-awareness. It’s also about simplifying life. Because it’s already complicated enough. Get rid of shit that doesn’t contribute anything to your life.
So what’s your perspective? Have you ever thought about quitting social media? Why did you never pull the trigger? Let me know in the comments.
The mind may wither. The body may deteriorate. But the love of art and fashion is what keeps us young. The one constant thing in the world is our eternal love for jewellery.
Since ancient times, we have adorned ourselves with whatever we could find, such as animal bones, teeth of predators, bird feathers and shells and carapaces from the ocean. For years, pharaohs, sultans and emperors wore jewellery as a way of displaying wealth and power. Since then, we have come a long way, but the times have not evolved much.
Even though the reasons for wearing jewellery has not changed, the type of jewellery we wear certainly has. The Cuban link chain is one such type that will never go out of fashion in the world of fine jewellery. Yet, it could never compete with the renowned gold-coloured chains.
Cuban link chains, also known as Miami Cuban links, has a unique interlocked pattern and a thick texture to give prominence to the round or oval links. The links intersecting to form a rope-like design ensures durability and high quality. It explains why they can be crafted into large and heavy pieces while looking versatile and stylish at the same time.
Despite the many claims, the exact origin of the Cuban links is unknown. But they are likely to be the product of a hip-hop jewellery movement in the late 1970s that originated in Miami. There are a plethora of types of jewellery in the market that tend to disappear into the wind and come back in vogue a few years later. But, the Cuban link has managed to stay relevant and never went out of style till today. It has found its way to the wish list of many in recent times. The one thing we can say for sure is that it is here to stay.
The Cuban link is not for the faint-hearted. It doesn’t necessarily cost an arm and a leg, but it does cost sky-high, which is why we can see many rappers favouring and flaunting it for all the world to see. After all, solid gold and chock full of diamonds make up the Cuban links. A single chain can cost nearly $27,000. But a more valuable one could cost ten times more than that. It is a representation of all the success and hard work they have endured.
The Cuban links are generally handmade and the diamonds set by hand since they require extreme and impeccable craftsmanship. Designing a single chain calls for the skill of more than five experienced jewellers. It can take over twelve hours to create high-quality pieces that are worthy of the spotlight.
The most attractive feature is that you can style the Cuban link the way you want, like a long chain or a choker. Go for a basic yet stylish look or wear it extravagantly with other pendants. Else, you could wear it as a choker, just as Rihanna did in one of her outfits. Ultimately, the choice dwells with you.
With the legacy of the Cuban links evolving every day, it comes real close to being the best friend for both men and women. There is no reason why you should be modest about its allure. If you got it, why not flaunt it!
I know something about you without knowing you. I bet you spend A LOT of time in your head.
You know, thinking, worrying, stressing, freaking out — call it whatever you want. I call it a preoccupied mind. And with what?
99% of your thoughts are useless. William James put it best:
“A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”
All my life I’ve been obsessed with practical things. Practical philosophy, practical knowledge, practical books, practical work, and practical advice.
That idea comes from Pragmatism, a philosophical tradition that started in the 19th century in America. Charles Sanders Peirce, who was a Harvard professor, is considered as the “father of Pragmatism.”
But it was William James, a trained physician turned philosopher, who really defined the philosophy.
About thoughts, worry, and stress, William James says:
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
Pragmatism believes that a mind is a tool. Your mind should work for you, not against you. People who don’t master their mind, don’t believe it’s possible.
They say: “I can’t help but thinking these things.”
Well, you can with enough practice. It’s a skill.
In other words: You have the ability to decide what you think. Or, you can choose NOT to think.
And that is one of the most important and most practical things you can learn in life. Before I learned that skill, I would spend hours and hours inside my head.
Just think about how much you think.
“I wonder what my boss thinks?”
“What happens if I screw up and lose my job?”
“Does she love me?”
“I think he doesn’t care about me.”
“I just keep failing.”
“Why does my life suck?”
“Why is my life awesome, and other people’s lives are not?”
“What if I get cancer?”
“I don’t care about my job. Is there something wrong with me?”
“I can’t finish anything. What’s wrong with me?”
And the list goes on. That is all REAL shit. That’s stuff people tell me when I ask them what they worry about.
Do you know what those thoughts do to you? Guilt, anger, suffering.
I just have one question for you: What’s the practical use of your thoughts?
Yes? I’m waiting. Still no answer? Exactly.
Thoughts have no use. 99% of them that is.
Which thoughts are useful?
Thinking about how you can solve problems. A problem is just an unanswered question. Put your brain to use and think about how you can solve problems. There are a lot of those on this earth.
Understanding knowledge. That means this: Try to internalize knowledge and think about how you can use that knowledge to improve your life, career, work, relationships, etc.
That’s it. You can ignore every other thought.
If you’re constantly thinking, it’s because you haven’t’ trained your mind yet. You HAVE to get out of your head.
If not, you go mental. Everyone will. No exception.
Also, you’re probably thinking so much that you’re missing out on life. Did you notice the sunshine this morning when you woke up? Or the raindrops? Did you notice the smell of your coffee? Did you feel the texture of your cereals?
If your answer is no, you definitely need to get out of your head. Stop thinking and start feeling.
Now, you might think: “How do I train myself to stop thinking useless thoughts?”
Awareness.
That’s where it starts. Every time you start drifting off, become aware of it. Just observe your brain. Step outside yourself and just observe the crazy shit you’re thinking about.
Don’t judge. Don’t think you’re stupid. If you do that, you’re thinking again.
No, what you want to do is say this to yourself: “Ah that’s a cute thought. Now, let’s get back to reality.”
“If you can change your mind, you can change your life.” ― William James
Are you back to reality? Do you feel your eyes reading the letters on your screen? Do you feel your phone in your hand? Are you thinking about how you’re going to apply this information to your life?
Great. You’re USING your mind, and it’s not the other way around. Now, keep using that brain of yours.
Because I’ll tell you this: It’s the most powerful tool on earth.
Eduindex News 
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