October 10

This I Believe: The power of Independence

https://medium.com/@jackanto/difference-between-freedom-independence-15b7b6b40b5f

 

“People aren’t always going to be there for you, that’s why you need to know how to handle things on your own. Believe in yourself that you can do it.” -Unknown

 

People in your life come and go all the time. There is no guarantee that they will be there to hold your hand through everything you go through. Although it may seem like forever it really is only temporary. Individuals find a sense of comfort in security and stability but seem to be shocked once they realize that this is not true. Through experiences individuals will come to a realization that the only person you could really depend on is yourself. 

 

I am an individual who depend on other people. I look for others to give me answers instead of finding them on my own. I always look for easy ways out, even though I know that I need to challenge myself to become better. In middle school I was friends with a group of smart people. They always did their work and never got off track, unlike me. I was always distracted in class and never knew what was going on. So I relied on my friends to spoon feed me all the answers. I did not know it at the time, but I was holding myself back from seeing my true potential. It wasn’t until I was put into another group and failed a project that I realized that my friends were not always going to be there to provide me with the answers and that it was all up to me if I wanted to be successful. It took a lot of work to go from being dependent on others to become my own person and do my work on my own. I continued to do my work on my own and asked the teacher, instead of my friends, for help. Once I got accepted to FFCA I was able to see my true potential as I was new to the school and had no friends yet to ask them for help. I was able to do all the work on my own and achieve the marks that I had wanted myself.

 

Feeling a sense of accomplishment can make you go a long way as motivation and ambition will allow you to preserve through obstacles and conquer your fears. The decisions you choose to make will affect you. By acquiring the skill of independence you will be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses as I have. I was able to see my true potential and was able to make changes to become a person who is confident and self-reliant. Looking back at how dependent I was on others made me realize that I would not be able to accomplish anything in life for myself. I would not be able to feel a sense of accomplishment and say “I did this.”. This motivated me to keep a mindset where I was determined not to ask for the opinions of others and to challenge myself and not look for an easy way out.

October 10

This I believe: Determination.

“Create the life you can’t wait to wake up too”

  • Josie Spinardi 

 

I believe in chances

I believe that there is always hardships in life you have to beat.

I believe that our will takes us far in life.

I believe that our hard work always pays off in the end.

 

I believe in determination because it is the biggest aspect you need in life. When hardships come your way you need to have something to give you that sense to pursue yourself such as an ambition.In other words we need to have courage and a sense of determination in our lives. Whatever we choose to do we have to put our mind to it. Not everything will come to you if you just expect it too without putting much effort. Obviously you’re going to meet people who are going to slow you down to the pathway of success. But our will can help ourselves push through those hurdles. We need to give 100 percent in order to see the results. 

 

I have had many situations where I had obstacles just coming at me after one another. It was a time of stressful days, sleepless nights and a lot of tension. This happened 4 summers ago and I was in grade 8. A very vulnerable 13 year old around older kids. It was a 5 day soccer tryout and I paid 400 dollars to play in the academy. The thing was that the 2 best players out of the 30 would be going to montreal to take their game to the next level. I am not going to sugarcoat it too much but I was very nervous coming into the tryout. I realized it was going to be a full academy of opportunists and I was one of them. First day came and I did pretty well, I was scoring goals and doing the drills very well. At the end of the second day we were playing a game between each other and I am a very aggressive player and I love the game of soccer. I gave it my all and I hurt my ankle in the game. I could not play day 3 of the camp, I was very upset. The doctor advised me not to play, but I am a determined athlete and really wanted to play in montreal. I went to day 4 and my ankle was hurting a lot, I did okay in the practice as I was doing everything right just not at the same pace. But the coach noticed everything and he thought I was just being lazy and put me in the group under the elites due to lack of commitment and determination. I tried explaining that my ankle was hurting but he said I should not even be there. I was even more sad at this point but the during the scrim game I went full out. I ignored all the pain from my ankle and I sucked it up. Was I upgraded? No. I went home that night wondering to myself if I it was a sign to just quit. My injury, the work ethic that was still the same but the results were not as I would want them and my coach’s perspective on my determination. Day 5 came and it was the same routine. I was not chosen which was no surprise, but that did not stop me from playing the sport I love. I kept playing and to this day I am playing out of my mind, and I know I have a chance for a team signing in college. 

 

My hard work and my determintation to reach my ambition has strived me to be who I am today. I am a much more confident person and I put my mind to whatever and do not quit until I have accomplished it. This will help me in the future because as my backup job I would like to be a businessman. In that industry you have to be relentless to what you are doing, and my life experiences have shaped me to be a person with full determination. I know that all these obstacles are only preparing me for the true test in life and my sense of confidence and motivation(or in other words determination) will help me become the most successful and amazing man I strive to be. 

 

The basketball team was adamant to make chemistry with each other. They looked like a bunch of ants working on an anthill. This metaphor really speaks out to what I believe in which is determination. When you work extremely hard you get results and even if it takes a long time and you seem vulnerable that is when you need to work the hardest. If we be patient than we will achieve success, we should not quit and prove all the people who said you could not make it wrong. 

 

I believe in hard work

I believe that our ambitions make us more insistent.

I believe that our failed attempts are only preparing us for the biggest task.

In conclusion determination is a huge ability you need in life. whether that’s sports, a job or school. We need to have will in order to get the best results possible, and in the end you will be much happier and not think, what if i actually did this or that. Life is too short to think about what you have not done due to lack of determination. Everything you do will make you much more positive, just work hard and be the man or women you excel to be. 

 

 

October 6

This I Believe: Kindness

 

I believe that acts of kindness can influence someone’s actions, change someone’s day, or impact someone’s life. No matter how big or small the deed, it will bring satisfaction and comfort to you and the people around you. And gives you the warm feeling of doing something good. Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. The act of kindness may seem mundane and insignificant, but the act lives on in the hearts of those touched and inspired, which will spread and make someone else’s day. You could say that kindness is contagious and radiates from a single act, with a positive reach beyond the imagination. It can bring security and ease in the most stressful day. It could be as small as a smile or helping someone in need. It’s the little things that we do and forget that have the biggest impact. I, like most people, come in contact with kindness daily and never appreciate the one smile that guarantees a good day.

“No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted”

                                                                                           -Aesop

The quote “no act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted, ” by Aesop, resonated with me because it shows that every act matters and has its influence on the individual. That it doesn’t matter if it was a big act or small act of kindness, what is important is the act of kindness. We choose kindness, not for the publicity or self-gain, but because it’s the right choice. And if its the right choice then the act won’t go to waste and will have an impression on someone.

One example of kindness I still remember and nag my parents about is when I was a child and we went shopping in a mall. As we were about to go down the escalator, I – for a split moment – lost my parents in a stampede of people and didn’t realize that they had already gone down the escalator. As a child, I had an explainable fear of escalators, a fear I have now overcome. As the feeling of being alone started to sink, I could feel my eyes started to tear and an overwhelming feeling of being alone. But like a guardian angel, a woman who had seen me get separated from my parents came and took my hand and said it’s going to be okay, and helped me down the escalator. I don’t remember her face or her name, but I remember the feeling of not being alone. You never know how big of an impact an act of kindness can have on someone and how much it can mean to them. My example of not being able to go down an escalator might seem stupid and insignificant or even trivial, but if after all those years the memory is still with me, it must have had an impact. You can say that I remember it to use against my parents, but maybe I remember it because of the kindness the stranger showed to me.

We perform acts of kindness not because we have to or want recognition, but because we understand how it feels to receive kindness. Kindness gives joy to the receiver and giver. I try to show kindness to everyone I meet and treat them as I would want someone to treat me. How this event and others have impacted me is by showing me to be true to my values and finding compassion for others. The greatest aspect of true kindness is the willingness to do something without the reward of money or self-gain, but for the simple truth of understanding. Just like the woman had understood my situation. I believe that everyone believes in kindness and have impacted someone’s life, with something as simple as a simile.

https://slowchathealth.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/kindness.png?w=560

October 2

I Believe In A Heart Full Of Gratitude

 

I Believe in Generosity

I Believe in Appreciation

I Believe in Empathy

I Believe in a random act of Kindness

 I believe in gratitude and the ability to learn and grow from our life experiences. The quote I chose was “Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” by Henry Frederic Amiel. This is basically implying that showing gratitude is the mindset of not only being thankful, and not only being ready to show appreciation in return, but it is the ability to understand what people what do for you. Along with not only being  grateful, but to be present and able to comprehend the extent of what people what do for you and what you would do for yourself. I realized the importance of gratitude compels us to to be thankful for what we have, no matter how small of simple it may be. Gathered from this quote I believe gratitude is the secret to happiness and satisfaction, and will allow us to magnify our positive emotions.

Image result for gratitude

The opposite of gratitude is entitlement, we think the world owes something when in reality it doesn’t. When really we owe something to the world, and the people around us. I believe in the power of gratitude, recognizing blessings in one’s life. No matter how bleak, there is light in the recognition of one’s blessings that surround you. The faculty of gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with gaining greater happiness. This helps people feel more positive emotions, cherish their good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. Often times the things we keep and use everyday is a token that we should appreciate things more. The reality is people think they have been shorthanded, and god does not give to them, therefore they will always condemn themselves. This also connects to the root of not being thankful for what you have, because how can you receive more, if your not willing to appreciate what you have already. Many people today are blinded by their ego and pride, as a result they would never feel satisfied or take the time to value how fortunate they are.

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Having the attitude of gratitude is a very hard concept to attain because the things that are important to us like family and  friends to support every day, a fridge full of food, or even a roof over our heads. We do indeed take all these things for granted because we forget about the most valued things in our  life, when we are exposed to new things. In our doubts our ego sometimes controls our morals and almost manipulates the way we act and think, and that is what poisons the potential of goodness in our lives.

 

When I was 10 years my family decided during the winter holidays, to go and donate food and clothing at the mustard seed shelter, to less fortunate people. When we arrived it was a bitter cold and snowy night, and all the faces I saw of the homeless people was really sad. But my purpose in coming was to bring joy to them. I realized that god has blessed me with so much, so that’s why me and my family decided if we want to remain humble and show our gratitude, you can do it in an act of kindness. One by one each person lined up outside at our car to receive a blanket, some food , and toiletries. However the look on their faces was just indescribable, because at that moment they felt so happy and content as it were changing their life. It felt really good that me and my family were able to give back to the community, knowing this would reimburse our love towards others, and become even more grateful. Through this experience it really opened up my eyes, that even when less fortunate people receive small things it brings happiness to their heart. A kind way to show your appreciation everyday is when your parents cook you a meal, your bus driver getting you to school safely, your sibling helping you solve your problems, or in general the people you look up to and guide you, you should never forget to say thank you them.

Image result for giving to the poor

I believe gratitude is one of the most underestimated ways anyone can use to enrich their lives with. It is the feeling and attitude of appreciation and thankfulness for the good we receive in life. I also believe that the experiences we endure everyday shape who we are by realizing the good we have in life, and how it compels us to live in a dignified manner.