fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Java 8 Optional antipatterns
By: Ekaterina Khudiakova
Tags: Optionals, Java, Best Practices, Antipattern, Java8

I work in the banking sector. The project was written in java 8, and in java 8, Optionals was one of the most significant features. This is convenient and allows you to make the code simpler and clearer, but sometimes I see that guys are misusing Optionals. Here I have some examples from my project code on how not to do it. I will explain why it is not worth writing like this and show alternative ways.

1) Check for emptiness before calling map().

In our first example, we are getting an entity from JpaRepository and than converting it in DTO. If nothing found, just return null.

Optional chain works very similar to Stream. Only terminal operations matters. So if Optional is empty, map() method won’t be called. You won’t get NPE in this case, call the method right away:

2) Use flatMap() on what's already flat.

Optional has flatMap() method too. The difference is that map() just turns one element to another and flatMap() does the same thing but also makes the structure flat. But if you don’t need to flatten Optional’s content, don’t do this

Okay, maybe there was some reason to do this? Let's have a look at the object. It has a very simple structure, with no nested fields.

So we can replace flatMap() + ofNullable() and use only map(). The result will be the same, but our code looks simpler now. And we are not creating useless Optional objects anymore.

3) Use ofNullable() in assertions.

Validations are very important, especially if you work with money and transactions. We are always checking different things like if some product is present. If it's not, we are falling with an exception.

This example looks not bad. But this code it's just a null-check in a more complex way. In my opinion, if you are not performing some operations with your Optional (like filter(), map(), flatMap()), don't use it.

This variant looks more readable. Here I use Spring util class called Assert. This is not like java assert keyword and it's not like JUnit assert, it's perfectly valid for use in production. It will throw IllegalArgumentException if credit is null, but if we want to throw some custom exception, just:

4) Work with Optionals in java 7 style

Ok, we won't be using Optionals where we don't need it. But some libraries force you. For example, fingById() in JpaRepository.

In this example, we are trying to understand if we already have some cached info about account transactions. If we have found something, we’ll use it, if we haven't, cachedPeriod will be null.

It is a good example to better understand how you can use Optional#map:

And that's it. My idea about it was — know your instrument and use it efficiently, even if it seems very simple. Thank you, bye.
Ep. 25 — Your code can affect many people’s lives, not just your end-users’
By: Billy Lo
Tags: Best Practices, DevOps, Infrastructure, Operations, Security

There are a few simple things you can do before that final commit to make your code more friendly to everyone.

a) Your fellow engineers (and successors who you may never meet) will read the source, digest the change history, fix bugs and delete chunks of it gingerly in the years to come.

b) Your colleagues on the Release team will read your code to figure out why the build stops working on a Friday afternoon. Is it the code, the tests, the toolchain upgrade or an underlying OS patches that broke it?

c) The infrastructure team, who may be in a different city, will try to decipher the logs and error messages your code created to figure out what to do next? Should they restart the servers, route traffic to backup sites, or rollback the changes to protect the integrity of the overall system?

Here is simple list of actions that your colleagues will thank you for.

Clean logs: Spend the extra time to review the console logs before you check in the final version. Do your best to clean up those WARNING that doesn’t affect end users functionality. So, others won’t mistake them as actual warning signs of trouble or security breaches. Baseline & compare response time: If there are important deltas, note or fix them. For example, login-flow has gone up from 1.1s to 1.3s because of XYZ. Increases are often unavoidable. But if you can stop unintentional growth, everyone will thank you. Validate with https enabled: (a) There are very few legit reasons to use unsecured http in production any more. (b) Configuring https for localhost is easy nowadays. Yes, I still prefer debugging without encryption to inspect the payload. But a simple, final verification with https will save a lot of integration effort. Make version # visible to everyone at run-time: For web apps, include a simple HTML comment or console log at startup. For backend APIs, include the version in the payload. For native mobile, write to device log. Your teammates outside of the dev team will find good use of the extra info.

Happy coding.
@ National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence
By: Andrew, Avraham
Tags: Center Of Excellence, Best Practices, National Security, Cybersecurity, Standards

So good today to visit the NIST Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE).

The cybersecurity solutions developed are aligned to the well-known Cybersecurity Framework (CSF).

Got to see some of the laboratories, including demonstrations for securing the Healthcare and Energy Sectors.

Interesting to hear about examples for securing hospitals records and even things like infusion pumps.

The medical devices are tricky to secure, because they are built to potentially last decades and are expensive to replace, but the underlying technology changes every couple of years.

Also, learned more about securing the energy sector and their industrial control systems.

One scary notable item mentioned was about the “big red button” for shutdown in many of these facilities, but apparently there is malware that can even interfere in this critical function.

It is imperative that as a nation we focus on critical infrastructure protection (CIP) and continuously enhancing our security.

Time is of the essence as our adversaries improve their game, we need to be urgently upping ours. ;-)

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)
Assessing your CX maturity
By: Roberto Porto Lorena
Tags: Maturity Model, Best Practices, Strategic Planning, Customer Experience, Metrics

Find where you are in the journey towards the best customer experience

Assessing the maturity level of anything in life is not a straightforward process. Bananas go yellow and darken as they ripen, but the smell, taste, feel, and other variables are needed to paint the full picture. Similar to ripening fruit, we can assess business maturity across multiple channels and variables. Unlike ripening fruit, the goal isn’t to take a delicious bite but to know where you are before taking additional steps.

Consultants popularized maturity assessments as they looked for ways to assess their clients’ current states. In addition to tailoring recommendations for the next steps, a well-built assessment also provides a framework to bring teams together and build mutual understanding. Leveraging a maturity assessment consists of having informed stakeholders go through easy-to-follow checklists and rate items on a scale (e.g., 1–5). A facilitator brings the team together and ensures conversations happen as needed to keep everyone on track. Once the stakeholders finish rating, the results are totaled and compared, empowering stakeholders to articulate a unified story about their company’s maturity.

Multiple free maturity assessments covering CX are available online. However, some frameworks are better than others, and teams must decide which will best help them achieve their goal. To make the appropriate selection, teams should have sufficient domain expertise across the relevant business area(s), industry, problem area, and target organization. Cross-function teams will provide the best mix of breadth and depth of experiences. As always, the better the team and the better the tools available, the more likely the outcome is to be successful.

As part of my efforts to coordinate a client’s upcoming quarterly planning meeting, I wanted to ensure the team would dedicate time to focus holistically on Customer Experience. My research for CX Maturity Assessment templates took me to many places, but most importantly, it took me to Qualtrics. The Qualtrics maturity assessment does a great job of presenting items in a way that was easy for all of my client’s stakeholders to understand, regardless of their current role/previous experience. Below you can see the first page of the document:

Clients usually hire consultants because they are looking for help tackling a tough job or all they know is that they have a problem (don’t ask what or where). Having the right tools in place will go a long way towards building mutual understanding around the problem. A maturity assessment is but one of the many tools available for the job, with plenty of quality templates available online. On the off chance you cannot find one that fits your team’s needs, I hope there’s enough in this article to help you build your own.
Honey is Sweeter
By: Calvin Dsouza
Tags: Choices, Story, Winning Right

A farmer in ancient China had a neighbor who was a hunter, and who owned ferocious and poorly trained hunting dogs.

They jumped over the fence frequently and chased the farmer’s lambs.

The farmer asked his neighbor to keep his dogs in check, but this fell on deaf ears.

One day the dogs again jumped the fence, attacked and severely injured several of the lambs.

The farmer had had enough and went to town to consult a judge who listened carefully to the story and said: “I could punish the hunter and instruct him to keep his dogs chained or lock them up. But you would lose a friend and gain an enemy. Which would you rather have, friend or foe for a neighbor?”

The farmer replied that he preferred a friend.

“Alright, I will offer you a solution that keeps your lambs safe, and which will keep your neighbor as a friend.”

Having heard the judge’s solution, the farmer agreed.

Once at home, the farmer immediately put the judge’s suggestions to the test.

He took three of his best lambs and presented them to his neighbor’s three small sons, who were beside themselves with joy and began to play with them.

To protect his son’s newly acquired playthings, the hunter built a strong kennel for his dogs.

Since then, the dogs never again bothered the farmer’s lambs.

Out of gratitude for the farmer’s generosity toward his sons, the hunter often shared the game he had hunted with the farmer.

The farmer reciprocated by sending the hunter the cheese he had made.

Within a short time, the neighbors became good friends.
Does suicide ever make sense?
By: Sarah Marie Graye
Tags: Death, Euthanasia, Choices, Autonomy, Suicide

Most people believe the answer to this question is “no”. But then most people ultimately want to be alive.

And this is the case even if they are suffering. Even most people who are suffering do not want to die. Yes, they want their suffering to end, but not so much that they want to end their lives.

For most people it’s a very simple equation: suicide doesn’t make sense because life does make sense.

But what if life doesn’t make sense? What if your life is your suffering? What if life itself is simply something you don’t want? What if the reason you want to end your life is because of life itself?

Death makes sense to these people. And the only reason I’d say suicide doesn’t make sense here is because euthanasia makes more sense.

In his article in The Guardian this week, Christopher de Bellaigue met a Norwegian family whose son chose to end his life using the euthanasia services available in their home country. He writes:

“Privately, even surreptitiously undertaken, suicide leaves behind shattered lives. Even when it goes according to plan, someone finds a body. That openly discussed euthanasia can cushion or even obviate much of this hurt is something I hadn’t really considered before meeting the de Gooijers.

Nor had I fully savoured the irony that suicide, with its high risk of failure and collateral damage, was illegal across Europe until a few decades ago, while euthanasia, with its apparently more benign — at least, more manageable — consequences, remains illegal in most countries.”

It was good to read someone who is wary of euthanasia in general (the article looks at whether current euthanasia services have “gone too far”) seeing euthanasia as a real option to the alleged messy death of suicide.

And the only reason people choose suicide is because, outside countries like Norway, we leave people who don’t want to live without any other option.

So I give a hesitant “yes” and say that suicide does make sense… but only because euthanasia is not widely available to those people who no longer want to be alive.
MOVE Towards Happiness
Tags: Emotions, Brain, Consciousness, Neuroscience, Choices

We Can Move through Emotion Like We Move the Body. It's a Choice.

Versatilizing our Brain represents one's Flexible Power to hold one emotion, one mindset, one thought and switch it.

That Switching Power & Versatility may sound all too easy or even too good to be true, but it is True.

Consider:

The Brain is able to feel one sensorial input emotionally at a time or in any single moment

So...

We realize one pain (physical or emotional) can preside or take the place of another simply with our attention.

Consider:

Emotion holds a location in the body much like pain embodies a place.

So...

We also learn how both moving the body as well as attention become the key ingredients to moving our emotion & our attention from them.

You may think:

'Well that doesn't really eliminate the emotion, does it?'

Well...

Nor can we fully fathom the extent of pain or emotion our body holds inside either.

Alot of it is unconscious. That's why feeling emotion itself requires the conscious attention of our mind.

So changing what you feel becomes exactly that; changing our attention and our mind.

Soon you will learn to cease the feeling all together as we've learnt through our practices and studies that much of what we feel is perceived. It's not all there.

We start to realize and question something else quite magnificent...How much of what we feel is actually there??

And how much of it is in or our Mind? So its our minds that need moving. The hurt and pain is really, in there.

That's why we use the body and its relationship to the mind. We work with the body to move and versatilize (move around and switch up, the mind). When we learn to move our mind, change its attention, change its perception, versatilize it, free it, really by moving the body.

How we place our mind's attention can free, liberate or RELEASE our emotion. Not bound by the confines of our mind, we can in fact move it, change it, CHOOSE it...Much like we do our minds. And we use the body to help.

Why movement?

- It's palpable, tangible

- Its not going away (the body) at any fleeting moment

- It's Easy to Feel

Move your Emotion, as You Move Body & Mind Move Towards Happiness. It's a Choice.

For the video that inspired this piece…

https://youtu.be/gOid5zT1pjc
Are too many choices a good thing or not?
Tags: Biases And Fallacies, Behavioural Science, Behavioral Economics, Choices, Cognitive Bias

Last Tuesday, I was chauffeuring my mother around the neighborhood while she ran some errands. Normally, I would be on a social media app but for the first time, I didn’t know what to do and got frustrated. I wondered whether I wanted to check out Instagram stories or reply to Whatsapp messages or watch a video on Youtube, listen to music or do something else.

I realized that this was due to the overload of choices that are out there. These choices can sometimes leave you confused and overwhelmed. It’s called the choice overload bias or overchoice.

Choice overload bias occurs when there is a choice to make from a large variety of choices, the more variety we have, harder the decision to choose (in most cases). It makes the process a little draining and reduces the satisfaction received from the decision.

Source: Statista

There are numerous ways to spend a minute on the Internet. This probably means that we’re making choices on how to relax and rejuvenate too. Hence, this doesn’t give our brain any time to relax or take a step back. In simpler words, we’re always making a choice on how to take a break from making a choice.

Hold on for a second. I thought more the merrier; more the choices, better it is?

Yes, more the choices, better it is. This is true only when you know exactly what you want. However, most of the times we don’t know exactly what we want unless we have looked at our options. So we try to look at the options and make the decision about them simultaneously which becomes a problem.

So when I say my phone, I was baffled with the overload of choices and decided to do nothing.

Some of the ways, I have learnt to not let the choice overload bias get the best of me is by trying to follow a few steps. Firstly, browse through your options or go window shopping. Make sure you have enough time to do you research and just browse through all the options and not make all the decisions. Once you’ve done your research and shortlisted your options from the market, you’re ready to shop. I mean, make your decision.

Second, avoid FOMO (fear of missing out). We’ve all heard the phrase that “grass is green on the other side” and yes, it might be true but you’ll never know. So, once a decision is made, stick to it. Don’t necessarily feel that you’re missing out on something because you decided to do something rather than the other.

Last but not the least, make a list of the reasons that made you take your decision. It is always better to know why a decision is taken than why the other wasn’t taken. As Dalai Lama said “Choose to be optimistic, it feels better”.
My Favorite Question for Intense Moments
By: Lisa Schwaller
Tags: Personal Responsibility, Emotional Intelligence, Inner Peace, Choices, Responsibility

Hello, lovely you! Here’s a little gift — my favorite question for life’s intense moments.

Enjoy putting it into practice and watch what happens!

First, a little background.

Life happens around you. Unexpected situations come up. (I mean, we can expect that will happen!)

Sometimes those unexpected situations could be labeled “bad” or “negative.”

What’s your first reaction?

Most of the time, my first reaction to the “unpleasant unexpected” is annoyance, frustration, anger or disappointment.

That was the case for me last week. On one of my projects, the client asked for new work that would add weeks to an already tight timeline. Our carefully crafted plan went out the window because of an unplanned ask. I was Very Displeased. This is a serious project with significant financial impacts and we are getting derailed by an ask for something I labeled “completely unreasonable!”

“This should not be happening!!”

But it sure was!

The situation was happening, and my upset wasn’t going to change or improve it one tiny bit.

So, I pulled out my favorite tool for the unexpected:

“This is happening. So, now what?”

The “now what” part is code for my favorite question:

“How am I going to show up for myself in this situation?”

Notice how I turn the attention back to me, to my opinion of myself, and how I want to live through this part of my life’s movie.

I am not worrying about what other people think of me, whether I’ll make a “wrong” choice, or time traveling into the past or the future.

I pull myself into the moment to reflect. I tell myself, “I get the ultimate choice here. I get to decide how much this hijacks my energy. What do I want to choose on purpose?”

This question ”So, now what?” pauses time.

This situation is happening.

Flat tire? “This is happening. So, now what?”

Rejected by your partner? “This is happening. So, now what?”

Client freaking out about your company’s service? “This is happening. So, now what?”

Kid refusing to [fill in the blank]. “This is happening. So, now what?”

This gives me time to answer my question.

I choose on purpose to notice my heart racing.

I choose to feel the feelings and not try to “fix” the feeling or make it — poof! — disappear.

I choose to own which part is mine to keep — how I react and respond — and which parts of the situation are for others to take responsibility for.

I step into the person I choose to be in that moment.

If you practice this 100 times or 1000 times, I guarantee you will not be the same person.

You’ll have an emotional mastery that makes you feel like a total boss.
You Think You Have A Choice?
By: Infinite Knowledge
Tags: Videos, Choices, Illusion

You Think You Have A Choice?

Read original post at https://infiniteknowledge.in/you-think-you-have-a-choice/?_unique_id=6031113f17902

See This On Youtube

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Read original post at https://infiniteknowledge.in/you-think-you-have-a-choice/?_unique_id=6031113f17902 #choices #illusion #videos #videos
What are our “Natural rights”?
By: Zsolt Hermann
Tags: Education, Rights Of Nature, Nature, Humanity, Choices

Question from the Internet:

“Are there limits to natural rights?”

It depends on what we consider “natural rights”.

Do we consider “natural rights” what our inherently self-serving, self-justifying, egotistic, and individualistic nature defines? Do we consider “natural rights” that we can do whatever we want, say whatever we want, that we can freely exploit each other and Nature as long as we keep the “laws” that our selfish egos created?

Or we consider “natural rights” how Nature defines it, “giving rights” to its elements to seamlessly integrate into the system and become a selfless, altruistic, mutually responsible, mutually complementing part in it?

These truly Natural rights operate the system where all inanimate, vegetative, and animate elements automatically, instinctively integrate by birth.

But Humans were given a “free choice” by Nature.

We can remain in our instinctive state, stubbornly pursuing our selfish, exploitative lifestyle, succeeding at each other’s and Nature’s expense until we finally self-destruct.

Or, we can choose to study Nature, understand and accept the strict, unforgiving laws of Natural integration, balance, and homeostasis life depends on. Then we can rightfully integrate into the system, but since we do it consciously, by our own efforts, without waiting for blows, intolerable suffering to push us, we will truly feel as if making a free choice, exercising our “Natural rights” to the fullest.
Thirty two choices of ketchup
By: The Creative Marketer
Tags: Psychology, Success, Sales, Marketing, Choices

You may think that the more options a company offers, directly leads to more sales and happy customers.

🚨 Wrong 🚨

Contrary to popular belief too many choices actually overwhelms customers. As a company you think that by providing countless options, you are doing a better job at marketing, but that is not the case. There has actually been a study conducted which clearly supports this idea.

Sheena Iyenga, a student from Columbia University tested out this in Menlo Park, California. Over the course of two weeks Sheena and her friends stood outside of a local upscale grocery and offered samples of exotic jams. There were two options, either six or twenty four flavors.

You would think that everyone would want the twenty four flavors because, hey the more the merrier. And you would also think that more options directly lead to more sales. Well, that marketing theory has just been proven wrong. Even though more people had stopped to sample when they were offered twenty four flavors, less only three percent had actually purchased. and even though twenty percent less people had stopped to purchase when they were offered only six people, of those poeple thirty percent of them went ahead to make the purchase. So, to put it simply, even though more people had stopped to sample because at first it looked more exciting, they were not as focused when it came to purchasing.

Often times, when shoppers have less options, they feel more directed and confident to make a decision. I can definitely attest to to this study and say I could not agree more.

Also, having more options is often a cultural idea. Some areas may have smaller groceries with one choice of ketchup, while some places will offer thirty two flavors. I must say, often times it just perplexes a customer and overwhelms them. It is necessary to find that right balance of providing customers with the right amount of choices with out prvoding too many. That is an important key to successful marketing.
I’m always happy to receive a comment from someone with the same name I have : — )
Tags: Nothing, Zero, Mathematics, Numbers, Choices

I’m always happy to receive a comment from someone with the same name I have : — )

There is an entire world hidden in the number zero, and the quickest route to getting its importance is the binary system. If it weren’t for zero, there wouldn’t be a binary system.

The binary system is the mother of all systems. Anything that can get expressed in another system can get expressed in the binary system. From this, the conclusion is rather simple that basically all systems should have zero included.

— -

Making a choice about zero itself is like double-talk, because making a choice already requires the use of zero to come to an outcome. By picking one option over the other, the other option that was not picked is given a value of zero (by the person doing the picking). To decide that zero is an unimportant number contains therefore an internal conflict and cannot be a logical option. It is like stating that one has chosen to not consider choosing a vital aspect; an impossibility because it indicates the speaker gives him- or herself no value.

One cannot state “I am a zero.” The text already declares a value (“I”) and can therefore not be true.

The option is prime and cannot be negated.

I take big steps, Fred, and with zero I know the universe to always have two layers. Matter has two motions: divergent and convergent that cannot be made one. And next to matter, there must also be a layer with zero matter, equally important (from the overall perspective that is). Without the layer that does not contain matter, matter would and could not be matter.

I wrote much about nothing and zero (but not about nothingness, that is something I have not much time for). Zero is functional, and without it, the universe would not have come into being.

I appreciate your response, and I like that you gave many students a good training in life. Yes, I really like that.
There’s Nothing Wrong with Writing for Pure Enjoyment
By: A.X. Bates
Tags: Writing, Fulfillment, Choices, Careers, Life

There’s Nothing Wrong with Writing for Pure Enjoyment

Photo by KOBU Agency on Unsplash

To all of those who do write for a living, I have great respect for you.

Even making a few dollars off of writing is no easy achievement, and it takes much experience and patience — as well as time and nuance — to be a writer. And for that, I applaud you.

But I also believe that you don’t need to be pursuing writing as a career in order to be a writer.

We see so many stories about how to be “successful” or how to earn thousands with writing. And, personally, they are more distressing than motivational.

Perhaps I get ahead of myself sometimes — a bit too ambitious. I see other people’s success and I want to do the same, out of admiration and enlightenment.

Then, I get obsessed over my stats.

Yup — I bet my stats page has more views than the article I posted a few days ago.

I assume that many writers online would have had a period of fixation over the traction their stories are getting. It makes sense — we want to share our ideas and creativity with others. Honestly, I wouldn’t be mad if I got more exposure.
Rekindling a dream
By: Karin Goldgruber
Tags: Choices, Personal Growth, Dreams, Self-awareness, Self Acceptance

Like a tsunami betrayal washes over me, taking everything I have believed in, hoped for, and trusted in with it. Destroying everything.

My parents won’t allow me to become a visual artist.

I was certain that they would support me. I was wrong.

A deep hopelessness envelopes me, seeps into every part of my being, as the cold creeps into your bones on some looming winter nights. Everything is covered in beautifully deceiving ice crystals

The pain is so strong that I separate myself from myself. I surrender my dream, so I can continue living. I step outside myself. I observe as part of me lives a life that is dictated and shaped by what others think is best for me. I take the path that was chosen for me.

Most of my life I judged myself quite harshly for accepting it . I criticized myself and only saw when I surrendered my will. I didn’t see the great choices I made.

Not having a choice in my education and career made me determined to support my sons in their career choices.

Now it is time for me to look at some of my old dreams. Will I study art because I couldn’t before or will I study something else or will I even go to University?

First I had to make my peace with my younger self. I had to acknowledge that she couldn’t speak up, it wasn’t her fault. It was a different time. She didn’t have any life experience.

Even though I never attended University I have continued my education since then. I have studied things that drew me to them. Things I loved. It never seemed like hard work because I loved what I was learning.

My dream of attending University is still very strong, yet as of now writing, doing presentations and working with Highly Sensitive People is more important.

Whether I attend University is really irrelevant. What matters is that it is my free choice.

I no longer feel like I am watching myself living a life I don’t want. I am living my life.

Blog and Picture by Karin Goldgruber

Karin writes about life as a Highly Sensitive Person HSP, how to reduce feelings of stress and overwhelm and how to find authentic answers to your life questions.

She is a Certified Emotional Freedom Techniques practitioner who specializes in working with HSP’s who experience problems in their relationship because of this innate trait.
What I learnt a few years ago about my studies at University that I didn’t know…..
By: Mar Martínez
Tags: University, Choices, Students, Careers

What I learnt a few years ago about my studies at University that I didn’t know….. Mar Martínez Aug 9·2 min read

When I was 18 years old I wanted to change the world (difficult task and I didn’t know that) yes like that!!! I was good at economy and I like psychology. I took classes at school about sociology and psychology and I talked with my professor about my options and also I went to conferences about the career of psychology that I thought I wanted but I decided that I liked psychology but I wasn’t sure as professional and I chose Business Administration because I like it, I want to do something with purpose and this career had more professional opportunities…..that’s what I thought at that moment. ….I felt the pressure and I decided something that really liked me (not knowing I might study psychology too if I wanted).

A few years ago I had an epiphany…. why I had to choose one thing like was the end of my life and work on it for the rest of my life ??????? why I have to do one thing and nothing else? I didn’t know it but now I understand…….

I can have more…. I can study business and psychology, I can be a writer if I want, I can be an actress , a creative…. and more , you don’t have to choose one thing and think this is the only thing that I will do for the rest of my life or something like that.

If you have to choose from several options don’t worry, you can have that choice that you really like and in the future or before the others!! It’s not the end of the world or the end of your life!!!

Mar,

:)
Vaccinations: The Freedom to Choose and the Chance to Choose Love
By: Rob Yackley
Tags: Vaccination, Choices, Freedom, Love

I’ve had way more time in the last 3weeks to ponder the many COVID-related issues at play in our country than I wish I did, and I’m pretty sure most folks are done with it, (well, until you get knocked on your butt by a breakthrough infection or lose a loved one because of it, which is where I currently find myself). But here’s my take on what feels to me like a hopeful pathway forward that is both fair and responsible:

I am encouraged by the trend I see in society towards personal choice, but choice that comes with personal consequences. If you don’t want to get the vaccine because of rational, non-reactionary, ideological convictions or because of personal health issues, then don’t get it. I get that, (or at least I’m trying to). But please give stores, gyms, schools, churches, synagogues, restaurants, hospitals, airlines, etc. the same degree of freedom to live by their convictions to protect themselves, their families, their teams, and their livelihoods that you want for yourself.

Every choice we make has consequences. Each of us can choose how much of society we’d like to participate in or how little we would like to participate in. That’s freedom, but not unbounded, irresponsible, “my way or the highway” freedom. None of us has the right to put others in harm’s way simply because we choose to, even if our intent is not to harm them. I can’t choose to drive 65 miles an hour past a school simply because I think I’m a really good driver, or becuase I have my rights and I really don’t think anyone will get hurt anyway. If you want to drive 65, then you’re simply choosing not to participate in the life at or around the school, but in this case, you’ve still got the highway to use if you choose to.

I should also add that I don’t think that freedom is the ultimate value that should guide our lives. But it does seem like giving people the freedom to make a responsible choice also gives people an opportunity to take an even a higher road and lean into the value that rises far above freedom: love. Love that looks like choosing to do the things that show others that our hearts are with them.
A Cascade of Choices
By: Ag Lafley
Tags: Strategy, Business Strategy, Management, Choices, Leadership

A Cascade of Choices

Why are some brands able to succeed spectacularly where so many fail? When the people aren't better or worse — not harder working, more dedicated, bolder or luckier than anyone else? AG Lafley Aug 9·1 min read

Oftentimes, it has to do with an organization’s way of thinking about the choices they make. Some organizations have a clear and defined approach to strategy, a thinking process that enabled individual managers to make clearer and harder choices, while others don’t. A company’s approach to strategy is what makes the difference.

Although good strategy seems difficult to define, it isn’t. Strategy is easily definable. In the simplest terms, it’s an integrated set of choices about winning that uniquely positions a brand so as to create sustainable advantage and superior value relative to the competition. It’s the answer to the five interrelated questions in the cascade of choices:

What is your winning aspiration? Where will you play? How will you win? What capabilities must be in place? What management systems are required?

An integrated cascade of choices

These choices, and the relationships between them, can be understood as a reinforcing cascade, with the choices at the top of the cascade setting the context for the choices below, and choices at the bottom influencing and refining choices above.
You Cannot Create Impactful Content.
Tags: Content, Ulsemae, Matrix, Choices, Content Marketing

Content that takes tremendous effort should have a tremendous outlet to reach masses. Content that takes tremendous effort with no tremendous outlet is inefficient?

However content that takes tremendous effort, and given to the masses, but has not impact is also inefficient as the outlet does not yet control the masses agency and attention.

Therefore the effort to develop content that could be impactful must not be abandoned due to the unforeseeable possible impact to the masses.

You cannot create impactful or non impactful content, you can create content.

Impactful content must be disassociated with digital inputs as digital inputs are not markers of finite agency. Physical markers of impact are greater measurements of finite agency.

Finite agency reflects decisions based on perceived value and are therefore impactful

Phantom Agency (Compounded Agency) allows the user to express a substantially or perceived substantial allowance of agency towards choices that are bound to a much faster progression of time. Phantom agency reflects decisions based on greater fleeting perceived judgement and are therefore less impactful. -

-Ulesmae
Choosing Change…And Then I’m Triggered
By: Ashley Lambert-Wise
Tags: Growth, Spoken Word, Authenticity, Choices, Life

This is meant to be a slice of life to bring normalcy to the arguments and voices we all have within our minds.

They’ll never love you or accept you for who you really are —

So hide behind the mask.

I’m never allowed to be who I really am,

Because I’ve never been allowed to really get to know me and,

Deciding who I am scares me half to death,

Because that means I really have to pick and choose,

The whys, the whats, the hows the whos,

On each and ever preference,

And store them as a reference,

In side my brain,

It sounds insane and then,

Once those preferences are selected,

They must stay the same because,

We aren’t allowed to grow or change —

And happiness is a myth, you know,

We are supposed to struggle,

Supposed to suffer for then,

We get rewarded in heaven.

The small pleasures, Ashley.

Be responsible, Ashley.

Be realistic, Ashley.

Get your feet on the ground,

And your head out of those damn clouds,

Lose twenty pounds, Ashley.

Stand up straight,

Put a smile on that face,

And clean your plate, Ashley.

Don’t talk so fast,

Don’t show your ass,

Show some class,

When will you listen at last, Ashley?

Respect yourself,

Protect yourself, Ashley.

Don’t be so bossy,

‘Cuz that’s naughty, Ashley.

Tell the truth,

But not too much truth,

‘Cuz they’ll laugh at you,

And gossip ‘bout you,

I’m just trying to protect you, Ashley.

Get good grades,

By that I mean straight A’s, Ashley.

Don’t sit like that,

Or talk too fast,

Or be fat,

Suck in your stomach, Ashley.

Chew your food,

Don’t be rude,

You don’t always have to be,

The center of attention, Ashley.

Your a natural performer,

But let me warn ya,

No one likes a show off,

So you best stand down,

Blend into the crowd, Ashley.

Your beauty’s irresitable,

But tone it down to be acceptable,

No one likes to be intimated, Ashley.

I SAID TONE IT DOWN!

BLEND INTO THE CROWD!

DON’T TALK SO LOUD,

I HAVE TO LIVE IN THIS SMALL TOWN, ASHLEY!

Be classy,

Not sassy,

Eat it even if it tastes nasty,

Keep your opinions to yourself, Ashley.

Don’t make waves,

Or try to change,

Just let it be the same, Ashley.

Do as your told and,

One day when your old,

You’ll be so thankful that,

I taught you to respect all that, Ashley.

Work before play,

And that means work all day,

Be mature and responsible,

DON’T YOU HEAR WHAT I SAY, ASHLEY?

You’ve been blessed, Ashley.

More than the rest, Ashley.

Realize how lucky you are,

The world is your oyster, Ashley.

I just want you to be happy,

Don’t roll your eyes and be nasty,

I just want your success,

You are better than the rest,

Don’t throw it all away,

By making time to play, Ashley.

Now, it’s time to grow up,

Grow up and choose,

Choose anything, Ashley,

Anything but being authentically you.
Pain
By: Caleb A. Taylor
Tags: Life Lessons, Pain, Choices, Love

I feel pain. Not from a physical cut, scrap or bruise. It lies much deeper than the surface.

Your heart aches with pain you can’t form into words. Why can’t you make this pain go away.

Your mind replays memories over and over. Did I say too much or too little. Did I show that I cared enough. Did I believe in your words when I should’ve took them in vain.

I feel pain.

Again I’ve opened up and again I’ve been hurt. The mistrust hurts greater each time. I believed that I was ready. That you had all of my focus and attention. I said I wanted one who wants me but doesn’t need me. Who choose me despite other available opportunities. For you to choose me.

A simple choice. A commitment to another that you know will do anything for your betterment. You don’t have to throw out test because you understand there is no length in measure to which one would go. I chose you, foolish of me. Since my essence represented in title means wholeheartedly, I couldn’t give anything less than all of me. I chose you and you made a fool out of me.

“If one is not willing to make a fool of them-self for love, then they do not deserve it.”

I put my pride to the side. Maybe that’s why I feel pain. I put your needs before mine. Maybe that’s why I feel pain. I checked on you before myself for this reason I feel pain. Because the air I needed to breathe, the love I needed to remain I gave to you and you left me feeling disdain. For this reason I feel pain.

Not often do I open my abyss showing all parts of me. I let my thoughts be un-restrained yet you judged me. I wanted you to feel comfortable so I exposed the deepest and most troublesome parts of me. You labeled them red flags and turn offs. I thought we created conversation that allowed us to roam freely. A bond of words, feelings and thoughts since distance kept us apart. I realized later it was never the distance but choices that kept us apart.

Strong willed, strong minded bent but never broken pushing ever forward toward set goals. I needed more than love I needed commitment, a trust never to be broken. I chose you and that choice is called pain.
Choosing what your heart wants vs. what your mind needs
By: Vic Brubacher
Tags: Decision Making, Self Improvement, Choices, Life Lessons

There are hundreds if not thousands of different types of decisions people make throughout their lives. Each person goes through everyday in their life making decisions from small to big. It can be anywhere from what we eat for breakfast, to what time to we should leave for work, to deciding which job to apply for, then accept which one we eat opportunities from. One type of decisions we make throughout our lives are ones that are morally versus ethically. These can be some of the most difficult decisions we have to decide throughout our life’s journey. For a lot of people, this is a common example of moral decision: should I cheat on my significant other? The obvious answer is no, but people still CHOOSE to do it. This is due to poor decision making abilities and a weak mind. Next time the temptation appears, just take that extra minute and think to yourself,

Is this really worth it? Should I mess up what I already have? Will this benefit me?

Another type of decision we can make are conscious versus unconscious decisions. Unconscious decisions happen all the time, everyday, without you even realizing it. A great example here is when you drive to work, you just know in your head how to get there. You consciously didn’t think about which turns to make, you just made them without thinking about. One last type of decisions I will touch on are making decisions for other people. These can be some of most influential decisions you could possibly make. When raising a child, you have to make many decisions such as where you will choose to live, what school, what friends, and different rules you will have in place. Are you going to let your daughter go play with her friends down the street or invite those kids to your house? Should you let your son ride his bike around the block? These decisions may seem very easy but they are very impactful and important to that child’s growth and security.
Tell the stories that only you can…
By: Sharon Beaman Riley
Tags: Self Improvement, Depression, Anxiety, Choices, Life

Tell the stories that only you can…

There is a quote that says “The devil can’t use my story if I’m the one telling it.” Theres a lot of truth to that statement if you really think about it. My story is one etched with disillusion and hurt, disappointment, bad decisions and depression. It is also filled with redemption, reconciliation, renewal and love. I am an example of the depravity and despair we as humans sink to when trying to steer our life according to our own course. Yet I am also the living breathing proof of God’s relentless love for the prodigal. Its hard to see ourselves in this way but if I am honest I know that I am that person…. but you are too my friend. That is why you have to tell your story as only you can.

I have wrestled with many thoughts and if I am honest even wrestled with God during particularly dark bouts of depression. I have gone through the liturgy of questions such as “Is God even there?” Or “Does God really care that I am drowning over here?” I also have had times when it was just survival and I focused on keeping it together hour by hour. I would not have admitted that at one time and most people around me wouldn’t have known anyways. I know from experience how equipped people with depressive tendencies are at putting on the face to keep everyone at a distance. It was at these times that I found myself with no words to say and no prayers to pray. I was completely empty and literally drained of any passion. I say this to give you insight into why this story, my story, is not one that I would have chosen to illustrate my life.
Choice
Tags: Choices, Life Lessons

I hate taking sides,

I mean, can I just have no side?,

can I exist independent from the societie’s beliefs?

Why should I choose?

People say not choosing is a choice too,

and may be it is,

but it is more of “unacceptable, not popular choice”

I am not represented with the option I would like to choose from

so, why would I choose what I don’t want to choose?

society creates our choices,

you know, like hunger games?

how the judges choose the killer’s weapons, and

give the killer’s the options to choose their weapons?

why would they choose?

We loose ourselves trying to find the right choices,

and then our parents teach us to find ourselves

and “stay true to yourself”

or “if you end up finding your ownself, do not loose it”

but are we finding ourselves? or finding our choices

and why should I choose?

and some other people tell me to “create” myself

to destroy what my family has been creating and create my own

or to just create something new and add it to what the world has been creating,

People say it as if humanity is some kind of painting,

and I am afraid that that’s how we see each other

so, why? why should I choose

There is nothing wrong with us being paintings,

but who is the painter?

who is the creator? is it just one thing, or many things?

is it one thing in many forms,?

or many things in one bigger thing

I am represented with options I don’t want to choose from

so why, why should I choose?

Lincah

P.s I choose not to choose what you want me to choose, as my options of choices are not represented. and I hope you accept my choice, as an acceptable unacceptable choice