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Ten Profound Quotes from Surprising Sources

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You typically expect great quotes to come from politicians, statesmen and military commanders. While celebrities are often quoted, it’s rare for them to say something profound. Here are ten times they did.

1. “The way you create a better future is by studying the past.” – Steven Spielberg

The Oscar-winning director said these words to the graduating class at Harvard University in 2016. Spielberg dropped out of college in the 1960s, eventually earning his degree much later in life. He earned credits in a paleontology class from his experience in making Jurassic Park.

2. “I am pretty fearless, and you know why? Because I don’t handle fear very well; I’m not a good terrified person.” – Stevie Nicks

The Fleetwood Mac singer discussed her fears in a 2001 interview with fellow singer Sheryl Crow. Nicks also said she knew she would be famous when she was 16.

3. “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.” – Oprah Winfrey

The media mogul delivered this line to the graduating class of Wellesley College in 1997 to encourage them to set lofty goals. Winfrey runs a media empire now, but grew up in poverty and had many struggles earlier in life.

4. “To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lovely labor, to be given the chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy.” – Bette Davis

The award-winning actress wrote these words in her 1962 autobiography “The Lonely Life.” Davis had four marriages and an acting career that lasted for decades.

5. “Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity.” – David Bowie

This quote by the influential musician comes from a 2002 interview by Jon Pareles. Bowie discusses his expectations for the music industry that he was part of for many years.

6. “A teacher, a really good sensei, is never a giver of ‘truth’; he is a guide, a pointer to the truth that the student must discover for himself.” – Bruce Lee

The martial arts expert wrote this line in an article for Black Belt magazine in 1971. Lee was instrumental in bringing martial arts to the West before his sudden death in 1973.

7. “I believe any success in life is made by going into an area with a blind, furious optimism.” – Sylvester Stallone

Stallone was one of the biggest names in Hollywood when he said this about his autistic son in a 1985 interview with People magazine.

8. “Happiness was always important to me. Even at the young age of 11, it was my biggest ambition.” – Goldie Hawn

The award-winning actress talks more about achieving lasting happiness and her family than her career in her 2005 autobiography, “A Lotus Grows in the Mud.”

9. “The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” – Muhammad Ali

The heavyweight boxing legend made this profound statement in a 1975 interview with Playboy magazine.

10. “My drive in life is from this horrible fear of being mediocre. And that’s always pushing me, pushing me.” – Madonna

The controversial singer had already enjoyed a long career that was anything but mediocre when she said this line in a 1991 Vanity Fair interview.

5 Apps To Make Studying A Breeze

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Studying is an essential part of college life, but many students find it boring. However, it doesn’t have to be this way with the new apps that are currently available. The following five apps can be a great help to you, whether you’re attending a traditional university or studying for your degree online. Keep watching to learn more about how these apps make studying a breeze.

Evernote

Evernote is one of the best organizational apps available. It provides multiple functions for streamlining your note-taking and scheduling processes, including attachments, checklists, links and audio recordings. The free subscription comes with 60 MB of uploads per month, which you can synchronize across two devices. This feature allows you to access notebooks from your desktop even when you’re off-line. The paid subscription adds email forwarding, annotated PDF files and note presentation with a single click.

My Study Life

My Study Life is available for free on a variety of platforms, including Android, iPhone, Windows 8, Windows Phone and the web. It allows you to store information on your exams, homework and lectures on the cloud and manage them from your device. You can also synchronize data across platforms, so you can still access it if you lose your Wi-Fi connection. My Study Life notifies you of due dates for homework, as well as scheduling conflicts between classes and exams.

XMind

Exploring new ideas by mapping them out is sometimes the best way to approach an assignment. XMind is a study app that lets you map ideas, allowing them to flow more freely. XMind includes multiple templates and a matrix that help you change the logic and organization of your ideas. You can also export your maps from XMind to Evernote.

Scanner Pro

Scanner Pro turns your iPad or iPhone into a portable scanner, which is especially useful for accessing physical text from multiple locations. For example, you can scan pages from a book in a library without having to check it out. Once you scan your study material, you can upload them to the cloud. Scanner Pro also includes options to create workflows for any of its processes. In addition, this app recognizes text embedded in images, allowing you to search them.

Chegg Prep

Chegg Prep is a study aid specifically designed for students who learn best with flashcards. It allows you to create flashcards on any subject or type of test. You can customize your cards, including adding your own images to them. Once you’ve mastered a card, you can remove it from your deck. Chegg Prep also allows you to download thousands of cards that other students have created, if you don’t want to make your own. This app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

So You’ve Been Ghosted: Here’s What To Do

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No one likes rejection, and being ghosted with no warning is often painful and confusing. It is completely understandable why someone who has been ghosted would want to know why. Too often, people tend to blame themselves in situations like this. People who have been ghosted sometimes respond with anger and frustration. While these are normal emotions under the circumstances, it’s important to avoid acting impulsively in the aftermath of being ghosted. Here’s what you should do:

Step Away From the Screen

Even a short break from electronic communication puts being ghosted in greater perspective. Go for a walk, or go out for coffee while leaving your device behind. This helps prevent you from giving in to the impulse to lash out at the person who ghosted you and lets you take a fresh look at the situation. Keep in mind that as many as 25% of all people who use dating apps are ghosted at some point. 

Don’t Pursue the Connection

After you’ve calmed down from an initial ghosting, you may be tempted to contact the person and calmly ask what happened. Most of the time, this is a mistake. The main reason people ghost is to avoid confrontation. Unfortunately, electronic communications make that an easy and convenient option. Nonetheless, you should listen if the person reaches out to you with an explanation. Perhaps a family emergency or other unexpected circumstance was the cause of the abrupt cessation of communication. In this case, you have not actually been ghosted. 

Consider Yourself Lucky

One of the main reasons people ghost is that they lack the emotional maturity to have an adult conversation. They may also have a mental health condition, such as narcissistic personality disorder, that causes them to lack empathy for others. After the initial sting of rejection wears off, you’ll probably be happy that the person ghosted you so that you can move on to better choices. 

How to Prevent Being Ghosted

If you find yourself being ghosted time and time again, it may be time for a good look in the mirror. It could be as simple as connecting with the wrong people. On the other hand, you could be putting unknowingly something out there that’s making people think twice about becoming involved with you. This may occur more frequently with those who are new to dating apps and to dating in general. 

To minimize being ghosted on dating apps, don’t be pushy or overly needy. Keep communications short and sweet — after all, the whole point of these apps is for two people to decide if they want to meet in person. Avoid sensitive topics and be appropriate, respectful, and prepared to move on if it doesn’t work out. 

 

 

 

How Easy Is It To Start Speed Reading?

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People often think about how much they could accomplish if only they could read faster. The idea of greatly increasing your reading speed is certainly tempting, which is why so many speed reading courses exist. While a poor reader may be able to significantly increase reading speed by eliminating bad habits, highly proficient readers are likely to find their reading speed is limited by human physiology. The ease with which you can start speed reading is therefore dependent upon your initial level of skill.

Maximum Speed

Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can’t, and What Can Be Done About It by Mark Seidenberg provides some general figures on a person’s maximum reading speed. Humans can read a maximum of about eight letters per fixation, which we can do up to five times per second. This means we can read a maximum of 40 letters per second, or 2,400 letters per minute. Words have an average of five letters separated by a space, for a total of six words. That means the maximum reading speed is about 400 words per minute, assuming easy reading material with basic comprehension.

Skimming

The exact figures on reading speed aren’t particularly important. The point is, reading speed can’t be significantly increased above a certain limit without seriously sacrificing comprehension. Furthermore, that limit is much lower than the speed claimed by many self-professed speed readers. These people are generally skimming the material by only focusing on words they deem important, resulting in a speed that’s much higher than what should be possible. However, controlled tests usually show that speed readers have poor comprehension and even worse retention.

Practice

While reading faster than 300 to 400 words per minute without sacrificing comprehension isn’t really feasible, many people read more slowly than this. Regular practice is the key to increasing reading speed, especially if you aren’t as proficient at it as you could be. For example, skilled readers have greater background knowledge about the differences between written and spoken language. Acquiring this information requires you to read, as opposed to learning the various “tricks” of speed reading.

At a conscious level, reading is merely a means of understanding written text, whether it’s for education, entertainment or communication. Subconsciously, reading also helps you develop the elaborate knowledge of linguistics needed to read quickly. In addition to regular practice, you also need to read new material that contains new words or familiar words used in new ways. A large sample of genres and writing styles is therefore essential for improving your reading proficiency.

Summary

The idea that you can greatly increase your reading speed is generally a fallacy if you’re already a proficient reader. However, it is possible for regular reading to improve your speed over time, although this may be a slow process. Increasing your knowledge of written language is crucial for reaching the physiological limits of your reading speed.

10 Self-Care Activities You Can Do Right Now

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How long has it been since you’ve taken some time out for yourself? Good thing you’ve stumbled across this video! We’ve pulled together simple self-care activities you can do right now that won’t interrupt your busy day at all. In fact, if you have just a few short minutes, we’ll show you 10 ways you can take care of yourself now or at any time. 

1. Take some deep breaths 

As simple as it sounds, just taking a minute to take a few deep breaths delivers all kinds of benefits to the mind and body. Deep breathing negates stress, helps the body relax, reduces muscular tension and blood pressure, and more. 

2. Get up and get moving

Did you know that just 10 minutes of exercise pumps up your endorphins? If you’ve been couch-surfing, stuck at the desk, or otherwise immobile, get up and move around for a few minutes. You’ll get your blood circulating and those feel-good endorphins flowing. 

3. Say a few positive things to yourself 

Muting negative self-talk is a powerful way to improve your mood. If you’ve got a few minutes to yourself, overshadow the usual negative self-talk with some positive affirmations. 

4. Hydrate 

Water intake is good for everything from your gut to your brain function. If you’ve been so busy that you’ve overlooked hydrating, grab a bottle of water and replenish that H2O. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

5. Listen to a good audiobook 

Turn off your thoughts, close your eyes, and slip in your earbuds. Audiobooks are a great way to take a breather from any current stress you are facing. 

6. Write down three things you’re grateful for in life

Did you know that practicing gratitude is a good way to nourish a positive mindset? Grab a notebook and jot down three things you are grateful for in your life right now. 

7. Dress up a bit 

Never underestimate the power of applying your favorite lipstick, donning a crisp button-up and tie, or slipping into your favorite shoes. When you look good, you also feel good. 

8. Get silly and have some fun 

It may come as a surprise, but acting a little childlike and silly actually boosts serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. Basically, anything that could be described as being playful can work, whether it is doing a silly dance, making little jokes, or playing a quick game of hide-and-seek. 

9. Eat a high-protein snack 

Hard-boiled eggs, nut butters, Greek yogurt, and even some veggies deliver a hefty dose of protein. Grab yourself a high-protein snack to give your energy levels a boost, satiate hunger, and keep you going. 

10. Turn up your favorite tunes 

Music therapy is actually a thing. Listening to your favorite songs may even lift self-esteem and deter depression or anxiety. 

So, you see, you can practice self-care even if all you have are a few free minutes. Ready to take better care of you?

5 Tips To Boost Your Energy

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It’s common to feel sluggish at various times during the day. You could try one of the dozens of supplements, beverages and vitamins that promise to increase your energy. But these options provide short-term benefits and could cause long-term health concerns. Instead, try five natural methods to boost your energy throughout the day. 

1. Drink enough water

Get too busy or distracted to drink water, and you could suffer from dehydration. The condition can cause fatigue, tiredness and lethargy. Stay hydrated to boost your energy.  As a bonus, drinking water improves mood, brain function and joint health. You can drink enough water when you carry a reusable bottle and fill it during your work breaks. Also, resist the temptation to reach for a caffeinated or energy-infused beverage that could further dehydrate you. 

2. Eat a better diet

You may decide to skip meals, reach for sugary snacks or grab takeout when you feel tired. However, processed foods can cause blood sugar fluctuations that leave you feeling even more fatigued. Choose a nutritious and balanced diet to fuel and energize your body. Load your plate with whole-grain options, fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats like avocados and nuts. This diet will help you combat sluggishness and increase energy. 

3. Move your body

A brisk 10-minute walk, run or hike can instantly elevate your energy thanks to a dopamine rush and better oxygen circulation. Adding a variety of exercises to your daily routine also provides long-term physical and mental health benefits. As you move regularly, you reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve brain function and enjoy higher quality sleep. These benefits can help you feel more energetic throughout the day. 

4. Take a power nap

Sleep is essential for your body’s health and wellness. Without adequate rest, you may experience brain fog and physical heaviness. Strive to achieve quality sleep every night to improve your energy level. Sleep hygiene includes following a regular sleep schedule, turning off devices two hours before bed and practicing relaxation techniques. Likewise, a power nap during the day can help. Rest your body, mind and eyes to restore your focus, attention and energy. Just be sure not to nap too close to bedtime or you’ll sabotage quality sleep.

5. Control stress

Your body and mind expend energy when you experience stress. As a result, you may feel tired and worn out. To control stress, add relaxation techniques and mindfulness practices to your daily schedule. Find ways to delegate tasks or streamline your to-do list, too, since overwork leads to fatigue. You can also socialize with friends, join a support group, take up a hobby, or volunteer. When you control stress, your energy levels rise.  

With these five tips, you can boost your energy. Try one or more today!

 

5 Ways To Boost Your Creativity

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Are you stuck and having trouble getting your next creative project off the ground? Creativity leads to innovation, but how do you jumpstart the creative process when you’re in a slump? Let’s take a look at five ways to reignite your creativity, whether you need it for your job or a hobby.

1. Update Your Decor or Change Your Location.

If your creativity is in a slump, get a new perspective by changing the décor in your office or relocating yourself to another room. You could even take a trip outside to view your natural surroundings. If you’ve been staring at the same four walls and the same décor for years, it could be the reason for your creative slump. Change the pictures on your walls, and update your bulletin board. Add items to your desk that invoke creativity, like a puzzle box or a cryptex. Additionally, take the time to work in other locations within your building and even outside. A change in scenery can help you get a new perspective and ignite your creativity.

2. Learn Something New.

Innovation and creativity can come from learning new things. To start, think about the things you don’t know. Have you ever researched medieval construction techniques? What items did ancient Romans have in their homes? How are shoes constructed? What’s the loop on the back of dress shirts for? By increasing your knowledge base, even on obscure topics, you’ll help foster new ideas and broaden your thinking.

3. Write Down New Ideas.

Do random thoughts come to you during the day? Write them down. Most people have random ideas and thoughts that occur to them on a daily basis. Jot them down in your phone’s note feature or on a tablet, even if it’s not a fully formed idea. Reviewing these ideas later can help you boost your creativity.

4. Write Down the Things that Annoy You.

Innovation can come from frustration. What’s bothering you today? Does the trash bag liner keep falling down? Are you having trouble with a piece of software or not able to find the software you need? Write it down. Later, you can elaborate on the problem and brainstorm ways to fix it. Solving small issues in your daily life can help you broaden your creative horizons.

5. Add Some Brains.

The saying that two brains are better than one is true. When you’re in a creative slump, seek out new ideas by listening to other people. This could be as simple as holding a conference call or in-person meeting with others in your industry or similar industries. These individuals may have ideas and thoughts that will spark new ideas in your mind.

To inspire your creativity, make an effort. Remember not to limit yourself. Write down even the craziest idea, and don’t forget to learn and try new things. By expanding your horizons and knowledge, you’ll better be able to tackle your next creative project.

Posted in Art

5 Easy To Learn Arts And Crafts

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Feel like being a little crafty? Making something with your own two hands is not just rewarding, it’s also considered a form of therapeutic meditation by some mental health professionals. Whether you are a constant crafter with a knack for anything artistic or a total beginner, certain arts and crafts are easy to learn. We’ve pulled together five of the simplest art and craft projects you can try that don’t take much time at all to master. 

1. Creating Origami 

Origami is the ancient Japanese papercraft that involves folding paper into decorative figures and shapes. Best of all, all you need is sturdy paper, possibly a pair of scissors, and simple instructions found online. From birds and mammals to flowers and everyday objects, it’s a lot of fun to use paper to create a 3D object. Most pieces involve simple paper folds and tucks to achieve the finished product. 

2. Sharpie Tie-Dying 

Sharpie ink works out really well for tie-dyed art projects. Grab a handful of your favorite markers, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and something to make more colorful. Keep in mind, this art project is best done outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Simply use the markers to create shapes on a shirt or piece of paper, and then spray the rubbing alcohol over the ink. The colors will bleed together to create a masterpiece. 

3. Creating Hand-Painted Landscape Rocks

Looking to spruce up your landscape with a touch of personality? Pick up some acrylic paint, a few paintbrushes, and a clear enamel sealer spray at the craft store. Scout out a few good stones with interesting shapes and smooth surfaces. With a little creative thinking, you can transform a basic rock into your favorite book, an animal, or a flower-donned garden piece bound to attract attention. 

4. Making Flower-Rimmed Picture Frames 

Grab a few inexpensive picture frames, some faux flower blooms and greenery, and your hot glue gun. Pluck the flowers and greenery from the stems, arrange them how you like on the frame, and tack them in place with the hot glue. In the end, you have an adorable photo frame to house your favorite memories. It can also be fun to make your own wreath using a simple straw wreath or circular base using this same process. 

5. Crocheting 

Crocheting is considered one of the easiest-to-learn needlework techniques. You are simply using yarn and a crochet hook to create rows of loops or knots. These rows eventually become a full piece of fabric. Stitch patterns with crocheting vary, and some are easier to learn than others. There are a ton of instructional crocheting videos available for free online, and the craft is easy to pick up. You could be crafting everything from baby booties to comfy throw blankets in no time at all. 

 

Posted in Art

What Personality Profiles Lead To Success?

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Personality profiles generally group people into types based on the traits they share. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one such test that’s often used for career advancement. While any profile can lead to success, it’s helpful to pursue the right career for your profile. However, you can also take steps to align your profile with your dream job, even when they don’t appear compatible.

Overview

The MBTI sorts people into 16 personality types based on the following four pairs of opposing elements:

  • Extroversion-introversion
  • Sensing-intuition
  • Thinking-feeling
  • Judging-perceiving

The extroversion-introversion pair describes how you spend your energy, and the sensing-intuition pair describes how you receive information. Thinking-feeling describes how you make decisions, and judging-perceiving describes how you see the world.

Elements

Associating your personality type with your actions can provide insight into your behavior in the workplace. For example, introverts must expend greater effort in communicating with others, which can present a challenge when they need help. Sensing types are able to gather facts from their environment, while intuitive types look for meaning in patterns and connections. Thinkers try to find logical solutions to problems, but feelers make decisions based on emotions, needs and values. Judgers look for structure in their organization, while perceivers prefer to remain flexible with respect to structure.

Jobs by Personality Type

Many jobs naturally align with a particular MBTI personality type. For example, Introverted, Sensing, Thinking and Judging (ISTJ) types are often attorneys, civil engineers, dentists, loan officers and software developers. Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling and Judging (INFJ) types are well-suited to be animators, designers, HR managers, professors and school counselors. Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking and Perceiving (ESTP) types are compatible with professions like acting, paramedics, entrepreneurs, sales managers and stockbrokers. Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking and Judging (ENTJ) types are likely be art directors, editors, executive assistants, real estate brokers and sociologists.

Find Your Career Passion

Discovering what you’re passionate about requires time and self-awareness, especially if you want to make it your career. If you already have job, start by identifying the high and low points of your work day. This information can help you decide to apply for a different role or even promotion that better suits your personality type. If you’re still in school, you should learn which subjects and classes are your favorites, and why. This type of inward thinking can help you select your major and career.

Align Your Career with your Passion

The Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant and Time-based (SMART) framework can help you align your career with your passion. Begin this process by outlining your career goals as specifically as possible. You’ll also need to determine what you can reasonably accomplish within set timeframes. You must then identify the actions needed to reach goals that align with your personality types. Finally, the SMART framework requires you to prioritize these action items.

How To Read For The Purposes of Study

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Reading for enjoyment is very different than reading for the purposes of study. When you need to read something and really comprehend it, you need to employ a different strategy. Here’s how to read for the purposes of study.

First, have a highlighter pen ready. If you don’t want to use a highlighter, you can use a pen. Just make sure it’s in a contrasting color than the ink in the book. Use the highlighter or pen to highlight essential information. You can also use it to highlight something that you need to do further research on.

Next, don’t be afraid to write in the margins. Forget the old rule about never writing in a book. Remember when Harry Potter used Tom Riddle’s book in the Half Blood Prince? The margin notes made Harry Potter go to the top of his potions class. Margin notes can help you get an A in your college class, too.  Make all the margin notes you want to, and include questions if they might help you to go find more information about the subject.

If it helps, you should try reading the text aloud. Sometimes reading something out loud helps you retain the information better. You could even use a funny voice or an accent to help you get into the feeling of the text. Funny enough, this can help you to understand even better. You might want to ask your roommate to leave while you do it, though.

Visualize what you just read. If you come across an abstract idea or something that’s hard to understand, visualize it. Put the book aside for a minute and try to picture what the author is saying. In many cases, pictures help us remember things better. Then, when it comes to getting tested on the material, you can just pull up that picture in your head to help you get a good grade.

Use your dictionary. Whenever you come across a word that you don’t know, don’t skim over it. Words are important. It’s essential that you understand all the words. Otherwise you might get the wrong meaning. If the sentence you’re reading has a word that you’re unfamiliar with, pause and look it up in the dictionary. Then go back and read the sentence again and make sure you really understand what it’s saying.

Use bookmarks. Another great way to read for the purposes of study is to use bookmarks. You don’t need a fancy bookmark. Just a small slip of paper will work. Insert a bookmark anyplace that’s really important, or in an area that you want to read again.

Finally, test yourself. After finishing a section or chapter, take a sheet of paper and jot down the key points. Then check to see if you’ve got them right.

Whether you’re reading to study for a college class, to pass an exam or to impress a client, these tips will help.