Silver Lining

A loving community finding the silver lining.

Category Archives: Happiness

Fighter

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Eleven when I nearly drowned.

He was watching.

I stepped on a sea urchin while snorkeling.

Spikes dug into my skin

like shark teeth,

currents of electricity

swam through my foot

as water swallowed me.

In my left temple, a pulse:

my brain pounding.

I could not breathe.

 

Thirteen when I met him;

swore I loved him.

He put his hands around my waist,

“A bit chubby here.”

His words stung like brine

pushing me underwater

deep into a chasm.

Seaweed groped my legs

coiling around my chest.

I could not breathe.

 

Fifteen when I learned to float;

tossed his words of shrapnel

into the ocean’s abyss.

I’m made of seaglass

Jagged, tumbled

Still shining.

Broke harpoons on my skin,

Snapped spears on my neck.

Lifestyle Changes for Happiness

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  1. Drink more water! Experts recommend drinking half your weight in ounces of water.
  2. Journal! Think about the highs and lows for each day.
  3. Exercise! Even taking a walk outside will clear your mind and help you feel less stressed.
  4. Cook a meal! Knowing what goes in your food gives you insight on how you’re fueling your body and what it can do for how you feel throughout the day.
  5. Take naps (if necessary)! Getting enough sleep is important for cognitive functioning and happiness.

Carbon Copy

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Walking my dog through the neighborhood, every day blends together as if each day is an exact same carbon copy. It’s bland and unoriginal, but it’s the closest I feel to safety. I know exactly which route I will walk, I know exactly when the sun will set, and I know exactly which neighbors I can avoid if my dog decides to lose her mind and disobey.

 

One day, as I’m walking through my neighborhood, my dog slips off of her collar! It’s a whirlwind trying to find her, as I run up and down the rows of houses. I’m looking through bushes, ravaging through leaf piles, and confronting confused neighbors about my lost dog.
At last, I found my dog safe and sound eating some sausage by a dumpster. Although my routine was more wild than usual today, I realized that it made my day more spontaneous and exciting. The strive for constant perfection that I always had went out the window, and I realized that learning and growing requires trying new things and making mistakes. 

How To Get Things Done

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How to Get Things Done
1. Make a list, be detailed and prioritize them by importance. I like to make my lists either right before bed for the next day, or when I wake up in the morning. Mark if there’s something you have to get done today or this week. Feel free to use symbols to help you!
2. Reward yourself with a small treat each time you accomplish a task! Have some healthy snacks on the side, like nuts or fruit to keep you energized.
3. Remove distractions! In this day and age, there are so many things that can distract us. It takes an average person about 15 minutes to focus on a task, and if your phone keeps popping up with notifications, you’ll never get stuff done. Put your phone on mute and away from site. You can check it during your breaks or when you’re done. No emergency will come in a text message.
4. In the morning, set specific tasks you have to do that day, and make each a “must”. It’s not a choice, but it’s something you definitely must do that day. Then, you won’t spend time considering whether or not you want to do it later. For example, if you schedule working out for 30 minutes and don’t make it an option, but a mandatory thing, you’ll work out!
5. Get someone to motivate you. If your mind starts pushing you towards procrastination, get someone to stand by you and push you towards your goal. If possible, ask a friend to do it with you and keep you on track. You can plan a study date, set goals with your friends (finish our work before 7pm daily), check in with each other, or more!
6. Schedule and plan everything out. This will help you stay on track and continue being productive. Remember to give yourself breaks! Work with your to-do list and make it into a schedule. It also helps to have a daily routine that will help you get regular things done, like working out or cleaning your house.
7. Play music or focus beats in the background. If you’re the type of person that works better with music, make a good playlist and play it while you’re working. If you have to be focused, I also recommend playing these sounds while you’re working to keep you focused. They are repeating beats of soundwaves that keep your brain concentrated on the task at hand.http://mynoise.net/NoiseMach…/binauralBrainwaveGenerator.php

Hope these help!! Comment down below any tips you may have or if these are working for you 🙂

How To Find Peace in Everyday Life

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How to Find Peace in Everyday Life:

  1. Do what makes you happy.
  2. Know that everything will be alright.
  3. Take breaks, rest.
  4. Spend time with friends and family.
  5. Go outside! I find that sitting in front of my computer or using my phone all day really drains me. Nature just has a way of waking us up and freeing us. If you’re feeling stressed, take a step outside and enjoy the trees and plants around you. Feel the breeze in your hair and hear the sounds of nature.
  6. Finish tasks. If procrastination is stressing you, end your torture. Finish whatever you’re pushing off and then be free!


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The Olympian in us

Olympians are so inspirational… many of them go through the worst and become the best they can be. “Olympics aren’t just about winning… it’s about the journey there”. What makes an Olympian is perseverance. No matter how hard the world seems at the moment, Olympians always pull through.

You don’t always have to be athletic to be an Olympian. Anyone who has gone through hardships and still makes it at the end is an Olympian.

“It’s the journey that matters”

No matter how hard your life seems at the moment… the struggle will end… Just try to make the best of it. I know it’s easier said than done but try. Don’t give up… make the journey worth while. You can do it! I believe in you!

Credits: https://www.facebook.com/CocaColaUnitedStates/videos/1303591626340215/

🙂 Find the Olympian in you 🙂


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Vanderlei de Lima

In light of the 2016 Rio Olympics, I wanted to share the truly inspiring story of Vanderlei de Lima from Brazil. As some of you may know, during the 2004 Athens Olympics, Vanderlei de Lima was pushed off the race while he was leading in the men’s marathon. Because of this, he lost his stamina and ended up getting third place. Although, he never was sad about it. He showed great sportsmanship and accepted the bronze like it was gold.

Here is a clip that talks more about him: https://www.facebook.com/olympics/videos/10154460504554216/e3bf586c-6d07-477e-95a8-84dfefb1f814.png

He is an example of what you should do when life throws adversity at you. Instead of feeling bad about what could have happened or what didn’t happen… he was happy about what did. By being grateful for what you have and by not letting life’s downs get you down, you will be a happier person 🙂

Hope you have a wonderful Sunday! And keep smiling NO MATTER WHAT!

Image: https://www.iaaf.org/news/news/vanderlei-de-lima-the-story-of-a-man-that-g

Who says sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?

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Q: Who says sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?

A: A guy who has never been hit by a dictionary

 

Q: Why did the golfer wear two pairs of pants?

A: Just in case he got a hole in one

 

Q: Why did the calendar write its wills?

A: Because its days were numbered

It’s A Beautiful Day

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Sitting under the shade of a tall, wide oak tree, you watch over the entire field. A small bunch of daisies and dandelions pop up from the grass as they scatter over to your bare feet. The warmth of the sun peeks through the holes of the leaves in the tree. It touches your legs, then spreads throughout your body, warming you from the inside. You are reading your favorite book, your eyes lazily dart from page to page, then up to the beauty surrounding you. A small breeze ruffles the ends of your denim shorts and you can hear the leaves rustle above you. You take a deep breath–In. Out.–capturing everything going on. It’s a beautiful day.    

“Never judge someone without knowing the whole story. You may think you understand, but you don’t.”

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“Never judge someone without knowing the whole story. You may think you understand, but you don’t.” -Anonymous

You don’t know me and I don’t know you. That is the unfortunate truth. And as much as I would love to get to know each and every one of you (I really would!!), we will never truly know a person’s full story. Even if we do, we may not know the whole thing. Not only is it important to respect a person’s privacy, but we should not judge them if they decide not to share their story.

For me, these cases have never truly hit home. I do, however, know people who chose to judge others based on appearances or what they first believe. It’s not that they want to be mean or insulting to someone, it just comes out of their mouth, sometimes on accident. Situations like those make me uncomfortable. I know the importance of seeing the good in people, and I always try my best to do that. I give people second or third chances because everyone deserves that. We don’t know a person’s full story, so it isn’t fair that we judge them on what little we do know.

In those cases where we do know what is going on, it still is important not to judge. Someone may be going through a rough time, and the last thing he or she needs are judgmental stares. My friends always know when I’m having a bad day. They may not ask me why, but they do not judge me because of how I behave around them. Instead they give me a warm hug, which is definitely something that is always needed in a person’s life. (Besides, who doesn’t like a hug from their friends?). We should be there for others as a kind friend, not as a judgmental peer.