fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Back in the 19th century walking-for-health was a common practice both here and in Britain (and…
Tags: Exercise, Roaming, Picnic, Health, Walking

Back in the 19th century walking-for-health was a common practice both here and in Britain (and elsewhere too probably). Such walks were called “constitutionals” (good for the constitution). In Britain it was common throughout the 20th century for couples or small groups to take a train to some rural spot, wander around, have a mini-picnic, and return in the late afternoon. There were printed guides to lots of walking tours, with detailed directions.

Britain was and is well-suited for such tours, because the law there enshrines a (limited) “right to roam” through private property. (There’s even a booklet out with that title defending the right, and urging walkers to assert it.) So tours could get away from streets and into the real countryside, making them more adventurous and enjoyable.

Our health authorities and policy-makers should consider “nudging” the growth of such outings by mapping good routes, posting them online, encouraging (through Meetup?) the formation of local groups with volunteer organizers, and encouraging Uber and Lyft to publicize their readiness to transport groups of “trippers” (as they were/are called in Britain) to (and from) route-jump-off locations.
Adorable Roe Deer Surprised by Humans (Blink & You’ll Miss It!)
By: Weekend Walk
Tags: Wildlife, Deer, Hiking, Walking, Nature

Walking in Weston Wood by Weston-Super-Mare, we didn’t expect to see an adorable roe deer tiptoeing its way along the path in our direction. But that’s exactly what happened!

There’s not many things that can lift your spirits as much as an adorable wild animal.

Doesn’t nature and wildlife just put a real smile on your face?

I just had to post this video and hope it helps put you in a good mood!

You can watch the video below.

We watched the roe deer tiptoe its way along the path towards us, and as soon as it had rounded the corner it stopped dead in its tracks, looked at us in surprise for a split second as if to say ‘what are you doing here?’, before scampering off into the woods.

We saw this roe deer on a walk from Sand Point & Middle Hope to Weston Woods which you can read about here.

As soon as it had scampered off, we didn’t see it again, but if you’re out walking in Weston Wood near Weston-Super-Mare, keep your eye out!

I’ve seen roe deer before, but never so close. It really did put a smile on my face and reminded me of the simple joys in nature that give us the most pleasure.
Simple Ways to Make Fitness Fun
Tags: Sports, Family, Fitness, Fun, Walking

I love running, but it’s rare that I’ll suggest it to someone. In reality, most people just don’t enjoy it, and that’s fine. Problems arise when people try to stick to a training plan that they just don’t find fun. No matter if it’s optimal or not, the best training plan for you is one you enjoy. That way, it’s sustainable, and you’ll truly get the benefits of years of consistent training.

Make Fitness Fun Again

Returning to Sports

A lot of us will have performed some form of sports as kids. However, as we grow older, our priorities change. With our dreams of turning pro fading away, we unfortunately just don’t take the time in our schedule to play a sport for fun.

If you’re struggling to stick to your training, maybe you need to return to that sport you once loved so much. I’m sure there are some house leagues in your area you could join. If not, call some old friends and play some pick-up. Everybody loves a bit of fun and the benefits that come with it.

If you’ve never played sports before, it could be time to try. The teamwork, skills to improve on and socializing aspects of sports are usually enjoyed by all newcomers.

Family Activity

Another way to make your training fun is to do it with your family, your significant other, or even your friends. It could be a walk, sports, or any activity you all enjoy. Doing it together will add a social component to your training, which is fun and has benefits for your mental health.

Furthermore, everybody in the group will benefit from the added activity. You’ll usually perform better too, since you have someone to push you through it. So, bring your family to the park, the trails or the courts and have some fun together.

Through the Day

Activity can also be built in to your day. From your work desk to a trip to the grocery store, there are easy ways you can add more movement to regular activities. We have a whole blog post on this subject, which you’ll find below.

Easy Ways to Add Movement to Your Day

Necessities

While most of your training can be fun, there are still some things you should do, whether you like it or not. The most important of these is resistance training. In fact, the Canadian society of exercise physiology (CSEP) suggests that you do muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. This will reduce the risk of injuries, and lead to better bone health, physical function, and quality of life.

Resistance training is part of a well-balanced, and mostly fun, training plan. In truth, hitting a new PR is also pretty enjoyable.
5 questions that you would want to ask the mayor
By: Pinar Pinzuti
Tags: Mobility, Cycling, Future City, World Car Free Day, Walking

This week begins the European Mobility Week.

EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK, from September 16th to 22nd, is the European Commission’s flagship awareness-raising campaign on sustainable urban mobility. It promotes behavioral change in favour of active mobility, public transport, and other clean, intelligent transport solutions.

This year’s EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK theme is ‘Safe and Healthy with Sustainable Mobility’.

The choice of this year’s theme pays tribute to the hardships felt by Europe and the world, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It also reflects on the opportunities for change resulting from this unprecedented health crisis in Europe.

There are 2292 cities and towns in 45 countries registered for the week, committing to campaign on sustainable urban mobility and promote behavioral change.

Here are my questions to all the 2292 Mayors of European cities:

1- How do you commute in the city? If you usually commute with car, would you change your commuting habits for a week and choose one of sustainable modes, such as walking, cycling or public transportation?

2- How do you promote sustainable mobility in your city, are there any communication campaigns planned for the week? Does your city organize events to help the citizens to try a new way of mobility? If the city does not organize any event, do you allow private citizens or associations to organize events to promote sustainable mobility?

3- As you probably know, September 22nd is World Car Free Day. Does your city celebrate the car free day? Will you be so determined to change the mobility in your city like London, Brussels and Paris do?

4- What do you think is the best way to promote behavioral change among the citizens? Are you giving them the opportunity to experience an alternative mobility mode?

5- Do you have good news to announce during the European Mobility Week? Such as improvement of bicycle network, create or enlarge pedestrian streets, development of accessible transport services for all, speed reduction for vehicles, launch of awareness-raising campaigns etc.

Thank you.

If most of your answers are NO, then please kindly remove your city from this website. www.mobilityweek.eu
Kristi Bulock’s Wildfire Career Blazes Bright
By: U.S.Fish Wildlife Alaska
Tags: Forest, Jobs, Environment, Careers, Fire

Kristi Bulock’s Wildfire Career Blazes Bright

Kristi Bulock 📷 USFWS

Kristi Bulock grew up near Prescott, Arizona, a town that played a major role in the history of the American Southwest. For thousands of years, the Yavapai people farmed, hunted and foraged in the region that surrounds the current city. Prescott is the former capital of the state of Arizona, and was the major civic and commercial center for the central Arizona Territory through the 19th Century. And like much of the Southwest, it knew some wild and wooly times; both Doc Holliday and Virgil Earp lived in the town prior to their participation in the notorious Gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone.

Prescott is also notable for something else: wildfire. Major conflagrations ravaged the city several times in the early 20th Century, ultimately compelling municipal leaders to decree reconstruction with brick. Wildfire in the surrounding Granite Creek watershed remains a central fact of life for people living in and around Prescott, and the city has an illustrious fire-fighting tradition, one notable for both heroism and tragedy. In 2013, 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a firefighting crew associated with the Prescott Fire Department, died while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in the west central part of the state.

Kristi was aware of local wildfires growing up, but she seldom accorded them much thought. That changed when she attended Yavapai Community College in northeast Prescott. While pursuing a pre-Med course of study, she enrolled in an EMT class.
A never ending fire
By: Matija Kordic
Tags: Metaphysics, Fire, Universe, Philosophy, Self-awareness

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

As the abbreviation of the truth comes near, each time I feel a fire burning inside of me. My body gets restless, my urges are enhanced and I feel as if my body cannot support my soul. It goes to the beyond of my earthly fracture, it is as if my very mind gets out of my head and connects with the never-ending source of knowledge, the universe itself. I don’t think of the words, they go through me, I am not the creator of this message I am but a typing machine. Yes, I do believe in all that I write and speak, but from whence have I come to the realization of this knowledge? I am not a hardworking man. I am but a hedonist, a lazy arrogant snivelling boy who loves everyone, but nonetheless a kid by nature. I must remain objective to my true self in order so that I can still be whatever I must or shall be. I am everybody.

It is since I was a kid that I have had these moments of insanity, as they would medically call them probably. I do not perceive them as such. The fire which burns through the depths of my being cannot be unreal. It is not a wanted thing, it came by itself. I wish for a small life, somewhere on the seaside perhaps, family, tons of kids, friends, fire and wine.

Will I ever get my desires fulfilled or is there another path waiting for me?

Will the thoughts of the universe, physics, mathematics, geology, economy, world peace, and revolutions ever stop?

They look so real, as if they have already happened once in a lifetime, or are they constantly happening?

Time has been proven not to exist in a manner that we perceive it, does it mean that there are endless possibilities which are always occurring, in my head, in my dreams, in my very imagination? Are they not real?

I cannot answer that question, nor will I ever have such a possibility, but I will do the utmost of myself to try to make this world a better place; a calmer, more loving surrounding. Is it not possible? One of the eldest sciences in the world, mathematics, speaks of variables. We have the X and the Y. They are the variables, sometimes they are constant, which means there is no beginning nor end to these possibilities. All things in nature and universe follow these laws of mathematics and physics. This means, that everything out there is just one of the many variables of mathematics, of the universe itself, of us. This can lead to a logical conclusion that all truly is possible and always happening and that what we are experiencing is just one X out of many that are out there.

From my upcoming book “The Pure White Essence”.
Reduce Your Fire Risk With Vaping
By: E-Liquids Uk
Tags: Vaping, E Liquid, Fire, Smoking, E Cigarettes

The Dorset Fire Service has highlighted the importance of switching from smoking to reduce the number of cigarette-related home fires.

The Dorset Fire Service has highlighted the importance of switching from smoking to reduce the number of cigarette-related home fires. Their advice is backed up by the frequent directions from the pro-vaping London Fire Service that noticed a dramatic drop in call outs as people switched to using electronic cigarettes.

What is the Dorset Fire Service want people to do?

It is urging all smokers to bin their tobacco habit as it is a “ top factor “ in fatal home fire incidents.

What does its spokesperson say?

The Dorset Fire Service’s spokesperson commented: “ Smoking-related materials have been the top factor in fatal fires for many years. The best way to prevent such fires is to stop smoking. If you’re caring for someone who smokes — start by encouraging them to quit.

“Also, make sure you or others have working smoke alarms fitted in the home and be sure to test them regularly. If the person you care for has a personal alarm system, is it linked to the smoke alarms? This can be arranged for additional safety.”

How does this relate to other fire services?

Back in 2014, fire prevention officers were noting that vaping was having a dramatic impact on incident rates. In their report “Fire statistics Great Britain 2011 to 2012” they noted that there were 2,673 accidental fires caused by smoking. This resulted in a death rate of 84 smokers per year.

Vaping was booming, it was approximated that there were 2.1 million e-cigarette users. There were just 57 accidental fires caused and a single death so the benefit of smokers switching was obvious.

Cheshire Fire Service advocated switching in 2017 and gave smokers the following advice:

The following year, London’s Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety Dan Daly said: “ So many [of these] deaths and injuries could have been prevented either by stopping smoking or by switching to vaping. We would rather people didn’t smoke at all but if they do, vaping is a safer option.”

Daly continued: “ There is a common misconception that vapes are a fire risk but the reality is they have caused a very small number of fires — normally because the device is broken or it’s being charged by a faulty charger. Smoking on the other hand is a killer. Common causes of smoking-related fires are people falling asleep while smoking or discarding cigarette butts or matches that have not been properly extinguished.”

The London Fire Service added: “ For smokers who aren’t ready to quit yet, e-cigarettes (vapes) are a better option from a fire safety perspective. Dropping a vape on a carpet, duvet or armchair won’t start a fire. So, if quitting completely isn’t on the cards, it’s a simple swap that can save lives.”
The Importance Of Fire
By: Viren Goundrie
Tags: Childhood, Rural Living, Fire

Fire elemental

To keep the family fed fire was required. To keep our family clean also required fire, another one. My sister, just up the river had a fancy country stove heated the oven, cook top and provided hot water at the same time . Our stove did not have this capability.

In a piece of bush plumbing ingenuity my dad rigged up a solution. A 44 gallon drum was placed on top of a fire pit. The water from our tank fed directly into the drum. On the other side a plastic pipe ran to our shower.

The shower was positioned on the south-eastern corner of the house. The structure was made from a mixture of bamboo lengths and thin lattice boards that criss-crossed each other. The whole thing was just strong enough to hold up the plastic piping that fed into shower head.

The key to having a shower in water that was a bearable temperature required perfect timing, a fine art perfected over many years. Too early the water would not be hot enough. A luke warm splattering did not give the requisite scrubbing capability required to remove the dirt and grime from from our bushy life.

If you waited too long and the fire under the 44 was truly raging there was a good chance that the water would boil. Water at or close to 100 degrees is not ideal for bathing in. Also at that temperature the water pretty much refused to make it to the shower head. The black pipe would shudder, shake, groan and spit like some mad tortured serpent refusing to give up its intestinal load.
4 Mistakes That Delay Your Financial Independence
By: Paulo A. José
Tags: Finance, Financial Planning, Fire, Money, Freedom

4 Mistakes That Delay Your Financial Independence

When you decide to work toward achieving your financial independence, some mistakes can cost you more than others, and that can set your goals back by several years!

After a few years of making all kinds of mistakes, I was able to compile a list specific to personal finance. Without unnecessary suspense, here are my findings:

Mistake #1: Not to accumulate precautionary savings

A preventive saving is like a high-speed internet connection; you only realize its value when you don’t have it. Not having preventive savings means that you are at the mercy of all of life’s contingencies, and any obstacle will hurt your financial outlook.

Planning to go on vacation this summer? Oops, your computer crashed, containing all your data! We’ll have to pick up the tickets and say goodbye to vacation (my condolences if it’s a MacBook) …

Job loss, unforeseen taxes, repairs to be done on your car, medical problems not covered, etc. The things that can occur are impossible to count; there will be problems that will require a lot of money to fix, so be prepared.

Scenario: An unforeseen event occurs that costs $2,000 to fix. What to do? Borrow from loved ones? Sell something you own?

Do yourself a favor and always have easy-access savings to be used only in case of unforeseen events. The amount to save depends on each individual’s level of paranoia. I advise you to have between 3 and 12 months of preventive savings.
California Legislature Allocates Billions for Wildfire Prevention and Climate Preparedness
By: Pacific Forest Trust
Tags: California, Fire, Climate Change, Climate Action, Wildfires

$24 million for other wildfire prevention and resilience purposes

$14 million to CalFire for Contract Counties to perform fuel reduction work

$10 million to CalFire for an interagency forest data hub

So What Comes Next?

This level of funding will help jump-start action, but it will need to be sustained at this level indefinitely in order to address the scale of the challenge. As part of this budget action, California is also committing to spend $200 million of climate funding annually through 2028. That’s a good baseline, but the state will need additional annual funding to maintain adequate momentum. The federal government (which controls roughly half of California’s land) will need to make similarly bold and sustained investment. We must keep building a workforce, the infrastructure to handle the material coming out of the forest, and to improve the planning and implementation of projects to be sure we’re getting to the most important places first and efficiently. And, we need to restore forest structure over large areas so we can use prescribed, cultural, and managed fire to maintain these more fire-resilient conditions over time.

These ambitious investments in ecological thinning to restore more natural forest structure will be most effective and have the greatest climate, fire, and biodiversity benefit if they are coupled with a long-term commitment to climate-smart and carbon-resilient management, such as with a working forest conservation easement that guides future management.

In addition to the wildfire package, the Legislature is committing $3.7 billion over three years for climate resilience, including $369 million in the current year. This 3-year commitment includes major investments in landscape conservation and restoration, coastal adaptation and preparation for sea level rise, mitigating extreme heat in urban areas through urban greening and ‘resilience centers’, and building community and regional climate resilience with both planning and implementation. Many of these investments and implementation efforts will be refined in future years, but the current action represents an impressive commitment to act on climate and meet the challenge.
A Hero Among Us
By: Gabe Kleinman
Tags: Public Service, Fire, Volunteering, Wildfires, Venture Capital

When I spoke to Kyle about his public service, he seemed only capable of gushing about everyone but himself. His wife, who is “supportive and proud, but nervous” about his volunteer firefighting. Robyn Burton, Deputy Chief of the Nicasio Volunteer Fire Department, whom he called “a total badass.” And his father. The Arkansas town in which Kyle’s father was born and raised — and in which he lived until he left the South — didn’t have a public works department, so his dad would spend weekends doing everything from painting swing sets to clearing brush in parks. That meant Kyle did, too.

“We were always doing volunteer work when I was growing up. It didn’t feel like volunteer work. It was just what you did.”

From his time helping organizations in St. Louis while attending graduate school to volunteering in Harlem while at Bridgewater Associates, this ethic has stayed with him ever since childhood.

It comes as no surprise that this drove Kyle to the position he is in today as a volunteer firefighter in Nicasio. And it wasn’t as easy as you might think.
Yes! Not only America is being killed by these sorts of rulers, why look at Russia and Brazil and…
By: Freestone Wilson
Tags: Drugs, Immigrants, New York City, Trump, Gangs

Yes! Not only America is being killed by these sorts of rulers, why look at Russia and Brazil and most other countries too!

Immigration. A new yorker once wrote that in the 1970s he rode a subway that became an elevated, out further along the line. the subways cars were nearly empty. he could see whole blocks of apartment buildings with few people living in them. He gazed at empty sidewalks. new york looked to be dying.

About ten years later he rode the same train. the cars were *packed* with people! All of the apartment buildings looked full. He noted that each subway car looked to be a “united nations” as each person seemed to be from a different country. Yes, Immigrants. they com into the city to have a better life and they often work the jobs no one else wants. They power the city! As they move up the economic scale and move further out from city center, new waves of immigrants are supposed to come in from below to replace them. After all, *our* parents, grandparents, great grandparents probably arrived on a ship from somewhere! And…yes, the mafia came in with the Italians. People are afraid that the mexican gangs might move in if the wall is not there. but people do not know that there is an easy fix! Just stop buying from the drug dealers and the gangs! if the need vanishes, so will the gangs! bugs are attracted to rotten food. Call the exterminator if you wish to, but the roaches will just reappear. Clean up the house and poof, no more roaches!
Canada
Tags: Usamashaikh, Canada, Immigration, Immigrants

Canada

Canada

Imagine a country where life feels like a beautiful dream, where immigration isn’t a big problem, and where you are valued as an immigrant, that is Canada.

An immigrant-friendly country, Canada, is one of the safest countries that support immigrants which no other country does.

Canada has supported immigrants in numerous ways and types of immigrants and is great at providing them security, employment, and a high standard lifestyle.

Canada is one the richest countries in the world having the lowest unemployment level which is a major sign of the highest standard of living.

Furthermore, many laws benefit immigrants like protection laws, sponsoring their close family members, etc.

Universal healthcare is another reason to migrate to Canada because it provides free health care services.

Studying in this country has been made easy by many laws, acts, and programs for students which makes Canada a great choice for all types of immigrants.

Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometers, making it the world’s second-largest country by total area.

By: Usama Shaikh
PRESS RELEASE: EASYSHARE.AFRICA APPOINTS PRINCE UGO MIKE ENWEREM AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tags: Immigrants, Remittances, Share, Blockchain, Cryptonews

PRESS RELEASE: EASYSHARE.AFRICA APPOINTS PRINCE UGO MIKE ENWEREM AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Easyshareafrica Jun 8·2 min read

Easyshare.Africa Executive Director, Marketing and Business Development

EasyShare; a fast, reliable, and super affordable way to send and receive money to anyone in Africa using crypto, has announced Prince Ugo Mike Enwerem, as its Executive Director; Business Development and Marketing.

Prince Ugo is a skilled professional with over 13 years of executive leadership with a prime focus on business development, foreign partnerships, and asset generation. Prince brings vast expertise from the fintech sector participating in the development and deployment of Tradermoni, the largest microcredit scheme in Africa.

His multi-disciplinary background and solutions orientated approach through design thinking has allowed him to craft and maintain sustainable, integrated strategies across foreign development disciplines for past and recent clients. He is a valued member of the team with impressive communication skills and fluency in 5 languages. Prince Ugo has worked across multiple sectors including Fintech, Oil & Gas, Aviation, Hospitality, Entertainment, Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Infrastructure and Development. His exposure which transcends from the Main Street to Wall Street, coupled with his passion brings a novel approach to the industry.

Commenting on the appointment, Prince Ugo stated: “I believe in the future and that technology has a pivotal role to play in the future. One of the things that technology has given birth to is crypto and it can greatly supercharge the remittance and international development space. Immigrants for instance can send remittances safely, securely and seamlessly round the clock. The entire Easyshare ecosystem also makes it easy for a lay man to be on-boarded to crypto and understand what it is anywhere they are in the world”

Ben Onuoha, Co-founder and Head of Partnerships & Community at EasyShare.Africa expressed his excitement at welcoming “The Crypto Prince”, — as he is fondly called — to the team. He said “Ugo is someone whose vision, passion, work ethic, team spirit and international blend/network inspires me and many others across Africa and the globe. We’re excited to welcome him onboard to lead our Business Development and Marketing efforts.”

Contact — hello@easyshare.africa.

For more updates and information,

Visit our website: https://www.easyshare.africa/

Token: https://token.easyshare.africa/

Help: https://help.easyshare.africa

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/easyshareafrica

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/easyshareafrica

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/easyshareafrica

Telegram Group: https://t.me/easyshareafricacommunity
Sometimes, Letting Go Means You Love Yourself More Than You Love Them
By: Thought Catalog
Tags: Self, Letting Go, Healing, Love, Self Love

By Holly Riordan

Letting go doesn’t mean you don’t love them. It doesn’t mean that you don’t value the time you’ve spent together or the memories you’ve made. Sometimes, letting go simply means that you love yourself more than you love them. It means you’re putting your health, your happiness, and your sanity before anyone else’s. It means you’re deciding you’re important, too. It means you’re actually putting in the effort to treat yourself as a priority.

If you’re the type of person who is always giving, who is always putting other people first, it can be difficult to shift your thinking. It can be a challenge to choose yourself over everyone else. But you have to remember, following the best path for yourself doesn’t make you selfish. It doesn’t make you a horrible person. It actually makes you a better person because it means you’re dedicated to growing, to evolving, to becoming the best version of yourself.

You should be proud of yourself for letting go instead of clinging to a relationship that isn’t working.

You should be proud of the fact you’re able to see the beauty in an experience while recognizing it is only temporary.

You should be proud of yourself for doing what is right over what is easy, because most people would choose differently.

It’s important to give up the idea that letting go means you’ve failed, because that is far from the truth. If you’re happier after letting go, you haven’t failed. If you can breathe easier, you haven’t failed. If you’re confident in your decision, you haven’t failed.

Figuring out the best move for yourself and making it, even though it’s scary, even though it’s going to make your life more complicated, even though you might get judged — that means you’ve succeeded. It means you’re doing well for yourself.

Sometimes, letting go means you love yourself more than you love the idea of a relationship. It means that you are more interested in finding real, genuine happiness than you are in pretending a relationship is working when you’re clearly not meant for each other. It means you don’t care about a relationship status more than your actual mood, because you understand it has absolutely no correlation to your success or fulfillment as a person.

Sometimes, letting go means you’re brave enough to be honest with yourself. It means you’re wise enough to see when something isn’t working.

You shouldn’t fight for a relationship that has clearly run its course. You shouldn’t try to fix something that is supposed to be over. Sometimes, letting go is your best option because it gives you a fresh start. It gives you a chance to move on. It gives you a chance to become your best self.

You need to stop thinking of letting go as a bad thing, as a failure, as a problem you never should’ve had to face, because sometimes it’s your best course forward. Sometimes it’s exactly what you need to do to reach your fullest potential. Sometimes, it’s a beautiful thing.
Don’t spread yourself too thin
By: Kachi Eloka
Tags: Mental Health, Letting Go, Personal Journeys, Personal Growth, Self-awareness

Don’t spread yourself too thin

Adwoa Aboah for i-D

We can’t do everything and do them well. So, why do we pride ourselves on the ability to multitask, to the detriment of our mental and physical health? Why do we attempt to do the most, forgetting the limits of our mind and body?

Sure, to an extent and in some aspects of life, it is entirely possible to juggle more than one thing simultaneously without losing balance. However, I think it is unsustainable to aspire towards being great at multitasking because, despite the fact that people openly and generally celebrate those who seem capable of doing it all, we must pause every once in a while to ask ourselves;

“How’s my heart?” “How’s my mind?” “Is my soul still connected to this?”

Some things will come to us that aren’t meant to be infinite. We must allow them to run their course and then let them go so that we can embrace whatever is meant to come next.

The mistake we make is that we fear that letting one thing go means that we have failed at being able to properly nurture or manage it. We are tempted to tell ourselves that we are capable of carrying it on along with everything else that comes after. But what ends up happening is that we become heavily weighed down by all the baggage we should have let go of in the first place. (Baggage in this context by the way, is not necessairly negative. It simply refers to any load that is no longer essential for us to carry.)

I think if we listen to our heart, we’ll know exactly when something is due for release, but instead, we listen to the voices of everyone else telling us to keep pushing. Promising that it will all be worth it in the end.

If your heart tells you to push, to hold on or to keep nurturing and you feel a strong conviction to do that, then, by all means, push, hold on and keep nurturing.

But if your heart tells you it’s time to let go, please, listen to it.
Trust
By: Soy Metaforica
Tags: Happiness, A Feeling Of Forgiveness, Trust Life, Letting Go, Mindset

It is in fact easier said than done. Since I’ve quit to the possibility of speaking for someone other than myself, I’ll express my thoughts on this in first person.

I had experienced years ago the sweet taste of sailing through any wave that would come my way. I don’t remember deciding to live that way, it just happened.

It was really in the moments where I wasn’t trying that I remembered life feeling comfortable enough to join me and explain what I couldn’t understand because of my limited experience on this planet.

My wants were very vast and that made me an attractive playmate for life. I would hold these “wants” in my hands, look at them, play with them and just leave them on soils of faith. I didn’t know I was doing this, but I was in fact trusting life.

I’ve been told by my father that years bring wisdom. I believe this is half true. Sometimes, the younger me teaches me things that I need to be reminded of today.

The last couple of years I had been holding on to the idea that happiness in my life had a certain shape. And I got frustrated because that shape was different from the one I had today.

I was stuck in my own limited ideas where not only I wasn’t getting what I wanted but that my options of happiness were very limited.

This past year, I’ve been letting myself feel it all. Trying new things, which led to things that I liked and experiences that taught me what I didn’t. And I’ve been embracing one of my favorite keepers of freedom: “I don’t know”.

It’s like that feeling of relief, when you finally decide to be honest to your parents and tell them that: “Yes, I was the one that stole your cigarettes”. And now I remember why telling the truth feels this good. Right next to that truth comes the power of acceptance.

Maybe that’s why these famous “mistakes” exist to begin with. They teach us to accept what they hold, letting go and most importantly to move forward with ease.

Today I’m completely ok feeling imperfect, knowing that I did the best that I could with the tools that I had access to then.

Today I’m enjoying of the sweet “I don’t know” vacations and that doesn’t mean to stop trying. It implies to trust that all those curious and random exploration quests are silently leading to some place grand.
Preparation for life is a myth
By: Pritika Guha
Tags: Letting Go Of Control, Preparing For The Future, Control, Letting Go, Preparation

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always contact your qualified health provider before implementing or modifying any personal growth or wellness program or technique, and with any questions about your well-being.

Ever wondered what will happen if you perfectly prepared for your exam on clinical psychology and the question paper was based on social psychology, some people will still write on the topic which they have already prepared, rather than going with the flow and taking the time to think and change their direction.

I am someone just like that. I pre-prepare for life, and then get decisive about the outcome. No matter, just how many life skills one acquires, we can never truly be fully equipped to handle life or to control it and predict it’s every move. There will always be things beyond our control.

My tryst with control began early in life, when things didn’t happen exactly the way they were supposed to be. I started controlling the outcome to be in complete control, to be in the driver’s seat of my life, my determination and tunnel focus was my virtue, until it wasn’t.

Slowly, life has been trying to teach me (not like a strict teacher, but rather like a benevolent teacher who wants its children to thrive) that I need to let it go. I have to let go of the control.

I cannot pre-plan life’s every move, only to be shocked when it changes its course.

There is only one way to live life that is to realise that there are multiple ways of reaching any destination or goal.

Live your life, be open to multiple possibilities and when life throws you an unexpected curveball, rather than breaking, and be bendable.

Sometimes letting go is a bigger virtue than holding on, and knowing the difference between when to give up and when to continue is the wisest.

As a teacher, I sometimes come across students who have already prepared for a particular topic, when I change the question, some of them get disappointed and still write about what they had previously prepared, but this is also a challenge for them, few of them are truly able to succeed in this challenge, they understand the question and quickly adapt to the changing circumstances. Those students earn a special place in my heart, irrespective of whether they get full marks in that exam or not (that is clearly not the point), those students never really get appreciated enough, today, if you are reading it and feel that you were never appreciated for letting go of a situation not meant for you, this blog post is dedicated to people like you, you did a great job!
Stop Carrying The World On Your Shoulders
By: Isra Alaradi
Tags: Living, Life, Letting Go

Stop Carrying The World On Your Shoulders

Photo by Gong TY on Unsplash

Find your purpose in life. Your raison d’être.

Seek it.

Let go of everything else.

You cannot save the world.

Yes it’s hard to hear but it’s also a relief.

You’ll find comfort in knowing that you can save yourself, instead.

I refuse to believe the world is doomed and collapsing.

That people are either purely evil or not at all.

We are species put on this earth for God knows what reasons.

What is going on in the world, it is not yours to keep.

It doesn’t belong to you.

The pain isn’t yours.

Even though it hurts.

Yes we can all improve as mankind.

But first and foremost, it is you who must improve on your own.

If we all improve, by just a little bit, we will inhabit a safer world.

But it starts with you. It always does.

You worry a lot.

And it steals you away from the here and now.

From the little things that may cause you to smile.

Phone calls from your grandma.

The warm sun settling on your skin.

From ordinary life.

Life will never be perfect.

It will never be still.

Evil will never cease to exist.

Just like good will never stop lighting your life, even if it’s just with glimpses at a time.

Stop carrying the world on your shoulders.

Seek stillness.

Comfort.

Love.

Inspiration.

Purpose.

God.

Once you do, you will be abundant and have so much to give back.

This is the real cycle of life.
— the art of letting go.
By: Nabila Radintya Cahya
Tags: Self Care, Letting Go, Healing, Peace Of Mind, Moving On

it’s a process.

Photo by Yuvraj Singh on Unsplash

the ability and willingness to let go is an art by itself. it is an act that one must practice in order to master. yet sometimes, we experienced some sort of struggle and therefore are faced with a conflict; to let go or to hold on?

though by practicing, it does not generally mean that one must experience hardships and longings repeatedly. for letting go and allowing yourselves to heal is a completely different act than just giving in to the condition and surrender to it.

we all had to let go of something or someone at some point in our lives, be it a special someone or just moving out of our childhood homes. we are sometimes faced with disappointment and despair, reluctant to see it as an opportunity. rather than dwelling on the “what used to be” and holding onto the past as if it had everything we ever wanted and more, we ought to keep on turning the pages to uncover something of the state of the art.

we are constantly ending chapters to move on to the next one, all the way to the finish line.
The unbearable lightness of… letting go
By: Maryann Thomas
Tags: Forgiveness, Letting Go, Musings, Philosophy, Thoughts

Photo by Luca Upper on Unsplash

Let it go

I was once told,

By a well-meaning person, or two.

However,

Learning to let go

It can take years.

For it takes a special kind of courage,

Doesn’t it?

Letting go can be an accidental occurrence,

It can be unknowingly practised,

Or a deliberate attempt at forgiveness

It can come at the end of a prolonged period of trauma

Or appear over years of acquired wisdom.

But usually,

It simply happens

When you’re ready.

Let go, they said:

Of your disappointment when life and people fail you

Of the burden of perfection

Of the need to be right, or to be perceived as right.

Let go

Of guilty past lives, of memories that still hurt

Of failed romances, of friendships that have run their course

Let go

Of suffocating expectations from anyone

Who make you live a false version of yourself

Let go

Of trying too hard to be liked, applauded, or talked about

Of giving up too much to be worthy of the one you love

Let go

Of intrusive thoughts that badger your self-worth

Of inexplicable fears that haunt you in the dark.

Let go

Of what might have been,

Of pursuing misguided fantasies and alternate lives better-lived

Let go

Of a 1000 nagging little regrets,

Of the sharp sting of failure and the slow burn of betrayal

Let go

Of the things that don’t sit well in your spirit

And bother you as you walk the lonely road of life’s night.

Well.

As if it’s that easy,

To let go.

But,

When you finally do,

You’ll finally find the joy of weightlessness.
The old us
Tags: Poetry, Father And Daughter, Fatherhood, Letting Go, Fall

Sitting on these leather seats,

Willing the car to hasten and the route to shrink.

When did the silences between us become so thick?

As if to suffocate us while we drive

Until all that is left is a singular thought,

Ricocheting between our two still bodies

Do you remember the old us?



Standing against the bar tabletop,

Willing the scotch to go down smoother than our last words.

When did the drinks we share become so bitter?

As if to mimic the conversations we now have

Like hard spirits that burn to swallow,

But also make it easier to let go

Do you remember the old us?



Reaching for the shelf of breakfast bowls,

Willing one to topple and fall into a waiting hand.

When did requesting assistance become so arduous?

As if honeyed oats that once sweetened our mornings

Can no longer remedy our now tasteless routines,

Of retracing steps from too many yesterdays

Do you remember the old us?

Eating in the same dining room,

Willing our phones to vibrate and provide some escape.

When did our home of two begin to feel so crowded?

As if our limbs are connected to the same string

So that we become caught in invisible tangles,

Leaving us stationary and stranded together

Do you remember the old us?



Turning the volume dial of our speakers,

Willing the music that bleeds out to erase our solitude.

When did choosing each other begin to feel so wrong?

As if enough time spent denying each other’s presence

Can replace our shared need for closure,

And return us to the people we used to be

Do you remember the old us?
Keep only what gives you joy; Get rid of everything else!
By: Helene Roberts
Tags: Letting Go, Reflections, Personal Development, Mindfulness, Cleansing

Keep only what gives you joy; Get rid of everything else!

Image by Victoria_Borodinova from Pixabay

I did not see this one coming!

The Netflix production with cleaning guru Marie Kondo is not necessarily my cup of tea. BUT she got one thing so damn right!

Her signature method is called the Marie Kondo method and goes something like this; Get rid of everything that doesn’t give you joy.

How simple and clever isn’t that? Hands up, how many of us live our lives by the ‘’get rid of everything that doesn’t give you joy’’ rule? No one I know anyway.

Reflection

Surely you can’t get rid of your mother-in-law if she doesn’t give you joy. It’s illegal. But the Jamie Oliver cookbooks from 2005 have probably served their purpose. The same applies to your old T-shirts that smell of B.O. even when they are straight from the wash. I know you kept a few of them out of sentiment.

You see where I’m heading, and now your wheelhouse is going wild, making long lists of all the precious junk you should send off to charity or bury in the bin.

And while you’re at it. Why not try to cleanse all the rubbish in your head? Say goodbye to the crazy mind-chatter that doesn’t bring anything but cold sweat and nightmares.

Clean out rubbish thinking and dump the whole shebang in a big imaginary container? Sort of how Danny Torrance learned from Dick Halloran how to trap the evil spirits from The Overlook in ‘’boxes’’. (by the way, The Shining sequel, Doctor Sleep, is a great read).

Image by Here and now from Pixabay

Thank you, Marie, for your wisdom

I hope she’s alright with my take on her method…

Keep what brings you joy.

Get rid of the old B.O. concert T-shirts.

Flush out the poopy thoughts running amok in your head. Shit is supposed to run in the sewer system, not in your brains.

A neat house also equals neat thinking.

Seriously, The Marie Kondo signature sentence will stick with me to the end of the day. And by next week, I’ll probably have forgotten where the ‘’get rid of everything that doesn’t bring you joy comes from’’. Two weeks from now, I’ll be convinced I came up with the concept myself.
Smile Sleigh: Our Christmas 2021 Wish List
By: Sophie East
Tags: Women, Domestic Violence, Giving, Christmas Gifts, Donations

Okay, so it might be months until Christmas, but at Smile Sleigh we like to be prepared! And that means our Christmas collection is OPEN.

Who we’re collecting Christmas presents for

We’re collecting gifts for women and children aged 0–18, all of whom have had their lives impacted by domestic abuse. They are either staying in refuges having escaped dangerous situations at home, or they are rebuilding their lives with the help of domestic abuse outreach services.

At Smile Sleigh – you can find out more about us here – we aim to bring them some joy at Christmas and take the pressure off having to think about presents for their children. They arrive at the refuge with nothing and they are not able to work while staying there. This means they have no way of getting any gifts for their children. And that’s where you come in…

How you can help

Donating a gift for a child or mum (or both!) makes SUCH a difference. If this is something, you’re able to do, we’ve included our wish list below. You can email me on info@sophieeast.co.uk for details of our donation points.

Our wish list

For children…

Any new toys or books that you think a child would love! (We can’t accept second-hand toys or books unfortunately).

For teenagers…

Vouchers would be especially welcome for this age range. They are often forgotten about and we’d love to give each and every one of them a gift this year.

For women…

Anything cosy or pampering that’s just for them. Popular gifts in the past have included:

Blankets

Socks

Scarfs

Gloves

Hats

Diffusers

Brand new / boxed toiletries

Chocolates or biscuits

Unfortunately we can’t accept any candles or alcohol.

We would also welcome bigger toys and games for the refuges play areas / communal living spaces.

You can find out more about Smile Sleigh, who we are and what we do here.

Thank you for reading, and for your support! And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates.