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lotornomiko · 4 years

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The Ones Left Behind Chapter Five (Worksafe For The Most Part)

Finally got enough sleep to proofread! Still an Adora POV...

Story can also be found here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/3952798/chapters/8862691

On the morning of the third day having passed, I wake to a tension that isn’t just my own. It’s all of us, every last man and woman here, both rebel and villager alike, caught on a nervous edge. It has been three days since we’ve made port here, and nary a sign has come, not from the Horde and not from the representatives meant to escort us to their planet.

“Where are they?” comes the heated whispers, many a anxiety ridden glance cast our way. “Why is this taking so long?”

“We don’t know.” Is the answer, repeated again and again.

“They’ll be here soon.” With that false reassurance, the sky and the encroaching forest is searched, all our hopes dying bit by bit the longer we wait. Unspoken has been the fear, the terrifying manifesting in Bow’s angry words.

“They’re NOT coming.” He scowls, eyes all ablaze with an angry hostility. “They’ve played us for a fool.”

“You don’t know that!” Young Glimmer protests. “They could have…”

“Have what?” demanded Bow. “Given in to the Horde? Or worse yet, been shot down by them!?”

“The Horde wouldn’t risk it.” I point out. “Not with the potential payout as big as Argo promises. They need those power cells.”

“The Horde is plenty powerful enough without them.” reminded our fourth, a woman named Tara. “We do not need them becoming unstoppable with Argo’s aid.”

“Almost hope the Horde WOULD try something...”

“BOW!” admonished Glimmer. “How could you...”

“I am not wishing death on anyone...” Bow interrupted the princess. “It’s just...” He gave a shrug of his broad shoulders. “Think of it...if they were to make a move, even against mere representatives, there is no way Argo’s Queen could then side with the Horde Empire.”

“Which is exactly why they WON’T make a move just yet.” I tell them. “The power cells are too valuable an end game, to risk against a single misstep. No.” My tone is knowing, but my expression is grim. “If they intend to make a move, it will be on planet Argo itself.”

The rebels all seemed to shudder to hear that. Glimmer then nearly jumped up out of her seat at the sound of Bow’s angry fist pounding against the table. “Only a fool would let the Horde into a veritable fortress as well protected as that planet! What is that foolish Queen even thinking!?”

“By Larg’s account, she was originally from a Horde friendly world.” Tara explained. “She married into the nobility, and it is the universe’s bad luck, that she survived where her husband did not.”

“Makes you wonder if his death wasn’t an accident...” Glimmer murmured with a frown.

“It might be the only reason why she is even attempting to meet with both sides.” I say. “If her people already suspect her hand in his death, then it will be an even harder endeavor to win over her people, with so unpopular a decision as to aid the Horde.”

“I hope they riot.” Bow grumbled.

“It might benefit us all, if they were to overthrow her from the throne.” Came my agreement. “But until that time comes, we keep both ourselves, and the Horde emissaries in check.” I tap fingers in a drumming beat a top the table’s surface. “Violence only as a last resort. We have to prove better than that...”

“Is that why She-ra chose not to come?” That innocent inquiry of Glimmer’s, sent a guilty pang off in my heart. She didn’t know. None of them did, the truth of She-ra one of my two most closely guarded secrets.

I struggled with the lie I was forming, the words coming out through almost gritted teeth. “We can’t leave Etheria so defenseless as to lose ground to Hordak’s forces.” I say. “Queens Angella, Castaspella, and Frosta will have enough of a hard time maintaining the status quo. We shouldn’t strip them of She-ra, especially when we know most of the military stationed here, won’t be going to Argo.” Grim though it was, I smiled all the same. “WE can handle three force captains all on our own.”

“I hope you’re right about that...” Came the pessimistic sound of Bow’s voice.

“If Adora believes we can do it, we can.” insisted Glimmer. “We won’t let the Horde have it’s way in this. Not this time, not ever again!”

“That’s the spirit.” I give my encouragement to the princess, but inside I am distracted. Torn up by my feelings, and by an impossible choice I have had to once again make, I could only hope that my decision wouldn’t cost Etheria any more of its freedom. But the sad reality was that I couldn’t be in two places at once, and by remaining on Etheria, I risked not just this planet and its people, but that of countless worlds, Argo’s power cells the strength needed to travel to and invade new galaxies.

It had come down to a choice, and in the end, there was no real one to make. I had to go, if not to convince the Queen to our cause, then to destroy the powerful means with which Hordak sought. For if allowed those power cells, not even the combined powers of He-man and She-ra and ALL of their friends and allies, would be enough to stop the Horde then. I knew and understood that, and still burned with shame. With the guilt of having to lie to my friends and trusted ones’ faces, and not even the fact that I was acting for the greater good of the universe, could soothe the sting. To save trillions of strangers’ lives, I was risking so much, to the point I might actually be sacrificing Etheria and its people in the process.

It was yet another burden placed upon me, and one by my own hand no less. I felt weighted down by it, by the struggle to do right by all, and by how complicated my life had become by actively trying to be good. Gods help me, but some days are harder than most, to the point I find myself actively longing for that oblivious haze the drugs and magic had kept me in. A wise man once said ignorance is bliss, and none know that as truth better than I.

To be good is an every day struggle, every choice having to be weighed and considered carefully. It takes a true strength to do the right thing by all, the sword on my back, with the woman it unleashes, a reminding boost and staunch defense against most of the many wickedest temptations out there. I have walked the easy path, danced with a devil or two, and done my own damage. I know the suffering and devastation the dark inflicts, and I try to stand strong against all its lures. It’s hard, and it’s difficult, and there are times when I am weak enough to want to give back in.

It’s not that I enjoy hurting people. It’s never that! But there is a freedom in the luxury of doing what you want, when you want, consequences be damned. In not having to consider every move carefully, by putting your own wants and needs above any other. That selfish sliver inside me, it just wants the daily struggle to end. To make me put myself first for once, rather than spend every breath and waste every moment on trying to be this impossible standard that I cannot hope to maintain forever.

I keep trying all the same. Trying to be little miss perfect, both as myself, and as She-ra, the poster child of the Great Rebellion. As She-ra, I have this tireless inner strength, able to maintain that illusion of perfection in the short amount of time I spend as her. As Adora however, there are cracks in the picture I try to present. The darkness that beckons, the ease of that life colors my eyes with its temptations. I give in, in the only way that I think I can. With sex, with partners both male and female, the pursuit of the flesh’s pleasure my one vice allowed.

It serves as a fix that is weakening, the lonely void inside me unable to be filled by any of the people I have taken as lovers. What they all lack, is their own touch, own struggle with a darkness of any kind. As much as I would never admit it out loud, I need---WANT one who can understand me, my burdens and my desires. One face comes to mind, a woman who had come the closest to perhaps understanding me. She had been a lover most adored, with her raven length black hair, and those jade green eyes tha t seemed to glint with so much. There’s always been a hint of cruelty to her expression that has only ever softened for ME. With that tender smile, she’s pumped me full with pleasure, and even pleasured me with pain.

I know the intoxicating taste of her lips, and remember the fit and feel of a body most exquisite. I remember nights where we lay spent, exhausted in that good kind of way that can only be brought about by sex. I remember secrets shared, and dreams whispered, these quiet moments that are so at odd with the rest of my time in the Horde. That duplicitous bliss, we two united against the world, those perversely happy memories make me yearn for something, something that I know cannot possibly be.

Catra is not like me. She doesn’t have a shred of good in her, if it doesn’t serve her interests. I KNOW this! So then why!? Why does my heart keep on hoping, unable to reconcile itself to my mind’s truth. Why do I keep on dwelling on her in particular, haunted by dreams of what we had, and the life I wish I could give her now? I want and I want, and I know she won’t ever change. She won’t ever even want to, and yet I still can’t let go of the dream. That desire that torments me, shames me, and drives me to a different bed each night, longing to find the key, the person who could finally make me forget about the wild cat who runs rampant on my heart.

Until that person is found, I cannot face her. Not as myself, not as weak willed as I am. As She-ra it is different, I have the strength and conviction and resolve to stand strong against that infuriatingly tempting woman. Catra doesn’t try to seduce She-ra, Catra doesn’t even LIKE She-ra, that raven haired beauty so often trying to kill me whenever I have slipped into She-ra’s skin. It’s one of the only easy things of my life now, to be the woman my lover wants to kill. As the most powerful woman in the universe, as She-ra, I don’t have to deal with the flirtatious side I know so well, but more than that, I don’t ever have to see that look of betrayal that had been born of the hurt my abandonment has dealt her.

I am a coward that way, Catra the one wrong I’ve done that I can never truly fix. I don’t even try, too scared of failure, too terrified of her rejection. So certain am I of her nature, of that woman’s wants and desires, I won’t make the offer, won’t extend my hand and that of the Rebellion. She’ll never change, I tell myself, she’ll never WANT to. It’s made all the worse by the belief backing those statements. It’s no wonder I throw myself into hunting down the night’s next lover. These periods of doing absolutely nothing leave me with too much time to dwell, those unwanted thoughts held at bay only by the busy work of the Rebellion or by my drug of choice, that of a sexual pursuit.

All in all, we spend nearly six days in this sea port, before the ship and the representatives from planet Argo arrive. It’s been such arduous wait, both the rebels and the people of this town, beyond impatient, we’re all ready for us to go.

“Finally!” The grumbled out exasperation does not earn Bow a chastisement, not even from Glimmer. “Took you long enough!”

“Didn’t set out to make you wait.” The man is tall, with a bright blonde colored hair to rival my own. His body is broad, and firm with many a muscle, and he once again wears the colors of his planet. He steps forward, to claps forearms in greeting with Bow, who can’t help but crack a hint of a smile to see his friend.

“Then what was the hold up. Larg?”

The man, Larg, grimaces. “Our Queen had second thoughts about holding these meetings. She wasn’t quite sure she wanted, in her words, dirty lawless rebels running about her castle and kingdom.”

“That doesn’t sound very favorable to us.” fretted Glimmer.

“It sounds like her mind is already made up.”

“It IS.’ Large gives us all a pointed look. “She views meeting with you as a mere formality, a way to staunch the most vocal of those against penning this deal with the Horde.” His lips had flattened to a grim line, the blonde haired man unable to keep from expressing his disaproval. “Queen Argentinia is downright desperate to win over the people, and give the Horde what they want in the process.”

“If anything, it stinks of a poorly veiled plan.” I say, crossing my arms in front of my chest. All eyes turn to me, their leader and expert on all things Horde related. “Queen Aregentinia won’t be the first royal to hand over their world in exchange for maintaining their power. If the Horde were to lend a few soldiers to bolster her existing forces, what chance would a vocal people have then?”

“How horrible!” Glimmer actually shuddered with her distaste. “How can any one person be so greedy and cruel, as to sacrifice their own people to retain control over them!?” Her eyes then narrowed with anger, the pink haired princess positively furious. “She has no right to call herself Queen!”

“Her marriage would state otherwise.” Larg stated flatly. “Argo’s a monarchy that may claim to listen to the people, but with Argentinia in power, their petitions often go unanswered.” Sour faced, he shrugged. “There seems to be little that can be done as things now stand...not without...a miracle or an accident happening.”

“An assassination, you mean.” My voice is sharp with my interest, and even Bow looks intrigued. Glimmer however, frowns at us all, shaking her head no.

“If we KILL her, we are NO better than that of the Horde!”

It’s like a slap to the face, the truth in her words, a reminder of my never ending struggle with darkness.

The easy way beckons as the darkness crowds and crawls in my head. I am tempted and tired, and wonder if killing Queen Argentinia would be any worse than what I DO have planned. The loss of a queen, wouldn’t be half as devastating, as the loss of the world’s main power supply.

“Glimmer...” There’s a cajoling tone to Bow’s voice. “Sometimes, the world isn’t so black and so white. We might have to get our hands dirty...”

“Save your breath for sweet talking the Queen.” Glimmer’s chin had lifted stubbornly. “I am sure we can present our truth, and sway her to our side, without resulting to barbaric acts such as outright murder.” Bow made a stammering sound of protest, but the princess was already sweeping past him, past even Larg, to head into the ship.

“Every second we spend here, is a second the Horde gains to whisper more in Queen Argentinia’s ear.” I sound tired then.

“I don’t believe we can out whisper them this time.” muttered Bow, moving to follow Larg into the ship. I shared a despondent glance with the thus far silent Tara, who looked as dejected as any one of us present.

“Adora, what will we do?” She asked.

“I...I don’t entirely know.” I admitted. “But we have the length of the journey to come up with some new ideas.”

“Better make them really good ones.”

“You sound as doubtful as Bow now.” I retort. “Tara, when have we ever failed in the end?”

“Before you and She-ra joined the Rebellion? All the damn time.” Was her grim faced answer. “I fear there is nothing we can do that will keep us clean and stop the Horde from getting what it wants.”

“Are you two coming!?” Glimmer had appeared in the doorway of the ship, hands on her hips, and with one foot tapping impatiently. “We’re wasting time here!”

“It’s as the princess says.” Tara’s smile was a sad attempt at humor. “And the Queen will like it even less than the princess should we keep HER waiting.”

I might have almost laughed, if we all weren’t feeling so glum and so desperate. “No doubt Argentinia wants to get this mere formality of dealing with us, over and done with as soon as possible.” Half hearted though it may be, I manage a smile that is more smirk than anything. “Not that we’ll let her dismiss Ethereia and the Rebellion’s concerns so easily. Words are a weapon Tara, holding the potential to sway a great many. Especially when back by the truth.”

I spoke from the heart, from a truth rooted in my own personal reality. Long before I had ever held up my sword, and spoken the words to unleash She-ra upon this world, there had been a man. The twin brother I had never yet known. It was he, Adam, in the guise of He-man, who broached Shadow Weaver’s considerable influence with an even sharper offense. The doubt that cold hard facts brought with it, his earnest words had somehow reached passed the brainwashed haze I had existed in, to open my eyes to the horror of what I, and what the Horde has repeatedly done.

My eyes has been open ever since, my mind, body, and soul dedicated to righting the many sins of my past. Striving to atone, yearning for the absolution I might never deem myself worthy of receiving, I don’t bury my crimes in excuses, don’t hide behind the brainwashing and magic. Clouded though my mind had once been, I had still made the choices that had hurt so many, and tainted my own innocence in the process.

Forgiveness wasn’t an easy thing, to get or to give. It might be high time someone reminded this Queen of Argo of that fact, and the many harsh realities life under the Horde’s control would bring. If any slim sliver of good existed inside her, maybe, just maybe, she’d be persuaded to do right by her people rather then cater to her own self interests.

To Be Continued….

Was not expecting two chapters to get done in one night, but I could not sleep. Feeling a little love hate with this chapter. But that’s typical of me. Not too thrilled on how I ended it...I may go nap, and come back to it later...def not gonna post this immediately (It’s 8:37 am on May 23, 2020.) cause I need some sleep before I do any proofreads...but also maybe after I am done napping I will wake up and voila! Be able to add to this chapter.

Fun fact, I wasn’t sure what to name the Queen fo Argo. I decided to make it, she inherited her name with the planet, and the name is similar sounding to the planet she rules. It’s part of a back story thing I don’t know if I will get to actually work in.

Another fact, I could not decide on who of the cannon characters to send with the three rebels to Argo, so I just ended up naming a regular woman who works in the rebellion. And thus Tara was born. I imagine she gets a hold of a lot of advance information for the group.

Now it’s 4;13 Pm, and yeah I added like half a page to total experience for this chapter. Still having a hardcore love hate relationship with this chapter, but at least it’s done, and proofread properly. Hope you enjoyed!

---Michelle

#she-ra #adora #catra #catra x adora #fanfic #fanfiction #the ones left behind

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tirtalks · 4 years

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A Glance of: Ego is The Enemy

The book Ego is The Enemy by Ryan Holiday is filled with cautionary tales of those who experienced ego at each of their stages in life: Aspiration, Success, and Failure.

This is not about ego in the Freudian sense, but the ego we most commonly see that goes by a more casual definition: an unhealthy belief in our own importance. Arrogance. Self-centered ambition. It’s the sense of superiority and certainty that exceeds the bounds of confidence and talent. The need to be better than, more than, recognized for –that’s ego.

Ego is the enemy that separates us from every direct and honest connection to the world around us. That’s why this book comes to help us to be humble in our aspirations, gracious in our success, and resilient in our failures.

To whatever you aspire, ego is your enemy

Don’t Talk, Talk, Talk –Act!

The more difficult the task, the more uncertain the outcome, the more costly talk will be and the farther we run from actual accountability.

So what is scarce and rare? Silence. The ability to deliberately keep ourselves out of the conversation and exist without any need to be validated. The only relationship between work and chatter is the latter kills the other –particularly early on in any journey.

To Be or To Do?

If your purpose is something larger than you –to accomplish something, to prove something to yourself- then suddenly everything becomes both easier and more difficult.

Easier in the sense that you know now what it is you need to do and what is important to you. The other choices washed away, as they aren’t really choices at all. It’s about the doing, not the recognition. It gets harder because each opportunity –no matter how gratifying or rewarding– must be evaluated along strict guidelines. Does this help me to do what I have set out to do? Does this allow me to do what I need to do? Am I being selfish or selfless?

To be or to do –life is a constant roll call.

Become A Student

The art of taking feedback is such a crucial skill in life, particularly on harsh and critical feedback. The ego avoids such feedback at all costs, whatever, ego is the voice that tells us we’re better than we really are. Ego dislikes reality and prefers its own assessment.

To become what we ultimately hope to become often takes long period of obscurity. Humility is what keeps us there, concerned that we don’t know enough and that we must continue to study. Become a student to place the ego and ambition in someone else’s hands.

Don’t Be Passionate

It’s all about passion. Find your passion. Live passionately. Inspire the world with your passion. Because we only seem to hear about the passion of successful people, we forget that failures shared the same trait.

Passion typically covered a weakness. Its breathlessness, impetuousness and franticness are poor substitutes for discipline, for mastery, for purpose and strength and perseverance. You need to be able to spot this in others and in yourself. While the origins of passion may be earnest and good, the effects are comical and then monstrous.

The critical work that you want to do will require consideration to pursue the purpose. Not passion. Not naivety.

Follow the Canvas Strategy

The Canvas Strategy is about helping yourself by helping others. Making a concerted effort to trade your short-term gratification for a longer term pay-off. Whereas everyone else wants to get credit and be “respected”, you can forget credit. You can forget it so hard that you’re glad when others get it instead of you –that was your aim, after all. Let the others take their credit on credit, while you defer and earn interest on the principal.

Once we fight this emotional and egoistical impulse, the canvas strategy is easy and the iterations are endless.

Restrain Yourself

Our own path, whatever we aspire to, will in some ways be defined by the amount of nonsense we are willing to deal with.

Up ahead there will be: Slights. Dismissals. One-sided compromises. You’ll get yelled. You’ll have to work behind the scenes to salvage what should have been easy. All this will make you angry and want to fight back. But don’t! Take it. Endure it. Quietly brush it off and work harder. Restraint is a difficult skill but a critical one.You will often be tempted. No one is perfect with it, but we must try.

Honestly, many paths would tolerate only restraint and had no forgiveness for ego.

Get Out of Your Own Head

Our imagination is dangerous when it runs wild. We have to rein our perceptions in. Otherwise, lost in the excitement, how can we accurately predict the future or interpret events? How can we stay hungry and aware? How can we appreciate the present moment?

Living clearly and immediately taking courage. Don’t live in the haze of abstract, live with the tangible and real circumstances, even if it’s uncomfortable. Be part of what’s going on around you. Feast on it, adjust for it.

There’s no one to perform for. There is just work to be done and lessons to be learned, in all that is around us.

The Danger of Early Pride

Actually, pride –even in real accomplishments– is a distractions and a deluder. Pride blunts the very instrument we need to own in order to succeed: our mind. Our ability to learn, to adapt, to be flexible, to build relationships, all of this is dulled by pride. Most dangerously, this tends to happen either early in life or in the process –when we’re flushed with beginner’s conceit. Pride takes a minor accomplishment and makes it feel like a major one.

Receive feedback, maintain hunger, and chart a proper course in life. We are still striving, and it is the strivers that should be our peers –not the proud and the accomplished ones.

At the end, this isn’t about deferring pride because you don’t deserve it yet. It isn’t “Don’t boast about what hasn’t happened yet.” It is more directly “Don’t boast.” There’s nothing in it for you.

Work, Work, Work

Fac, si facis. Do it if you’re going to do it.

Work is finding yourself alone at the track when the weather kept everyone else indoors. Work is pushing through the pain and crappy first draft and prototypes. It is ignoring whatever praise others are getting, and more importantly, ignoring whatever praise you may be getting. Because there is work to be done.

To whatever success you have achieved, ego is your enemy

Always Stay a Student

As we first succeed, we will find ourselves in new situations, facing new problems. But, with accomplishment comes a growing pressure to pretend that we know more than we do. To pretend we already know everything.

No matter what you’ve done up to this point, you better still be a student. To be the humble version of you who don’t assume, “I know the way”. If you’re not still learning, you’re already dying.

Don’t Tell Yourself a Story

Whatever we do, instead of pretending that we are living some great story, we must remain focused on the execution –and on executing with excellence. We must shun the false crown and continue working on what got us here.

Because that’s the only thing that will keep us here.

What’s Important to You?

This is how ego works: we’re never happy with what we have, we want what other people have too. We want to have more than anyone else. Ego sways and can ruins us. We started out knowing what’s important to us, but once we’ve achieved it, we lose sight of our priorities.

On an individual level, however, it’s absolutely critical that you know who you’re competing with and why, that you have a clear sense of the space you’re in. The more you have and do, the harder the maintaining fidelity to your purpose will be, but the more critically you will need to.

Find out why you’re after what you’re after. Ignore those who mess with your pace. Let them covet what you have, not the other way around. Because that’s independence.

Entitlement, Control, and Paranoia

The problem lies in the path that got us to success in the first place. What we’ve accomplished often required feats of raw power and force of will. Achieving success involved ignoring the doubts and reservations of the people around us. There are legitimate stresses and anguish that come with the responsibilities of our new life. But, ego will always be the worst enemy. Ego sways and can ruins every single pieces of our life.

We don’t have any entitlement to overstate our abilities. In other way, we need to control ourselves to don’t ever force anything to be done our way –even little things, even inconsequential things. Learn to trust people so paranoia won’t get us down.

Once our path lead us to success, we have to regularly remind ourselves of the limits of our power and reach: entitlement, control, and paranoia.

Managing Yourself

As you become successful in your own field, your responsibilities may begin to change. Days become less and less about doing and more and more about making decisions. Responsibilities requires a readjustment and then increased clarity and purpose.

It is not enough to have great qualities and abilities to do everything in our own field, we should also have the management of them.

Beware The Disease of Me

The Disease of Me begins once we think that we’re better, that we’re special, that our problems and experiences are so incredibly different from everyone else’s that no one could possibly understand. It’s an attitude that has sunk far better people, teams, and causes than ours.

Let’s make one thing clear: we never earn the right to be greedy or to pursue our interests at the expense of everyone else. To think otherwise is not only egoistical, it’s counterproductive.

Meditate on The Immensity

At least once in a lifetime, we would experience what the Stoics would call sympatheia –a connectedness with the cosmos. A sense of belonging to something larger, of realizing that “human things are an infinitesimal point in the immensity.”

When we lack a connection to anything larger or bigger than us, it’s like a piece of our soul is gone. No wonder we find success empty when we’re exhausted. In that moment, ego stands in the way. By removing the ego –even temporarily– we can access what’s left standing in relief. By widening our perspective, more comes into view.

Feel unprotected against the elements or forces or surroundings. Remind yourself how pointless it is to rage and fight and try to one-up those around you. Go and put yourself in touch with the infinite, and end your conscious separation from the world. Reconcile yourself a bit better with the realities of life. Realize how much events came before you, and how only wisps of it remain.

Let the feeling carry you as long as you can. Then when you start to feel better or bigger than usual, go and do it again.

Maintain Your Sobriety

In most cases, we think that people become successful through sheer energy and enthusiasm. We almost excuse ego because we think it’s a part and parcel of the personality required to “make it big.” Maybe a bit of that overpower is what got you where you are. But, we have to stay sober and control our ego.

Sobriety is the counterweight that must balance out the success. Especially if things keep getting better and better.

To whatever failure and challenges you will face, ego is your enemy

Alive Time or Dead Time

According to Greene, there are two types of time in our lives: dead time, when people are passive and waiting, and alive time, when people are learning and acting and utilizing every second. Every moment of failure, every moment or situation that we did not deliberately choose or control, presents this choice: Alive time. Dead time. Which will it be?

Dead time is revived when we use it as an opportunity to do what we have always needed to do. Think of what you have been putting off. Issues you declined to deal with, systemic problems that felt too overwhelming to address.

In life, we all get stuck with dead time. Its occurrence isn’t in our control. Its use, on the other hand, is.

The Effort is Enough

In life, there will be times when we do everything right, perhaps even perfectly. Yet the results will somehow be negative: failure, disrespect, jealousy, or even a resounding yawn from the world.

Depending on what motivates us, the response can be crushing. If ego predominates, we’ll accept nothing less than a full appreciation. With the right motives we can still pursue our success. With ego, we’re not.

Do your work. Do it well. Then “let go and let God.” That’s all there needs to be. Recognition and rewards –those are just extra. Rejection, that’s on them, not on us. Doing the work is enough.

Fight Club Moments

We surround ourselves with distractions, with lies about what makes us happy and what’s important. We become people we shouldn’t become and engaged in destructive, awful behaviors. This unhealthy and ego-derived state hardens and becomes almost permanent. The bigger the ego, the harder the fall.

In fact, many significant life changes come from moments in which we are thoroughly demolished, in which everything we thought we knew about the world is rendered false. But change begins by hearing the criticism and the words of the people around you. Even if those words are mean spirited, angry, or hurtful. It means weighing them, discarding the ones that don’t matter, and reflecting on the ones that do.

Draw The Line

People make mistakes all the time. We take risks. We messed up. We fight desperately and only making it worse. Ego kills what we love. Sometime, it comes close to killing us too

Let’s say you’ve failed and let’s even say it was your fault. Things happened and trouble is in anywhere. But most of them is temporary, unless you make them not so. Recovery is not grand, it’s one step ahead of the other. The only real failure is abandoning your principles.

Maintain Your Own Scorecard

This is the characteristic of how great people think. They don’t really care much about what other people thin, they only care whether they meet their own standards. And these standards are much, much higher than everyone else’s. A person who judges himself based on his own standard doesn’t crave the spotlight the same way as someone who lets applause dictate success.

Reflecting on what went well or how amazing we are doesn’t get us anywhere, except maybe to where we are right now. But we want to go further, we want more, and we want to continue to improve.

Always Love

We all have stuff that pissed us off. The more successful or powerful we are, the more protection we will need in terms of our legacy, image, and influence. There is only one best response to an attack or a slight of something you don’t like: love. Because hate will get you every time.

In failure or adversity, it’s so easy to hate. Hate defers blame. It makes someone else responsible. It’s a distraction too. Does this get us any closer to where we want to be? No. It just keeps us where we are –or worse.

Meanwhile, love is right there. Egoless, open, positive, vulnerable, peaceful, and productive.

Epilogue

Every day for the rest of your life you will find yourself at one of those three phases: aspiration, success, failure. You will battle the ego in each of them. You will make mistakes in each of them. You must sweep the floor every minute of every day. And then sweep again.

#psychology #book #self help #book summary

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sarajonesc · 4 years

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How To Make Money From Home Canada: (4 Best Side Hustles)

You know how difficult it is to survive when wages keep dropping and the cost of living keeps exponentially rising. Do not worry, I know that space very closely. This is why I am bringing you a few options to help you through this process. With only an internet connection and some money to set you up, you can start saving a little more on the side to see you through comfortably. There aren’t too many places that can help you without any start-up money. This is why you should not believe ads that keep popping up on the internet that promise you a lot of money in exchange for simple work while sitting at home. Yes, starting something afresh to earn money on the side is challenging. It is challenging in so far as you have to sacrifice your TV time. Which should not be that hard if you think about it. Think of it like this, a few extra hundred dollars every month will only help you achieve your dreams a little faster. You could maybe a car that you have wanted, or, you could probably get your bank balance to a point where you do not get a panic attack every time you take a look at it.

Ways to Earn Money Online

First things first, while trying to earn money online, sitting at home, think of something achievable. You need not directly shoot for the stars. By that, I mean, your first venture does not have to be a big business. You can easily build up to it once you have the experience as well as the capital. This means that you do not have to spend money on registrations or even hire an accountant. If your gig works out, turns over a healthy profit, fill out a tax form at the end of the financial year and pay your taxes like a good citizen. Remember, this is the first time you are going to be trying something like this. It is important that you are not disappointed quickly and lose your heart. A little bit of perseverance goes a long way when it comes to things such as this. I have briefly touched upon a few ideas to make sure that you do turn a profit. Take a look at them, and make your pick.

Drop Ship Stores

Do you remember these advertisements on Facebook and Instagram that always have some great products for unbelievable prices? It could be anything from dresses, sneakers, to even coffee. If you do remember them, I am pretty sure that you must have been tempted to open and place an order. If you have never placed an order on sites like this, let me detail the process out for you. On clicking on the advertisement, you are quickly redirected to a store where the product is available for sale. If you do finish purchasing after completing the payment process, you receive an e-mail with the details of the delivery. Your product arrives at your doorstep a few days later. Products such as these are generally drop shipped. The person selling you the product was providing space and reach to the person who made the product. The amount was divided amongst the supplier and the person selling it, almost always favoring the latter. This is an example of how you can conduct trade online. You do not have to make things to sell them. You can easily act as the distributor, showcasing what many people would want to buy. This is a great way to earn money for yourself and help local creators to push their stuff into the market. It is very easy. Shopify would be the go-to choice, since its run out of Ottawa. You know that dealing with them, in case of any problem would be easier than taking it up with someone who is half a globe away. With minimal charges to host per month, utilize your Facebook and Instagram followers to sell products on the internet. You will have opened a 24/7 shop online. One that is always open for customers to browse through.

Best Resource For Learning More

If you want to learn how to drop ship properly and not end up losing your precious time and money, I highly recommend you check out this training.

It is one of the most affordable and content pack dropshipping course out there in the market to-date! This is a course by Franklin Hatchett who has been doing dropshipping for over 8 years!

You can literally use his course as a tax deduction on your first couple of sales!

Click Here to Visit Official Website

Affiliate Marketing

If you do not want to start a store, you could always try your hand at Affiliate Marketing. This relies a lot more on your networking skills than drop shipping, but it is also pretty lucrative. Working alongside local creators, boutiques, as well as big retail chains, the work of an Affiliate is technically never over. You will have to generate and send traffic over to their pages. If someone decides to buy something from their listing, you will be awarded a decent commission. It is an ideal process, considering that there is very little risk involved on your end. Commissions are generally a percentage of the selling price of an object. You could expect around 10 to 20 percent of the price to be awarded to you. On the sale of a product for 2000 CAD, you could easily be earning around 200 CAD. This will test your marketing skills, because, for you, the sky is the limit. The number of sales you manage to make through your suggestions and placements will decide how much you get to take home at the end of the day or the week. Establishments and individuals need Marketing Affiliates because they lack good marketing skills. You step in and solve this problem for them. If you are active on Snapchat and Instagram, working your way through this would be a lot of fun.

Best Resource For Learning More

This course is for affiliate marketing and again it’s by Franklin Hatchett. He’s doing affiliate marketing for over 10 years now. If you’re looking to save time, money and get better results, I highly recommend buying this course.

This is also one of the cheapest & content pack courses except it’s all about affiliate marketing.

Again you can use your first few commissions as tax deductions!

Click Here to Visit Official Website

Content Writing

If you are good with words, I would recommend that you start freelancing as a writer who can provide content. Your income would be dependent on the work that you find as well as your skills to deliver the same work. If you are comfortable with working on software such as Grammarly, you will be in instant demand. Even if you can present things to meet the demands of the client, you will be more than eligible to enter this field and earn some good money for yourself. There are a lot of places and forums, specifically curated to meet the demand and supply of freelance writers. Let us be honest here, there are not enough content writers to satisfactorily meet the demands of content. It is going to be a field where work is available. How much you can earn from it is purely going to be based on how good you are at writing as well as negotiating.

If you do maintain a proper portfolio, your application to something like a travel agency or a chain of hotels may be fruitful. You might land a contract and even have the benefit of going to different places while curating content. You could easily make up to 100 CAD for writing around 1000 words.

Local Leads Generator

Local businesses must have an online presence. Due to their poor marketing skills, they are either paying money for advertisements that nobody sees, or they are not spending at all when it comes to advertising in an online space. In this gig, you will have to rely on your people skills and make local businesses give you amazing offers so lucrative that customers cannot resist buying. A discount code right up front seems like a good place to begin from. As soon as the owners agree, you could design and put up an advertisement online that mentions the discount code. Push it around on a few of your Facebook pages, and voila, customers start coming in. The best part about deals like this is that they do not limit you to retail marketing only, you could also enter the service industry and try your luck.

If you manage to make the owner offer something for free, your advertisement will garner traffic. If they like the products that they purchase or the services that they use, they will surely come back looking for more. Your job is to lead the consumers to the business. Once you do that, it is upon the businesses to make their relationships with the consumers.

If it is a service-based establishment, consumers are bound to keep coming back depending on their experience. Then the establishment has access to a larger share of the consumers’ spending. This is where you make your money. The establishments that you wish to work with can always say that your fees are more than what they can afford. In such a scenario, ask them to check how much they spend on acquiring a single client. At this point, most of them realize that they generally spend way more to not only get clients but also to retain a relationship with them. If they are still unsure about hiring you, you could always offer them a free trial. Make sure that you never undersell yourself for the work that you do. You can always make around 500 to 1000 CADs in a month, but remember that you will have to keep some money aside to fund the advertisements for the businesses you work for. Make sure that your scale-up accordingly, once you find your footing in this industry.

The post How To Make Money From Home Canada: (4 Best Side Hustles) appeared first on Maple Loonie.

Via https://mapleloonie.ca/how-to-make-money-from-home-canada-4-best-side-hustles/

source https://mapleloonie.weebly.com/blog/how-to-make-money-from-home-canada-4-best-side-hustles

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justinadamsc · 4 years

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How To Make Money From Home Canada: (4 Best Side Hustles)

Ways to Earn Money Online

Drop Ship Stores

Best Resource For Learning More

If you want to learn how to drop ship properly and not end up losing your precious time and money, I highly recommend you check out this training.

It is one of the most affordable and content pack dropshipping course out there in the market to-date! This is a course by Franklin Hatchett who has been doing dropshipping for over 8 years!

You can literally use his course as a tax deduction on your first couple of sales!

Click Here to Visit Official Website

Affiliate Marketing

Best Resource For Learning More

This is also one of the cheapest & content pack courses except it’s all about affiliate marketing.

Again you can use your first few commissions as tax deductions!

Click Here to Visit Official Website

Content Writing

Local Leads Generator

The post How To Make Money From Home Canada: (4 Best Side Hustles) appeared first on Maple Loonie.

source https://mapleloonie.ca/how-to-make-money-from-home-canada-4-best-side-hustles/ source https://maplelooniec.tumblr.com/post/629179054778646528

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dreamermauri · 5 years

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10 Best Food For Baby

I really like food. An individual might say I am obsessed with eating. However, until recently, I could not know why so many mothers spoke --with grief or pride --about whether their children were"good eaters" Then I had children.

Seeing my son Julian sting of pears I got it. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing your child discover the joys of eating, if you love foods. However, how can you nurture a child who does not turn up her nose at salmon and broccoli and favors fruit? Response: Start. [As parents], we've got the capability to teach children revel in and to recognize amounts of foods that are great. As soon as we miss that chance we wind up with picky eaters who just like children' foods and that which we struggle for to enjoy veggies." Adopt that window that is ancient. Here are 10 tips that, from this very first spoonful of solids, can enable you to increase.

Make sure he is hungry but not hungry and older siblings are not running crazy around him (it is distracting). Switch off the TV and stash your iPhone. There is no rule on what to provide. It might be rice cereal mixed with formula or breast milk. Avocados and bananas are inclined to be foods that are transitional that are easy, but you can begin with meat or veggies. Throughout the first couple of feedings, your baby will require just a couple of snacks. If he becomes distracted, shakes or turns his mind or purses his lips, he has had enough.

Two Bombard her with variety following your baby is becoming accustomed to the action of ingestion, introduce fresh foods quickly, indicates Dr. Greene. Be creative. Beets are fantastic! Why don't you try figs? Some specialists advocate feeding the identical food so that in case a negative reaction should happen it is more easy to pinpoint. Others, such as Dr. Greene, recommend introducing new foods daily --and mixtures whenever possible. "The notion of single foods only teaches kids to become pickier eaters," says Dr. Greene. Use foods to make fresh ones, says co-author of Baby Love: Healthy, chef Geoff Tracy Delicious Meals for Baby and Toddler and father of three. Blend in papaya if your son or daughter is digging bananas. Blend them if he enjoys apples. On the lookout to make a decision as to what foods that are fresh to try? Work your way through the colours of the rainbow (believe: guava, pumpkin, broccoli, corn, etc.), and your baby will find many different nutrients and tastes.

3 Attempt to try again The carrots have been a bust--thus try again in a few days. Repeat as required. Studies state following their infant refuses a food five or five times approximately three out of four mothers throw in the towel. "If you are able to get your kid to try out something six to ten times, you've got an extremely large probability of forming a taste for this food," says Dr. Greene. For example, he cites a study where investigators requested mothers every moment to give the . "A bit after fourteen days [and eight exposures into the veggie], the majority of them loved the meals," says Dr. Greene. As your baby gets older, be ready for periods of pickiness, and if your furry friend accomplishes his once-loved carrots"yucky," only switch up the way you serve themroast them daily, grate them to muffins yet another, steam them and provide them with a side of hummus.

"When they are enjoying a meals simple, introduce it with gentle spices and herbs." Cilantro to avocado, nutmeg in to apples into potatoes, indicates Tracy. The options are endless once you create your. A infant food businesses, such as Petite Palate and Jack's Harvest, provide combinations infused with herbs and spices like mint, vanilla, cinnamon, sage and ginger. Toddlers may enjoy just a little warmth. Following her daughter's first birthday, a mother in Underhill, Lisa Pawlik, Vermont, began feeding her whatever her husband and her ate --such as a Thai red curry dish. "I recall her 18 months carefully draping her encounter together with the noodles, then waiting for us to laugh at her and quickly eating all of them," states Pawlik. 5 Assist him connect with food H your infant a avocado and state"avocado" Employing and if studying any indications along with your baby create the sign for this. "And children fall in love with items that they understand." "Should you ask kids,'Where is your nose?' "It is the exact same thing with foods" Examine images of meals. 1 study found that toddlers were willing following their parents read to flavor fruits that were unfamiliar.

6 Maintain her close at the kitchen If you have ever felt accountable for parking your infant in an exersaucer while you left dinner, then listen to this: It could make her a better eater. She sees that your relationship she guesses that the roasting. Get your child involved with cooking. Set your as you combine her purées and pull on up her into the counter, indicates Tracy. By 18 months, many children stir fry ingredients or can help spin-dry lettuce, flour. When she had been about a year and a half, jane Hahn of Newton, Massachusetts, started engaging her daughter. At 4, she will help make dinner washing vegetables, pitching them mixing sauces. "I genuinely think that because she really helps to prepare the food, my daughter enjoys broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and that I do not need to smother them ," says Hahn.

7 Sit together yanking your infant to the dinner table permits him to see you enjoying meals. Additionally, study hyperlinks a ton such as and performance and family meals. Do it if eating collectively through Friday is hopeless. Arrange in, if you're fed up with cooking or eat outside. "Taking infants to restaurants educates them early on this food is unique," states Ansel. Advantages are provided by it . "We've got fantastic, kid-friendly restaurants in our community, and we adore exposing our kid to foods from all over the world. He learns how to make small talk while we has a lot of interaction and await our foods. Now he is the person who says'test '"

So what if you're a picky eater? Or provide pepper pieces that are colorful with guacamole or hummus. Dip tomatoes at ranch dressing table slit off baby a snack. Your kid will see you eating veggies thankfully" Cara Lee, a mom has discovered that pops another facet up is a fantastic way to expose her boys. "When we've got a veggie I do not love, such as peas, I will make a second one, such as broccoli, so that they see me eating veggies," Lee states. While serving these suggestions , focus on your eating habits so it is possible to be a role model that is much better. Give it a second chance if you have averted a food which you dislike for a long time.

9 Make meals enticing If you are managing a"discriminating" toddler, it is tempting to drive her to eat some broccoli even to bribe her with dessert. Invite her to eat enjoyable -- and things by making them seem delicious. Foods in vivid bowls. Offer dips--cottage cheese, yogurt and attempt hummus. Make faces using vegetables and fruits sandwiches and sandwiches. "A bagel with low fat cream cheese could be made enjoyable with a couple of blueberries for a mouth," states Amy Bevan, a mom of 2 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. "Letting our women feed themselves made them feel as though they had a decision on which they had been eating since they must choose what they wanted to eat ," says Kristie Vota, mom of 2 at Richmond, Virginia. "They enjoyed that."

This isn't a competition. "All children are different, which includes their flavor preferences," notes Johnson. Luke Boger, a father of 2 knows this. "We have had far better chance with our son eating what's in front of him than we had together with his older sister, and we have taken the exact same approach with ," says Boger. "She's only more stubborn when it comes to food and, quite honestly, does not care just as much about it" Anyway does not matter. "Raising great Steak takes decades: 10, 12, 15," states Ansel, imagining her 16-year-old is only starting to adopt some of the wholesome foods she has been serving her because she was a toddler. "It is an ongoing situation that is constantly evolving. However, if you're always having the ideal mindset and placing the ideal foods on the table, then he will come around ."

Among the reasons we need our children to enjoy everything is a diet provides a variety of nourishment. Listed below are 3 foods that your child ought to eat -- but may be immune to attempting -- and tasty serving hints from chef Geoff Tracy, co-author of Baby Love: Easy, Healthy, Delicious Meals for Your Baby and Toddler.

First tastes: Purée a moderate fish that's low in mercury, such as pollock, using a recognizable vegetable, such as peas. (Or attempt salmon with carrots) Make 25% fish, the mixture 75 percent veggies. Fish sticks. Lentils offer fiber, iron and protein, an important nutrient for both babies and toddlers. Tastes Purée lentils the two create a protein, providing the necessary amino acids in the quantities. Larger bites: Leave the mix lumpier as baby becomes accustomed to it.

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garagedoormasters · 6 years

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Posted On January 8, 2018 by Hugo Reed

Cars are investments, and every investment deserves the best in terms of security. Security should be a priority for drivers even if cars were not at risk of theft. Not every car is built to the security standards of a Tesla, or with the schematics of a bulletproof car, so drivers have to realize that their vehicles have some inherent flaws that criminals can take advantage of.

Some of these flaws are compounded by the bad habits of car owners and also by the wiles of criminals. With so much at stake and so many factors influencing the safety of cars, I would like to help car owners tip the scales in their favor. So, today we will take an in depth look at some car security tips you can use to prevent your car from being stolen.

Notable Car Theft Statistics

There is no shortage of statistics to show you the way car theft has evolved over the years, and to also show its current trajectory. According to data collected by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, the estimated number of motor vehicle thefts increased by 3.1% (2015). In terms of monetary value, motor vehicle theft accounted for the loss of more than $4.9 billion, and 74.7% of motor vehicles stolen were automobiles.

This data clarifies a few things. First, it shows that automobiles are a favorite among motor vehicle thieves. Essentially, this means that drivers have to do all that they can to minimize their exposure to car thieves. Cars are not the only motor vehicles that are threatened, a guide to motorcycle security would be handy as well. However, cars are the highest number of motor vehicles stolen, so for today’s article that will be our focal point. Ideally, these car security tips should help you practice better automotive security, regardless of whether you want to keep your car safe at home, or keep your car safe abroad.

Car Theft Practices

Before we dive into the car security tips that will help you prevent your car from being stolen, let’s take a look at some of the threats your vehicle faces. I do believe that understanding these threats makes it immensely easier for you to implement the necessary solutions.

Car thieves usually target vehicles in two unique ways. The first method requires opportunity as a precedent and the second requires immaculate planning. Knowing this helps keep drivers aware of how they can be targeted which, in turn, helps them fight back. A crime of opportunity means that in a specific moment, a car thief singles you out because they can tell that you are vulnerable in some way.

This is usually how most carjackings come about. A planned heist requires much more thought and is hardly ever done in the spur of the moment. Here are some handy car security tips that will help prevent your car from being stolen, and keep you and your investment safe in the process:

1. Keep your car doors locked at all times

Learning to lock your car doors at all times is probably the most crucial security tip that you need to know. When I say at all times, I mean at all times, even while you are driving and the car is in motion. Unfortunately, most drivers believe in the common misconception that their cars can only be targeted while the vehicle is at rest. However, car thieves have a plethora of skills that they can use to compromise vehicles that are in motion. This is a unique danger that is ever present, which is why you have to make sure that your car is locked at all times.

In comparison to residential and commercial door locks, car door locks cannot be overcome with all of the same methods. For instance, a burglar might be able to bump a residential door lock, but luckily for drivers, bump keys don’t work on cars. This does not mean that there aren’t other methods that car thieves might use to get into your vehicle. Many car thieves prey on an opportunity, and there is no better opportunity to them than stumbling across a car that is not locked.

Stealing the car becomes much easier for them if the vehicle is at rest, but they are not above carjacking. Carjacking is defined as the action of violently stealing an occupied car. Many car thieves utilize this method to steal cars that are occupied or in motion. Constantly locking your doors is the first safeguard against thieves that would seek to steal your vehicle.

2. Do not leave your vehicle unattended

Leaving your vehicle unattended, especially when it is unlocked, is an efficient way to get your car stolen. Remember how I pointed out that car theft is often a crime of opportunity? An unlocked car that is left unattended is the perfect opportunity for any car thief. I completely understand that it is rather difficult to always keep an eye on your vehicle, after all, you are probably a very busy person. However, there are some tricks that you can utilize to make sure that your vehicle is always within someone’s field of vision.

First, try to avoid parking in isolated areas that are not well lit. Parking in locations like this reduces the visibility that you afford your vehicle, and doing so increases the likelihood of a criminal successfully stealing your car. Most criminals abhor visibility because it leaves them exposed, use this to your advantage. You do not always have to be physically present to keep an eye on your vehicle. There are several auxiliary measures that make it easier for you to keep an eye on your car, directly or indirectly.

3. Do not leave your car running

Another handy tip that helps many drivers out, is learning not to leave their car running, even if they step away from their vehicle for a few seconds. People often take the influence that time has on a crime for granted. The truth is, given even a sliver of time, a criminal will do the best they can to make the most out of it. I am tempted to say car thieves are inspirational, but they are not.

It is important for drivers to develop the habit of turning their vehicles off and ensuring that everything is securely stowed away, even if they are moving away for a brief moment. Turning your car off and taking your keys with you, is simply another way of keeping your car secured. As the old adage goes, it is better to be safe than sorry. Practicing this will reduce the likelihood that your vehicle becomes another statistic that the FBI UCR references.

4. Always roll up your windows

Rolling up your windows is the perfect complementary action to constantly locking your doors. It is simply another measure that helps keep your car sealed away and protected. Windows are one of the primary access points that car thieves use to compromise vehicles, therefore reinforcing them and keeping them rolled all the way up makes your vehicle more impenetrable.

I know that there are some car owners who believe in humanity so much so that they choose to leave their windows rolled down, especially in the summer. I am not sure if this is done because of the faith they have in humanity, or the faith they have in the security of their vehicle. The truth is, vehicles are very similar to locks. If a car thief is given enough time, they can break into a car and steal it, the same way all locks can be picked given enough time. For this reason, you should strive to avoid giving criminals any kind of access to your vehicle.

5. Install car alarm systems

Car alarms are the face of modern automobile security, and they actively help increase the security of your vehicle. A car alarm is the perfect solution for an extra layer of protection that will stay active even if you are not in close proximity to your vehicle. The alarm serves to notify you of any danger, and can also help notify individuals within the general vicinity that something might be amiss. This is the easiest way to call a good samaritan to your aid when you are in need of help.

A common security mistake that people make with their classic cars is that they never have a car alarm installed. This ends up making their vehicles more vulnerable and susceptible to car theft. In this day and age, car alarm systems are commonly paired with keyless entry remotes that enhance automotive security. Car alarm systems can also be paired with anti-theft mechanisms like cruciform locks used to guard steering wheels. These are simple methods that can be used to layer your security measures, and ensure that there is a backup in place should one measure fail to prevent your car from being broken into during an attempted theft.

6. Plan your route whenever you are driving

Before you take up arms against me, you should know that I am not advocating against spontaneous trips because I love them just as much as the next guy. However, I do believe that taking the time to plan your route, whenever you are driving will help prevent your car from being stolen. Planning your route out allows you to be better prepared for any eventuality and it negates the possibility of a car thief being able to take advantage of you, by catching your off guard.

Realistically speaking, you will not always have the luxury to plan your route because unexpected things happen every now and then. However, you should attempt to do this whenever you get the chance. Planning your route will inform your actions and it will help you know what to avoid and how to navigate certain areas. For instance, if you are aware that you will be traveling through a specific area that is considered dangerous or prone to carjackings, it will inform you to keep your doors locked and your windows rolled at all times.

7. Practice proper automotive maintenance

Maintenance is a key car security tip that is often never implemented. In this instance, there are several different automotive components that need to be maintained. Many of the mechanisms that are used to protect your vehicle are prone to damage and wear over time. Practicing proper maintenance is one of the simplest ways of keeping your car security measures in prime condition.

Some of the components that you have to keep well maintained include your car door locks and their corresponding lock cylinders, car alarm systems, transponders and key fobs, windows, etc. If any of these components are not properly maintained, there is is a chance that they will be taken advantage of. The simplest way to plan for the maintenance of any of these features, is to pay attention to them while they are in use. Doing so will help you learn how they function, so that you can spot any wear or damage that has to be taken care of. For instance, if you notice any physical wear on your car keys, you should work to have a duplicate car key made to avoid the scenario where your key breaks off in your lock.

8. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times

Situational awareness is an invaluable tool, and one that can be utilized to increase the security of your automobile in any given situation. One of the best ways to practice situational awareness is to constantly study your surroundings and understand the direct impact that your environment has on your automotive safety. In many ways, situational awareness is a key factor in any type of safety plan, and it is one of the best ways to enhance your personal protection. Assessing your surroundings will influence the way you treat your car and it will directly impact the level of security that you choose to leave it with.

9. Do not store important personal documents in your vehicle

Many drivers store personal information in their vehicles, both knowingly and unknowingly. Some of these documents include the car title, driver’s license and other forms of documentation that can be abused by car thieves. There are some documents that should always be in your vehicle whenever you are driving, like your license and your proof of registration. However, when you are not in the vehicle, these documents should be removed and stored in a separate location. These documents will not draw a car thief to take your vehicle, but they might help facilitate their escape if they steal your car.

I know that this sounds rather tedious, but please hear me out. For instance, if a car thief is stopped by a police officer and asked to show proof of ownership, proof of insurance, etc., they will easily be able to produce the required information if it is stored in the vehicle. I am sure that some of you are thinking that if the crime has been reported, then these documents will be of little use to the car thief. Once again, you are underestimating the importance of time. There is no guarantee that you will be able to report a crime fast enough for a car thief not to utilize the information they are given. This is not a direct method that prevents car theft, but one that looks to makes the crime harder to execute successfully.

10. Do not keep valuables stored in your vehicle

Storing valuables in your vehicle is a sure fire way to attract car thieves and burglars. There are some car thieves who will simply settle for breaking into the vehicle and picking out an individual item, whereas others will want to take the whole vehicle. It is criminals like these that you have to be wary of because they will attempt to steal your vehicle rather than just settling for the expensive purse or sneakers you left out in the open.

This is something that many mobile locksmiths have to contend with on a daily basis. If someone were to steal an auto locksmiths van, their business and their livelihood will be compromised. A mobile locksmith usually stores their tools and equipment in their van, and some of these items are very expensive and lucrative to a criminal. Leaving things out in the open is bound to attract criminals and car thieves, so you want to do your best to prevent this from happening.

Take the time to look through your car before you step away from it to verify that nothing of value has been left out. In the instance where you absolutely need to keep something stored in the vehicle, try to stow it in your trunk or underneath your car seats. This will help keep the visibility limited.

Final Thoughts

Protecting your car can be a challenging task, especially because there are so many bases that you have to cover. The points outlined will help you get started and they will help you foster better car security which helps prevent your car from being stolen. Take the time to know your vehicle and know what your flaws are so that you are better equipped to combat them effectively.

Link to the article: https://unitedlocksmith.net/blog/10-car-security-tips-to-prevent-your-car-from-being-stolen

Related articles: https://brain2bloghub.wordpress.com/2018/04/04/how-to-secure-your-windows-against-burglars/

For further assistance in home security, click here for more: http://unioncitygaragedoorrepair.net/

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richardlowejr · 6 years

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Why Goal Setting is Vital for a Writing Career

Goals.

We all know we should set goals, but why? What makes setting a goal important? And why would writers need goals anyway?

Sure, every new year it’s common practice to do what are called New Year’s resolutions, which are basically setting goals for the coming year. Many of us set goals such as how much weight we want to use, how much money to make, or what habits we want to stop.

How often have you kept your New Year’s resolutions?

If you are anything like me, I’m quite serious about keeping them for a week or two, maybe a month. After that, life gets in the way and I tend to forget about them. That doesn’t mean the goals weren’t important, it just means that other things got in the way.

That’s why a lot of my goals appear as part of my resolutions year after year.

The Importance Of Goal Setting

A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envisions, plans and commits to achieve.[1] People endeavor to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. – Wikipedia

Simply put, when you plan for the future, you are setting a goal. It doesn’t matter if you’re planning what to get someone for Christmas, how much weight to lose or to get a project done or a milestone met. Any time you decide you want to do something in the future, to achieve an end result, you’ve set a goal.

But why do you set goals anyway?

To Define An Objective

Defining an objective, to be achieved in a certain time, gives you something to shoot for. it creates a way to focus your attention on something that you want to get done.

To Be Able To Filter Tasks

If you’re like most people, you get hit all day long with potentially hundreds of different tasks. This could be anything from washing the dishes to working on a particular paper to writing a memo to digging a ditch. Sometimes the number of things to do can get so large that it becomes overwhelming – it’s not possible to get everything done in a day when you consider all of the social media distractions, family life, work life, and everything else going on.

Setting goals give you away to filter through all of those activities to determine which of them you need to do to make progress toward your goals. Those that don’t help you reach your goals can probably be discarded or at least lowered in priority.

To Keep You Motivated

By setting a goal, you make yourself accountable to achieve it. you have a responsibility to meet those targets that you need to accomplish to achieve your goals. Without goals and their associated time frames and milestones, it can be easy to get distracted and procrastinate.

To Measure Progress

Having a definite goal that you measure your progress towards the goal. For example, if I decide to lose 20 pounds within six months, I know that I need to lose a little over 3 pounds each month. This lets me measure how well I am doing against the goal. if I find I’m not losing enough weight, I can quickly make adjustments to my exercise or diet so that I can meet the target.

Why Goals Are Important For Writers

Goal setting is especially important for writers and other creative people.

Sometimes it can be difficult to focus on writing. There is always something else to tempt away from creating stories or articles.

Social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, twitter and other places is always there and often contains apparently fascinating conversations and communications. It’s easy to get distracted by the vast amount of social media noise that occurs every hour of every day. Setting goals can effectively lower the importance of being distracted on social media and raise the importance of writing.

For example, as I write this article, I’m noticing messages posting on my Facebook wall or my LinkedIn page. The temptation is to go check those out. Somebody might have something important to say. Lord only knows what I might miss – who knows, maybe somebody sneezed inappropriately.

Family life can also serve as a distraction. Setting goals for your writing can allow you to differentiate and focus in spite of all of the chaotic things that tend to go on in families.

You get the idea?

My Writing Goals

One of my goals is to write a minimum of 8,000 words every single day. I write a couple of articles for total of 2,000 words, 2,000 words for clients, 2,000 words for my books and stories, and 2,000 words for my training books. That’s a lot of words to write six days a week! I tend to write about 2,000 words an hour, and then spend another hour reviewing, proofreading and massaging those words until they are ready for publication or sending to a client. That works out to eight hours a day of solid productive time (with a few minutes here and there for breaks).

I also need to promote, since I’m a freelancer, and to sell my books and training products. I allocate about four more hours each day for promotion and marketing activities.

These are actually tasks that I do to meet my goals.

I try to work on four ghostwritten books at a time. this gives me a good, steady income, and that requires writing about 2,000 words for my clients every single day. That works out to about 50,000 words a month.

Another goal is to publish one short Kindle eBook each week. Those are between 10,000 and 12,000 words long each.

Because I like to help other authors, I produced one training book each week on a different subject. That works out to about 12,000 words a week.

Finally, I write guest posts and various articles for my own blog, on Medium, and for other websites in order to build up my presence on the web and on social media. That takes up the rest of my writing goal each day.

Don’t worry, I don’t overwork myself because I take every Sunday off entirely. No writing or anything related to writing is done on Sunday.

These goals and the targets I set for my production might seem to be a bit aggressive. However, writing is my passion and I have things that I want to accomplish a regular basis in order to maintain an income, and build a presence and reputation in my field.

Your Goals

Obviously, you will come up with their own goals. Perhaps you already have.

You want to finish one book this year? Get it published and out into bookstores and on Amazon? Then figure out how many words per day you need to write, edit, proofread and so on. Remember all of the other tasks associated with self-publishing including promotion, marketing, building a presence, networking, and so on. Define tasks to meet your targets, and then start doing them. Don’t let anything stand in your way and you’ll meet your goal.

Do you want to be a freelancer and produce writing for clients? in that case, many of your goals will be driven by the client. What do they want, when do they need it finished, and what quality do they need? These are all questions that you will need to asked to define goals that pertain to each client. Don’t forget that you need to do promotion and marketing to get new clients – and that needs to be done every day, all the time.

Regardless of what you want to accomplish, set realistic goals, and then work to meet them. If you find you can’t meet them, they figure out why and take corrective action.

Are your goals too aggressive?

Are you allowing yourself to get distracted?

Are they the right goals?

Have your goals changed?

Are you running into difficulties meeting your goals because of lack of knowledge, experience or training?

Whatever the reason you’re not meeting your goals, you can find a solution. Just take a good, objective look as to why, and then come up with a way to handle it. If the goal is too aggressive, then change the goal. If distractions are causing you not to meet your goals, then figure out a way to cut down distractions. If the goals are wrong, they make new ones.

You see how that works?

Conclusions

Setting and meeting goals is one of the most important ways to keep yourself on track to become an accomplished and successful writer.

Goals are a tool designed to help you. They’re not a straitjacket, and they shouldn’t be onerous.

Make sure you leave time to enjoy life.

If you define good goals and accomplish the tasks needed to achieve them, you’ll gain the happiness associated with doing what you set out to do.

Author information

Richard Lowe Jr

Owner and Senior Writing at The Writing King

Richard is the Owner and Senior Writer for The Writing King, a bestselling author, and ghostwriter. He's written and published 63 books, ghostwritten 20+ books, as well as hundreds of blog articles.

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