fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Starbucks is Not Your Home
By: Lydia Sviatoslavsky
Tags: Corporate Culture, Starbucks, Gentrification, Loneliness, Coffee

Starbucks is Not Your Home

Sickened by the whine of the latest pop culture commodities, and spooked by the mechanical scripts of corporate serfs, we yearn for the aging coffee shacks of yore, the ones that were only grotesque in their literality.

Of course, the sterilized designer dens bred by the relentless creep of gentrification provide no relief for those with conscience and minimal means. An attempt to assimilate within the grips of such high brow hipsterism would likely only mean sweaty pits and a broke bank. So where’s a scummy cynic to rot?

Like a scorned lover, I turned towards the unfamiliar arms of another: The Doughnut Shoppe.

Once an affair I had engaged in only in passing, The Doughnut Shoppe became my primary refuge. I was enamored. The listless air. The piss-colored plastic seating. The aimless collection of disgruntled ghouls. The fly-encircled dough rings, speckled with sprinkles, cream, and the gleam of glaze. In short, the integrity of filth!

I was relieved to find that I was not regarded as a ‘valued customer,’ nor the Other to be served, but rather a fellow dame with dark under-eye circles and a waning will to operate as prescribed, a partner in general wariness and shallow pockets.

Just as the most righteous of lovers are willing to rendezvous at all hours, The Doughnut Shoppe was open day and night, a stoic witness of social castaways seeking warmth. Hence, I dunked my woes in dough and drifted, sifted, and pored over the purpled prison of a solitude in flux. I marveled at the mysterious stains on the ceiling, imagining an epic brawl involving infidelity and an airborne coffeepot, flung in fury. I smirked at this conjured scene. Thought: “I am familiar with deception.”

I am familiar with deception. Deception in love, sure, but also at large. Which brings me back to the dwindling vitality of our local coffee haunts, reduced to mirth by the monied swipes of the merciless, seeking to sanitize, dignify.

Huh.

Well, I say: Fuck that shit.

Resist their corporate gloss, their dollar dew. Worship the crust of a deep fried doughnut, the silt of a watery cup of joe. Ditch the plasticized preening of pretty uniformity in favor of loners, of losers.

And remember, Starbucks is not your home.
Cultural and Personal Identity in the Corporate World
Tags: Corporate Team Building, Corporate Culture, Communication, Culture, Corporate

Cultural and personal identity go hand in hand. Every person is shaped, at least to some degree by that from which they came. The way we see the world, our experience with family, the way we relate to our friends, the way we carry ourselves in public and in private, the values we hold most dear to us…all of this has a root in our culture and environment. The need to belong and feel as if we are a part of something bigger and greater than ourselves is a basic need. Culture, in many ways, helps us achieve that. From culture, we see so many of us function in similar ways, have similar values, have similar holidays and traditions. Culture also affects how we think, how we build relationships, and how we view and spend money, even how we view ourselves in the world. This extends into the workplace and our professional environments. It’s important within a team that every person feels seen and heard, and that communication and respect between parties are equal. This is why setting a company culture is extremely important. The company culture serves as a unifying agent between people who come from all different lives, and cultures. The culture of a company leads the way and sets the standard for the way employees, act, feel, engage, and work within its boundaries. In the same way, culture serves to unite us and bind our similarities, culture can adversely affect our ability to bond if we don’t remain aware of perspective. Sometimes, people identify so strongly with one group or culture it affects their ability to form unbiased opinions. Without perspective and the ability to look into another culture, looking for where we are alike, culture can cause conflict and lack of communication. This is why it is so important to stay open and keep a growth mindset, taking the time to teach someone about your culture, and openly learn about another creates an opportunity to see and understand more than what your limited perspective can give. I hope to see cultural celebration embraced and supportive company cultures in the ever-evolving corporate world.
Giving Tuesday: December 1, 2020
By: Amanda Reed
Tags: Journalism, Givingtuesday, Corporate Culture, Social Good, Corporate Giving

How We Honored Our Newsroom’s Milestone Anniversaries — and Others

The celebration continues as December arrives #CQRCallOverTheHill

This year, our company has been celebrating CQ and Roll Call’s historic 75th and 65th anniversaries, respectively.

On this Giving Tuesday — a global generosity movement marked by people doing good for each other however possible — what better way to commemorate the legacy of journalistic excellence than to highlight organizations committed to ensuring everyone’s voice is heard?

For the past seven decades, CQ and Roll Call have been trusted to deliver the right news, at the right time — to every congressional office, all three branches of government, the vast majority of the agencies, and thousands of organizations.

Continued progress toward effective reporting is dependent on ensuring diverse and equitable newsrooms.

In honor of our newsroom’s milestone anniversaries — and FiscalNote’s ongoing mission to facilitate access to clear and relevant information through technology — #GivingTuesday donations have been made to the following organizations:

These groups provide critically important programming and support, including: general job and media training, job access, scholarships, fellowships, COVID-19 relief, leadership development, and more.

We encourage you to join us in buoying your social cause(s) of choice on this Giving Tuesday, whether it’s donating funds and supplies, performing acts of kindness, showing gratitude to frontline workers, sparking advocacy campaigns, or promoting equitable practices.

In need of some inspiration? Read about some of FiscalNote’s community partners — and our annual impact day — here.

Learn more about Giving Tuesday’s genesis here.

Join our virtual celebration of seven decades of CQ and Roll Call’s trusted, authoritative, and award-winning journalism on December 15. Register here.
Gender Equality
Tags: Feminism, World, Politics, Corporate Culture, Gender Equality

This is my view on gender equality as I strongly believe it is a super important issue. When we look at the global movements all around the world, at the epicentre it is gender equality.

My hope is that all women in the world go through life and be given fair chances and not be discriminated. All woman should get an equal opportunity, and I think there is still a lot of work to be done for this to happen.

In my life, I have tried to make sure that gender equality is an issue that in my small way I find a way to level the playing ground.

Businesses succeed because of diverse thinking, and you are not going to get diverse thinking just by having men only in the room, actually, this will just diminish the value of the team.

What I find to be interesting is that when you look at Covid-19 and which countries are doing well, the countries that are managing the covid-19 virus spread are led by women. If you look at Newzealand, Finland, and Germany, compared to most other countries, they managed to deal with the spread of covid-19 better compared to other countries and these are countries led by women.

The issue of gender equality is a societal issue; it is not a conversation that woman should only be having. It is a conversation that affects us all. All of us build the economy, all of us participate in the economy, and therefore all of us should be part of the solution of ensuring equality. In every arena, we should have equality and all of us should be part of that solution.

We are starting to see a series of women leaders in business as well as in the government and I think things can only get better from here.
TCS and PA Join Forces to Uplift Vulnerable Communities in Singapore Affected by Covid-19
By: Charlene Lee
Tags: Csr, Singapore, Charity, Corporate Culture, Donations

Through Donations Pledged by Tata Consultancy Services and its Employees, the TCS-PA Empowerment Fund will Provide Education, Upskilling and Reskilling Opportunities for Individuals Impacted by the Pandemic

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organisation, has partnered with the People’s Association (PA), to establish a TCS-PA Empowerment Fund to alleviate Covid-19’s impact on vulnerable communities in Singapore. The fund will be used to provide affected individuals with education, upskilling and reskilling opportunities during these challenging times. A total of close to S$70,000 was raised for the fund through an employee donation drive which was further matched dollar-for-dollar by TCS.

“TCS has been a long-standing partner of PA and we are happy to collaborate with TCS once again to provide relief to those affected by the pandemic. The TCS-PA Empowerment Fund marks the collective commitment of PA and TCS to build social capital and provide resources to help vulnerable residents and families identified through the work of PA’s Grassroots Organisations, especially during and after this challenging Covid-19 period. Such partnership is critical during this time of need to enact real change in the community,” said Lim Hock Yu, Chief Executive Director, PA.

“We are dedicated to giving back to the communities that we operate in and are great believers of the positive impact of empowerment,” said Girish Ramachandran, Head, TCS Asia Pacific. “We hope the TCS-PA fund will help provide financial stability and certainty to the beneficiaries and their families. These are unprecedented times and I have no doubt we will all emerge stronger from the pandemic.”

TCS and PA partnered in 2019 to work towards the development of an Innovation Think-Tank that leverages technology to benefit Singapore communities while supporting nation-building initiatives. The Innovation Think-Tank will enable PA to effectively identify and address challenges faced by the community and improve the lives of all Singapore residents.

TCS has been an active supporter of PA’s Project We Care initiatives, where companies give back to the community through resources, manpower and expertise.
Safeguard Integrity in reporting
By: Legal Proclivity
Tags: Csr, Corporate Governance, Corporate Culture, Equity, Civil Rights

It is one of the important formal and rigorous process that independently verify and safeguard the integrity of the corporate reporting.

What is corporate reporting?

Corporate reports comprise of Corporate Plan, Annual Report including the director report remuneration report, corporate governance statement, Financial report and regulation.

How one will verify the corporate report?

Corporate report can be verified by the three-process described below:

(a) Internal Audit: During reporting period the company implement additional internal control to ensure the integrity of corporate reporting system. The corporate report before release to public are verified by Management, Audit and Risk Management Commitee and lastly approved by the board. So, this process helps to ensure that:

i. Corporate reports are accurate

ii. Comprehensive

iii. Provide adequate information to shareholder to make informed decision.

(b) External Audit: Company appoint external auditor for auditing the financial statement as the compliance with the performance standards as per the law. The External auditor, attend the company AGM and available to answer question about the conduct of the audit.

(c) Declaration by the CFO and CEO: The CEO and CFO respectively provide assurance to the board in writing that the financial record of the entity has properly maintained and financial statement are true and fair.

Case Study of Kendallville Bank of USA:

The audit and risk management committee found out some problems in respect to corporate governance and they have pointed out the following points to ensure integrity in reporting:

separation of chairman and CEO duties at the top

election of an independent chair to lead the board of directors

skilled enhancement programmes for the directors

committee staffing with independent and skilled directors

introduction the nomination, remuneration and ethics committees

division of responsibilities between management and oversight function

regular evaluation of directors and executives by the board

enforcement and promotion of the code of conduct

introduction and oversight of safeguards for the external audit

awareness enhancement of whistleblower system in place and whistleblower protection

Other factors:

a) Policies: Regular reviews of the appropriateness of accounting policies, internal controls and key risks will enhance confidence as will a well-resourced internal audit function and disciplinary procedures for misleading reporting.

b) Information: Accounting policies should be kept up to date and clearly documented and it will be helpful to share to the fullest extent possible lessons learned, for example as a result of internal audit work or reporting lapses.

c) Culture: Appraisal and reward systems should encourage high quality reporting rather than exerting pressure to ‘make the numbers’.
8 Lessons Learned From Training 500 Unfit Corporate Managers
By: Chris Davidson
Tags: Fitness, Corporate Culture, Weight Loss, Time Management, Wellness

8 Lessons Learned From Training 500 Unfit Corporate Managers

How to balance the demands of the business world with your body’s demands to not be a mess. Chris Davidson Follow Nov 25, 2020 · 10 min read

Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash

As a gym owner and trainer in his mid-40s, I tend to attract clients around my age group. No bright, perky 20-somethings want to feel like their Dad is coaching them.

So my clients are primarily out-of-shape parents, corporate managers and doctors/lawyers. Fortunately for me, I love working with all three groups, having been the first two myself, and loving to pick the brains of the third group.

When I finally got around to doing some admin last month I realised that more than half the over 1000 clients I have trained over the years have been those in corporate jobs, and I have come to understand their plight particularly well.

So if you have a job that is desk-bound most of the day, involving a bajillion calls (by Zoom these days probably), juggling deadlines, eating at your desk, wanting to stay in shape but finding work gets in the way, I want to share with you the 8 lessons I have learned over 10 years of working with people just like you — so that maybe you can finally figure out how to excel not just at your day job, but also with being a fitter, healthier you.
Стратегии устойчивого развития компаний
By: Ixd Capital
Tags: Strategy, Corporate Culture, Sustainability, Impact Investing, Ixdcapital

As an impact investment evangelist IxD Capital effectively promotes new industrial and digital business models.
Ethnic Pay Gap on a Global Spectrum
By: Nailah Lovell
Tags: Racism, International, Corporate Culture, Culture, Economy

When the ethnic pay gap is mentioned, our minds immediately go to the United States. While it’s undeniable that ethnic groups suffer majorly due to unequal pay in comparison to their Caucasian counterparts in the US, unfortunately, many countries around the world show the same trends.

Research conducted by Runnymede Trust in April shows that the black community and other ethnic minorities suffer severe economic inequality in Britain. The inequality is stemmed from unfair and unequal availability to the housing market, which inevitably leads to the inability of creating any savings or homes and discontinues the notion of any position for generational wealth building.

The major cause of the stark looming economic disparity is caused by the pay gap between minorities and their Caucasian counterparts which has been going on for centuries.

The ethnic groups who suffer from the lowest employment rates and wages are Pakistani who earned less than 16.9% in comparison to Caucasian British, Bangladeshi who earned less than 20.2%, and Blacks who earned less than 9.2 percent.

Intolerance and accountability for these drastic discrepancies are being voiced by people and companies worldwide are being asked to release their data and figures to better analyze the gravity of the situation, keep track of which groups are targeted the most, how it impacts their life, create awareness about this situation and then take the necessary action to shrink this gap.

When factors such as education barriers and the levels of occupations are taken into consideration the level of a pay gap does narrow down. However, regardless of the striking difference between the gaps in wealth in different ethnicities are undeniable domestically and internationally.

by: Nailah L. Wright Follow me on Twitter or Instagram. Check out my website.
925
By: Nathan Marshall
Tags: Corporate Culture, Avant Garde, Existentialism, Stasis, Horror

Julie stood up and walked away from her cubicle. She’d had enough. This was over. She had already written a two-week notice. She held it tight in her hand. Her mind was ablaze as she walked to her manager’s office. This was the last time someone would talk to her like this. A thought began to creep into her mind that she would have to find a different job. “I’ll wait tables, I’ll stack boxes, I’ll sell shoes, anything but this”. She was courageous, bordering on reckless. She was also halfway to her manager’s office. Another thought began to creep into her mind. “You hated waiting tables. You hated stacking boxes. You hated selling shoes. You hate this job”. She was three-quarters of the way to her manager’s office. “Not right now,” she thought. She passed her manager’s office and pretended that she had to use the bathroom. She stood inside of the bathroom, plugged the sink’s drain with the contents of her purse, turned on the faucet, and submerged her head beneath the water. A custodian opened the door and watched in horror as —
it’s not what you do, it’s who you are
By: Precious Pioneer
Tags: Mindfulness, Corporate Culture, Occupation, Essentialism, Values

Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash

We are so much more.

At what point did we begin to tie our value, our worth, our identity into our occupation. Why is there so much value in that space?

We’re always in a rush. We always work extra hours. Pick up side projects. Measure our worth through productivity. Always on go, always in a rush. Trying to make it, trying to make more money. Trying to make it through the day. Stretching ourselves as thin as we can without completely snapping, but anymore pressure… we cut it so close.

Why?

Why, when set against odds of time are racing against us. Against tragic incidents, only then are we forced to see our lives with such clarity. We know then, where our value truly lies. When did we forget?

But, I think deep down we all know. So, maybe not forget. But, why do we still choose?

We work to make a living. At least that’s the idea.

An idea.

You are, we are so much more. We hold value in our hearts. Our minds. Our loved ones. We live this life for ourselves, but for others.

I don’t think we were meant to deteriorate under the thumb of corporate America. It’s hard to shine that way. There’s got to be a balance, somewhere.

Occupation doesn’t hold any true value. I think that anything worth valuing is intangible… maybe you agree, maybe you don’t. But, I think the truth is somewhere in between.

I think that the only time it matters is if your job is simply a vessel to do what your passion and heart drives you to do. To express your gift, your love, your genius to the world. If you’re lucky, you can live you life just like that.

Maybe just be more mindful of the life you’re trying to live. Show up for things that matter the most to you. Only you know what that is. But, if you don’t choose, someone else will for you.
Don’t idolise
By: Himanshu Yadav
Tags: Obsessions, Corporate Culture, Heroes, Guru, Solidarity

When Respect turns into Worship, things get messed up. This is, and always will be the rule of relationships. Not just romantic relationships, or blood relationships, but the ones where we actually thought we could learn from our idols.

You see someone, and you go through various stages. Recognition, Admiration, Love and then Respect. Recognition is when you observe a new entity amongst yourselves and realise that there is something about the person that makes you stand on your feet and strive to be higher than your normal selves. It is a selfless, motivated and ambitious step towards growth. Selfless because you have been inspired by the person’s aura, not your own greed. Then you start admiring them. Their work, their behaviour, their actions, empathy, persona and what not. You’re mesmerised, borderline obsessed. It’s when you look at a mentor/guru and wish to be like them. Act like them, talk like them, want to create an impact them. You look forward to seeing them and just be in their presence. Suddenly, you’re in love. In love with their work and ethics. This is the purest, the most ethereal form of love. You wish to instil in yourself the values that your Mentor/Guru preaches. You want to be their most obedient disciple. You want to be so perfect in your work just so that you can hear words of praise from them. Respect is something you always had for such a person. Because what is love without respect? And this respect is unhampered by outside circumstances. You deafen yourself against what other people say about the person. You start defending them, presenting their side of the story. And you’re actually not wrong in doing that either. After all, you’re in love. Also, the Mentor/Guru might themself may not even care about such opinions, which in turn makes you respect them even more.

But if you take one more step, and reach the idolisation stage, you’re doomed. Not because of something your Mentor/Guru did. But because you became Icarus and flew too close to the Sun. You begin observing things that would humanise them after a while. This would make you feel disappointed.

‘But you were not supposed to be like this Sir, I thought you were different.’

Did he promise such a thing? I believe he didn’t. At the end, he was just a human. Like you and I, made up of mistakes and characteristic intricacies.

The different thing about being Icarus in this scenario is that you get to learn from you mistake properly. Make new wings again for yourself and attempt another flight.

What do we do then? We learn. To never idolise. Recognise, Admire, Love and Respect. But never idolise. Remember what Harvey Dent said, ‘You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.’

So, we learn to not make someone our hero, because they eventually will not turn out to be what we thought they weren’t. And that’s fine. Heroes don’t exist on Earth, only Humans.
The GUARD AND THE CAVE .
Tags: Integration, Universe, Spirtuality, Love, Heart Intelligence

After all the gaurds up and heart kept in pocket ,

I walked down the path thinking I am doing it right .

Afterall it is my life and my path I need to be the master and leave it all behind .

Even what I felt right in deep inside my heart . I was neglecting it harshly .

Thinking I am listening to my heart ,

I was just walking on and on .

"Someday I ll reach to that divine destination and everything will be as perfect as it could be . "

This was what I was thinking for a long time !

Then one fine night 🌙 ..

My heart shouted loud and I had to listen !

It said , talk to the moon 🌙,

Talk to me .

I did that frightfully.

It said you're gonna get what you throw out .

I said I am throwing it all good .

Like good vibes and all ..

But then my heart laughed and said ..

This is where you've been falling in the pit darling!

You have to listen to your heart

Your feelings

Yourself.

Your truth .

Your home isn't far somewhere else .

Its just right inside of you . Infact its you .

Just don't mislead this connection .

Its a source to The Source .

Its The Home .

Its Your Home .

Do what makes you feel anything and everything .

Do not cut yourself out of the Universe.

Your in it to Feel it . To Be it . To Be here .

To Be Alive .

To Be the Life you are .

Its all meant to happen .

And you are meant to be Living this Life as a Living being ...

As a Complete Human Being.
STUBBORN HEART
By: Aswathy Ragesh
Tags: Universe, Life, Limitless Potential, Stubborn Heart, Flying

(StubbornHeart_ig@soul_light_vibes)

There are beautiful thoughts within all of us that know how amazing we truly are.

Sometimes, we do try to neglect that spark by prioritizing others opinions and thoughts. Well, that is not required at all. We all are different and unique just the way we are. This is the most important fact that we have to accept for ourselves.

Prioritize the voice of your heart and let it guide you in this awesome journey of life. This universe falls in love with a stubborn heart and it has already been in me, you, and all around us.

We would have to face failures, cry our heart out, be in the bitter dismay of depression…But all these don’t make any of us weak. They are temporary situations that only make us realize that a strong soul never had an easy past.

Accept those painful memories as you have become stronger while overcoming them. Be proud of who you have become. Have the courage to be who you truly are and you will be surprised in awe with all the abundances in your life.

Never ever give up on anything you truly dream of. Let it transform into your reality. Trust God. Listen to your heart. Be yourself and live your life to the fullest.

So, here I am sharing a short poem that was written while all these thoughts were gliding through my mind — “Stubborn Heart”.

These colourful dreams of my glowing days

glittering cheerfully with innocent smiles

I was never a fit in for the ones

who desperately tried to fit me in

why did you shut my colourful thoughts

caging me in bitter darkness of dismay

in vain I cried though nobody listened

scaring my visions with daring shadows

these scars are never my definition

those swollen eyes are now sparkling

I am the shining light in my darkness

now I dare to be who I truly am

accepting my flaws and painful memories

untieing the false opinions on fears

let me fly high with wisdom and courage

shining beyond this vast bold sky

listening to the desires of my stubborn heart

achieving great heights of abundances

redefining my limitless potential

free in soul and wild at heart

that’s who I truly am

~Aswathy Ragesh
Sitara is My Word
Tags: Universe, Poetry Prompt, Spirituality, Venus, Sanskrit

Poetry Prompt: A Personally Meaningful Non-English Word

Sitara is My Word

Photo by Sven Scheuermeier on Unsplash

Sitara is Sanskrit for “morning star;” and my lover-soul-partner’s universal name.

She calls me on and on

Iridescent soul

The girl has returned to Source

Allowed to visit not often or long enough for me

Realizing though that what is best for her and me is what shall be

Alas, I love her so

YG
Faith
By: Simran Kankas
Tags: Spiritual Tree, Universe, Spirituality, Faith, Self

Faith

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

In whatever circumstances you find yourselves,

don’t lose your faith in the universe and its creator.

Remember, they are always there with you.

The universe is always watching over you.
Success Simplified
By: Bhuvana Rajaram
Tags: Universe, Granular, Hardwork, Emotional Wellbeing, Goals2021

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The world chases success, like it or not. As a race, we are all fans of rags to riches stories, survival stories, bouncing back ones, reduced to penury suddenly and then fighting back to rise again like a phoenix and similar such. These are inspiring, surely, and as much as we say failure is part of success, we are stumped when we fail. And in this process of rising to stardom and success there are several milestones which we chose to call as: dedication, perseverance, faith, the cliched ‘hard work’, patience, learning and more synonyms. Needless to add, abundant theories are proffered in this space giving us formulas for success.

But what is it at the end of the day that takes you closer to where you want to be? What are those simple steps that you need to take to achieve your aspirations? The big theories and hefty words are good, certainly, but I wonder what to tell myself each day to keep me on the path of discovering success? It can be a wide plateau stretching in front of you, bewildering, and bemusing. Not knowing where to start. But think about these three nudges and see if these work for you, as I am trying to practice them:

Going very Granular:

Management lessons have always taught us to have a 5 year and 10-year road map, all very well. However, the pandemic has redefined such long-term visions to teach us the value of the now, today and tomorrow. Breaking down the large vision into a monthly, quarterly, H1/H2 with clear deliverables can be a starting point. The quarterly and the first and second half of the year can have bigger chunks to tackle but the dailies and monthly can be a set of specific tasks, with owners, timelines that will keep pushing you towards your goals. The daily is where it all begins, keeping track of yourself and steering clear of distractions and completing a set of realistic chores is the biggest advantage.

Unity with Universe:

It all begins and ends with you. Often enough we have heard that the Universe responds when you work sincerely and allow your dreams to take shape. Having complete belief in yourself, knowing that you are on the cusp of greatness and propelling yourself towards enabling that is fundamental. The Universe tunes into you only when you embrace success. Self-doubt, uncertainties, and fears must be faced and overcome. That baggage must shed, and newer behaviours of confidence, boldness, charisma, sophistication must be acquired consciously.

Emotions are Enemies:

Negative emotions can rock the apple cart. As human beings we are prone to allow our emotions to come in the way and disrupt the journey. It could hamper the progress and unwittingly burn bridges, and no success is possible with out a social network. So, acknowledge negative emotions, but replace them with another productive and creative action so that you circumvent it and not waste time on something that you cannot control.
Universe!!
By: Shrish Ukhalkar
Tags: Writing, Universe, Writer

Universe!!

Came a man from a foreign land,

With equipments wide and long,

Gathered the masses to show a world,

Where large, small, bright, white stars belong.

Amused were the common folks,

Living in the village dense,

For a stranger had visited them,

Promising joy immense.

One by one he made them look,

At a distance latent to the naked eye,

And to places the folks travelled,

Which in reality, seemed a impossible try.

Satisfied was the stranger,

On seeing their face glow,

But couldn't hide his dubiety,

As he saw a child in a near row.

"Don’t you want to see,

The world up there?" he asked!

"O dear stranger,

The Universe which you are showing,

I can see in my mothers eyes,

And it is a daily affair!"

Shrish!!
Desire
By: Iqra Sajjad
Tags: Universe, Art, Poetry, Spirituality, Poem

So I’ll wait my love

My soul is on fire

But even in its agony it is silent

But silence is so beautiful

For it speaks the loudest

Im here my love, in silence I

Whisper to the universe my desires

To bring you to me

And it heard me

I hope you can too.
Pressure
Tags: Universe, Fate, Poetry

You know that physical feeling

Where your heart sinks to your toes

Or it feels like

You’re standing face to face with a wall

That’s slowly moving in on you

And you’re trapped

You don’t know what’s happening

And therefore you don’t know how to fix it

You just feel hopeless and meaningless

And there’s nothing causing it

I don’t even know if I feel anymore

Because I force myself to be mad

When I feel like I should be mad

So have I actually ever felt it

This feeling is worse than anger or sadness

It feels like you’re in a room

All the air flows out

And the pressure of the room

Grows and grows

You’re being pushed and crushed

Inside of yourself

That’s what it feels like

There are so many things we can’t control

It’s all up to the universe

But when I know the universe is wrong

It feels like that hopeless feeling

Because the universe will never stop

And listen to you

It doesn’t care if you’re right or wrong

It will keep pushing its opinions on you

Until it makes them right

Because that’s the type of power it has

It’s so unfair

Because I don’t ask for a lot

But the one thing I ask for

The universe disagrees on me with

How can I just hand my life

To fate

And trust that everything will work out

When I don’t trust anything or anyone

It’s like you’re infinitely blindfolded

Walking towards your future

With no guarantee

That it’s going to be good
Becoming
By: Simran Kankas
Tags: Universe, Poetry, Spirituality, Life, Self

“I bathed in the river of a new beginning, my soul wore the saffron of the rising Sun and I was born all over again.” — Simran Kankas

When the wind met her that day

and saw the hurt in her eyes

It asked What is the matter dear

With all the sadness

You are hard to recognize

She said in a painful voice

I don’t like to be sad

But it seems I have no other choice

The universe loves me

But humans don’t

Do they see me as a bad person

Could you tell them I am not

The wind hugged her softly and said

You are the mirror of the universe

They see their own faces

when they look at you and believe

their reflection is the worst

She asked the wind

‘Does that mean

I will be alone forever’

She sighed as the wind felt cold

against her soft skin

It whispered in her ear

Don’t say that again, ever

The whole universe loves

When it sees you everyday

It keeps the darkness away

Teaches you to be the light

for others who come your way

Seeing her teary eyes

the wind cuddled her

Leaves began to stir

As she chuckled

The wind said to her

Cheer up

I can feel a convoy is coming

to stay with you forever

Hold the reins in your hands

You are going to be a part of something

It will be known as the ‘Becoming’
The Universe is Setting you up..
By: Ayana West
Tags: Personal Growth, Universe, Miracles, Spirituality, Manifestation

Believe in the Miracle that is your life.

In February, I wrote a note to myself and someone nestled in between hundreds of other words and sentences was “believe in the miracle that is your life.”

I love how we do little things like that for ourselves, just for a second we remember, we are not exactly sure what, but we remember. Our inner selves call out to us and say’s here, take this, feel this, learn that. Our higher selves try to leave us with breadcrumbs and hints so we can find our way back.

So much of the blueprint of what is to come, what has already happened, and why; is already within us it is just a matter of holding space for that authenticity to grow and introduce itself again. There comes a point in time when you have to realize that the miracle isn’t outside of you but it is you. We are not waiting for miracles, but instead, we are waiting for glimpses of our own truths to be reflected back to us.

I’ve spent the last 8 months of my life doing exactly this. I have held space for myself to create, manifest bigness, and allow myself to exist multi-dimensionally. It is less about the act of pushing yourself hard and more about knowing when to push. Over the past few months instead of holding on so hard to a vision, I just held space for it to reveal and transform itself. I backed up just enough from my version of reality to see the Universe working, and I responded accordingly.

I began to learn how to listen to the inner promptings of the universe and my higher self. Without question I walked into new parts of myself I did not know existed. I learned that it is so important to occasionally stop, pivot, and readjust because sometimes we are so focused on working towards our dreams we don’t realize when they’ve changed.

I have learned personally that through God, our Angels and through our higher self we are given parts of our mission here on earth starting at the smallest of levels, your plans and goals will grow as you evolve spiritually. Due to the pandemic I was not able to go to work and for once in my life, I was able to fully pour into myself spiritually and focus on doing more of what I loved. I started to feel this shift and I caught the Universe setting me up for blessings, and bringing me to a new season in my life.

When it came time for the push and I decided to not return to my job.

It’s insane looking back to a year ago when I was so unsure of what my next steps should be. Fast forward to now I’m stepping into opportunities and taking risks in favor of what I used to fear. I’m so excited to see what this next chapter holds and am so grateful to be able to give myself fully to my passions.

If you feel that you are being called to bigger and higher places allow yourself to be moved in favor of your purpose.

I promise that you too will begin to see the Universe setting you up.
Nothing new can be invented in this Universe — everything already exists. We can only discover its different aspects.
By: Human Cosmos
Tags: Universe, Mindfulness, Cosmos, Application, Practice

Nothing new can be invented in this Universe — everything already exists. We can only discover its different aspects.
Should I play The Lotto If I Am Already Winning?
By: Dexter Roona
Tags: Morality, Universe, Opportunity, Lotto, Morals Stories

I find myself currently needing a cash injection into my finances and have found myself playing the lotto but I am actually conflicted when I do this, let me explain more.

Should I play the Lotto if I am already winning — Image source

Yesterday

Yesterday’s Euro Lottery jackpot was £27 million so I purchased a ticket online and started to dream about what I would do if I won.

I wouldn’t be very extravagant, I am not the type.

A new car (something functional), pay the mortgage off, have the house extended and refurbished while we went on holiday while the work is done, we don’t want to move and help everyone we know.

We would just want to do the kind of things that most people would want to do.

But then I get these feelings, and question if I should be wanting to win.

Life is a lottery

Some people are lucky to be fit and healthy, others can be struck down with crippling diseases. There is really no reason, it just really comes down to how lucky you are with your genetics. It’s a question of fate.

I am lucky enough to be fit and healthy as are my friends and family.

When I sit down and look at everything in my life I am winning big.

You don’t get to pick and choose life’s cards, you just have to play the hand you are dealt with.

So if you are winning should you yearn for more?

If you are winning, would winning the lotto then upend the apple cart and change things, would you move to another path, one that you did not like or want?

Is it wrong to try to pick and choose how and what you win in life?

It kind of feels like if you are already lucky then asking for more is just a bit greedy.

To a degree I believe that the universe provides what you need, it seems that is the case for me, but is that true?

Is that true for the man sleeping on the street, what has the universe provided him?

What does the universe provide the homeless? — Image source

You create your own luck

“You create your own luck”

I suppose that is true to an extent. You can be in the right place at the right time, but it does really come down to how you take your opportunities.

Sometimes you can be so downtrodden that you can’t even see the opportunity in front of you.

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That is all for now. I would be great to hear what you all think about this.

And thanks in advance for any claps I receive!
Introduction — moving universes. my name is Cole, Cole Hectate and I was…
Tags: Universe, Heroes, Action, Planets, Si Fi

my name is Cole, Cole Hectate and I was born in a very different planetary system, one very different to what you call yours, I’m apart of the Hectarian species, or to my knowledge the very last of my own kind. Through all my troubles as a kid living in a planet full of crap, thugs that are all chocking with hogwash, my parents kept me safe throughout the galactic war.

Although my planet was at the brink of mass collapse my family sacrificed their lives to make sure I live in a planet full of mystery and wonder, the only memory I have of them is my gift that was carved from the blitzing chaos of Saturn, extracted from the biggest star with never ending energy and a drop of fragments in mercury, This gift is known as “runic blades”, one of the most valuable and by far the most dangerous weapons in the galaxy.

But there’s a catch, since it’s arguably the most wanted possession in the universe, every living thing from different dimensions, galaxies and universes are after these blades regardless that it could tear a hole in alternate realities. These things could come in many different shapes and sizes, but a particular short phrase said here in earth “the bigger they are, the harder they fall”.

My only priority is to protect my planet earth from these monsters that have every intention to invade and conquer this universe. In order to keep myself safe, the runic blades had to be locked up in the most deepest of all oceans where only a Hectarian could open the seal. So far, reports of dead bodies have been found in the south of Russia, where they haven't been mutilated, yet their souls have been sucked out of them and all you are left with is an ultra realistic ragdoll or a stuffed puppet. time to investigate….
Please Universe Make my Wishes come True
By: Kristin Berge
Tags: Manifestation, Money, Universe, Life

By Kristin Berge

Do you know the feeling of being completely stuck, not getting anywhere… it's like your feet have been buried in sand and covered with cement. That is how stuck I feel in this situation.

And the situation is money and the lack of it. I wonder how I got myself in this situation…how did it go that I suddenly have become like a beggar for my parents…laying on my knees, please please give me money I neeeeeed you. Oh how I dislike not having money…it`s not that I don't have any…just now I have got my salary, which I am so grateful for but it is not even close to sustaining my need of comfort.. like afford to pay for the car, and all its needs, food for the family is there, but what is life really is it just living and working from one salary to next?….. Help me please oH that is not the life I want to live.

I`m sure during these times there are so many of you that have joined writing here at Medium just to get an extra income…how is that plan going for you really? Bringing in the 1000 dollars checks? Oh, How I wish that the 1000 dollar checks would fill up my room so I could just be financially secure and life can move on…I need the magic wand, swing it twice, and there the money bag is…at least that how it feels at the moment.

There are many ways to make Magic, and I have tried. I have taken a writing course to better my copy, I have done 21 days of gratitude, I have said I`m so grateful for all what I have in my life and that money is flowing into my life with ease, I have changed my living room to create more feng shui flow and sooo many things more…but still I`m waiting for the blessings to flow with ease into my life. I have even joined a network business, selling cakes thinking of so many ideas just to get myself out of this rot.

Why is none of the things that I`m doing helping? Why am I still so stuck! I`m asking for assistance, please come and help me, I`m so tired, I need help. Help me to see what to do, what I am doing wrong, what type of adjustments that I need to do to better my life, to truly be abundant.

I need peace, Love, and money for a house, school, food, water, electricity, gas, fixing car, diaper, wipes, unexpected expenses, travel for fun and for going to Norway once a year at least, in all I need 6 000 000 Tanzanian shillings each month (about 3000 dollars). Please fulfill my request Universe, I pledge 10% for charity and helping others.

Wouldn't it be amazing that by sharing this with you it came true, that the Universe does listen and truly as Gabriella Bernstein says got your back!

What would you ask the universe for if you could ask anything? what would you pledge to do if it came true?

I am so Grateful for You taking your time to hear my cry, and I hope it can help you in some way in your life

Love and light, Kristin Berge
A Never Ending Charade
By: Suntonu Bhadra
Tags: Universe, Poetry, Light, Poem, Life

without light, there is always darkness

without darkness, only remains the light

both are circling around

on to each other

darkness crawls

and slowly catches the light

and the last few cracks of the lifespan of the light

dark kills it in painful shadows

it rules than

but light regains its strength

bit by bit

element by element

connecting dots

chaining the lost sparks together

a power accumulates

on a mystic utopian space

the big bang happens

piercing out

powers disseminate

grasps the void

occupying the dark Vader zones

light spreads to more spaces

loses more ground too

cracks open up in between the spread and intensity

photons exposed to dark’s mercy

in between

universe forms

light emits into diverse form

rock-solid shields

‘chemically connected’ deadly beings into a living,

life

grasping light into miniature scales

contained inside thick skin

or in transparent thickness to grow

a never-ending charade

between light and darkness

continued through infinity

continues

will continue to go on

We are just some observers, passing by.
why do we keep getting bad luck or is it just a lesson form the universe?
Tags: Selfloving, Universe, Learning

the universe has a plan for all of us, and everything that is happening in the world right now is just a lesson. our generation nowadays is only on our phones and social media and so am I. I also know that it is also very educational and I learn more about the world on TikTok than at school, but it also has a bad side. those questions and that little voice in your head from oo you only have 60 likes you can do much better than that, you have to get more because yes that one friend who has 100 likes. this makes you crazy and it can completely affect your self-image. I have also experienced this myself and I did not let anyone notice it, but I was not happy with myself. when we had to go into quarantine in March. I learned to accept myself and I saw that with many other people. who started working on themselves both mentally and physically. many people have found themselves again during this time: what they liked, people started to love themselves again and discovered many new things about themselves. would be an good reason that the universe has let it run like this?
Your memory reminds me of my constant amazement of the infinite universe we are the part of.
By: Deepak Gupta
Tags: Almighty God, Universe

Your memory reminds me of my constant amazement of the infinite universe we are the part of. And yes we are not even a peck of dust. I wonder; isn’t this realization not enough to shed all our EGO and surrender to the lotus feet of our merciful creator. Indeed a nice read.