Turning the world off.

(Photographer: unknown)

I like being busy. 

I have being very busy for the last 6 months, crazy amounts of things have happened. I've learnt about my future, I'm learning about myself and how to be a good youth worker and I've overcome much but one thing that gives me a buzz is my life being busy with people. Seeing people I know while I'm doing errands makes me smile, going about my buisness and talking to random people makes me smile but then all my busyness stopped. 

Placement ended for the year, University ended for the year and being a leader at a club ended for the year. 

I was left with my own thoughts, to unwind. To think, to gain some clarity and remember my name. Now I've become really good at figuring myself out, why I'm making choices, talking to people and being accountable for my actions, knowing what I want from life and why I feel the way I do and starting to change those mindsets that are wrong. Now, this was a momentum. I was going and going and going, and then I stopped. In the past this has lead to a funk and sort of lack of worth. But this time, I was determined to turn it into something good.

I turned off the world. I went away for a week, I only contacted 3 people. I sat, I read, I remembered, I prayed and I wrote- it was freeing it was healing and I had no distractions. I didn't have lots of opinions, I didn't have constructive criticism, it was an important time to re-group, to re-think and to process. I turned off the internet for hours of mindless scrolling and read productive things, articles. I re-ignited my love for 'The Guardian' newspaper and sat down to read the proper thing. I sat, I walked... 

 

I turned off the world and listened to myself, prayed and engaged in actual conversation. 

Today, turn your world off and just be. Think. Breath and just be. You're a human being not a human doing... now just be. It is essential for good mental health and good overall health. 

Entitlement makes you powerless.

When you are entitled you believe you have to wait for everything to be given too you. You don't believe you can achieve your dreams... 

When you have to wait for everyone to be given to you, you can't go and get it yourself. Meaning you are powerless to your own strength and not in-charge of your destiny. 

We've all heard that this generation doesn't want to work and is incredibly entitled... also depressed and anxious - more so than any other generation. Why? Because they are waiting for their moment, unaware they can seize their moment and chase their dreams. While waiting they've being depressed, down cast and don't believe in themselves to get their dreams so they just sit and wait.

Now, this excludes those genuinely lazy people - those who don't want to work and are entitled because they 'can't be bothered'- they should get off their backsides and start to wake up and smell the coffee. 

So, your dreams you have to chase after. One step, make a move. The world doesn't owe you anything, no one does. You can build something for the world with your own hands. 

Don't waste the summer!

Dear University students, collage students, A-level and GCSE students...

Don't waste your summer! I repeat: Don't waste your summer!! 

Yes, enjoy video games, watching TV all day, chilling out, relaxing and doing nothing but for a short time. For a week or 2, go on holiday with the gals or guys -and have a great time!! But when you've wined down from the exam stress and pressure, look for something to do that will help your future. 

You don't know what you want to do? 

Great, now is the chance to find what you like by volunteering! You could try -depending on weather they are insured and you have a clean CBR- working with young people, at a nursery or working for a charity.From work experience I learnt I don't like working with small children and I don't enjoy working with elderly people. I loved their time and company and babysitting children but not professionally caring for them. I do love working with young people, I know this because I tried out working with children and the elderly and realised it wasn't for me. You don't know unless you try.

 You may think they might say no, but If you don't ask- you'll never know! visit: www.volunteering.org.uk 

Set a goal...

What is your goal for the summer? To learn about another country?- go travelling. To check out job perspectives?- volunteer. 

Think about it like this: If everyone else is being lazy and just wasting time, you are not. You are putting time and effort into investing in you. When they all leave education they may have to start at the bottom - as in the volunteering bottom- if you have experience you may be able to get a low paid job in your area of interest. Yes, its low pay! But you can work your way up quicker because you have the relevant experience. 

English Spring.

English Spring, well... is there one? We either have the weather SO hot you can't breathe or so cold you're wondering if its still winter!! But, this country can look amazingly beautiful, here are some photos to enjoy. There are so many good photographers out there, and here are some from around the net, who are SO talented. 

Jim Maddison

rgbstock.com

fotomtm.wordpress.co.uk

Reasons why we must vote.

This generation is one like never before. 

This generation won't accept not having its voice, we won't go quietly, we won't be seen and not heard. WE all want our chance to speak, we'll debate, discuss and well...argue. We want to find people who think like us, and don't want to accept life the way it was. We want honesty, authenticity, truth and we want to make sure the government knows when we don't like their views. 

You have a voice! Men and women at 18 years old could only start voting in 1969! Before that for Women, it was 31 and you had to be married, now it doesn't matter if you're single, married or divorced!The age was eventually lowered and given the same rights to both men and women at age 18. Women have fought for their vote, the suffragettes and suffragists fought a long battle for women to even vote at all; Women are walking in the legacy of people who fought hard for our vote, we should honour that and vote and vote. Men have always being given to vote, but not all men take their chance to vote.

google images

In the European elections its our chance to get our voice. You may think your voice or vote makes NO difference, but you are wrong. If everyone thinks their vote doesn't count and no one votes, then democracy can't exist. This is not the place to argue about whether democracy exists, but whatever version we have of it we still have some. We still have the chance to choose the person whom we allow into our government, or in this case our European vote. Its our choice, our vote and our voice. Whatever problems Europe causes we have to clean up when the now politicians leave. This is our Europe. Our voice. You may think that your vote won't even count for anything at all, or the politician you voted may not come into power, well you've let the politician who does, know how close they were to loosing. 

You may not want to vote thinking that you don't agree with the ideals of the politician. Do you even agree with all your friends ideals? probably not. Vote the person you've spent time reading, considering and thinking could make a difference; not the most popular or just anyone. Use wisdom and think carefully about your choice, its so important you do vote. Its the one who we believe will do their best and will try their best and give their all. Who is looking to better the state of affairs for all people, and wanting to help rule in fairness and honesty.

Ben Heine

We need to find a balance in sexuality.

Why do we have to label girls as either a woman who sleeps with many men or frigid? 

We need to find a balance in sexuality. Its either, everyone take their clothes off and its a free-for-all and you can do whatever you like with no boundaries, or its completely the other way entirely where there are so many rules and anything but covering up and talking and being ''pure'' is acceptable. 

Its just really really angering me, that there is no balance in society. We either are ashamed talking about sex or are showing it off like the latest gadget. 

Terms like "slag" and "slut" are thrown around so easily. There are plenty of reasons why we have these problems in society, of course the consumption of pornography is a massive problem in creating unrealistic views of sexuality and convincing people that sex is free and on tap but there is a bigger problem...

The fact we won't even have a healthy conversation about sex. 

If we maybe just opened the dialogue we wouldn't have such unhealthy views because all of the 'hush hush' would be less. If we talked in a healthy way about the subject, its natural, created by love to be enjoyed in love and in the boundaries of love then we wouldn't have such a hard time talking about it. How about when young people get curious we just bite the bullet and answer there questions that are just coming from a heart that wants to understand this natural part of life? 

How to quiet your mind.

So, if you're like me; you're pretty busy brained, a million thoughts  coming out all over the place. You probably confuse people sometimes and forget they are not in your head!  So much to do, see and think about. Also you probably struggle to quiet your mind, to sit, to be. I mean who wants to do that? there is so much to see, to take in... who can sit still? 

Stillness, is a key to life. Being quiet allows you to just be, now this is a battlefield for me. I'm not naturally a calm and peaceful person; but I'm learning. 

(Thomas Haig-picture of me)

1.Identify your thoughts.

What are you thinking about? write it down. If you don't know what you're thinking about then write down exactly what is on your mind at this very moment and start from there. 

2. Look at it in perspective. 

Your problem is not as big as you think it is, only your brain has allowed you too see it as bigger than it is.  I've always being wary of saying this because I've seen in the past people say, its not like you're in Africa starving, this adds guilt not perspective. 

3. You are loved. 

Now, you might think how is that relevant to quieting your mind but knowing your loved means you can rest in the peace that everything will work out okay in some way or another, it allows you to let go of control and to stop working everything out. Its really strange, the more I reminded myself I am loved; the less busy my brain got because its all going to be okay someway or another because I'm bigger than my brain, I can choose to see the problem in perspective. 

4. Rise above the thought and replace it with a positive thought. 

You DON'T have to have it all worked out. You don't have to suffer with that thought. Start building new highways in your brain by choosing a positive thought. 

5. Look outwards not inwards. The world is still turning

Look at the world, have you ever noticed that pretty flower? probably not because you were too busy in your own head.  The world is changing, it is now spring. In England, this means flowers and new animals; don't miss all that trying to be superwomen or superman. 

6. Stop trying to control others have some perspective.

You have no control over what they say and do, as you let it go that you don't. You don't have to fix the world. Lots of our suffering comes from trying to control the world. 

7. Jump from the fear of the unknown and the fear of losing control. 

You did all you could, now let go. Let the fear go. Most roots to busy brained is trying to do everything figure it all out. 

8. Turn it off, get out the door. 

No, don't text. Ring your friend, meet them face to face. Do something that you enjoy. For me, its seeing a movie, talking, going for meal. I hate nightclubs so that would never work. 

9. Rome wasn't built in a day. 

Learning to rest and quiet yourself is a process, you might not do amazing the first few times. 

10. There is something bigger than you. 

Focusing on yourself just makes it worse, trying to figure it all out just ends in frustration. The world is turning regardless of you, jump in and go with the flow and enjoy the ride. Someone made this world who is stronger than you, thinks clearer than you. Its not your job to be God and try and sort all your thoughts out and think why to everything! sometimes its just your job to do all you can and trust that the rest will all somehow fall into place. 

11. Start to trust people a little bit. 

My busy brain came from dis-trust mostly, I didn't trust people had the best intentions; granted not everyone does. But don't be so harsh, slowly trust other people; in all honesty at some point they will break it, but who won't? please here the balance and don't be extreme- don't give them all or nothing, just give them the chance to earn your trust.  if they love you and they break it, they have had your best interests at heart. When you can trust, you can delegate. A mother with 4 young children? why not do carpool and get someone else to pick the kids up on day and you do it the next.