Silver Lining

A loving community finding the silver lining.

Monthly Archives: July 2016


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Happiness :)

Many people say that if you do what you want in life you will be happy. I truly believe that is true but apparently there was a study done which shows that happiness is a practice. You have to learn to be happy… Which is quite weird. But if you think about it… you are only happy while doing what you want because you are enjoying it… you have learned how to be happy doing it! Here is the article that talks about this very interesting view of Happiness 🙂

A Better Kind of Happiness By Will Storr

This is amazing “because it makes finding happiness a real possibility” 🙂

Hope you like it!

What Is Family?

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Family is a beautiful thing, full of sacrifices and disagreements. Our hosts share their family experiences, in relation to our week’s theme.

Listen to the new podcast about family below:

Family Is Like A Circle

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A Family is Like a Circle // By Nicole M. O’Neil

A family is like a circle

the connection never ends

and even if at times it breaks

in time it always mends…

Family Is Not Always Blood

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“Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what.” – Anonymous

When people ask about family, we often assume it is the people related to us by blood. The people who live in the same house as us. The people we are obliged to love (haha). But I’m here telling you that in a sense, your family can be a choice. As the quote mentions, family really consists of anyone who will share with you their mutual unconditional love.

Therefore, my family isn’t just my siblings and my parents. My family includes: my closest friends who have been by my side when I was covered in tears (both happy and sad), my dance team that never fails to push me to my best potential, and of course my trusty pup who can cheer me up just by wagging her tail. These are the ones you want to call your family. And you have a choice of who you want to include in your family.

Cut out the negative influences, and bring in those you love, even if they aren’t directly related to you. Because family has no limits, and there’s nothing wrong with more love in the world!

Tips to a Happier Household

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  1. Eat dinner with the family.
  2. Increase communication (yes, the parents can learn to text!)
  3. Share what you learned that day with your family.
  4. Put down your phones and just listen.
  5. Ask them how their day is going.

FamILY

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“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” – Lilo and Stitch

Let’s be real. The first time I watched Lilo & Stitch as a child, all I could think about was how weird all of the aliens looked (especially the Grand Councilwoman!) and how awesome the ‘Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride’ scene was. Upon rewatching the film, though, it became clear that the movie tells a story about family. We see the sisterly bond between Lilo and her sister as they navigate life without their parents, and we also see the familial bond Lilo shares with Stitch and the other aliens who aren’t necessarily related by blood.

 

Growing up in a bigger family amidst the fast pace of the Bay Area, I completely understand how we can get caught up in taking our family for granted. We find them unbearable and annoying in our times of stress, not realizing that they are actually the ones we need most. But we all grow up really quickly, and you might see your family start moving further apart. Not necessarily a strained distance, just a natural separation that comes with growing older.
DON’T FRET. Your family is always there for you (yes, your annoying siblings are stuck with you by blood!) If family truly means “nobody gets left behind or forgotten”, you know you will always have someone to lean on. Even with all the trouble going on in the world, it has always stuck with me how much love humans are capable of having. Your family is your support system, and it feels good to know that they will never leave you. Today, tell your family how much you love them.


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Stopping the worry pendulum

During hard times we all shrink or fall back a little… here is some motivation for when you go through such a thing… and remember there is always someone there for you… I am there for you!

Where is my river of life leading to?  It’s not just my river as it has got tributaries in the form of kith and kin.   All the more the fears and anxieties soar up just at the dawn looking at the newspapers.  The screaming headlines in the front pages of our newspapers are enough to put any optimist in to a worry spiral.

The mind oscillates like a pendulum to the worries of the past and anxieties of the future and therefore quite restless in the present moment.  What is the way out to stop this pendulum effect and focus on the job at hand?  Especially when we do not wish to think of something that is unfavourable, the same scene occupies the center stage in our mind.  As we are busy seeing this picture, we are also unconsciously postponing our happiness which is present right at this moment.  Just look at this:

The science of problem says ‘while, problems go backwards we go forward’

Yes, it is so!  Do a timeline check from let’s say 2000 till now.  We can easily track many negative events, – the Y2K, 9/11, the Tsunami, the financial Tsunami of 2008,  26/11 and so on. We have weathered it all and still going on to face the fall out of the Brexit!  The same timeline holds good in our personal lives too where we have won against several odds. Therefore, the science of the problem says ‘we go forward’.

Welcome to the weekstarter that gives us a tip to stop the oscillating ‘worry pendulum.’

Credit: Weekstarter

The attorney tells the accused, “I have some good news and some bad news.”

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The attorney tells the accused, “I have some good news and some bad news.”
“What’s the bad news?” asks the accused.
“The bad news is, your blood is all over the crime scene, and the DNA tests prove you did it.”
“What’s the good news?”
“Your cholesterol is 130.”

Choose to See The Best

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The mirror tends to speak the
Truths that you’re too afraid to
Say out loud,
A blunt reminder of adventures lived,
Of years savored,
And of delicious moments ingested
Like fresh fruit,
Sweet and bright—
The mirror has no filter, but it’s
Most often just what we need—
Take a look and see…
Choose to see the best,
And do not fear its honesty,
But be glad that you’re alive to
Witness it.

—G. Boston

“Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing.”

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“Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing.” – Hunter S. Thompson

We’ve all had those moments in which we froze, and were tempted to turn back and stray away from the unknown,  back towards our own havens. Whether it be an uneasy rendez-vous, an unfamiliar experience, an unquestionable and shaky journey ahead, so many unsettling premonitions can cause your heart to skip beats and confidence to fall. Fall as they may, only you have the ability to pull yourself up and continue forward and wherever you end up, it will be worth it if you are proud of yourself for taking the chance and continuing on in the first place. As cliché as it may sound, you will truly never know what you can achieve if you don’t bother to try!

In all honesty, in order to even have the opportunity to achieve something great, and to create new and powerful memories that can be treasured forever, we must learn to trample our fears and step out to reach beyond our circle of comfort. Don’t just live vicariously, but rather reach  forward, do what you have always desired, and add some exhilarating elements to your own story! As with most aspects of life, what may come out of the exhilaration and risk may be a feeling of triumph, loss or something in between, but the rush felt and the feeling of knowing that you were able to reach the end and fight on is definitely worth it.

You don’t have to be naturally talented, fully confident, or even somewhat assured of the results to continue on with something that you love or even something that you might grow to love! Take risks with your head held high and give yourself the confidence to carry on and trek towards the unknown. Reaching clear-cut accomplishments or achievements don’t necessarily make the journey worth it, but the confidence that you build and the memories that you make are truly priceless, so don’t ever feel like the path you are on is worthless.