#is that a roosevelt quote i don’t remember

[acotars]

emily henry is overrated. she’s so millennial and her books are more boring than romantic.

send me your unpopular opinions and i’ll either let you in or not

[logorrhea5mip]

Okay. So I know I'm 2 days late for the 4th of July but I only now remembered this gem of a story.

We love to dunk(deservedly) on American pride/patriotism. But you probably didn't know how bad the story of Mount Rushmore, one of the most important places of the American mythos, is.

Like, not just bad, it is so mindnumbingly evil that it's almost unbeliveable it's not a children's movie plot.

To start off, it's built on stolen Indian land, and not "just" stolen like the rest of the country, it was extra stolen.

The mountain itself was among the natives called Six Grandfathers and it's one of the most important spiritual sites for many local tribes.

Then, the United States in the mid 19th century signed a deal with the local tribes, granting the tribes the right to their land (which belonged to them for millennia prior) in exhcange for some concessions.

The US broke the treaty immediately, a war broke out, the US lost, and signed another similar treaty, then they found gold a few years later, went to war again, won this time and did a genocide, emptied the land and sold some off it to white settlers.

Many decades later, in the 1920s, the local government working with sculptor G. Borglum(who also made monuments to the Confederacy, and was a known KKK supporter) decided they wanted to make a tourist attraction.

So they carved into a 3-times-stolen, Native American holy mountain, the faces of George Washington(who earned himself the nickname Burner of Towns from the local population), Thomas Jeferson(a racist, rapist, pedophile and owner of 260 slaves), Theodore Roosevelt(quote:"I don’t go so far as to think that the only good Indian is the dead Indian, but I believe nine out of every ten are") and Abraham Lincoln(by far the least worst one, but still a racist, imperialist, standard US president material). With dynamite.

[adiyo]

The Power of Self-Validation: Celebrate Your Own Wins

No one knows your struggles better than you. No one sees the uphill battles you face or the small victories you achieve in your daily life. And that’s why, when it comes to validation, the most powerful kind is the one you give yourself.

Today, as I took some time to journal and reflect, I found myself looking back at the challenges I’ve faced, from my childhood to adulthood. I thought about my struggles with academics, my time in sports, my weight fluctuations, and the self-esteem battles that came with all of it. And as I revisited those memories, I realized how truly important it is for me to celebrate my small wins. Those little victories—sometimes invisible to others—are the foundation of my journey.

Teddy Roosevelt said it best in his “Man in the Arena” quote:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds."

For so long, I remember feeling disappointed when others—especially family members—didn’t share my excitement for the wins that felt huge to me but seemed small to them. Instead of encouragement, I often heard, “Don’t settle. Aim higher.” And while I understand now that their intentions were rooted in wanting the best for me, it felt like my efforts were being minimized.

But here’s the truth: sometimes “good enough” is a higher standard. Sometimes, that first small step is a monumental achievement—the first big hill that needed to be climbed before reaching the peaks of bigger dreams.

Only you know what it took to get there, and only you can truly appreciate the strength and resilience it took to keep going. This is why self-validation is the ultimate act of self-care, self-compassion, and self-love. It’s the key to genuine inner peace, self-esteem, and self-confidence.

Be your own biggest cheerleader. Celebrate your small wins as fiercely as you would for someone you love. Your life is yours first and foremost, and you deserve the same kindness you so freely give to everyone else. You’ve been in the arena—dust, sweat, and all—and that deserves to be honoured. So stand tall in your victories, however small they may seem to others because they are yours, and they are powerful.

[lgchyoseop]

LGC4TH GIFT FROM CHA HYOSEOP, CHA SORI, KIM CHERRY AND JUJU!

hello everyone and happy fourth year anniversary to lgc! hyoseop was my third time joining, and i'm so glad to have stayed ~~~ as a small gift (who took way longer than intended) i've gathered 92 quotes, and let a generator choose a quote for every muse! it took a while to find all these quotes, so i'd love for you to check out what quote your muse got! it's under the cut below :3

( btw you can use ctrl+f to search for your muse(s)'s name)

ahn jaehwa “Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave” - Mary Tyler Moore

ahn jaesun “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it’ll take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway” - Earl Nightingale 

ahn nari “Success is a journey, not a destination” - Ben Sweetland

ahn yein “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced” - Soren Kirkegaard 

ayutthaya maya “The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore” - Ferdinand Magellan

baek byeongkwan “Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict” - William Ellery Channing

baek seona “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great” - Zig Ziglar

cha hyoseop “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door” - Milton Berne

cha sori “You have not failed until you quit trying” - Gordon B. Hinckley 

chen mailyn “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it” - Henry Ford

cho minkyu “Sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can fall together” - Marylin Monroe

choi kai “Dreams do not have an expiration date, you can always keep trying” - Unknown

choi kyungsoo “Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star” - W. Clement Stone

gong hyejoo “Fairytales are more than true: not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten” - Neil Gaiman

han brooke “Success only comes to those who dare attempt” - Mallika Tripathi

han hyunhee “The elevator to success if out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs… one step at a time” - Joe Girard

han jisoo “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do” - John Wooden

han keeho “Do not fear mistakes, there are none” - Miles Davis

han noeul “I will either find a way or make one” - Hannibal

han rowon “Success is falling nine times and getting up ten” - Jon Bovi Jovi

hou minghao “Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward” - C. S. Lewis

im yunseo “I’d rather attempt something great and fail than to attempt nothing and succeed” - Robert H. Schuller

jeon haru “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water” - Rabindranath Tagore

jo daeul “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10.000 ways that won’t work” - Thomas A. Edison

kang maximilian “Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of success” - Arianna Huffington

kang minjun “Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where they are, had to begin where they were” - Richard L. Evans

kang yoojoon “If you can believe it, the mind can achieve it” - Ronnie Lott

kim alex “Failure is a detour, not a dead-end-street” - Zig Ziglar

kim cherry “It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it” - Lillian Hellman

kim jinhyuk “In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can” - Nikos Kazantzakis

kim jinseo “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” - Elearnor Roosevelt 

kim jinyoung “Focus on the step in front of you, not the whole staircase” - Unknown

kim nayoung “I wasn’t afraid to fail. Something good always comes out of failure” - Anne Baxter

kim seyoon “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’” - Audrey Hepburn

kim yujin “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain” - Dolly Parton

kuramoto misaki “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant” - Robert L. Stevenson

kurosawa akio “There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in” - Leonard Cohen

kwon baekhyun “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” W. E. Hickson

kwon hyuntae “Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do” - Benjamin Spock

kwon sena “Your life is a journey, not a race” - Unknown 

lai wenjun “Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live” - Anne Sweeney

lee hanbyul “A journey, no matter how long, still begins with the first step” - Lao Tzu

lee hyunsoo “I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that” - Pipi Longstocking

lee jiho “If you fell down yesterday, stand up today” - H. G. Wells

lee minji “The secret of getting ahead is getting started” - Mark Twain

lee yejin “I hold it true, what’er befall, I feel it, when I sorrow most. Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all” - Alfred, Lord Tennyson

lee yushin “Time you enjoyed wasting, was not wasted” - John Lennon

lim sanghyun “Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker” - Zig Ziglar

liu yuxi “Failure is success if we learn from it” - Malcolm Forbes

min hanbin “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great” - Zig Ziglar

min soyoun “You’ve got to follow that dream, wherever that dream may lead” - Elvis Presley

moon hayoung “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great” - John D. Rockefeller

moon jiah “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated” - Maya Angelou

moon jino “Being lost is not bad, as it is what happens before you find your way” - Unknown

moon somin “Follow your dreams, they show which way to go” - Unknown

noh areum “Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine” - Mario Fernández

oh eunhye “Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck” - Dalai Lama

okada mayumi “Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward” - Victor Kiam

paeng jinae “Just because everything is different, doesn’t mean anything has changed” - Irene Peter

pak jihan “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom” - Jim Rohn

park jaekyung “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or we can rejoice because thorn bushes have roses” - Abraham Lincoln

park jungmo “A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new” - Albert Einstein

park seojin “If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results” - Jack Dixon

park taeha “Life isn’t about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself” - George Bernard Shaw

pongsak tee “Some people want it to happen, some wish it to happen, be someone who makes it happen” - Michael Jordan

sato minami “Turn your wounds into wisdom” - Oprah Winfrey

seo minseo “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going” - Sam Levenson

seo nina “A failure is not always a mistake, it may simple be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying” - B. F. Skinner

seo yura “Tomorrow is a mystery, yesterday is history, and today is a gift, that’s why they call it present” - Kung Fu Panda

seong byungho “It is better to look ahead and prepare than look back and regret” - Jackie Joyner-Kersee

shin jieun “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop” - Confucius

shin minhyuk “You have not failed, until you make failing stop you” - Unknown

somsri sofia “I love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars” - Og Mandino

son eunho “The only time you should ever look back, is to see how far you’ve come” - BTS

son haeun “Don’t be pushed by your problems, be led by your dreams” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

son nabi “The only thing that doesn’t change in life, is that thing changes” - South Park

su parker “Be not afraid of storms because you are learning how to sail your ship” - Louisa May Alcott

takanashi asami “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step” - Martin Luther King Jr.

watanabe miyu “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination” - Jimmy Dean

won yeonwoo “You learn more from failure than success. Don’t let it stop you. Failure builds character”  - Unknown

xue yichen “Doubts kill more dreams than failure ever will” - Unknown

xue yiran “Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success” - Joyce Brothers

yamashita ichika “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” - Wayne Gretzky

yang aera “I can accept failure, everybody fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying” - Michael Jordan

yang aeri “To lose is still to learn” - Unknown

yoo daeho “Even if tomorrow the world would go into pieces, I would still plant my apple tree” - Martin Luther 

yoo haemin “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear for failure” - Bill Cosby 

yoon minjae “Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning” - Robert Kiyosaki

yu milan “One that want the fruit, must climb the tree” - Thomas Fuller

zheng amelia “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start” - Nido R Quebin zheng leo “You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards, so you have to trust that they will somehow connect in your future” - Steve Jobs

[thebreakfastgenie]

You have said yourself you didn’t even watch MASH until like a year ago so cool it with the “hate to break it to you but actually” when you’re just… objectively wrong. BJ is canonically a Democrat. This is in the script of the show. “But I know about politics from the 50s and because he was a Californian and says some centrist things…” doesn’t matter. You can say you think the show would have been better/more internally consistent if he was written as a Republican (and that may be true; the show plays fast and loose with canon at times including some anachronistic politics in many areas and contradicting canon facts that had been previously established) or that you think the interpretation that makes the most sense is that he only recently made the switch from voting Republican at the time he’s identified as a Democrat, but saying he’s probably a republican bears as much in common with canon as e.g. saying that Hawkeye is probably a homophobe in the show because statistically speaking a doctor in the 1950s from Maine/Vermont would be. Like yeah, that is most likely historically, but in the text of the show it’s not the case.

Look I’m prepared to admit I’m wrong if you cite an episode, but the only characters I remember being canonically connected to political parties are Hawkeye (says he’s a loyal Democrat in Give ‘Em Hell, Hawkeye), Sidney (his membership comes up in Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler), Margaret (says she has a feeling BJ is a Republican in Welcome to Korea), Frank (says that’s too much to hope for in Welcome to Korea), and Charles (Hawkeye taunts him by saying his parents voted for Roosevelt in the episode where he stops talking, he’s described himself as extremely conservative at various times which as I’ve mentioned doesn’t guarantee he’s a Republican but a Boston conservative would be, I believe he makes fun of Democrats on another occasion).

If you have an episode of even a vague description of one or a quote so I can check please share.

I’ve been watching MASH since summer/fall 2021 and if you follow me you know how exposed to it I’ve been and how much information my brain retains. Even if it had only been a year, that’s plenty of time, lol. I mean come on now.

But… surely even if there is canon on this, your first ask where you were angry with me for attacking BJ is pretty silly in light of my providing context that I was just thinking about what would make sense historically and that Republican didn’t mean the same thing in the 50s as it does now? That ask wasn’t exactly reasonable any way you slice it.

We do know that Hawkeye is not homophobic from the episode George. We don’t know that about BJ or Charles or Potter because they’re never presented with the issue. Or really any character that doesn’t appear in George or interact with that storyline. I don’t headcanon any of those characters as homophobic but canonically there is no reason not to.

[loveframe]

Inspirational Good Morning Quotes

Inspirational Good Morning Quotes with Beautiful Flowers

“Front-loading my day (getting a whole bunch done in the morning) is my productivity secret.” — Celeste Headlee

“If I can feel like the chaos [of the day ahead] is at least known, I can dive in with more composure.” – Wendy McKennon

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” – Eleanor Roosevelt.

“In my experience, there is only one motivation, and that is desire. No reason or principle contains it or stand against it.” — Jane Smiley.

“Success does not consist of never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.” — George Bernard Shaw.

“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.” – J. B. Priestley.

“Things of Beauty is Joy for Ever.” Inspirational Good Morning Quotes with Beautiful Flowers!

 “The key responsibility of leadership is to think about the future. No one else can do it for you.” – Brian Tracy.

“Leaders never use the word failure. They look upon setbacks as learning experiences.” – Brian Tracy.

Inspirational Good Morning Quotes with Flowers Images

“Without hard work nothing grows but weeds” – Gordon B. Hinckley.

“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you, Don’t go back to sleep.”- Rumi. Inspirational Good Morning Quotes with Beautiful Flowers

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals”- Zig Ziglar.

“Well done is better than well said”. – Benjamin Franklin. Inspirational Good Morning Quotes with Beautiful Flowers

“Perseverance is not a long race, it is many short races one after the other” – Walter Elliot.

“Either you run the day or the day runs by you” – Jim Rohn. Inspirational Good Morning Quotes with Beautiful Flowers

Spiritual Inspirational Good Morning Quotes

“We do not grow when things are easy, we grow by facing challenges.

“A room without books is like a body without a soul”. – Marcus Tullius Cicero.

“Today’s accomplishments were yesterday’s impossibilities”. – Robert H. Schuller.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do, if you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle”. – Steve Jobs.

“There is no limit to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking”. – Brian Tracy.

“Clarity is the key to leadership. What are your goals? Inspirational Good Morning Quotes with Beautiful Flowers

Inspirational Good Morning Quotes

“I learned to love myself, because I sleep with myself every night and I wake up with myself every morning, and if I don’t like myself, there’s no reason to       even live the life.” – Gabourey Sidibe.

“One key to success is to have lunch at the time of day when most people have breakfast.” – Robert Brault.

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” – Eleanor Roosevelt. Inspirational Good Morning Quotes with Beautiful Flowers

“For each new morning let there be a flow of love. Let there be light of happiness in every direction.” – Amit Ray.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson.

“I never wake up in the morning and wonder why I am here. I wake up and wonder why I am not making here better.” – Jeffrey Fry.

Every one go through the social media networking platforms daily several times a day and we feel happy if we receive a good morning quote from our beloved once again.

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford.

“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.” – Beverly Sills.

“The biggest task in the morning is to try to keep my headspace from being invaded by the outside world.” — Austin Kleon.

Read More

[positive-galaxy]

Begin Your Workday With These Short Motivational Quotes

Are you tired of starting your workday feeling sluggish and unmotivated? Do you wish there was a way to kickstart your productivity and set the tone for a successful day ahead? Look no further! In this article, we will explore a few simple yet powerful habits that can help you begin your workday on a positive note. - Morning Exercise: Picture this – you wake up, stretch your body, and engage in some form of exercise. Whether it's a brisk walk, yoga session, or a quick workout, getting your blood pumping early in the morning can do wonders for your energy levels and overall well-being. Not only does exercise release endorphins, but it also helps clear your mind and increase focus. - Mindful Moments: Take a moment before diving into work to practice mindfulness. Close your eyes, take deep breaths, and center yourself in the present moment. This simple practice can help you cultivate a sense of calm and prepare your mind for the tasks ahead. By setting an intention for the day, you can approach your work with clarity and purpose. - Prioritize your Tasks: To avoid feeling overwhelmed, start your day by prioritizing your tasks. Create a to-do list and identify the most important and urgent items. Focus on tackling these tasks first, as accomplishing them will give you a sense of achievement and momentum. Remember, it's all about taking small steps towards your larger goals. - Positive Affirmations: Harness the power of positive affirmations to boost your confidence and motivation. Repeat empowering statements such as "I am capable," "I am focused," or "I am ready to succeed" to yourself. These affirmations can help shift your mindset from doubt to belief, setting the stage for a productive and successful workday. - Fuel Your Body: Don't underestimate the importance of a nutritious breakfast. Start your day with a well-balanced meal that includes protein, whole grains, and fruits or vegetables. A healthy breakfast provides your body and brain with the fuel they need to function optimally. Avoid sugary snacks or heavy meals that can lead to energy crashes later in the day. By incorporating these habits into your morning routine, you can transform the way you start your workday. Remember, small changes can have a big impact. So why wait? Begin your workday with these simple yet powerful practices and experience the difference it makes in your productivity, focus, and overall well-being. Short Motivational Quotes Are you in need of a quick boost of inspiration? Look no further than short motivational quotes. These gems of wisdom encapsulate powerful messages in just a few words, making them ideal for capturing attention and igniting motivation. Whether you're seeking encouragement, empowerment, or a fresh perspective, these concise quotes have the ability to leave a lasting impact on your mindset. Short motivational quotes serve as little nuggets of inspiration that can be easily remembered and applied to various aspects of life. They act as reminders that success often comes from within, and that determination and perseverance are key ingredients for achieving our goals. Through their brevity, they pack a punch that can instantly uplift spirits and push us towards our desired outcomes. Imagine facing a daunting challenge and feeling discouraged. Suddenly, you come across a quote like "Believe you can and you're halfway there" by Theodore Roosevelt. In that moment, you realize that self-belief is crucial, and half the battle is already won with the right mindset. This simple but profound quote has the power to rekindle your motivation and propel you forward. Short motivational quotes also excel in providing clarity and focus. When we feel overwhelmed or uncertain, these words of wisdom can serve as compasses, directing us towards our passions and purpose. For instance, consider Steve Jobs' famous quote: "Stay hungry, stay foolish." It urges us to remain curious, never settle, and embrace risks in order to achieve greatness. This quote serves as a reminder to continuously strive for growth and innovation, regardless of the challenges we may encounter. What Are Some Effective Affirmations for Positive Thinking? Importance of Motivation at Work Are you tired of dragging yourself to work every day, feeling uninspired and unmotivated? Picture this: Imagine waking up with enthusiasm, eagerly embracing the challenges that lie ahead. You walk into your workplace brimming with energy, ready to take on the world. This is the transformative power of motivation at work. Motivation is the driving force behind our actions, pushing us to achieve our goals and surpass our own expectations. In the context of work, it becomes even more crucial. When employees are motivated, they become more engaged, productive, and committed to their tasks. They go above and beyond, striving for excellence and making a real impact. But why is motivation so important? It goes far beyond ticking off tasks on a to-do list. Motivated employees are like a well-oiled machine, propelling the success of an organization. They consistently deliver high-quality work, displaying innovation and creativity. With motivation as their guiding light, they tackle challenges head-on and find solutions where others see roadblocks. Imagine a workplace filled with motivated individuals. It's a place where ideas flow freely, collaboration thrives, and productivity soars. Motivated employees bring a positive energy that spreads throughout the team, creating a harmonious and inspiring work environment. Their passion and dedication are contagious, uplifting their colleagues and sparking a chain reaction of achievement. Motivation also plays a significant role in personal growth and fulfillment. When people feel motivated, they experience a sense of purpose and satisfaction in what they do. It fuels their desire to continuously improve and learn new skills, leading to professional development and career advancement. Motivated individuals have a clear vision of their goals, and they are willing to put in the effort to make them a reality. So, how can organizations foster motivation in the workplace? Providing opportunities for growth, recognition, and autonomy are key. Offering challenging assignments, encouraging skill development, and acknowledging employees' achievements can fuel their motivation. Building a supportive and inclusive work culture where individuals feel valued and heard is also vital. Motivational Quotes for a Positive Morning Are you tired of waking up on the wrong side of the bed? Do you wish to kickstart your mornings with a positive mindset? Look no further! In this article, we will explore a collection of motivational quotes that will infuse your mornings with positivity and set the tone for an amazing day ahead. - "The only way to do great work is to love what you do." – Steve Jobs Imagine starting your day with these inspiring words from the legendary Steve Jobs. They remind us that passion and love for our work can fuel our success. So, find something you're truly passionate about and watch your mornings become more fulfilling. - "Believe you can and you're halfway there." – Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt's quote emphasizes the power of self-belief. When you wake up with the firm conviction that you can achieve your goals, you're already halfway there. Use this quote as your daily mantra, and witness the positive impact it has on your morning routine. - "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." – Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor Roosevelt's quote encourages us to dream big and have faith in our abilities. Start each morning by visualizing your dreams and reminding yourself that they are within reach. By doing so, you'll cultivate a sense of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead. - "Every morning we are born again. What we do today matters most." – Buddha Buddha's words serve as a powerful reminder that each morning brings new opportunities. Leave yesterday's worries behind and focus on the present moment. Make each day count through intentional actions that align with your goals and values. - "The early bird catches the worm." This timeless proverb reminds us of the importance of starting our day early. Use it as a gentle nudge to resist hitting the snooze button and embrace the morning's potential. Waking up ahead of the crowd allows you to seize opportunities and make progress towards your aspirations. Incorporate these motivational quotes into your morning routine, and witness the transformation in your mindset. Embrace the power of positivity, belief, and intentional action, and watch as your mornings become a catalyst for a more fulfilling and successful life. Does Professional Success Depend on Personal Development? How Quotes Can Improve Your Workday Are you tired of the monotony and lack of motivation during your workday? Do you find yourself in need of some inspiration and a fresh perspective? Look no further than the power of quotes! Quotes have the remarkable ability to transform your workday, injecting it with renewed enthusiasm and motivation. In this article, we will explore how quotes can improve your workday and provide you with that much-needed boost. Imagine starting your day with an impactful quote that resonates with you. It can set the tone for the entire day, infusing you with positivity and determination. Quotes have a way of encapsulating profound wisdom in just a few words, making them easily digestible and memorable. They grab your attention and make you reflect on their deeper meaning. As you ponder these words of wisdom, you begin to see new possibilities and perspectives in your work. Quotes can serve as powerful reminders of what you're capable of achieving. When faced with challenges or setbacks, a well-chosen quote can rekindle your self-belief and push you forward. They act as gentle encouragers, offering insights from those who have faced similar obstacles and triumphed. By internalizing these messages, you tap into your own resilience and find the strength to persevere. Furthermore, quotes foster creativity and innovation. They challenge conventional thinking and inspire you to approach problems from different angles. Just like a painter who draws inspiration from diverse sources, incorporating quotes into your workday sparks new ideas and solutions. They act as catalysts, igniting your imagination and pushing the boundaries of what you thought possible. Not only do quotes impact your mindset and creativity, but they also enhance your communication skills. By sharing thought-provoking quotes with colleagues, you initiate meaningful conversations and create connections. Quotes can act as icebreakers, initiating discussions on important topics or sparking debates that lead to valuable insights. They can even be used to illustrate complex concepts in a concise and relatable manner. Read the full article

[reneees]

The Great Metamorphosis

Abrupt necessities shift a being from the inside.Necessity thirsts for creativity,creativity in turn shades necessity.Love dwelling in us,even if they are leftovers transforms us.Theodore Roosevelt said “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again... who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly."Love is the greatest things of all,daring greatly when love is coarsely present is daring to love oneself through hurricane states of mind.you are in a quicksand but enveloped and stamped "I love you ".You are a polished,curved epoxy table once you get out of your daddy’s car,to the sick feeling,maybe butterflies but the wrong kind.You gauge eyes at the frameless painting in the museum as if that’s not you.You want to relate to far more greater things like brilliance,prestige and fortune than scalloped pearls,marred childhood,being extensions of your parents.Lotus blooms in mud,flowers grow after rain tsk tsk..,actually you don’t want to remember.you are trying put two and two together,form comprehensible words for this inexplicable discomfort. You remember a thing about discomfort:what is now normal for you was once novelty;just like breaking in a new pair of shoes.You have always been a variable among consonants but now you want to try something different. Moving furniture does nothing unless you sit in that change.fresh paint of baby blue has dried long ago,how about ivy green and ivory white curtains with classic velvet armchairs ?cool but does that really change you? so what does? I think love does,cliché right?But this is my experience.I still smile at the lovers on the aisle,a mother patting her son softly.Most things don’t require discipline but love.you’ll commit to it more naturally when it’s love.It’s not love vs discipline.either one works but I’ve always found that a strenuous regimen takes away more than it gives.Sometimes you don’t have to achieve anything nor get something.Rest easy in simply being."we accept the love we think we deserve"a quote by John green I absolutely adore.what you think you deserve sets the blueprint for everything in your life.you don’t have to leap mountains,seas to deserve good things.to simply be is allowing or yielding just like when you fall in love in love with a person.you simply surrender in the most gentle way possible.just like at a billing counter;here’s all I have bought,what is its worth?here is all I am,what is my worth?.Okay,so love is the point of all.You now fall in love with a version of yourself you want to become then you become it.Equating love with god is a great metaphor.God(love)is all giving,God(love)is all forgiving.Let love be your god for a while.what you really want is the this newness to be your new normal.The better version doesn’t have to anything grand.It could simply be practising kindness with people.It could be generosity towards yourself.imagine entering a room and wanting nobody’s validation but your own and others liking you is only a bonus.A new version of you is all yours for the taking.

Butterfly

[starksolid]

Stark Solid's Inspirational Quotes (Featuring Eleanor Roosevelt) #dailyi... Check out the most recent video in my "Daily Inspiration By Stark Solid" series! To be completely honest, THIS ONE GAVE ME CHILLS! This video has the power to motivate you to move mountains. Watch to see what I mean! Furthermore, remember to subscribe to receive more daily inspiring quotes from notable people in your inbox! As long as you don't give up on your aspirations and goals, you can realize them all! I have faith in you!

[allgoodquotesblog]

35 Motivating Quotes on Criticism and How to Respond to It

The best critique quotes and sayings from renowned authors are provided here for your reading pleasure. We hope that these criticism quotes will assist you in any way in learning more about criticism, how it impacts other people's lives, and how to deal with it. Criticism is the practise of people making judgments about the virtues and flaws of someone or something, and it is referred to as an evaluative or corrective exercise that occurs in any aspect of human life. You can tell your friends, family, and other people you care about about these motivational criticism quotes.

Motivating Quotes on Criticism and How to Respond to It “Criticism is an indirect form of self-boasting.” – Emmet Fox “When virtues are pointed out first, flaws seem less insurmountable.” – Judith Martin “Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.” – Neil Gaiman “Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.” – Dale Carnegie “The pleasure of criticizing takes away from us the pleasure of being moved by some very fine things.” – Jean de La Bruyère “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” – Aristotle “You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one.” – John Wooden “The trouble with most of us is that we'd rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” – Norman Vincent Peale “When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical.” – Unknown “Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes.” – Elvis Presley “Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots.” – Frank A. Clark “People tend to criticize their spouse most loudly in the area where they themselves have the deepest emotional need.” – Gary Chapman “Criticism is the disapproval of people, not for having faults, but having faults different from your own.” – Unknown “Before you go and criticize the younger generation, just remember who raised them.” – Unknown “Who do you spend time with? Criticizers or encouragers? Surround yourself with those who believe in you. Your life is too important for anything less.” – Steve Goodier “He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.” – Abraham Lincoln “If we judge ourselves only by our aspirations and everyone else only their conduct we shall soon reach a very false conclusion.” – Calvin Coolidge “I have no right, by anything I do or say, to demean a human being in his own eyes. What matters is not what I think of him; it is what he thinks of himself. To undermine a man's self-respect is a sin.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery “Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.” – Eleanor Roosevelt “One mustn't criticize other people on grounds where he can't stand perpendicular himself” – Mark Twain “That was excellently observed’, say I, when I read a passage in an author, where his opinion agrees with mine. When we differ, there I pronounce him to be mistaken.” – Jonathan Swift “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.” – Benjamin Franklin “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.” – William Arthur Ward “Don’t criticize them; they are just what we would be under similar circumstances.” – Abraham Lincoln “It is much more valuable to look for the strength in others. You can gain nothing by criticizing their imperfections.” – Daisaku Ikeda “The artist doesn’t have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews, the ones who want to write don’t have the time to read reviews.” – William Faulkner “If we judge ourselves only by our aspirations and everyone else only their conduct we shall soon reach a very false conclusion.” – Calvin Coolidge “I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism.” – Charles Schwab “I criticize by creation, not by finding fault.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero “Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson "To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." - Elbert Hubbard "If we had no faults we should not take so much pleasure in noting those of others." - François de La Rochefoucauld "It is much more valuable to look for the strength in others. You can gain nothing by criticizing their imperfections." - Daisaku Ikeda "Don't pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches." - Andy Warhol "Often those that criticise others reveal what he himself lacks." - Shannon L. Alder "One of the most valuable things one of my art teachers said to me was, 'Don’t get upset by criticism. Value the fact that at least someone noticed what you did." - Chris Ware "A creative life cannot be sustained by approval any more than it can be destroyed by criticism." - Will Self Read the full article

[nexility-sims]

What stories (on simblr or otherwise) have inspired yours?

ooh ! me, seeing this ask and immediately forgetting every book i’ve ever read or movie i’ve ever seen—! i’m so sorry, but i’m a wordy bitch who foams at the mouth anytime anyone asks me anything about my story. i got carried away, but ... y’all can keep scrolling adshkfldsff

okay, i’ve said before that the direct inspiration to make a simblr story came from @historicalsimslife​​ and @thegrimalldis​​. i can’t remember how i found either of them, but they each showed me respectively that 1) simblr storytelling was a thing, and 2) royal stories can be way more compelling than irl royals would lead you to believe, lmao. so, i decided to give storytelling a go, and eventually i also wanted to try the royal setting, based on reading alyssa’s work. i do believe that that @warwickroyals​​ motivated me to embrace being critical of monarchy as a concept and to also embrace ... how to say this ... i guess those grittier, dysfunctional plot lines that take more care to do well. ayanna makes it seem effortless tho ??? hmph. oh, and my original inspiration for the bancrofts whose legacy feeds into this story is ... the vanderbilts. :^)

in terms of my story itself, beyond the premise ... i draw inspiration from life stories ! rowena is heavily inspired by alice roosevelt and barbara hutton. marginally, also wallis simpson. alfonso is kind of an archetype i write often, but i can’t put my finger on where the inspiration for that type originally came from. why is macbeth coming to mind. rip. macbeth is a general influence for me, as a person, who thinks of stories. he also gives off Hot Man™ vibes, maybe on account of the sword-swinging and anguish. anyway......

beatriz is inspired partially by everything i wanted from daenerys targaryen and didn’t get ! i feel like songs have actually formed her in large part, too: a chunk of halsey’s album, if i can’t have love, i want power; lorde’s “yellow flicker beat,” valerie broussard’s “a little wicked,” and more recently, florence + the machine’s “king.” there’s a little bit of wednesday addams mixed in, too, probably. with both her and zuriñe, i am fully indulging my love for women who are Bad™ and don’t apologize for it. i’ve always been captivated by ostensible villains with whom you’re made to sympathize, both as a storytelling challenge and as a type of character. matriarch made of steel. heart of coal. selfishness that dresses up as selflessness. let her have power. she earned it. 

anyway, my ever-present inspiration for “romance that interests me personally,” generally, comes from layla and majnun on one hand—i will cry a thousand tears just reading quotes from it, smh—and catherynne valente’s deathless on the other. i guess that translates to “we are fucked, in every sense” and “we’re all suffering, beautifully and endlessly.”

i’ve had a dramatic, dysfunctional life myself, so .... honestly, i think i gravitate toward stories that let me explore that and give me control over it. i suspect it’s why i used to prefer films that didn’t have happy endings (somehow, the pandemic changed my media consumption habits, so now i binge watch shows i’ve seen a dozen times instead of seeking out whatever depressing drama netflix recommends). it’s probably why i like villains who aren’t one-dimensional evil but who hurt people they love for reasons they can’t fully explain. i disagree with the idea that “evil” is boring just because it’s more mundane than we like to think, but i do believe writing goodness—especially the mundane kind—is also incredibly difficult because it’s just as complex as badness. i’m off topic. rip 2x. 

i love world-building, and i don’t see enough stories—especially in this corner of simblr—that are ... not so “western,” so reflective of the colonial world, i guess? i live here in my real life, i study it for a living, let me go elsewhere !!!!!  i don’t expect that of anyone, to be clear, but ... as an ~indigenous person~, i just wanted to explore a place where the worldviews and beliefs are anti- or decolonial, or maybe simply were never colonized at all. it’s hard to do that, but it excites me as much as the character development i discussed above. i can’t say i’m doing it well or whatever, but i try to think of this aspiration as the guiding light or motivation for my choices. 

to the nuts and bolts, when i decided to write this story, i was learning about the history of modern mexico—specifically, the porfiriato and the revolution—so that influenced the setting. i have some mixed feelings about the latin american inspiration since i’m not latina myself, but ... i guess i hope it’s both fictional enough to not seem exploitative and appropriately respectful when i borrow things directly, like names. it’s why i try to keep the naming conventions for people and places internally consistent, for example. if i use indigenous words, there’s from a particular set of places. in essence, the choice comes from a place of admiration and solidarity, which i say w/ deep sincerity. there’s also my interest in medieval iberia with its portuguese and spanish cultures as well as the islamic influences of the period. that’s totally more for aesthetics and naming, tho, but i do take inspiration for the political drama from “modernization” struggles in mexican history. 

so, uh, in summary, let’s say i was inspired by what black panther was trying to do with wakanda but in the western hemisphere LMAO 

[lousy-old-shrimp]

Quotes of a friend trying to remember newsies characters

“The cards guy! The gay one!” - talking about Racetrack

(when convo blooms from that one,) “like playing poker with his lover, I don’t know something like that.”

“Spot Conlon was like a… wasn’t he like the leader of the cool group” - “yes he was”

“He was a newsie!” - David jacobs

^ she does not know who David is

“I remember he was singing in his sleep? And smoking or drinking something like that that he wasn’t supposed to be doing” - Les

“Like the mother lady right?” - Medda

“I remember he sword fights with someone and is violent” - Blink (y’all did he sword fight?)

“In the behind the scenes the guy who played him felt bad for the character and that’s about all I remember” - Weasel

“I remember that she gave Jack a couple looks and wears cool dresses” - Sarah Jacobs

“Was that like the crazy guy? I remember him moving around a lot.” - Pulitzer

“All i remember about him is he went with them to Brooklyn” - Boots

She asked if Max Casella played racetrack (gay cards guy)

“Weren’t there like, people who wanted to be violent? And the David guy said “we should do peace” and they went “no we should make fires” or something?” - yes, rally but minus the fire

She remembers the fire scene (trolley strike)

“When does Muggs come into this?” That is a newsies fanfiction character, friend. He is not in the original piece (I talked about that fanfic a lot while I was reading it for the first time)

She doesn’t remember Crutchy, but assumes he started a fire (I asked her if she remembered the kid who got arrested, and now she claims she remembers Crutchy when I gave her the name)

“Crutchy was like the nice guy, right? With the… crutches, I guess” yes, he was. Sort of. He did unspeakable things to evil guy’s sauerkraut.

“He worked for like… theeefrrrrr,,,, child jail or whatever. He’s like the reason Jack kelly had to change his name or whatever. And I remember the scene where he was talking to the old guy in what I assume was like the hotel… newsies base? And they were all hiding jack.” - Snyder

“I remember liking him because he was like… pretending to be stupid but in reality he was good. I dunno” - Kloppman

“I remember that nobody likes the delancey brothers. Were they the ones who tried to beat up Sarah Jacobs? And didn’t she like punch a wall or something?”

“I remember he like was driving jack in the carriage or something.” - Teddy Roosevelt

[ladykissingfish]

Konoha Nin and Akatsuki Members as Quotes

Kakashi

“People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading.” — Logan Pearsall Smith

Sasuke

“I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don’t believe I deserved my friends.” — Walt Whitman

Naruto

“My life feels like a test I didn’t study for.” — Anonymous

Sakura

“Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell.” — Joan Crawford

Sai

“Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at someone else’s can shorten it.” — Cullen Hightower

Yamato

“I always wanted to be somebody; but now I realize I should have been more specific.” — Lily Tomlin

Asuma

“If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking and loving, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer.” — Clement Freud

Choji

“Inside me there’s a thin person struggling to get out, but I can usually sedate him with four or five cupcakes.” — Bob Thaves

Shikamaru

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” — Mark Twain

Ino

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness didn’t know where to shop.” — Gertrude Stein

Guy Sensei

“A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.” — Justin Sewell

Neji

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has it’s limits.” — Albert Einstein

Lee

“Whatever you do, always give 100%. Unless you’re donating blood.” — Anonymous

Ten Ten

“A woman’s mind is cleaner than a man’s: She changes it more often.” — Oliver Herford

Kiba

“According to a new survey, 90% of men say their lover is also their best friend. Which is really kind of disturbing when you consider man’s best friend is his dog.” — Jay Leno

Shino

“Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self esteem, first make sure that you are not in fact, just surrounding yourself with assholes.” — Unknown

Hinata

“A diamond is simply a lump of coal that did well under pressure.” — Unknown

Jiraiya

“Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example.” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Tsunade

“Age is just a number. It’s totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine.” — Joan Collins

Orochimaru

“When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.” — Mark Twain

Konan

“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

Nagato

“People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov

Itachi

“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.” — Stephen Hawking

Kisame

“Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.” — Mark Twain

Deidara If at first you don’t succeed, fix your ponytail, and try again.” — Anonymous

Sasori

“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.” — Oscar Levant

Hidan

“If you find it hard to laugh at yourself, I would be happy to do it for you.” — Groucho Marx

Kakuzu

“Money is not the most important thing in the world. Love is. Fortunately, I love money.” — Jackie Mason

Zetsu

“I intend to live forever. So far, so good.” — Steven Wright

Obito

“I want to be 14 again and ruin my life differently. I have new ideas.” — Unknown

[swan-of-sunrise]

Spellbinding (Chapter Two)

Summary: Loki and (Y/N)’s friendship continues to grow but is soon threatened by a dangerous enemy and a life-changing secret.

Pairing: Loki X Reader

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings/Disclaimers: Brief scene of verbal harassment

A/N: Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Two April 14th, 2015 Avengers Tower, New York City (Previous Chapter)

As Loki walked down the hall to the conference room, he thought about how he’d much rather be in his room or the library reading his new book. (Y/N) had picked Pride and Prejudice for him the last time he visited the library, insisting that he’d love the witty banter between Elizabeth Bennet and Mister Darcy. She had proven to be right yet again; Loki could honestly say that Jane Austen was indeed a very clever woman and that (Y/N) had a true talent for recommending literature.

His thoughts drifted back to the first time he’d laid eyes on the trainee librarian almost two months ago. After complaining to Tony about the inadequate number of interesting books in his library, Steve had interrupted whatever insult the billionaire was about to utter and told Loki about public libraries, specifically the New York Public Library several blocks down the street from the tower. Needless to say, Loki was hesitant to visit; the super soldier was one of the only Avengers he could actually stand to be around most of the time, but he had a nasty habit of overlooking the more annoying traits of Midgardians. But in utter desperation for any interesting reading material, he finally caved and walked down the street to the library, feeling utterly ridiculous in the Midgardian clothes the others had purchased for him. However, his discomfort vanished the moment he stepped into the library; unlike the bustling street outside, the building was practically empty, and it was packed to the brim with enormous bookshelves.

In a trance, he strolled down the aisles and couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer number of books the Midgardians had written; it almost rivaled the palace library on Asgard. But when he turned down another aisle, he stopped cold in his tracks; standing mere feet away and busy placing books onto one of the shelves was a woman, and she was the fairest he’d ever laid eyes on. Her (Y/H/C) hair was streaked with faint strands of gold, and her (Y/E/C) eyes glimmered behind a pair of glasses that rested on her nose; he smiled a little when she had to push them back up after they had slid down. Her clothing was simple and modest, a pair of dark jeans and a light purple sweater with a pair of flats, but their plain-ness only served to accentuate her beautiful features.

When she placed a book on the shelf, she smiled brightly and looked up, but whatever she noticed made her frown. A look of determination came across her features and she reached for the top shelf, but it was far too high for her. Instead of giving up, she stood on her toes to give her more height, but as a result, she lost her balance and stumbled. Breaking out of his trance, Loki rushed forward and grabbed her elbows to catch her from falling. The moment her striking (Y/E/C) eyes met his, his face reddened, his heartbeat quickened and he decided that Midgardian public libraries weren’t all that bad. The woman had introduced herself as (Y/N), and after helping her finish her task of rearranging the bookshelf, he was recommended A Midsummer Night’s Dream and given a library card. He was quickly charmed by how enthusiastic she was about the play and he decided that a return trip to the library would be quite necessary.

And that’s how their friendship began. Every Friday, he would visit the library, discuss with her whichever novel or play he’d just read and leave with a new one. She had insights on each and every one, offering him explanations of plot or speculations of characterization, even background information on the author or the period it was set in, and he listened to her intently before adding his own views and opinions to the conversation. She was kind and intelligent for a Midgardian, and he quickly found himself looking forward to their weekly meetings. He couldn’t deny that another reason he was drawn to her was because she didn’t look at him with fear or hatred in her eyes. To her, he was simply a friend who enjoyed discussing literature with her every Friday, not the villainous Asgardian who previously tried to take over her planet. For some strange reason, she had yet to realize his true identity, which was why he had continued bend the truth and tell her that he was just a civilian consultant and not one of ‘Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’. There was one Friday, however, when he seriously questioned whether he should tell her the truth or not…

Loki hurried up the steps of the library, humming an Asgardian tune under his breath as he climbed. The week had been a long and trying one; Director Fury had announced that they were planning on infiltrating several Hydra databases, Thor had broken nearly all the kitchen appliances with Mjolnir out of frustration after attempting to cook and on top of everything, Loki was forced to go on a mission with Tony, the most infuriating Midgardian he’d ever met. So, to say that he was excited to see his new friend was an understatement; he missed seeing her wonderful (Y/E/C) eyes sparkle as they looked at him, her bright smile as she spoke so passionately about literature, her infectious laughter whenever he told her a joke…though he would never admit it out loud, he was slowly beginning to develop a soft spot for the kind trainee librarian. And although he worried about how she would react to learning his true identity, he believed deep down that she was different from other Midgardians but the only way to be sure of her reaction was to go ahead and tell her about himself. He entered the library, his mind already made up, and headed towards the bookshelves to look for her when he noticed she wasn’t sitting at her desk. As he was leaving the biography section, two voices made him stop in his tracks.

“Aw, c’mon sweetie, just one date!”

“I already told you, sir, no thank you.”

Loki peeked around the bookcase and saw (Y/N), her back to him as she shelved books and shied away from a handsome but shifty-looking man standing too close to her and staring hungrily. Rage filled him but just as he was about to step in, the man spoke again.

“I’ll treat you to a real nice meal, and maybe after we could have a little fun; I’m the best you’ll ever have, sweet cheeks. C’mon, are you sayin’ no ‘cause I’m ugly or somethin’?”

(Y/N) looked at him with a mock expression of confusion. “Facially, or are we talking about your personality? I’m confused so you’ll have to clarify yourself for me.” Loki smirked to himself, amused at her witty comeback. “Now, I suggest that you check out a book to expand that non-existent brain of yours and leave before I call the police and have them teach you all about manners as they arrest you for stalking all the female employees here.”

The man’s jaw clenched in anger. “Wouldn’t wanna go out with a bitch like you anyways.” He stormed off down the aisle and she resumed her work.

Careful not to be seen by (Y/N), Loki gritted his teeth and followed the man as he entered the men’s restroom. He tapped the man’s shoulder and when he turned around, punched him square in the jaw. The man toppled to the floor, clutching his face and moaning. Grabbing him tightly by the throat, Loki lifted him up easily and slammed him hard against the wall, causing the tiles behind him to crack. “If I ever hear of you returning to this library or harassing that woman again, I will not hesitate in tracking you down and disemboweling you.” To prove his point, he allowed his eyes to flash Jotun-red before returning to their usual green. “Understand?” Instead of answering, the terrified man’s eyes rolled back and he fainted. “Insignificant ant.” Loki threw him back to the ground roughly and left the restroom to search for (Y/N). She had moved on to the sciences, her usual gentle smile on her face as she worked. “Lady (Y/N)!”

She turned to him and her smile widened. “Hi Loki! You’re late, you know. I almost thought you weren’t going to come in today.”

Loki only grinned. “What, and miss our weekly talk? Unthinkable!” She laughed and continued shelving. “I…I actually arrived several minutes ago and witnessed you dealing with that pig. You have an astounding talent for witty insults, Lady (Y/N), I’m impressed.”

“Thank you, I’ve learned over the years that they’re the quickest way to make men like him go away.”

He felt his knees weaken when she grinned at him, attracted to the mischievous glint in her usually innocent eyes. His eyebrows furrowed, however, as he considered her relaxed demeanor. “If you don’t mind me asking, how is it that you stay so positive after being harassed and insulted like that? Does it not bother you?”

(Y/N) thought for a moment before responding. “Well…when I was little, my aunt used to always tell me this one quote from Eleanor Roosevelt; it goes something like ‘No one can make you feel inferior without your consent’. So, whenever someone tries to put me down like that man just did, I think of that quote and try to remember that life’s too short to let people believe that they can control me.” Pushing her glasses up her nose, she directed her attention to the book in his hand. “So, did you enjoy the book?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes, very much!” Loki exclaimed, hoping that she wouldn’t notice how he stared at her. “Although, I’m not sure Tolkien needed to spend five pages describing a forest.”

She laughed again. “That’s one of the most common criticisms of Tolkien, you know. But you have to admit, his descriptions…” She continued talking, but Loki was only half-listening. She had surprised him with her answer to his question, and as he watched her talk animatedly about the merits of over-describing action and locations in novels, he knew that he couldn’t bring himself to tell her about his true identity. Not just because of how she would possibly react, but because it would almost certainly put her in danger. And he couldn’t purposefully put the most kindhearted woman he’d ever met in harm’s way, not for anything. With his mind made up, he just watched and listened to her speak with rapt attention and barely-concealed admiration.

“Loki!” He was drawn out of his thoughts by his brother, who hurried to walk alongside him. “I called to you several times, is there something on your mind that’s making you hard of hearing?”

“Nothing at all, brother, except the desire to return to my room and finish my book,” Loki snapped back. Although he’d never admit it out loud, Loki was happy that his relationship with Thor was different now that he wasn’t living in his brother’s shadow. The Avengers had allowed him to join their team to redeem himself and in turn he’d slowly earned their trust, finally making him feel just as respected as Thor for once in his life. And I suppose it’s rather nice to have a brother again, he thought begrudgingly, although he can still be as infuriating as ever.

Thor only chuckled. “Are you sure that’s the only thing on your mind?” When Loki shot him a questioning look, Thor grinned. “I know that you’re thinking about your Lady (Y/N). When do I finally get to meet the woman who’s enchanted my brother?”

Groaning, Loki pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and avoided his brother’s eyes. “I deeply regret telling you about her, you know. As I’ve said before, she and I are merely friends, Thor, nothing more. We have intellectual discussions about literature, something you could partake in and benefit from if you ever picked up a book in your life.”

“Whatever you say, Loki,” Still chuckling, Thor led them into the conference room and they took their seats at the table. The only other Avenger there was Steve since the rest of the team was on various missions or conducting experiments in the lab. “Did Fury mention why he’s called us here, Rogers?”

Steve shook his head, his arms crossed over his broad chest and a worried look on his face. “Nope, he didn’t say anything. His text sounded pretty serious, though.” They all seemed to have thought the same thing given that they were all dressed for battle; Thor and Loki in their Asgardian armor and Steve in his red, white and blue uniform complete with his vibranium shield.

Before Loki could speak, the director walked in with files in his hands. “Okay, now that everyone’s here we can begin. The three of you are gonna go on an extraction mission here in the city. As you know, our intelligence uncovered some Hydra files recently and they include one of their next targets. This is a sensitive one ‘cause we don’t know exactly when they’re gonna make their move, but we do know it’ll be today so you’ll need to leave immediately.” Director Fury handed each of them a file and continued. “And because we’re on a tight schedule, we don’t know why they’re targeting her yet but we’ll be working on finding out the answer to that question while you’re gone.”

Loki took the file and opened it, but as soon as he saw the woman’s picture, he froze. It was (Y/N), and the photograph was taken from her library identification card she usually wore clipped to her belt. “I believe I may know why she’s being targeted.” When the rest of the group looked at him with confusion, he continued, “This woman is Lady (Y/N), my friend who works at the library down the street. I meet her there every Friday afternoon.”

“Let’s go.” Steve stood quickly and everyone else followed. “I’ll meet you two there.” Slinging his shield over his back, he jogged to the elevators that led to the entrance floor below.

Fear clenched at Loki’s heart as he and Thor hurried up the tower’s emergency stairwell to the protruding helipad; he never intended (Y/N) to become a target of Hydra and had taken every precautionary measure to ensure her safety. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to her because of him. “The library is west of the tower and three blocks down. I’ll go in first and meet you behind the building with her, all right?”

Thor nodded, a determined look on his face as he kicked open the door to the helipad. “No harm will come to her, brother, I promise.”

Without another word, Loki grabbed his brother’s arm as he swung his hammer and they shot into the air. Moments later, they landed in the alley alongside the library. Please let her be safe, he thought as he ran around the building and dashed up the front steps. Loki swiftly entered the building, ignoring all the strange looks he received because of his armor, and hurried over to the bookshelves. (Y/N) was in the philosophy section, so engrossed in her shelving that she didn’t notice him approach her. “Lady (Y/N)!”

She looked up from her cart and smiled. “Loki! Why are you wearing-?”

“Lady (Y/N),” He interrupted. “This is going to sound completely insane, but any moment now, some very dangerous men will come here and attempt to abduct you.” When she was about to interrupt, he held her shoulders and bent down so that he was eye-level with her. “This isn’t a joke, Lady (Y/N), I assure you, and I promise I’ll explain everything to you later, but we need to leave now. Do you trust me?”

(Y/N)’s widened eyes considered his for a moment before she slowly nodded. “Y-yes, Loki, I trust you.”

“All right, we need to get to the-” Before he could finish, the library door’s slammed open and they could hear what sounded like a several armed men enter as the rest of the patrons screamed and took cover. He cursed under his breath. “We need to hurry; is there another way out of here?”

“This way!” Snapping out of her shock, (Y/N) quickly led him through the rows of bookcases to a door at the back of the room, but before they could go through, they were suddenly surrounded by eight Hydra agents. The sight of the men pointing their guns in (Y/N)’s direction filled Loki with a rage unlike any he’d ever felt before; the only thing keeping him from slaughtering them where they stood was the woman standing beside him. As (Y/N) gasped in fear, Loki stepped in front of her and thrust out his hands, causing their guns to melt in their hands and transform into snakes; attention was drawn from the two of them as the men fell into a panic and attempted to untangle the serpents from their arms.

A moment later, Steve jumped into the middle of the fighting and slammed his shield into one man’s face. “Loki, get her out of here, I’ve got this!” He skillfully dodged an attack and threw his shield, knocking two of the men into unconsciousness before flying back onto his left arm.

Giving the super soldier a nod, Loki took (Y/N)’s hand and quickly led her through the door, which opened into a long hallway. “Watch out!”

He spun around as an armed man came sprinting towards them down the hallway, already pulling a gun out of its holster as he ran. Before he could raise his hand and use his magic or daggers to defend them, (Y/N) raised her own hands and the man was suddenly slammed against the wall by a purple force and knocked unconscious. Loki looked at her in shock, an emotion which was mirrored on her face as well. She looked down at her trembling hands and back up at him before her knees buckled and her eyes rolled back in her head; Loki lunged forward and caught her in his arms before her limp body could hit the floor. She doesn’t know she possesses magic, he thought in astonishment. Cradling her protectively in his arms, he hurried down the hall and kicked a door open with his foot, revealing the alley where his brother was waiting impatiently beside a cluster of unconscious Hydra agents.

“Is she all right?” Thor asked, but all Loki could do was give him a hopeless look. “I’ll take her back to the tower to Banner, you stay here and help Rogers.” Loki opened his mouth to protest, but Thor interrupted. “She’ll be safe with me, Loki, but Rogers needs assistance!”

Giving his brother a curt nod, he carefully placed (Y/N)’s unconscious form into Thor’s arms. “Take care of her, Thor.” He watched as Thor swung Mjolnir and shot into the sky, flying towards the Avengers tower with (Y/N) secure in his arms. The moment they left his vision, he hurried back inside and helped Steve defeat the men and the reinforcements they brought along. All he could think of while he fought, however, was (Y/N)’s sickly face, the incredible power she used to protect him and the fact that she seemed to have no knowledge of that power. He had a nagging suspicion about what that power meant, but he prayed to the Norns he was wrong; if he wasn’t, then it meant that (Y/N)’s world was about to be turned upside down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

A/N: Thank you for reading! I’ve created a Spotify playlist inspired by this series, and I’ll be updating it every time I upload a new chapter. Enjoy! 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2wx8TZwpDN0l33tES3W3Nk

Chapter Three-Part One

Spellbinding Masterlist

Tagging: @nexiva @ravenclawbitch426 @cminr @confusedfandomwriter @momc95 @nickkie1129 @austynparksandpizza @brooke0297 @destructivebliss @outoftheregular​ @itscomplicatedx​ @0-artemis​ @vivloki​

[bgallen]

Light and shadow, copious amounts of coffee, and sleeping ants

Here we are at the last Friday of February and I for one, am ready for Spring to begin. March in the deep south is usually not an ideal place but I have hope that perhaps the pollen won’t be excessive…that the tornadoes will be few…and that it won’t stay in the 80’s the whole month.

I think that one of the best books ever written is Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. It reminds me of a Gary Marshall film, in that you have multiple stories occurring at once and they are all connected – whether you are aware of it or not. There is a quote in Anna Karenina that I have loved since I first read it, “All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow.” When my grandfather died three years ago, he died on the same floor where the babies were being born. As we were leaving the hospital that night, deeply grieving, we passed a family in the waiting room with balloons and gifts getting up to go greet a brand-new baby. And the beauty and sorrow of that moment still resonates with me today. It was such a perfect picture of “light and shadow” for me. This concept that deep joy and deep grief often coexist as well as the light and shade that resides within people is worth remembering as we go about our lives.

I have put together of lists of some fascinating articles that I have found recently, a few videos, and some music.

·      You Can Sleep Suspended Among Big Sur’s Redwoods in a Compound Designed by the Area’s Biggest Architect. All you’ll need are a few pennies to afford this $6.95 million estate, although if you can afford it – it looks well worth the asking price.  

·      Life may actually flash before your eyes on death – new study. Wow, just wow. This is fascinating! Obviously, it isn’t an extensive study and will need more research put into it. Yet the concept that our memories do possibly accompany us in our last minutes is a beautiful comfort.  

·      The Listening Ear Project. This geriatric nurse films videos asking the wisest generation, “what is love?” And the answers are as good as you’d expect.

·      Do Ants Sleep. This is immensely fascinating! Well worth your time reading, and don’t worry – there aren’t accompanying pictures.

·      What is an Affogato Coffee? One of my dearest friends and I have shared a love of coffee and ice cream for as long as I can remember. Living in the upper Midwest, Winter was always our favorite time to get ice cream strangely enough. Several years ago when I visited her in the DC area she introduced me to affogato. And, being mildly dramatic, it was life-changing. What can be better that ice cream with an espresso poured on top? (other than an ice cold coca cola or chocolate – nothing!) It is so good. And she knows all of the best places in DC to find the perfect one. Sadly, I haven’t found any gelato places near me where I can order one but I have found a few recipes that I plan on trying soon. Here’s one if you’d like to take a look.

·      Teddy Roosevelt Drank A Heroic Amount Of Coffee – Even For Teddy Roosevelt. I am such a fan of Teddy Roosevelt. He was an immensely fascinating man. You’ll have to read the article to find out how much coffee he consumed daily, suffice it to say…it’s a lot.

·      Ancient child grave was Africa’s earliest funeral. “A glimpse of human grief, at the loss of a child 78,000 years ago.” Sometimes it seems as though, we believe that deep human grief is a new concept…

·      LOTR The Return of the King – The Ride of the Rohirrim. This specific clip is probably my most favorite from all of the LOTR films. The Rohan Army, coming from the East, when they were not expected to show is such a powerful moment. And the villains showing fear, always “rights” a situation.

·      Victor Borge playing eight pianos in his first film (1937). In his first comedy film, Victor Borge played a piano tuner. Here is a video of him playing the eight pianos, you can hear him in the background commenting on the clip.

·      Canned Cake Vending Machine. A vending machine that has frozen cakes?! And cake in a can! Japan has some of the coolest vending machines.

In May my sister, cousin, and I are going to see these three groups in concert and I am very excited. Here’s some of their music to enjoy:

Ashes of Eden by Breaking Benjamin

Broken by Seether

My Demons by Starset

[positive-galaxy]

Begin Your Workday With These Short Motivational Quotes

Are you tired of starting your workday feeling sluggish and unmotivated? Do you wish there was a way to kickstart your productivity and set the tone for a successful day ahead? Look no further! In this article, we will explore a few simple yet powerful habits that can help you begin your workday on a positive note. - Morning Exercise: Picture this – you wake up, stretch your body, and engage in some form of exercise. Whether it's a brisk walk, yoga session, or a quick workout, getting your blood pumping early in the morning can do wonders for your energy levels and overall well-being. Not only does exercise release endorphins, but it also helps clear your mind and increase focus. - Mindful Moments: Take a moment before diving into work to practice mindfulness. Close your eyes, take deep breaths, and center yourself in the present moment. This simple practice can help you cultivate a sense of calm and prepare your mind for the tasks ahead. By setting an intention for the day, you can approach your work with clarity and purpose. - Prioritize your Tasks: To avoid feeling overwhelmed, start your day by prioritizing your tasks. Create a to-do list and identify the most important and urgent items. Focus on tackling these tasks first, as accomplishing them will give you a sense of achievement and momentum. Remember, it's all about taking small steps towards your larger goals. - Positive Affirmations: Harness the power of positive affirmations to boost your confidence and motivation. Repeat empowering statements such as "I am capable," "I am focused," or "I am ready to succeed" to yourself. These affirmations can help shift your mindset from doubt to belief, setting the stage for a productive and successful workday. - Fuel Your Body: Don't underestimate the importance of a nutritious breakfast. Start your day with a well-balanced meal that includes protein, whole grains, and fruits or vegetables. A healthy breakfast provides your body and brain with the fuel they need to function optimally. Avoid sugary snacks or heavy meals that can lead to energy crashes later in the day. By incorporating these habits into your morning routine, you can transform the way you start your workday. Remember, small changes can have a big impact. So why wait? Begin your workday with these simple yet powerful practices and experience the difference it makes in your productivity, focus, and overall well-being. Short Motivational Quotes Are you in need of a quick boost of inspiration? Look no further than short motivational quotes. These gems of wisdom encapsulate powerful messages in just a few words, making them ideal for capturing attention and igniting motivation. Whether you're seeking encouragement, empowerment, or a fresh perspective, these concise quotes have the ability to leave a lasting impact on your mindset. Short motivational quotes serve as little nuggets of inspiration that can be easily remembered and applied to various aspects of life. They act as reminders that success often comes from within, and that determination and perseverance are key ingredients for achieving our goals. Through their brevity, they pack a punch that can instantly uplift spirits and push us towards our desired outcomes. Imagine facing a daunting challenge and feeling discouraged. Suddenly, you come across a quote like "Believe you can and you're halfway there" by Theodore Roosevelt. In that moment, you realize that self-belief is crucial, and half the battle is already won with the right mindset. This simple but profound quote has the power to rekindle your motivation and propel you forward. Short motivational quotes also excel in providing clarity and focus. When we feel overwhelmed or uncertain, these words of wisdom can serve as compasses, directing us towards our passions and purpose. For instance, consider Steve Jobs' famous quote: "Stay hungry, stay foolish." It urges us to remain curious, never settle, and embrace risks in order to achieve greatness. This quote serves as a reminder to continuously strive for growth and innovation, regardless of the challenges we may encounter. What Are Some Effective Affirmations for Positive Thinking? Importance of Motivation at Work Are you tired of dragging yourself to work every day, feeling uninspired and unmotivated? Picture this: Imagine waking up with enthusiasm, eagerly embracing the challenges that lie ahead. You walk into your workplace brimming with energy, ready to take on the world. This is the transformative power of motivation at work. Motivation is the driving force behind our actions, pushing us to achieve our goals and surpass our own expectations. In the context of work, it becomes even more crucial. When employees are motivated, they become more engaged, productive, and committed to their tasks. They go above and beyond, striving for excellence and making a real impact. But why is motivation so important? It goes far beyond ticking off tasks on a to-do list. Motivated employees are like a well-oiled machine, propelling the success of an organization. They consistently deliver high-quality work, displaying innovation and creativity. With motivation as their guiding light, they tackle challenges head-on and find solutions where others see roadblocks. Imagine a workplace filled with motivated individuals. It's a place where ideas flow freely, collaboration thrives, and productivity soars. Motivated employees bring a positive energy that spreads throughout the team, creating a harmonious and inspiring work environment. Their passion and dedication are contagious, uplifting their colleagues and sparking a chain reaction of achievement. Motivation also plays a significant role in personal growth and fulfillment. When people feel motivated, they experience a sense of purpose and satisfaction in what they do. It fuels their desire to continuously improve and learn new skills, leading to professional development and career advancement. Motivated individuals have a clear vision of their goals, and they are willing to put in the effort to make them a reality. So, how can organizations foster motivation in the workplace? Providing opportunities for growth, recognition, and autonomy are key. Offering challenging assignments, encouraging skill development, and acknowledging employees' achievements can fuel their motivation. Building a supportive and inclusive work culture where individuals feel valued and heard is also vital. Motivational Quotes for a Positive Morning Are you tired of waking up on the wrong side of the bed? Do you wish to kickstart your mornings with a positive mindset? Look no further! In this article, we will explore a collection of motivational quotes that will infuse your mornings with positivity and set the tone for an amazing day ahead. - "The only way to do great work is to love what you do." – Steve Jobs Imagine starting your day with these inspiring words from the legendary Steve Jobs. They remind us that passion and love for our work can fuel our success. So, find something you're truly passionate about and watch your mornings become more fulfilling. - "Believe you can and you're halfway there." – Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt's quote emphasizes the power of self-belief. When you wake up with the firm conviction that you can achieve your goals, you're already halfway there. Use this quote as your daily mantra, and witness the positive impact it has on your morning routine. - "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." – Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor Roosevelt's quote encourages us to dream big and have faith in our abilities. Start each morning by visualizing your dreams and reminding yourself that they are within reach. By doing so, you'll cultivate a sense of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead. - "Every morning we are born again. What we do today matters most." – Buddha Buddha's words serve as a powerful reminder that each morning brings new opportunities. Leave yesterday's worries behind and focus on the present moment. Make each day count through intentional actions that align with your goals and values. - "The early bird catches the worm." This timeless proverb reminds us of the importance of starting our day early. Use it as a gentle nudge to resist hitting the snooze button and embrace the morning's potential. Waking up ahead of the crowd allows you to seize opportunities and make progress towards your aspirations. Incorporate these motivational quotes into your morning routine, and witness the transformation in your mindset. Embrace the power of positivity, belief, and intentional action, and watch as your mornings become a catalyst for a more fulfilling and successful life. Does Professional Success Depend on Personal Development? How Quotes Can Improve Your Workday Are you tired of the monotony and lack of motivation during your workday? Do you find yourself in need of some inspiration and a fresh perspective? Look no further than the power of quotes! Quotes have the remarkable ability to transform your workday, injecting it with renewed enthusiasm and motivation. In this article, we will explore how quotes can improve your workday and provide you with that much-needed boost. Imagine starting your day with an impactful quote that resonates with you. It can set the tone for the entire day, infusing you with positivity and determination. Quotes have a way of encapsulating profound wisdom in just a few words, making them easily digestible and memorable. They grab your attention and make you reflect on their deeper meaning. As you ponder these words of wisdom, you begin to see new possibilities and perspectives in your work. Quotes can serve as powerful reminders of what you're capable of achieving. When faced with challenges or setbacks, a well-chosen quote can rekindle your self-belief and push you forward. They act as gentle encouragers, offering insights from those who have faced similar obstacles and triumphed. By internalizing these messages, you tap into your own resilience and find the strength to persevere. Furthermore, quotes foster creativity and innovation. They challenge conventional thinking and inspire you to approach problems from different angles. Just like a painter who draws inspiration from diverse sources, incorporating quotes into your workday sparks new ideas and solutions. They act as catalysts, igniting your imagination and pushing the boundaries of what you thought possible. Not only do quotes impact your mindset and creativity, but they also enhance your communication skills. By sharing thought-provoking quotes with colleagues, you initiate meaningful conversations and create connections. Quotes can act as icebreakers, initiating discussions on important topics or sparking debates that lead to valuable insights. They can even be used to illustrate complex concepts in a concise and relatable manner. Read the full article