#willpower or mental strength are not an option unfortunately

[lalalaugenbrot]

(-:

[pp-research]

7 habits of highly effective People summary

about the book:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey is a self-improvement book. It is written on Covey's belief that the way we see the world is entirely based on our own perceptions. In order to change a given situation, we must change ourselves, and in order to change ourselves, we must be able to change our perceptions.

We all want to succeed. And one path to success is identifying the habits that can help us on our journey.

I recommend starting that path by reading Stephen Covey's best-selling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Don't have time to read all 432 pages?

I get it most of us don't. That's why we summarized the entire book for you below.

7 habits of highly effective People

1. Be Proactive

2. Begin with the End in Mind

3. Put First Things First

4. Think Win-Win

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

6. Synergize

7. Sharpen the Saw

Habits 1, 2, and 3 are focused on self-mastery and moving from dependence to independence.

Habits 4, 5, and 6 are focused on developing teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills, and moving from independence to interdependence.

Habit 7 is focused on continuous growth and improvement and embodies all the other habits.

1. Be Proactive

We're in charge. We choose the scripts by which to live our lives. Use this self-awareness to be proactive and take responsibility for your choices.

The first habit that Covey discusses is being proactive. What distinguishes us as humans from all other animals is our inherent ability to examine our own character, to decide how to view ourselves and our situations, and to control our own effectiveness.

Put simply, in order to be effective one must be proactive.

Reactive people take a passive stance -- they believe the world is happening to them. They say things like:

"There's nothing I can do."

"That's just the way I am."

They think the problem is "out there" -- but that thought is the problem. Reactivity becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and reactive people feel increasingly victimized and out of control.

Proactive people, however, recognize they have responsibility -- or "response-ability," which Covey defines as the ability to choose how you will respond to a given stimulus or situation.

Key Lessons:

Challenge yourself to test the principle of proactivity by doing the following:

1. Start replacing reactive language with proactive language.

Reactive = "He makes me so mad."

Proactive = "I control my own feelings."

2. Convert reactive tasks into proactive ones.

2. Begin with the End in Mind

Start with a clear destination in mind. Covey says we can use our imagination to develop a vision of what we want to become and use our conscience to decide what values will guide us.

Most of us find it rather easy to busy ourselves. We work hard to achieve victories -- promotions, higher income, more recognition. But we don't often stop to evaluate the meaning behind this business, behind these victories -- we don't ask ourselves if these things that we focus on so intently are what really matter to us.

Habit 2 suggests that, in everything we do, we should begin with the end in mind. Start with a clear destination. That way, we can make sure the steps we're taking are in the right direction.

Covey emphasizes that our self-awareness empowers us to shape our own lives, instead of living our lives by default or based on the standards or preferences of others.

Beginning with the end in mind is also extremely important for businesses. Being a manager is about optimizing for efficiency. But being a leader is about setting the right strategic vision for your organisation in the first place, and asking, "What are we trying to accomplish?"

Key Lessons:

Challenge yourself to test the principle of beginning with the end in mind by doing the following:

1. Visualize in rich detail your own funeral. Who is there? What are they saying about you? About how you lived your life? About the relationships you had? What do you want them to say? Think about how your priorities would change if you only had 30 more days to live. Start living by these priorities.

2. Break down different roles in your life -- whether professional, personal, or community -- and list three to five goals you want to achieve for each.

3. Define what scares you. Public speaking? Critical feedback after writing a book? Write down the worst-case scenario for your biggest fear, then visualize how you'll handle this situation. Write down exactly how you'll handle it.

3. Put First Things First

In order to manage ourselves effectively, we must put first things first. We must have the discipline to prioritize our day-to-day actions based on what is most important, not what is most urgent.

In Habit 2, we discussed the importance of determining our values and understanding what it is we are setting out to achieve. Habit 3 is about actually going after these goals, and executing on our priorities on a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis.

In order to maintain the discipline and the focus to stay on track toward our goals, we need to have the willpower to do something when we don't want to do it. We need to act according to our values rather than our desires or impulses at any given moment.

"Think effectiveness with people and efficiency with things." -Stephen Covey

1. Create your own time management matrix to start prioritizing.

2. Estimate how much time you spend in each quadrant. Then log your time over 3 days. How accurate was your estimate? How much time did you spend in Quadrant II (the most important quadrant)?

4. Think Win-Win

Covey explains that there are six paradigms of human interaction:

1. Win-Win: Both people win. Agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying to both parties.

2. Win-Lose: "If I win, you lose." Win-Lose people are prone to use position, power, credentials, and personality to get their way.

3. Lose-Win: "I lose, you win." Lose-Win people are quick to please and appease, and seek strength from popularity or acceptance.

4. Lose-Lose: Both people lose. When two Win-Lose people get together -- that is, when two, determined, stubborn, ego-invested individuals interact -- the result will be Lose-Lose.

5. Win: People with the Win mentality don't necessarily want someone else to lose -- that's irrelevant. What matters is that they get what they want.

6. Win-Win or No Deal: If you can't reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial, there is no deal.

The best option is to create Win-Win situations. With Win-Lose, or Lose-Win, one person appears to get what he wants for the moment, but the results will negatively impact the relationship between those two people going forward.

The Win-Win or No Deal option is important to use as a backup. When we have No Deal as an option in our mind, it liberates us from needing to manipulate people and push our own agenda. We can be open and really try to understand the underlying issues.

"To go for Win-Win, you not only have to be nice, you have to be courageous." -Stephen Covey

Key Lessons:

Get yourself to start thinking Win-Win with these challenges:

1. Think about an upcoming interaction where you'll be attempting to reach an agreement or solution. Write down a list of what the other person is looking for. Next, write a list next to that of how you can make an offer to meet those needs.

2. Identify three important relationships in your life. Think about what you feel the balance is in each of those relationships. Do you give more than you take? Take more than you give? Write down 10 ways to always give more than you take with each one.

3. Deeply consider your own interaction tendencies. Are they Win-Lose? How does that affect your interactions with others? Can you identify the source of that approach? Determine whether or not this approach serves you well in your relationships. Write all of this down.

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

Before we can offer advice, suggest solutions, or effectively interact with another person in any way, we must seek to deeply understand them and their perspective through empathic listening.

Let's say you go to an optometrist and tell him that you've been having trouble seeing clearly, and he takes off his glasses, hands them to you and says, "Here, try these -- they've been working for me for years!" You put them on, but they only make the problem worse. What are the chances you'd go back to that optometrist?

Unfortunately, we do the same thing in our everyday interactions with others. We prescribe a solution before we diagnose the problem. We don't seek to deeply understand the problem first.

Habit 5 says that we must seek first to understand, then to be understood. In order to seek to understand, we must learn to listen.

"You have to build the skills of empathic listening on a base of character that inspires openness and trust." -Stephen Covey

Key Lessons:

Here are a few ways to get yourself in the habit of seeking first to understand:

1. Next time you're watching two people communicating, cover your ears and watch. What emotions are being communicated that might not come across through words alone? Was one person or the other more interested in the conversation? Write down what you noticed.

3. Next time you give a presentation, root it in empathy. Begin by describing the audience's point of view in great detail. What problems are they facing? How is what you're about to say offering a solution to their problems?

6. Synergize

By understanding and valuing the differences in another person's perspective, we have the opportunity to create synergy, which allows us to uncover new possibilities through openness and creativity.

The combination of all the other habits prepares us for Habit 6, which is the habit of synergy or "When one plus one equals three or more and the whole is great than the sum of its parts."

For example, if you plant two plants close together, their roots will co-mingle and improve the quality of the soil, so that both plants will grow better than they would on their own.

Synergy allows us to create new alternatives and open new possibilities. It allows us as a group to collectively agree to ditch the old scripts and write new ones.

"Without doubt, you have to leave the comfort zone of base camp and confront an entirely new and unknown wilderness." -Stephen Covey

Key Lessons:

1. Make a list of people who irritate you. Now choose just one person. How are their views different? Put yourself in their shoes for one minute. Think and pretend how it feels to be them. Does this help you understand them better?

Now next time you're in a disagreement with that person, try to understand their concerns and why they disagree with you. The better you can understand them, the easier it will be to change their mind -- or change yours.

2. Make a list of people with whom you get along well. Now choose just one person. How are their views different? Now write down a situation where you had excellent teamwork and synergy. Why? What conditions were met to reach such fluidity in your interactions? How can you recreate those conditions again?

7. Sharpen the Saw

To be effective, we must devote the time to renewing ourselves physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially. Continuous renewal allows us to synergistically increase our ability to practice each habit.

Habit 7 is focused around renewal, or taking time to "sharpen the saw." It surrounds all of the other habits and makes each one possible by preserving and enhancing your greatest asset -- yourself.

There are four dimensions of our nature, and each must be exercised regularly, and in balanced ways:

Physical Dimension: The goal of continuous physical improvement is to exercise our body in a way that will enhance our capacity to work, adapt, and enjoy.

To renew ourselves physically, we must:

i. Eat well

ii. Get sufficient rest and relaxation

iii. Exercise on a regular basis to build endurance, flexibility, and strength

Focusing on the physical dimension helps develop Habit 1 muscles of proactivity. We act based on the value of well-being instead of reacting to the forces that keep us from fitness.

Spiritual Dimension: The goal of renewing our spiritual self is to provide leadership to our life and reinforce your commitment to our value system.

To renew yourself spiritually, you can:

i. Practice daily meditation

ii. Communicate with nature

iii. Immerse yourself in great literature or music

A focus on our spiritual dimension helps us practice Habit 2, as we continuously revise and commit ourselves to our values, so we can begin with the end in mind.

Mental Dimension: The goal of renewing our mental health is to continue expanding our mind.

To renew yourself mentally, you can:

i. Read good literature

ii. Keep a journal of your thoughts, experiences,

and insights

iii. Limit television watching to only those programs that enrich your life and mind

Focusing on our mental dimension helps us practice Habit 3 by managing ourselves effectively to maximize the use of our time and resources.

Social/Emotional Dimension: The goal of renewing ourselves socially is to develop meaningful relationships.

To renew yourself emotionally, you can:

i. Seek to deeply understand other people

ii. Make contributions to meaningful projects that improve the lives of others

iii. Maintain an Abundance Mentality, and seek to help others find success

Renewing our social and emotional dimension helps us practice Habits 4, 5, and 6 by recognizing that Win-Win solutions do exist, seeking to understand others, and finding mutually beneficial third alternatives through synergy.

"Not a day goes by that we can't at least serve one other human being by making deposits of unconditional love." -Stephen Covey

Key Lessons:

1. Make a list of activities that would help you renew yourself along each of the 4 dimensions. Select one activity for each dimension and list it as a goal for the coming week. At the end of the week, evaluate your performance. What led you to succeed or fail to accomplish each goal?

2. Commit to writing down a specific "sharpen the saw" activity in all four dimensions every week, to do them, and to evaluate your performance and results.

Hope you find some value from this article and don't forget it - read , learn and implement

[lynny246]

Gods, this took 3 years to do. I started this OC when Season 3 of BNHA began in, like, 2018. I ended up constantly tweaking her and forgot to touch her in 2019. Then came 2021, where season 5 is about to go down and wreck me so without further ado, here is Rune Byougen!

(Credit to Sakimii of DeviantArt for the background)

Character Information 

Name: Rune Byougen

Gender: Female

Age: 15 (Episode 4/Chapter 3 & 4)

Birthday: October 30

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

Occupation: Student

Height: 5’8

Weight: 135 lbs

Ethnicity: Afro-Asian

School: U.A. High School

Year: First year

Hero Name: The Placebo Hero: Bacteriune

Appearance

Hair Color: Dark Blue

Hair Type: Shoulder length hair on the right and short hair on the left. Hair on the left is put in a ponytail

Distinguishing Features: Surgery scar between clavicles

Eye Color: Purple

Skin Color: Bronze

Background 

Born with sickle cell anemia, Rune’s adolescence has been defined by consistent hospital stays and minimal experiences. Despite this, she remained optimistic for her future; this is due in part to the constant support from her parents, Takao (who also has sickle cell anemia) and Camilla (a pro-Hero in America known as Wyvern).

During her pre-teen years, her condition would worsen; prompting a great deal of surgeries. It had become so dour that Rune considered giving up after finding out she would be missing her final year in junior high so she could remain in the hospital. During this depression, her father made it a point to emphasize the strength of perseverance and hope for a better future. Through his corny speeches, Rune found some solace and promised to keep fighting for her family.

The age of 12 would mark an important new chapter for Rune: her condition improved greatly which allowed her live independently with minor treatment, her quirk would finally manifest, she could resume schooling, and she had a clear goal for her life, choosing to find better treatment for those dealing with sickle cell anemia. Unfortunately, the biggest change in her life would be the death of her father at the end of the year. After reaching the average life expectancy, Takao had succumb to the illness after being rushed to the hospital after a stroke.

Unable to process the grief, Rune grew to resent her father; seeing his sudden death as not living by the values he set for her during her tribulations. Optimism gave way to pessimism as Rune became more jaded about her circumstances, her future, and her understanding of the world. For the first time in her life, she saw physical limitations that couldn’t be overcome with willpower, she saw a society that had largely forgotten non-quirk related illness and death.

From that day forward, she choose a new path: Uncover all the mysteries medical science had to offer to overcome her limits. On that day, Rune vowed not to succumb to illness or weakness. To see that vow through, she needed to find a way to overcome the natural weakness she was born with. To do this, she would need authority in different fields and money. She would need to be a hero.

Hero work could finance her research, the potential fame would make it easier to join medical projects and resources for research, and hero work could give her access to underground and taboo information not legally accessible. With her family moving to Japan to live with her paternal grandparents, the option of attending U.A. becomes obvious. She spoke with her mother about her desire to become a hero. Camilla, a well-known hero throughout the United States, used her connections to get her admitted with a recommendation. After training her quirk for a year, Rune is prepared to enter U.A. where her next chapter begins...

Personality

A box of intriguing mysteries or a miserable pile of secrets, whichever you choose, Rune qualifies. At first glance, Rune is a calm and ever-curious mind that operates with cordiality. Once the layers are peeled, that cordial and inviting exterior disappears, leaving a more cunning and antagonistic yet dignified and relax individual. At her best, she can be seen as a calming, loyal yet malignant girl who is hard to understand yet fun to be around. At her worst, Rune is a manipulative and inimical girl hiding behind pleasantries. A girl who seeks to unravel all those around her as a hobby

Likes: Herbology, Grimoires, Tarot Cards, Card Games, Botany, Medieval History, Camping, Anarchy

Dislikes: The cold, Paranormal romance novels, Crystal balls, Cosmetology

Habits: Biting her nails, Staring at people

Fears: Relapsing, Abandonment, Porcelain dolls, Limitations

Quirk and Abilities

Quirk: Pathogen

This quirk allows the user to control and manipulate bacteria and pathogens found throughout different environments and bodies. Using neuro-parasitology, the user’s dead skin cells are consumed by the microorganisms, giving the user full control of all bacteria and pathogens for approximately an hour

Quirk Advantages:

Due to bacteria being on every natural surface imaginable, there is no limit to the range of the user

In addition, when the quirk is active, the amount of bacteria present on the body can form a light layer of protection on the body without the bacteria hardening into a solid structure

In warm conditions or against heat-based quirks, the bacteria can be more effective and multiply quickly

Quirk Drawbacks:

Quirk overuse can result in the user losing control of the bacteria and pathogens. When it under direct control, those organisms can become very ensnared with the user’s skin cells and seek to consume them en masse. If not careful, the bacteria can attempt to consume so much of the cells, that the epidermis can be damaged, leaving wounds equitable to first degree burns

This quirk is at a natural disadvantage in colder environments as common bacteria thrives primarily in warmer environments. Extreme weather (hot or freezing) is disadvantageous as well

Overexertion can result in a minor case of chronic inflammation which includes fever, rashes, infection, abdominal pain, and chest pains

Fighting Style: Wyvern-style Martial Arts Created and used solely by her mother, it is a personalized form of martial arts that emphasizes brute force over speed by transferring all the power and force to a specific limbs. When utilized correctly, a simple kick can break a concrete wall. However, the style sacrifices speed, accuracy, and leaves other limbs defenseless. It also requires very specific stances to work properly. The style originated from Camilla who uses it to dispatch larger villains and wrestle Wai, a family friend that lost her humanity and became a large wyvern due to her quirk

Weapons/Items: Vials of poison and medication Most of the poisons are meant to hinder movement, allowing her to fight with minimal opposition. This is beneficial for using wyvern-style martial arts without issue. The medication is penicillin and various antibiotics Rune has created to combat her drawbacks.

Stats:

(Ultra Archive)

Power: 4/5

Speed: 2/5

Technique: 4/5

Intelligence: 5/5

Cooperativeness: 3/5

(Ultra Analysis)

Power: 5/6

Speed: 3/6

Technique: 6/6

Intelligence: 6/6

Machiavellian: 6/6

Relationships

Family:

Camilla Byougen - Mother Takao Byougen - Father (Deceased) In the past, the relationship between the Byougen family could only be described as loving and tight. Despite her work, Camilla was dedicated and active in the family, enjoying doting on her husband and daughter. Takao was no exception, spending much his days looking after Rune and Camilla as a stay-at-home-dad. Rune admired her parent’s strength of character and they served as emotional crutch to a child that didn’t have much in terms of socialization. Times have changed. Rune has come to loathe the type of person her father was, deeming him a hypocrite. However, her relationship with her mother is stronger than ever. The two look after each other and are quite open with one another. If not for the age disparity, one could mistake the mother-daughter duo as sisters

Wai - Godmother Despite being a late addition to the family, Wai and Rune’s relationship is solid. Wai may have lost much of her mental capacities after fully becoming a wyvern, however, she still remembers the love and loyalty she had for Camilla and that has transferred fully to her daughter. The two are very protective of one another and enjoy training together. Since Camilla is needed to communicate verbally with Wai, the two don’t have many secrets or intense conversations, but that doesn’t stop the two from greatly enjoying    conversation and each other's company

Kirika Byougen - Paternal Grandmother Fuga Byougen - Paternal Grandfather This familial dynamic is a tad bit complicated. Although there is clear love between them, there is also veiled hostility laced in every interaction. While a mystery to Camilla, Rune has concluded that the negative interactions stem from Fuga and Kirika being upset with Takao for abandoning his home and former life to chase after Camilla. While her grandparents are trying to overcome that distaste for Camilla and Rune so they can fully embrace the family Takao made, they are hindered by the grief of his death and past pains of his abandonment. Despite this, interactions between Rune and her grandparents are amicable. That is until Rune begins to read their motives and taunt them.

Friends:

Bakugou Katsuki - Close friend & most proficient teammate Tooru Hagakure - Close friend Kyouka Jiro  Reiko Yanagi  Midoriya Izuku - Test Subject 

Rivals:

Fumikage Tokoyami - Friendly rival Tenya Iida - Antagonistic

Enemies:

Toga Himiko

Trivia

Rune’s faovrite food is mitarashi dango

Rune was born in California

Rune prefers hiding her quirk simply to mess with her opponents, tricking them into believing her quirk is simply super strength

Rune is a Wiccan

[onlycags]

Daha İyi Öp (Kiss It Better)

Word Count: 2,954 Description: Started writing this back in August, running a hypothetical ‘what if Cags got injured?’ Of course, now that this is an unfortunate reality, I got some inspiration and finally finished it. Enjoy xx

- - -

Collisions on the pitch always scared you. You knew that Çağlar trained for them and that he always tried his best to be careful but sometimes the heat of the moment got the better of him. 

He was a force on the pitch and you always found yourself watching him chase down a forward through your fingers, worried he’d hurt himself more than he hurt the opponent. It wasn’t often that he went down on the pitch unless it was to try and draw a foul, but you could tell the difference between feigned and real injuries. 

You watched Çağlar chase down Calvert-Lewin on the pitch as the Everton striker raced down the pitch on a breakaway. Çağlar made a great tackle, getting all ball, but something went wrong. 

With all the momentum Dominic had, he toppled over and onto Çağlar. Both men laid on the pitch, clearly injured. Your heart was racing as you watched the Leicester physios tend to your man, one of them signaling that he’d need to be subbed off. Tears pricked at your eyes as you watched him limp off the field and you fought the urge to use your pass to find him in the tunnel. 

It didn’t take him long to re-emerge from the tunnel, the end of the match coming only twenty minutes after he’d been taken off the pitch. You noticed he was limping slightly and favouring his right side and you knew he’d need you tonight. 

“C’mere, baby,” you murmured when you finally got to him, wrapping a supportive arm around his waist as you felt him sag a little against you. “I’m so proud of you.”

Çağlar scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Don’t be. I’m out for at least two weeks.” 

Your heart sank at hearing those words come out of his mouth but you just focused on being there for him. “We’re gonna get you home and I’ll take good care of you, okay?” 

Çağlar nodded sullenly and you helped him back to the car. You drove back, one hand on the wheel and the other holding his hand, the silence strained but comforting. 

You helped Çağlar inside, immediately guiding him to the sofa. You grabbed some pillows for his leg and a change of sweats that were looser and more comfortable. It took all of your willpower not to jump him once he was sitting shirtless on the sofa wearing nothing else but grey sweats, but something made you stop. 

“Çağlar,” you murmured, reaching out to touch him. “Your side.” You lightly brushed your fingertips over the quickly-bruising flesh, quickly retracting your hand when you heard him hiss in pain. 

“It’s fine,” he said, looking away, his jaw clenched.

“It’s not ‘fine’ and we both know it,” you retorted, pulling out your phone. “Did the physios get a look at it?” When he didn’t answer, you sighed as you dialed the head physio and made sure he scheduled an appointment for an x-ray and a few other scans of Çağlar’s leg that you knew would still be bugging him the next day.

You drove him to the hospital the following day, holding his hand every step of the way. You waited with Çağlar as the doctor read the scans. When he came back with a grim look on his face, you stayed strong for Çağlar. The doctor sent the results to Rodgers and the physio staff as you and Çağlar drove to Belvoir Drive to discuss options. 

Çağlar went in alone and you waited for him in the car. It was then that you broke down and cried; great, heaving sobs that wracked your whole body. You cried for everything: for Çağlar, mostly; his future and his health and his strength. It killed you to see him look so defeated; even in the most tragic of losses, he hadn’t ever looked that upset and it broke your heart. 

You’d composed yourself by the time Çağlar came out of the offices, a grim look on his face. You watched him make his way to the car, his left side clearly giving him pain. “How did it go?” You asked, getting out of the car to help him in the passenger seat.

“Okay, I guess,” he replied, his response devoid of emotion. 

Çağlar explained the recovery plan he had worked out with Rodgers and the physios, not looking at you as he spoke. 

“Well,” you said at a stoplight after Çağlar had finished his explanation, “at least you’ve got a plan, though, right?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

You didn’t say anything after that, his awkward reply sending you internally spiraling. Thankfully, there were about five minutes left of the drive and even though they passed slowly, you started to form a plan to help him at home. 

“What do you want for dinner, Yiğidim?” You asked after you’d helped him settle on the sofa with more ice and elevation for his ribs and leg. My brave man. “We could order in or I could cook something…”

“I don’t care,” he grunted, pulling out his phone and ignoring you. 

His indifference stung but you chalked it up to all the news and uncertainty of the day, deciding to order in since you didn’t really feel like cooking. You ordered from Çağlar’s favourite Turkish restaurant, already knowing his order. When it arrived, you divided everything up and brought him his plate. 

“I don’t want it,” he said, waving a dismissive hand. 

“You have to eat something, Çağlar,” you replied, sighing. “If you’re not going to eat it now, I’ll just go ahead and put it in the fridge for you.”

After you ate, you tried to snuggle with him, but he wouldn’t let you, pushing you off after only five minutes. Some movie was playing on tv but you weren’t paying attention, abruptly getting up to clear your head.

You walked around the neighborhood, letting your tears fall for a second time that day. You didn’t want Çağlar to see you cry because you wanted to be strong for him but you weren’t sure you could keep hiding your feelings for long - it hadn’t even been a full day since he got his injury news and you were barely keeping it together.

You called Rodgers on your walk, needing advice on how to cope and help Çağlar through his injury. Rodgers was helpful and supportive, giving you some answers that calmed your racing thoughts and made you feel like you could do this. 

Çağlar was sulking on the sofa when you got back, buried in his phone. “How was your walk?” He asked with a sneer, not even looking up at you. 

“Fine,” you replied, your tone matching his. Your restabilized mood had just been ruined by his attitude and in a moment of weakness, you were going to resort to being just as petty and annoying as he was. 

Çağlar could sense the tension in your voice and actions, the knowledge that he’d been the cause of it just now feeling like a punch to the gut. He’d been touchy with you all day, taking his anger and frustrations out on you because you were the only one around but he couldn’t find the words to make it better.

You helped him to bed when it was time, making up the excuse that you had a few things to finish for work before you could go to bed. You weren’t sure if Çağlar bought your excuse, but you needed the space. Instead, you spent hours on your laptop reading questions and answers from people online who’d helped others through injuries and articles about how injuries affect the human psyche as well as the body. You fell asleep on the sofa, your brain spinning at all the new information. 

Çağlar woke up before you, confused and hurt when he didn’t find you next to him. His heart broke further when he found you asleep on the sofa, cuddling one of the pillows like you usually cuddled him. He was already feeling useless and the pain of seeing you in this position sent him into a mental tailspin. He left for training in a huff, not even leaving you a note or anything. 

When you woke up and looked at the time, you figured Çağlar would be at training - even though he was injured, he was still expected to show up, working alongside a designated physio who would help get him back into shape through the plans discussed the day before - but it hurt that he hadn’t even left you a note. He had always been good about leaving you something that made you smile, but that wasn’t the case today.

***

The days continued like that until you couldn’t take it anymore. Things always seemed to be tense between you and Çağlar now and you didn’t know how to fix it. The smallest words or actions would set him off and start petty fights, each of them ending with you storming out for a walk and you hadn’t slept in the same bed with him since the night he’d gotten injured. Çağlar didn’t tell you anything about how physical therapy was going so you’d started secretly calling Rodgers for updates on his progress everyday, hating that you were essentially sneaking behind your boyfriend’s back to get information that he wasn’t giving you. 

“It’s slow-going,” Rodgers said one evening after a particularly nasty fight with Çağlar had you pacing the living room as he went to shower. It had been too cold for a walk tonight and a part of you wished you’d braved the cold just so you could get out of the house. “Cags is resilient and he’s one of the hardest workers on the team. I have no doubt he’ll be up to form on the timeline we’re projecting.”

“Thanks,” you said, breathing a sigh of relief at Rodgers’s words. “I just...I worry, ya know? Çağlar’s been so distant and cold with me lately, I just hope he’s not shutting everyone else out like he’s doing with me.”

“Would you like me to speak with him about it?”

The concern in his voice was touching and you found yourself tearing up. It had been almost two weeks since Çağlar had gotten injured and nobody had even thought to ask how you’d been holding up. “N-No, it’s okay,” you said, sniffling. “I’m sure it’s just part of the recovery process. He’s been good with you and the team, right? I just want him to be okay.”

“He is,” Rodgers confirmed. 

Unbeknownst to you, while you’d been speaking to Rodgers, Çağlar had gotten out of the shower and caught the last bits of your conversation. His chest tightened at the hurt in your voice as you talked about how cold and distant he’d been with you and the way you said that you just wanted him to be okay. He knew he’d been short with you lately, but he hadn’t quite realized the extent of how much his negative mood had been affecting you. You started to speak again and he listened as you said, “No, I know. I think I just need some space or some time to myself.” You sighed and pinched the bridge of your nose. “I know he needs me but it’s just been so hard lately. Do you think you could get a few of the lads to come in and check on him while I’m gone?”

Çağlar didn’t need to hear any more, his heart in his throat as he retreated back to the bedroom. He waited about five minutes and then came out when he was sure you were done with your conversation. He wanted to talk to you and ask about your conversation but he also didn’t want you to know he’d been listening in. 

It was tense and awkward as it always was after your daily fights. Çağlar looked upset about something and like he wanted to talk but you weren’t going to press him. You’d barely touched him, save for helping him up, and your fingers itched to touch him. 

When you were getting tired, you flipped off the tv, stretching and yawning. You got up without a word, going to the bedroom you used to share with Çağlar to grab something to sleep in.

“Are you going to leave me?” Çağlar asked so softly you almost didn’t hear him.

You turned to face him and the sight before you broke your heart. Çağlar was playing with the pillow on his lap, a forlorn look on his face. “What makes you think that?” You asked, trying to keep the hurt out of your voice.

Çağlar sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I, uh, I accidentally overheard your conversation earlier. I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry, but you said you needed a break and I-”

“Fuck!” You cursed, shaking your head. “How much of that did you hear?”

“All of it.” He grimaced, his face blushed with shame. “Do you really think I’m shutting you out?”

“Yes!” You shouted, finally letting it all out. “You have been nothing but mean to me lately while all I’ve done is try to support you while you recover. Why do you think I haven’t slept in our bed in two weeks?! We’ve barely touched each other - why?! I keep trying to be nice and let you have your space but all we’ve done is fight and I’m sick of it.” You didn’t want to say it, but the words were out of your mouth before you could stop them. “Maybe I should leave.”

Time seemed to stop for Çağlar. “Lütfen, Sevdiceğim,” he croaked, wincing in pain as he got up and limped towards you, a tortured look on his face. Please, Sweetheart. “I’ll do better, I promise. I’ve just been in so much pain and I’m so scared about what this means for my season and I didn’t realize that I’ve been taking it out on you.”

Your heart started to race at the use of your nickname that you hadn’t heard in weeks. Tears pricked at your eyes but you angrily swiped them away, willing yourself not to cry. “What makes you think that anything you say right now will make it okay? I’m so tired, Cags.”

Cold fear pricked at his chest. You never called him ‘Cags’, always using his full name or one of the myriad of nicknames that you’d given him over the months; ‘Cags’ wasn’t something he’d ever heard come out of your mouth and it scared him. He finished his trek to you, stopping just short of pulling you into his arms but he didn’t want to do anything to make you even more mad at him. “Sana sarılabilir miyim?” He asked, his eyes searching yours. Can I give you a hug?

“Please.” The word was ripped from your chest, a heaving sob that bubbled up as you clung to him. He’d always been solid, a sturdy grounding force that steadied you and he hadn’t been that for you these last couple weeks.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered over and over again, squeezing you tighter as you sobbed into his chest. He ran his fingertips up and down your back, trying to soothe you. 

“Sorry,” you said, pulling away when you were done with your breakdown and you realized what you’d done. “You’re the one who’s injured and here I am, the one being a mess about it.”

“No,” Çağlar said vehemently, shaking his head. “You don’t get to be sorry for being upset. You have been my rock throughout these last few weeks and I’ve been nothing but awful to you. I miss you. I miss seeing you smile - a real smile; not the fake on you’ve been putting on - and I miss your laugh. I’ve missed touching you and waking up next to you. If you need a few days away for yourself, please take them, but please...please don’t leave me for good.” Çağlar took your face in his hands, his eyes searching yours. He repeated the last sentence, his voice cracking as he brokenly whispered, “Please don’t leave me for good.”

When you finally responded, Çağlar let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “I won’t. I won’t, Aşkım.” My love. 

“Thank you,” he said, his forehead pressed against yours. “Can I kiss you now?”

“Çağlar, you know you don’t have to ask,” you said, a smile on your face. “I’ve been walking on eggshells around you these last few weeks, but now that we’ve worked it out I don’t want you doing the same now. It’s not helpful for either of us.”

Çağlar nodded, returning your smile. “Seni çok özledim,” he murmured, leaning down to capture your lips in his. I’ve missed you.

That night, for the first time in almost two weeks, you and Çağlar went to bed together. You snuggled into his side, your body pressed tightly against his. Çağlar held onto you for dear life, as if afraid that you’d physically leave if he gave you the chance. “I’m not going anywhere, Çağlar,” you said in the darkness, pressing a kiss to his collarbone. 

“I know,” he said, taking your hand in his and putting it to his lips. “I’m just making up for lost time. I’m so sorry, Sevdiceğim.”

“I know. We’ll get through this - I know we will. Just promise me you’ll let me know when you’re having a bad day and you need your space. We can work through the good days and the bad days together, okay?”

“Okay. İyi geceler. Seni seviyorum, Sevdiceğim.” Good night. I love you, sweetheart.

“Ben de seni seviyorum, Çağlar.” I love you, too.

[crimenight-a]

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ATTRIBUTES ASSOCIATED WITH BATMAN is his seemingly uncaring    &    stoic nature.    it’s also one of the generalizations i openly despise;    the more recent batman media has shaped our understanding of his person in the wrong way.    while i agree that he does seem cold at times,    it’s not for the reason most people immediately think.    so,    in this meta,    i’m going to walk you through bruce’s story    &    explain why he is the way he is.

first,    i want to address the general perception concerning his emotional state.    readers/watchers,    alike,    think bruce’s apathetic nature is related to his trauma.    they’re only half right,    for it did indirectly lead him to change his outward expression of self,    but it’s not the direct reason.    even characters in the DC universe comment on bruce’s apparent lack of distress-like emotions:

❝   your ward    &    my daughter are in mortal danger !    indeed,    batman, they may already be dead !   yet you show no signs of agitation–   nor do you exhibit any curiosity concerning my humble self !    have you no feelings ?   ❞                                                                                                                                    -- batman (1940) #232

ra’s al ghul says this upon meeting bruce for the first time    &    enlisting his help in saving his daughter,    talia al ghul.    we see many variations of this repeat with superman,    wonder woman,    green lantern,    the flash,    &   many more.    so,    it’s not only the general public in our world that thinks batman doesn’t feel anything,    that thought process is also preserved in characters from within DC’s universe.    another type of media that’s to blame are the comedic types.    there’s so many cartoons    &    comics that depict a younger bruce to be very stoic    &    cold,    batman’s voice    &    intimidating nature are ridiculed by many heroes   (  i’m looking at you,    mcu tony/peter   ).   i won’t deny that these moments are very funny    (   especially when DC retaliates like in that batman lego movie where batman screams ‘IRON MAN SUCKS!’   ),   but in actuality,    it still adds to this prevailing idea that he really feels nothing.    i won’t lie   &    say i thought differently before i made this blog,    because i didn’t.    much to my surprise,    however,    it only took me a few issues from detective comics/the original batman run to understand that we’ve been wrong all along.

you may now be asking,    ‘if he’s not truly uncaring,    then why does he act like he is ?’    well,    let me point you to this single issue that i wish i could have every one of these new writers that dc hires read,    it’s detective comics’ (1989) second annual issue    (   if you’re interested,    you can read it here !     although,    a quick warning that this issue deals with the K/KK    &   it’s displayed as such on the cover;    be careful if you decide to read   ).   it follows a young bruce,    only seventeen    (   already quite buff    &   skilled,    might i add   ),   who asks to shadow a famous detective in what i believe is rural new jersey.    harvey harris was hailed to be one of the greatest detectives on the east coast,    there was nothing he couldn’t handle.    at that point,    bruce didn’t really know how he was going to go about waging a war on crime    (   he juggled with options like the FBI,    GCPD,    district attorney,    more legal positions   ),   but he knew detective work was something he’d probably have to do no matter what he chose.    so,    he sent a letter to harris,    asking to shadow him under the name frank dixon,    harris accepted with a warning that the case he had on his hands was incredibly violent    &    horrific.    throughout this issue,    we see many instances where bruce lets his emotions get the better of him    &    it ultimately leads to harris’s demise    (    indirectly,    yes,    but this is a pattern in bruce’s story.    if he did just one thing differently,    he could have saved his parents,    harvey harris,    &    COUNTLESS more people.    the fact haunts him to this day    ).   bruce    &    harris eventually track down the person who has been killing people in that small rural town,    &    he sees that he’s in the process of another murder.    i’m sure you can guess what bruce did,    he screamed    &    lunged for the man in a hot flash of rage,    the man pulls a gun.    bruce knocks him out in one swift punch,    but the gun still goes off    &    it, unfortunately,    hits harris.    in his dying moments,    he tells bruce something that sticks with him still to this day:

❝   i never tried to teach you detection.    you already got the mind for it.    but when you let your emotions take control,    you just go blind.    i don’t know where you’re headed from here,    bruce,    but wherever it is,    remember…    you gotta control that anger.    when you get that into your head– really know it– then ol’ harvey will have done right by you.   ❞                                                                                                             -- detective comics (1989) annual #2

harris had been commenting on bruce’s anger for the entire time they’ve been together,    &    we can really see how bruce struggles with understanding his own emotions through his many warnings:

❝   nice spottin’,    by the way.    now,    if we could just do somethin’ about that temper..   ❞ ❝   son,    it’s rare i see a man who carries such rage so close to the surface.   ❞ ❝   harvey was right.    because i was a hothead..  ❞    (   bruce says this   )

the thing is,    bruce had been incredibly polite to mostly everyone.    the only times he lost his cool is when people didn’t cooperate with him    &    harris on the case,    or if they made fun of him for being a “pretty,    city boy.”    most of the time,    harris had to physically hold bruce back from doing something he’d quickly regret,    such as picking a fight with grown men twice his size    (   i would like to proudly add that bruce beat these guys shitless,    but they trashed his fancy red porsche :/   ).   i know i’m spending a lot of time on this single annual,    but it’s SO important when you realize that bruce really does have anger management issues to the point where he can’t hold back his own outbursts.    let’s compare that younger bruce to the one we know today,    there’s quite a stark difference,    isn’t there ?   the batman we’re familiar with would never jump into anything without thinking about it many times over.    that’s because bruce took what harris said to heart,    &    he worked damn hard to implement his advice:

❝   i had a crazy hate,    too.    but unlike carr,    i refused to let it blind me to reality.    to the truth.    i went over the entire case eleven times,    in each instances extracting more    &    more of my emotional involvement.    &    on the twelfth pass through–a coldly logical pass–i saw what had been bothering me.    &    i knew that it wasn’t over.   ❞                                             note: carr is the murderer that bruce lunged at    &    the one that killed harris.

for us,    removing our emotions    &    thinking about something logically can range from being impossible to incredibly difficult.    imagine,    then,    the mental strength bruce,    a boy who had always been obnoxiously transparent with his feelings,    had to exert in order to go through this case without feeling some immense distracting rage    (   this ties into one of his character’s core ideas:    batman’s will/willpower is insurmountable compared to even other superheroes    ).   he eventually found out that carr was nothing more than a human weapon that someone else had been manipulating,    but the point is:    bruce realized through this issue that he wasn’t good at solving cases because he could never separate his own emotions from the victim’s.    from then on,    he tried his best to be “coldly logical” with every case he comes across,    &    he eventually adopted this state of mind when he was in the batsuit regularly.    being batman requires a ridiculously high amount of awareness    &    general perception.    if he’s constantly angry    &    jumping to rash conclusions,    he’s not going to last long.

however,    this doesn’t mean that bruce doesn’t slip up    &    let his emotions get the best of him even as an adult.    one of the most apparent examples of this is when jason dies.    i think most of us know how terrible that was    &    how bruce blames himself.    in order to keep this meta from getting unnecessarily longer,    all we need to take away from that arc is that bruce quite honestly drowns with guilt because if he had chosen to go after jason instead of go after someone else,    jason would still be alive.    with that anger directed at himself    &    at the world in general,    he recklessly starts to fight anyone he sees while in the batsuit.    even petty criminals would be beaten within an inch of their lives,    he’d make mistakes that he never did before,    &    come home with horrible injuries.    he had no sense of self-preservation,    all he cared about was his anger    &    guilt.    notice how throwing caution to the wind puts bruce in considerably more danger,    thus this supports my point that bruce struggles with his emotions,    but learned to suppress them for the sake of helping    &    saving people.

it actually surprises me when people don’t seem to realize that bruce is empathetic almost to a fault.    he holds onto hope,    &    he always had,    even if it’s foolish to do so.    hope that someone is still alive,    hope that someone still had good in them,    hope in his own abilities.    there was once a case where the entire bat-family understood immediately that a boy had killed his own parents,    but bruce clung to the hope that maybe it wasn’t him,    maybe it was some other greedy politician or hired gun.    bruce knew he was wrong    &    that he was chasing essentially no one,    but the sheer hope that the boy was innocent kept him going in circles.    i wholeheartedly believe that bruce is an empath,    someone who is incredibly sensitive to another’s emotions,    with how quickly he understands how almost everyone feels.    there are times where bruce will show compassion before he shows anything else.    yes,    he aims to scare people with his dramatic antics:

❝   gotham city is hell.    we are all in hell.    &    i am the king of hell !   ❞                                                                                                      -- batman: legends of the dark knight #6

but the purpose of his promise was to make sure nothing like what happened to him ever happens to someone else again.    i’ve said this before,    &    i’ll say it again:    BATMAN IS A GLORIFIED BABYSITTER.    really,    scarecrow said this    &    i stole it from him,    but he wants to care for his city.    that’s why he funds all these free health clinics throughout gotham,    it’s why he opened new soup kitchens    &    funded existing ones.    he revolutionized gotham’s orphanage system,    he forced wayne enterprises to make new jobs,    he single-handedly dropped gotham’s unemployment rate by a substantial amount.    he hands money    &    opportunities to struggling families,    he sits with them    &    helps them through their pain.    he does all of this against his playboy persona,    i remember how most of gotham was confused when he was starting his charity projects since he was immediately said to be ignorant or even uncaring towards gotham’s poverty    &    crime issues.    he started the ‘rebuild gotham’ project(s),    he funded arkham.    he’s in active member of the gotham’s    &    new jersey’s political scene,    influencing massive changes.    his infamous ‘no killing’ rule can be attributed to the fact that bruce doesn’t know what led someone to doing the horrible thing that he’s chasing them for;    HE TRIES TO SEE THE GOOD IN EVERYONE.    i know that comes as a surprise,    mostly because bruce openly despised superman    (    despite clark being one of the kindest people anyone has ever met    )    in that batman v superman movie,    but this blog has never taken any inspiration from those films,    so we’re going to ignore that    &    i ask you to do the same when you’re referencing my portrayal.

bruce would never go to such lengths to bring gotham back from its dark days if it wasn’t for how much he cared for its people.    &    he wouldn’t care at all if he seemingly felt no emotions.    yes,    a part of him doesn’t know how he’d deal with his trauma if he hadn’t passionately pursued something like this,    but that doesn’t take away from the fact that bruce is a fundamentally compassionate man.    the way he takes care of the victims in each case,    personally comforting them    (    hugging, etc.   ),    accommodating them in any way he can.    there’s times where he gets so angry after seeing certain victims,    that he finds it hard to control himself even after decades of training his willpower;    THAT’S how vehement his emotions are.

seeing the good in everyone    &    personally feeling everyone’s pain are both very emotionally taxing traits,    &    he doesn’t suppress these qualities.    he allows himself to feel guilt    &    practice empathy because it keeps him going when all he wants to do is collapse.    bruce has never denied feeling emotions,    he never does it to intimidate his allies,    he just has a harsh way of looking at things because,    again,    he removes his own feelings from the mix.    most other superheroes,    like in the justice league,    sometimes marvel at how bruce almost never gives into his anger during important decisions.    i keep repeating my main points    &    this is all quite the speel,    but it’s INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT that you understand that bruce has never not felt his emotions just as strongly as everyone else,    if not stronger.    to end this off,    let’s see what bruce said in response to ra’s al ghul’s earlier question    (   this is something i find that summarizes what i’ve said in this meta really well    ):

❝   plenty of them !    but it won’t do me any good for me to allow my emotions to gain control…    not while there’s a job ahead !    for years,    i’ve trained myself to concentrate on the thing at hand–    later,    i’ll cry…    if i must !   ❞                                                                                                                                 -- batman (1940) #232

&    because i know how hard tumblr’s tiny font is to read,    here’s a link to this same meta, but on google docs !   read whichever version you want !

[kellanved-ammanas]

Dangerous Mission

My Blind Date’s Valentine’s Day fic for @1schadenfreude Happy Valentine’s Day!

-

Every breath sent a wave of agony lancing through Spy’s side. He clutched at it, trying not to think about how much blood was welling up against his hand or the darkness threatening to creep in on his vision.

He couldn’t believe it, he’d been jumped by a damn Spy-Bot, he of all people should’ve seen that coming. He’d got what he’d come for though, the location the bot army was being built at. Now he just needed to get it back to his team, easier said than done when a) he could barely stand and b) the Spy-Bot had undoubtedly signaled an intruder alert before Spy managed to take it down. It was only a matter of time before he was flooded with a bunch more.

Unfortunately, invisibility wasn’t an option when he was losing so much blood it’d take a blind person to not see it; the robots were dumb but they weren’t that dumb. He’d radioed in that he’d been hit, not giving details on the damage done, but his only immediate back up was Sniper who’d been watching from a high vantage point outside, everyone else was miles away. Meaning he was as good as dead already.

Loud clanking came from down the hall, coming closer, the familiar sound of the robot’s marching. Spy pulled out his revolver as they entered the room, he’d go down fighting at least. There were four of them, normally he’d have no problem taking them down but he was injured, he’d take down as many as he could though.

Before he could get off a single shot though, a gun fired behind them in the hallway and one of them dropped as its head exploded. Three more quick gunshots and it was over.

Given the speed and accuracy of the shots, Spy wasn’t surprised when Sniper stepped in next. He’d never been happier to see someone before. He’d fully believed he’d been going to die. The wave of relief that washed through him almost made him dizzy.

“Hey mate,” Sniper said as he approached. “You don’t look so good, can you walk?”

“Help me stand.” Spy reached one hand up towards him. They weren’t out of the woods yet, they were still in the depths of robot’s base, more would no doubt be coming soon.

Sniper took his hand and pulled him to his feet. A wave of dizziness washed though him, the only thing keeping him from blacking out entirely was the pain in his side as he clutched onto Sniper.

“… get you out of here and take you to Medic.” Sniper’s voice came through as the ringing in Spy’s head faded. He sounded worried, Spy wanted to assure him that it was fine but lacked the breath for it.

“Why’d you come?” he said instead as they started walking, Sniper supporting him more than a little.

“To save you.” Yeah, but going deep into the bowels of the enemy’s facility was not something he normally did or was particularly good for. He could very well get them both killed. Spy didn’t have the energy to argue though.

It wasn’t even five minutes before they were attacked again. Sniper had to abandon Spy to lean against the wall for support instead as he pulled out his SMG, this being too close of quarters for a sniper rifle to be fully effective. Spy did what he could to help with his revolver but his aim was shaky and he had next to no mobility. He did manage to take out a couple despite that though, a testament to how long he’d survived doing this job. It was a small group though, if a large group attacked them next, they’d be in big trouble.

“You can take my invis-watch and get out,” Spy said when Sniper returned to him. “Tell Scout I’m sorry for everything and…”

“No,” Sniper cut him off, taking his arm and pulling it around his shoulders again to help him start walking again.

“But…”

“Shut up,” Sniper interrupted again. “I ain’t leaving you to die mate.”

Spy groaned but dropped it. He lacked the strength to argue and didn’t want to die anyway. All they could do was hope for the best.

They went as fast as Spy physically was capable. Even that pace was torture, blood soaked his side from his wound, hopefully it wasn’t as bad as it seemed right, he could not die like this. Only adrenaline and years of being in this line of work kept him going.

The unmistakable sound of robots marchin soon found them again. Spy didn’t need to see them to know there were more than last time, a lot more.

“Too many to fight, run,” he said, giving Sniper a small push in the opposite direction. With his injuries Spy would only slow him down and get him killed. “I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”

“Mate, I thought I already fucking told you…” Sniper bent down put his arm under Spy’s legs, sweeping him up off his feet and into his arms, “I ain’t leaving you to die.” He started running, it wasn’t fast but it was faster now that Spy’s injury wasn’t slowing him down.

The sounds of pursuit were uncomfortably close behind them. Spy didn’t dare check to see how close, clinging onto Sniper instead, hating every second of this. As humiliating as it was to be carried, he had no proper grounds to complain right now and the pain flaring in his side took his breath away anyway. Hopefully no one else on the team would ever know about this, he’d never live it down. … Assuming they even made it out of this mess alive.

Thankfully the robots weren’t good at running either else they would’ve quickly caught up. And doubly thankfully Sniper seemed to have memorized the way out as it was only minutes before they were busting out a side door into fresh air.

They weren’t in the clear yet though. In fact, they were in even more danger out here. They were out in the open, they could be sniped or shot at freely. It was dark though, only the stars and a tiny sliver of moon up in the sky provided light. It wasn’t enough to properly see by and thus hopefully wouldn’t be enough for even a robot to be able to see them well enough to shoot them or even follow them.

Sniper seemed to have been running for ages before his pace started to flag. He was eventually forced to come to a panting halt. “I think… we lost them,” he said. “You doing… okay?”

“Yes.” No, he was still losing blood, though seemingly not quite as much as before and his side still hurt like hell. But he was alive and judging by the lack of heavy robot steps they did indeed seem to have lost their pursuers. “Put me down.”

Sniper grunted as he placed him back on his feet. Even weaker than before, Spy was still forced to cling to him for support or risk falling over. He hardly cared though. Grabbing onto Sniper’s shirtfront he kissed him, full on the mouth. Sniper’s body jerked and froze for a moment before sinking into it.

It didn’t last long, Sniper was still out of breath. But they only parted for a short time before leaning in for another one. It was passionate and deep, a release of the all the tension that had built within them from having come so close to getting killed. Coupled with the blood loss, it made Spy feel as if he might faint. Which was ultimately the sole reason he eventually had to pull away.

“What was that about?” Sniper asked, now out of breath in a different way.

Honestly Spy didn’t know, it had been a spur of the moment thing born of the tension caused by everything that had just happened. If he’d considered the move before doing it he probably wouldn’t have done it but he was glad he had and didn’t regret it in the slightest. “Had to show my appreciation for you saving my life,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind doing so again in the future.”

“Oh uh… yeah, sure.” The darkness made it nigh on impossible to read his facial expression but he sounded pleased by that idea. “Anyway uh… I need to patch up your side as best I can and then radio Medic and the rest of the team out here to come get us.”

Spy grunted his assent as he let Sniper help lower him to the ground. Lying in the grass was not ideal but it’s not like they had any other options. His suit was already ruined with blood, a few grass stains wouldn’t matter at this point.

Sniper pulled out a flashlight to examine Spy’s side. It was small but Engie had made it and thus it was bright enough to see by.

“How bad is it?” Spy asked, dreading the answer. Now the only thing that kept him from passing out was sheer willpower and pain.

“Not good, what happened?”

Spy groaned, he lacked the mental capacity to come up with a good lie. “A Spy-Bot surprised me, almost killed me.”

Thankfully Sniper’s only reply was a grunt as he placed the flashlight sideways on the ground pointed towards Spy side. He pulled out a roll of bandages from his pocket – Medic insisted that they all carry basic first aid supplies and know the basics of how to use it just in case – and started bandaging Spy up.

He needed a lot more than bandages but it would slow his blood loss until Medic could get to him. And thus it was a temporary job, Sniper didn’t do anything about his clothes, putting the bandages over them in places. It was a huge relief, just him bandaging the wound sent waves of pain through it, anything more might’ve broken Spy’s resolve to remain silent about his pain.

“I’m going to radio the team our position now, Medic will be here soon, so just hang in there, ‘kay?” Sniper patted Spy’s hand as if comforting him. … It was nice.

“Okay,” he said, giving a small thumbs up. He could hold on for a little bit longer until Medic came, he’d be fine.

While Sniper turned away to take out the radio and talk into it, Spy pulled out his pocket watch. It was a habitual thing born of liking to know what time it was.

“It’s past midnight,” he said when Sniper returned his full attention to him after relaying their approximate location to Miss Pauling. Their team was on the way to pick them up and bring them back to base, all they could do was hope they found them before the robots did. “That means it’s officially Valentine’s Day. So you want to be my Valentine?”

“Uh… is now really the time for this?”

“Don’t see why not? We got nothing better to do expect wait.” Chances of him bleeding to death were diminished significantly by the bandages so why not? And Spy was borderline delirious from blood loss and exhaustion, he didn’t care though. “So, your answer?”

“Uh… yeah, sure, I’ll be your Valentine.”

“Merci.” Spy’s willpower was starting to fade, he’d either fall asleep soon or pass out whether he liked it or not.

As his eyes started to droop closed gentle hands suddenly moved him, placing his head on Sniper’s lap. It was certainly more comfortable than the ground. “Merci,” he said again.

Sniper didn’t reply. Instead he took one of Spy’s hands in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze. Now there was nothing better to do but nap until the rest of the team got here.

[gosetmind]

Discover Your Potential [WHAT is and HOW to]

If you can discover your potential, success will come to your doorstep. Today, let's take a look at the not-so-hidden secrets that will help you build your own successful empire!

Whether you're applying to college, choosing a career path, or going through a mid-life crisis, the big question is, "What can you do?" "You know, the world may have given you unrealistic expectations from the start, so much so that it prevents you from understanding your potential.

We are all told that there are hidden talents deep in our souls that will one day become our desirable place. But often, you're just wasting your time looking for your talents, rather than focusing on developing your potential.

What is personal potential?

Before you discover your potential, you first need to know what personal potential really means. There's a good chance you'll have a misdefination in your head, but it's not your fault, because most of us think so.

People often tell you that you are born with personal potential. In other words, your real potential should be an activity that you can achieve with minimal effort. From this point of view, you may always be looking for hobbies that you think you are good at. Always looking for this unknown gift of nature.

What you don't know is that your personal potential is more about your mental strength than your so-called talent. It's anything you want to be. So even if people say your fashion sense is bad all your life, you can still be a successful fashionista.

What you need is willpower. With courage and firm life goals, you can realize any personal potential you want.

  Potential and talent are not the type you need to wait for. They are qualities that you build upon yourself through hard work and smart work. There is no magic that inspires your inner potential other than your own will.

However, this does not mean that you have to blindly follow in the footsteps of another successful person. Yes, some suggestions are always good, but your potential and path to it may be completely different.

The key is to try to understand your potential, not to force yourself to do something just because someone you know has succeeded.

How to discover your potential

Personal potential depends entirely on hard work and strategy. The following six recommendations will guide you in finding motivation and using it effectively.

1. Recognize your inner voice

The first step to success is to listen to yourself. Remember, here you're not looking for your potential, you're just figuring out the life you really want.

Your true potential should be the purpose of your work. Therefore, it is best to work for what you desire so that you can enjoy the process in personal development.

Think about what you like or want to be good at. For example, do you aspire to be an artist? Even if you've never performed on stage, do you want to be an actor?

Make a list of what you want, and then realistically narrow it down. When you do this, it's important to remember your inner voice. Don't pursue things that might improve your image in society and give you a lot of money. Remember: Your self-satisfaction should be the most important.

Again, it's possible that you're good at something, but you don't like to do it. For example, people around you like your voice very much, they are always ready to listen to you sing. However, despite the appreciation, you may also hate it. Things like this should also be recorded so that you can recall that you want to stay away from them.

2. Conscious efforts

Once you've planned a suitable final destination, it's time to work hard.

As I said before, I repeat now that your personal potential will not enter your life like a waltz. You must work hard to get it.

Understanding your potential requires consciously moving in the right direction. It doesn't happen on a random day; you have to work hard to find the answer.

Now you can start experimenting. You know you want to own a law firm or your own restaurant. But these are two very different career choices, so take a small step in one direction and see if you're willing to put in your energy and time.

For example, since you can't decide whether to be a cook or a lawyer, try the former first. However, after six months of sustained effort, you can't cook good food. When you let your friends taste it, they don't give you positive feedback. Although you follow the same recipe every time, your dishes are different every time you eat them.Sample.

You've been working in this line for six months, trying to cook a decent meal every time, but there's no sign of improvement. Of course, you need to see this as a sign that cooking is probably not for you.

Then you can work towards your other options. Discuss situations with experienced lawyers, find internships, do some research online to see if you have the conditions you need to build a successful law firm.

3. Define your goals

SMART goals play an important role in your life purpose, especially when you want to accomplish something.

Clear goals can help you understand your potential.

  At this point, you've decided which route to take. The time has come to take systematic measures.

Assuming you know SMART goals and how to design them, you'll need to add some additional steps to the process.

For each goal, define your intent. Please write down what you think your goal is and the reasons behind it. For example, you may attend an SEO course to increase your fan base so that you can fulfill your passion for running a world-renowned blog one day.

Next, write down the value. What does this special seminar do for you that you can't get from other similar sources? In the example above, the workshop may have been facilitated by someone you've been inspired by, or mainly for the niche market you like.

Finally, consider the cost. Whatever you've done to achieve value and achieve your goals, take it out at this point. You shouldn't lose money, you have to get at least the same amount of money by implementing what you've learned, especially if you've spent some money on a seminar.

4. Set milestones

One of the mistakes many people make to understand their potential is that they aim at the stars from the start. They put their mind to the bigger blueprint and went straight to it.

It's not your way of success. As mentioned above, this is your first step to your destination. Yes, it may extend the time frame for the entire journey, but it also increases the chances of getting real results with minimal barriers.

When you set milestones, try to break down the long-term process into smaller parts. So if you're passionate about developing an advertising ad ad company, don't just focus on the end result.

So for your first milestone, you can attend a media advertising training school where you can learn all the basics of advertising. After that, you can work for an organization and familiarize yourself with their processes. Then, contact a local video cameraman to advertise a relative's business.

Step by step, you pave the way for your big goals. You can work on weekly or monthly milestones so that you can continue to contribute to the big picture as you allocate your workload.

5. Accept the failure

Remember, you're just getting started. Even if that's your passion, you can't be perfect right away.

Failure and inconvenience are part of every success story. It's normal to have some unexpected problems here or there. Don't let them hit your motivation.

Failure doesn't mean you have to change your life. It just means you've learned more, and it's ultimately going to help you push your limits.

6. Celebrate your success

It's also important to be grateful to yourself. It will keep you in high spirits in the middle of a minor accident.

The secret is to celebrate small successes. Every time you reach a milestone, pat yourself on the back.

Document your small achievements so that you can remember them every time you feel depressed and need encouragement.

Summary

It's not hard to understand your potential and release your inner voice. This requires strong willpower, patience, and a small step in the right direction.

Unfortunately, the fast-paced world makes life so complicated that simple things, such as knowing your potential, seem almost impossible. If you're strong enough to simplify things in this chaotic world, you're on your way to success!

[perpetually-jungshook]

Without You: Bloodstone (Part 16)

Genre: AU, bts!werewolf, fantasy, angst

Warnings: language, violence, suggestive content

Word Count: 3.5k

Summary: Werewolves, contrary to popular belief, are usually gentle creatures. Except for a very specific set of circumstances, they would never hurt a human (on purpose). The few unfortunate times when mistakes were made put a permanent dark mark on the beasts and people began labeling them as monsters. What the human population failed to recognize was the fact that they were protecting us from something much more sinister. Luckily, a few survived and the gene was passed down hereditarily until one day finding its way to me… in the form of my best friend.

Link to: Storyboard (reference pictures) | General lore post Prologue | Previous | Masterlist | Next

Loyalty is often as blind as justice should be, as unstable as a lightning storm ought to be, and as misplaced as an opinion in the truth.

Chapter 16:

The doors to the mysterious hallway are locked again. It was one of the first things I checked after Munhee left to help train Jungkook about two hours ago. But naturally, it wouldn’t be that easy. So I’m left to wobble back to Jungkook’s room on unsteady legs, hugging the walls for support. Despite probably not having the physical strength for it, I feel disgusting enough that my mental willpower alone allows me to take a shower, wash away last night and this morning.

Hair dripping, I crawl over to the bed, deciding a nap is the best option. Sleep doesn’t come- well, not easily.

The thought stays firmly in my head. I cannot trust Munhee. Why lock the hallway doors unless she doesn’t want me snooping around? What could she be hiding back there? The demon? I force myself to take a breath, trying to remain skeptical. What if the spirit had just been trying to get under my skin? Munhee hasn’t harmed or wronged me yet. Maybe she locked the doors to protect me because she knew I might snoop around and do something I’ll regret. Maybe whatever she stores back there is dangerous. Magic is, after all, inherently hazardous to people who don’t know how to use it.

Behind my eyelids, I see the Hepatica field, the full moon, and the massive raven black wolf.

I should ask her about it. Woman to woman. Maybe should would just… tell me. I haven’t tried being upfront yet and everyone here seems to answer most of my questions to the best of their ability. Yes, when Munhee gets back from training, I’ll try to casually bring it up. But until then, I need to sleep.

My mind slips into a restless oblivion.

I wake up to the sound of Jungkook’s door opening. The thought of Munhee also being back shoots a burst of adrenaline through my system, shocking me into alertness, but my eyelids crack open to find Taehyung.

“Oh hey,” I smile at him, sitting up so I can greet the bronze haired boy properly. “What are you doing in here? I thought you were training with Jungkook.”

He pauses to audibly sniff the air, then flops down on the bed next to me, yawning, “Yoongi hyung sent me back to the bunker… and Jimin asked me to check up on you.”

“He did? Why couldn’t he do it?”

Again, there’s a small pinch of pain in my chest. I try my best to include him, to make him feel appreciated and validated, but he keeps avoiding me, pushing me aside. I’m not sure if it’s his nature and that’s why everyone dislikes him, or if he’s hesitant to let anyone in because he’s been socially ostracized. At this point, does it even matter?

Taehyung snuggles up next to me, resting his head on my shoulder and his arm over my stomach, “I dunno. He said something about you maybe needing someone to comfort you and that I’m the man for the job.”

He laughs lightly, nuzzling against my shoulder playfully. Jimin probably didn’t say anything like that, but I’ll believe he sent Taehyung.

“Thanks,” I reply, amused. “Does all this affection mean I’m out of menstrual quarantine?”

The bronze haired boy sniffs again, “Yeah. Tomorrow you’ll be completely fine- not that there’s anything wrong with you. Just that you won’t be leaking blood everywhere.”

“What a nice way to put it,” I elbow him gently.

“Sorry,” he shoots me a boxy smile. “Wolves just have a thing about… human blood.”

“What are you? Vampires?”

Taehyung snorts to hide a laugh, “Definitely not. It’s more of a bonding thing.”

“Bonding? Like imprinting?”

“Yes and no. It’s a little bit different. There are actually two types of bonding but-”

The sound of the door opening interrupts his explanation, something I’ll admit I’m a little bit curious about. A second type of bonding? What could that mean? We both look up to find Jungkook, a bit rigid, standing in the doorway. Taehyung easily rolls off the bed, landing on his feet and walking to stand in front of the maknae.

He puts his hands up in mock surrender, “She’s all yours, Kook.”

The raven haired boy’s gaze flicks between the two of us before settling on me. After taking a deep breath, a small smile suddenly pulls at the corners of his lips, voice quiet, “Eun’s not ‘mine.’ I just like making sure she’s safe.”

Pride surges through my veins. He hadn’t even growled. Jungkook is growing.

Taehyung gives him a gentle, but encouraging pat on the shoulder as he slips past, back into the hallway.

I turn my full attention to Jungkook, “So does this mean you guys are done for today?”

He shrugs, running his fingers through his hair, “For now. Munhee sunbae says I need to rest because I might have pulled a few muscles, but we’re training again in the morning.”

I gesture for him to join me on the bed, “Will those heal fast? I don’t want you hurting yourself more.”

He nods, gingerly walking over to sit beside me. We continue talking idly, him checking up on me, me inquiring about his training. I refrain from mentioning the hallway, not wanting to cause him any more stress. Only when Jungkook decides to take a shower do I tell him I’ll be right back. Why? I need to talk to Munhee. He lets me go, albeit reluctantly.

I find her in the kitchen with a beer in her hand. She’s standing alone, staring at her feet. It’s a strange visual, simply because it’s a very human one. Munhee, the kick-ass, mysterious, magic wielding mentor, who also needs alcohol to settle her nerves sometimes.

“Is everything okay?” I probe hesitantly, not sure how else to start off the conversation.

Munhee nods, “Yeah. Everyone’s just kind of resting. That demon was a bit tough. Sometimes, I wish I had fast healing powers too but at the same time, no thanks.”

We both laugh lightly, politely. To give myself something to do, I rummage through the cabinets to get a glass for water. The shower had helped, but I can���t seem to get the slimy taste out of my mouth from the… exorcism? Munhee hadn’t called it that. She said a “spiritual cleansing,” but what does that mean?

Filling the cup halfway, I take a sip before asking, “Sun- erm, Munhee? Can I ask you something?”

She hums in acknowledgement, gaze having slid back to the floor.

“Besides your workshop, is there anything in that hallway at the back of the bunker?”

I watch her expression carefully, probably even to the point of outwardly appearing suspicious, but she answers simply with another question, “Why?”

I decide to play toward her sense of practicality, “I’d like to know if Jungkook is or if I am in danger. I think I have that right, don’t I? And instead of me snooping around in the middle of the night and poking around places that might not be safe, I think the better option is to just get a straight answer.”

She looks mildly impressed.

“That’s very true. So, yes. There are other things in that hallway. Come with me.”

I follow her with the smallest bit of apprehension resting in my chest like a cold stone, or rather, pebble. She’s being transparent. Shouldn’t I be grateful? Still, as we pass Jungkook’s room, I can’t help but naturally contemplate telling him where we’re going… just in case. Just in case what? I’m not sure. And that’s what I’m afraid of.

Munhee pops the lock and I naturally take a step back, afraid of the silence and stillness that might come pouring out from behind the doors. And this is when I recall a train of thought from last night, an abandoned theory: that first night of wandering around… the strange beckoning, time skipping forward… that had been a demon. Not Halsahm, but it had to have been something like it. Which either means the pack or Munhee had been keeping one alive, or a demon had infiltrated the bunker. My bet is on the former, for the same reason Jungkook thought they brought Halsahm back. To train him.

I startle a bit as a green flame abruptly blossoms on Munhee’s palm. She smiles, as if my reaction amuses her, “Someday soon, you’ll be able to do it too.”

“What exactly is ‘it?’”

“A type of magic you’ll need to learn quickly. It allows you to ‘see things that are hidden’ according to the book. I think that’s the grossest, most cliched way to put it, but yknow, I’m not bothered enough to figure out a different description,” Munhee waves me over. “Here, let me show you something.”

I don’t hesitate to step a little bit closer, but my breath hitches in my throat when she grabs my wrist and flips my hand to pour the green fire in it. I am almost naive enough to expect burning. But this is magic, so of course it wouldn’t.

“You won’t have much energy after what happened this morning, but focus on the flame. Keep it going. All you have to do is concentrate.”

The green fire licks at my palm, dripping into it like liquid. It feels heavy like honey, but with none of the stickiness. The moment Munhee withdraws her hand, it ripples into a puddle the size of a match head. My attention instinctively zeros in on it, trying to keep the flame from dissipating.

“Just focus, Eun,” she encourages. “You can do it.”

I manage to keep the tiny fire going, but can’t make it any bigger, definitely not to the same palm-consuming size as Munhee’s. But that’s okay. I’m just happy it didn’t go out.

“Good job for your first time. Let’s go, kid,” her voice is soft with pride.

As I follow her into the hallway, I notice the flickering on the walls again. With the small green flame desperately gasping for breath in my hand, I approach the smooth concrete surface, which no longer appears smooth and concrete. A metal door lies before me, not at the end of the hall where I know the workshop is, but less than five steps away from the mistletoe doors. It has some sort of sigil carved into the front that dimly seems to flicker into and out of existence with every dimming and brightening of the flame.

Munhee walks down the hall with familiar surety, stopping about half way down. She extends her arm until the green fire reveals a similar door. Her voice is now quiet, “This is where we’re keeping the demon. Don’t open this door. It won’t be able to speak or influence you as long as you keep it sealed in there, behind this sigil. Understand?”

“Kind of,” I keep my voice at a level of volume that equals hers. Hushed, as if not wanting to disturb something. “But why keep it? Why not exorcise it?”

“That’s not how it works, Eun,” Munhee sighs. “They aren’t literally demons. It’s why Namjoon’s so hesitant to call them that. Think of it less like the stereotypical ‘filling a shell’ possession and more like a tumor wrapping around a soul, keeping it hostage. We can’t just force it out of the host body. It has to leave willingly.”

What kind of bullshit is that? It enters someone’s body by force and then leaves whenever it darn well pleases? How is that fair? My hands almost ball into fists, body trembling with anger, but then I remember the small pinpoint of green fire in my palm. I look down to find it has vanished. I now allow myself to clench my fists, trying to relieve some of the frustration that had just built up on my conscience.

“How long does that usually take?”

Munhee shrugs, her eyes suddenly looking tired in the green glow of the flame in her palm, “Days. Weeks. Months. Years. Sometimes not ever and death of the host body is the only thing that releases- or expels- the souls inside. It depends on the demon.”

A heavy, sickly feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.

“And what will you do with it in the meantime?”

Munhee continues staring at the door, her expression melting into something vaguely forlorn, “Usually, I’d have the wolves train with it, but this time, I’m not sure. After what happened to you, I don’t think anyone should go near it. This one is… like Hoseok said, different. I’ve never seen one be able to attack you like it did from that far away.”

“So it’s just going to rot in there?” my voice cracks.

She nods slowly, “The demon will be fine. It’ll keep the host body alive, but the girl…”

Munhee trails off, yet I don’t press her for further explanation. I don’t think it’s necessary.

I clear my throat to try and keep a steady voice, “Thank you for showing me.”

Munhee gestures toward the doors and we leave the hallway and demon behind. She goes back to using a normal volume as soon as the combination lock clicks into place, “Of course, Eun. Oh, also, I need you to be honest. Has Jimin checked up on you today? At all?”

For a moment, I’m tempted to say no. Since our brief argument earlier, I haven't seen the boy with the coffee colored hair. However, I also don't want to get him in trouble and technically, if Taehyung was telling the truth, Jimin had made sure I was okay, even if he hadn't done it directly.

I try to smile genuinely as I lie by omission, "He's not the best babysitter, but he made an effort.”

Munhee seems shocked for a moment, "He did? Wait. We're talking about the same Jimin right?”

We both laugh, again, politely.

"I kind of feel bad for him," I admit as we walk back to the kitchen. "He doesn't seem like an awful person, but-”

"I'm assuming he told you about the Blood Wolf thing," she interrupts, not sounding irritated so much as tired. "He's right in the fact that they do forget him, but it's always by accident. They instinctively don't recognize him as part of the pack, especially when feral. I hate to say this, Eun, but when we first found him, I tried.

"Like you, I wanted to be nice, to help him see that he needs someone, anyone," she continues, "But Jimin just kept... pushing me away. Pushing all of us away. So now we tend to leave him alone, which is what he seems to want anyway.”

It hurts me to think that he refused help. Does that mean I should stop trying too? Maybe Jimin had started out as cold and brooding. Maybe he hadn’t. Maybe he'd simply been hurt. By what? I'm not quite sure yet, but now isn't the time and this is definitely not the person I should ask.

"Thank you for looking out for me," I bow politely. "I'm a bit tired so…"

Munhee picks up her beer bottle, which she had left on the counter, "Go rest. I'd like to start your training in a couple days.”

I give her another polite bow before walking to Jungkook's room. I find him sitting on the bed, apparently worried sick about where I had gone, but he'd been determined to try to let me come back on my own. I tell him I'm grateful and reward my friend by letting him protectively snake around me as I drift off for my second nap of the day.

By dinnertime, the awful taste in my mouth has gone away and I feel achy instead of actively sore. I figure any progress is good progress. The atmosphere around the table as we eat is a little more solemn than normal and it seems to affect everyone save Hoseok and Taehyung, who are chatting idly. Everybody else is either staring at their food or into space. I have a feeling they have a lot on their minds. I don’t blame them. I have a lot to think about too.

Munhee had been more than generous with her information. She hadn’t even gotten angry at me for asking. The only thing I seem to be missing is solid proof. Sure, she showed me the door, but how am I supposed to know what’s inside it?

I’m not naive enough to hope that Munhee would show me. She thinks it’s dangerous to even be in close proximity to Halsahm. She would never open that door. I’m also not dumb enough to sneak a look. Munhee’s warning is probably for a good reason.

So with all that in mind, I’d devised a plan that puts no one in danger. Kind of. I’m going back to the Hepatica field with the bloodstone.

After dinner, it’s easy enough to persuade Munhee to take me to her workshop to learn where things are. “It’s not too strenuous and it’s something I need to do anyway” is the argument that ultimately convinces her. I don’t really absorb much information. There are some herb and stone names that sound familiar and I’m pretty sure I can read titles of books to figure out what’s inside them, but I’m so tired that most of the information slips right past my conscious mind. Of course, I also have to focus on slipping the bloodstone inside my pocket without her noticing and then there’s the matter of inspecting the pit in the middle of the floor out of the corners of my eyes.

It still makes me uneasy, like a presence looming in the room with an acrid smell that stings my nose. What could it be for? I can’t connect the dots and I’m a little afraid to ask, not because Munhee might not tell me, but because I don’t know if I want to know the answer.

It takes me fifteen minutes total to get the bloodstone from her workshop desk and fifteen more for me to find an excuse to leave. It seems tiredness is a valid reason when one was almost not-exactly-possessed by a demon earlier that morning.

I return to Jungkook’s room to find the bruised, raven haired boy fast asleep. Originally, I was going to ask him to go with me. At least that way he wouldn’t worry and I’d have a protector. And I’ll admit, I definitely do not know where the Hepatica field is. So I need someone who can sniff it out too.

Still, I don’t want to wake him up. He has training again in the morning. Thus the question once again becomes: who can I trust to come with me? It’s not that I’m breaking rules by leaving the bunker… I think. I just don’t want to upset anyone or go through the steps of explaining my logic. Namely, it’ll probably sound bad if I say, “The main reason I’m leaving is to see if I can actually trust Munhee.” Will Halsahm be behind that door? Is Munhee telling me the truth?

I can only hope that divination will answer these questions. Now all I need is a travel companion.

“What do you want?” Jimin opens his door to glare at me.

I try to smile, “You’re still responsible for watching me right?”

His lip twitches in what looks like distaste, “The maknae’s back. So no, I’m not.”

Well there goes my opening. I decide to pitch my idea anyway, “Sunbae, I need to ask for a favor.”

“No,” he closes the door.

I knock again, “Sunbae, I need you to take me somewhere.”

Jimin’s muffled voice reads easily as irritated, “What part of ‘no’ didn’t you understand?”

“Please? I can’t… I can’t ask anyone else.”

“That sounds like a ‘you’ problem.”

“Jimin,” I drop the honorific in desperation. “I just want to know the truth about what’s in that hallway.”

“Ask Munhee.”

“You want me to trust what she says when I have no proof? Look, I need to make sure Jungkook is safe,” I start rambling, not even sure if he’s still listening. “I don’t know anything about you or where you came from but I can tell whoever you imprinted on didn’t do their job. They were supposed to protect you as much as you were supposed to protect them. Please help me do what they couldn’t-”

The door opens and Jimin looks angry.

“Wouldn’t protect me.”

“What?”

“Wouldn’t. Not ‘couldn’t.’ He left me. He made me a monster and left.”

My response is caught in my throat for a moment, but I somehow manage to say, “I- I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

I take a deep breath, “He didn’t take care of you. But please, help me make sure Jungkook is safe.”

Jimin arches an eyebrow, his lip twitches, and he closes the door again with a cold, “No.”

✩✩✩♔✩✩✩

EOPQ 20: Was this a good balance between magic and wolves? Should I include more or less of one aspect?

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Much love ~🐰 xx

[drinhiding]

Reposted from @alex.myles - Pluto has now stationed retrograde and will remain in retrograde until October 3rd 2019. This retrograde highlights our dark side so that we vulnerably open up, make necessary changes and take accountability for our lower vibrational traits, tendencies, patterns of behavior and the relationships we maintain. The focus over the next 5 months will be on areas where we are holding too tightly to people or things, purely because we feel too afraid to finally cut cords and fully let go. We will also realise that, despite vehemently denying to ourselves that we are sometimes wading in troubled waters, we only move against the force because at some level we don’t believe we have the strength, willpower or courage to leave the familiar behind, even when we know it is outdated or insidiously poisoning our spirit. Unfortunately, the longer we are exposed to toxicity, the more weakened we become, so our self-worth, self-value, self-esteem and self-respect diminish, to such a degree that ultimately we tolerate behaviors and situations that are well below bar. During this retrograde, we will discover that if we are not willing to make difficult decisions that are vital for our emotional, mental, spiritual or physical wellbeing, then Pluto will move in to make them for us by removing from our lives anything or anyone that is harming or stunting our overall soul growth or health. We will no longer be able to ignore, deny or sugar-coat our circumstances, as this planet’s spring-clearing energy pulls us into intense introspective phases where we will be forced to assess our internal wants, needs, desires and passions, as well as our old and unhealed emotional wounds. This will bring to our attention how we have been subconsciously replaying similar patterns and remaining in relationships, commitments, jobs or friendships that we know are limiting, dysfunctional or generally diminishing our ability to shine. Pluto retrograde forces us to do a deep cleansing, whether by our doing, or by the Universe unexpectedly shifting things around so that we have no option but to break ties with whatever or whoever is anchoring or pulling us down. - #regr https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwsa-tKhlMl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dvhdbyxhl1st

[lightworker-curator]

Pluto has now stationed retrograde and will remain in retrograde until October 3rd 2019.

This retrograde highlights our dark side so that we vulnerably open up,make necessary changes and take accountability for our lower vibrational traits, tendencies, patterns of behavior and the relationships we maintain.

The focus over the next 5 months will be on areas where we are holding too tightly to people or things, purely because we feel too afraid to finally cut cords and fully let go.

We will also realise that, despite vehemently denying to ourselves that we are sometimes wading in troubled waters, we only move against the force because at some level we don’t believe we have the strength, willpower or courage to leave the familiar behind, even when we know it is outdated or insidiously poisoning us.

Unfortunately, the longer we are exposed to toxicity, the more weakened we become, so our self-worth, self-value, self-esteem and self-respect diminish, to such a degree that ultimately we tolerate behaviors and situations that are well below bar.

During this retrograde, we will discover that if we are not willing to make difficult decisions that are vital for our emotional, mental, spiritual or physical wellbeing, then Pluto will move in to make them for us by removing from our lives anything or anyone that is harming or stunting our overall soul growth or health.

We will no longer be able to ignore, deny or sugar-coat our circumstances, as this planet’s spring-clearing energy pulls us into intense introspective phases where we will be forced to assess our internal wants, needs, desires and passions, as well as our old and unhealed emotional wounds.

This will bring to our attention how we have been subconsciously replaying similar patterns and remaining in relationships, commitments, jobs or friendships that we know are limiting, dysfunctional or generally diminishing our ability to shine.

Pluto retrograde forces us to do a deep cleansing, whether by our doing, or by the Universe unexpectedly shifting things around so that we have no option but to break ties with whatever or whoever is anchoring or pulling us down.

To sail through this period without too much disruption it is imperative that we take time out to contemplate why we are clinging to unfulfilling, unhealthy and undesirable dynamics, when we know we have the strength to make a clean break and detox and heal from any dependency or pain.

This retrograde will take us through major personal transformation and as the months pass by we will be releasing our hold on the harmful and creating space for healthy and harmonious encounters.

The transition is not going to be easy, we will likely try to fight aspects of it, throw tantrums, release tears and raise white flags with reluctance, however, as the days pass we will heal, restructure, regroup and realise how imperative the skin-shedding was for the evolution of our soul.

When we travel internally, deep down in our psyche we intuitively know that we have become so attached with what feels familiar that we have been compromising, making excuses and allowing a variety of things to continue, despite the fact that they are in major conflict with our morals, values and ideology for how we want to be manoeuvring through our life.

Pluto Retrograde is, above all, a period of regeneration, where we will be purging and eliminating whatever has fallen out of alignment with where we are now at, including old beliefs & patterns, intrusive and obsessive thinking, blaming and shaming, gossip, judgements, grudges bad habits, limiting fears, one-sided and half-hearted dynamics, heavy baggage, negative feelings from the past, worries about the future, things we cannot change, the need to control, unrealistic expectations and basically anything or anyone that has already let go of us.

Surrendering is the most powerfully healing and transformational thing we can do, and sometimes our only option—because, whether we like it or not, whatever is meant will not miss us, and whatever isn’t eventually passes on it’s way.

Letting go is a simply a way of practicing Feng Shui, by sweeping out negative energy so that positive energy and new connections and experiences can seep in.

Pluto is a time for forward movement - the sooner we let go, the faster we flow.

————————————————————————————

Retrogrades turn our energy inward and intensify it, which is why many of us withdraw and become more introspective and introverted, particularly when a planet first turns retrograde and we are in the process of attuning to the new energy.

Although retrogrades may seem chaotic, they are always blessings in disguise. They shift our focus so we become aware of anything that’s not aligned in our lives, and take note of the unhealed wounds and unresolved emotions that are desperately trying to gain our attention.

When we turn the spotlight inward, we are able to see where we’ve been going wrong, where we are currently at, and where we are heading. Ultimately, this helps us take accountability for our personal journey so we avoid repeating the same mistakes.

When a planet is newly retrograde we will likely feel more alert, wired, highly intuitive, irritable, restless, unable to sleep and as though we are on an energetic “high,”. We may find ourselves over thinking, with high anxiety and our our lives can seem far more turbulent than usual until our personal energy calibrates with the new incoming energy from the planet that is retrograding.

When we are sleep-deprived, we may feel more confused and edgy, as though we are running on adrenaline, causing us to feel achy, overemotional, and irrational so we may find ourselves having futile disagreements and becoming angry or frustrated far quicker than normal - which is why it is vital to be aware of what’s occurring in the universe and to take regular time-out periods to balance, ground and harmonise energies.

As we move through this retrograde period, we will want to cleanse our homes, social media accounts, and friendships, as well as reconsider commitments and eliminate any unhealthy or bad habits. This detox will be severe at times as we purge old energies and remove anything, or anyone, that prevents us from moving forward and achieving our goals and inner peace.

Retrogrades send shockwaves through our relationships, trigger unhealed wounds and churn up old history. Therefore, it is possible that ghosts from our past will make unexpected appearances accompanied with emotional confessions; this is to ask us to take one last look before we decide to reopen or firmly lock doors that we previously closed. We may receive calls or messages that will take us by surprise and cause a great deal of tension, especially if we wrongly interpret the intentions of the messenger and jump to false conclusions.

Before we alter our life path, we can first look at which internal buttons the people around us are pressing and why we have felt a strong desire to react; it is essential to discern exactly who and what the retrograde phases bring to our attention.

This is a period of soul-searching and reflection, and one of accepting who and what is meant to be in our lives and compassionately releasing who and what isn’t meant to be there. It is a time for reflection, introspection, and caution—not for hasty emotion-fuelled reactions.

Retrogrades are catalysts for positive transformation and radiate waves of cosmic energy that shake and alter our lives, giving us the opportunity to wipe the karmic slate clean and turn our lives around for the better.

Our universe is knowledgeable and powerful and operates in the most mysterious and mystical ways. It moves energies around constantly in order to create balance and harmony, so we must not put up resistance to the opportunities presented to us, and instead, flow in the direction that feels right.

This retrograde period will be challenging; however, the cosmos only delivers what we can handle, so take deep breaths, step back, reassess, and harness patience so that all responses are done with love and compassion.

Alex Myles

[drosera-sundews]

A word on gambling

Hey all, I found the Elsewhere University page like two days ago but man, I was so inspired right away. Please allow me to add to this marvellous universe. 

Some words in advance: 

This story ties into a few others. Nothing but quick mentions, though; @fruedtrollism and @comerunwildwithme you two may catch brief glances of you characters :) It also features the weird humanoid/horseoid skeleton beast from this post. 

For those who haven’t seen the EU blog yet: Al you need to know is that the setting is a prestigious university set on top of a fairy hill. Have fun reading!

 A word on gambling 

Not all who come to the Elsewhere University come to study. Most have a vague idea of what they’re getting into, whether from stories told by old, withered family members or odd advertisements, folders or websites filled with cryptic warnings. An unfortunate few go in unprepared, and either catch up quickly or pay the price.

Some come to bet, to bargain or to gamble.

While some of them are just plain greedy, it’s mostly just the lost causes. The ones who’ve heard ‘no’ a few times to often by many different doctors. The other students treat them with poorly concealed pity and resigned respect. After all, who wouldn’t turn to desperate measures when in their shoes? The world hasn’t been fair to them. The gentry are, at the very least. Cruel and merciless, true, but fair and honest at their cores.

Yet, the gamblers come in many different forms. A girl who’s lungs once belonged to another, the second son of a rich businessman, a young dancer who trained and fought for years to reach her dream and now found that her achilles tendon, both literally and figuratively, was just a few millimetres too short.  

Oh yes, you can wait for favours, but each and every person in this school with half a brain to them will do anything to help the gentry, if only not to get on their bad side. And without an agreement they may repay you in any way they see fit. The gifts will be valuable, but not what you need. You’ll need to show initiative, you’ll need to gamble with all that you have.

The problem with gambling with the fair folk is the currency. They are not interested in money, and there are very little precious goods they cannot acquire. Promises and debts are an option, but are risky when not very, very carefully defined. Some might have weird preferences (like that odd horse-like skeleton that will go to great lengths for shiny plastic beads). Most however don’t.  

They are called the Exchange Student, with capitals, because that’s what they do. They are a student, everyone is certain about that. They sit in math class, biology, sometimes in history. They hang out with the programmers and the art majors. They wear their iron, carry their salt, and seem perfectly normal, even from the corner of your eye. Unsuspecting, until you deliberately come to them.

Please leave your iron and salt at the door. Don’t worry, as long as we’re discussing business no one will disturb us. It is merely a show of faith.  

They’re called the Exchange Student because that’s what they do. Exchange of currencies. Exchange of valuta.

Don’t worry, I am a professional. The procedure will be quick and painless. I cannot promise a lack of scars, but damage will be minimal, I have done this many times before.”

“I hope you have brought a trinket?”

When the Exchange Student invites you to ‘discuss business’ you take two things with you. A trinket and an offering. The offering is something small. Some food, a nice rock, a coin. Some art majors perform their favourite song, or offer a drawing or a statue, anything goes. It’s but a small fee.

The trinket can also be anything, though of course there are rules. ‘It needs to last,’ says one of the engineers, ‘something sturdy, something that doesn’t break easily.’

‘Something small which is easily concealed. Something you can carry with you. You’ll want to.’

‘and for the love of everything, don’t take something living! Not even a plant! Well... unless you’re absolutely sure what you are doing.’

The Exchange Student will make a circle around them and their customer. Most often made of candles, rocks, or sometimes even coins. Mostly they will take you somewhere silent, somewhere not easily disturbed. Though there are tales of that one time they sat someone down in the middle of the southern canteen, their circle made out of various plastic cups and mugs. No one dared disturb them.

The procedure is painless. A few incantations, some mental exercises, guided meditation, long scaled talons grasping at the edges of your soul, carefully picking you apart.

You’ll come back to yourself, Trinket carefully clasped in your hands. Looking exactly the same as you went in. The item in your hands will have a word on it. A single word, usually golden letters and in the exact handwriting of the person holding it.

Courage, Willpower, Kindness, Insight, Patience, Optimism, Strength.

Anything goes. And that’s how the students of Elsewhere University were made to carefully reconsider their unspoken rule of ‘bet nothing you cannot lose.’

Turns out that those who take to gambling can lose more than they’d ever imagined.

It’s said that it’s a very jarring experience to have an integral part of your being cut away from you. It’s said that, although not painful, students who’ve undergone the procedure spend the first few days in a haze of discomfort, fully aware that something is wrong, something is not as it should be, and they will grab their Trinket and will press it to their skin and refuse to part with it. Their body and spirit knowing where it belongs, but just not being able to get it there.

Quite a few of these Trinkets are being kept on the campus. Most are surrounded in mystery. A few students are suspected of having made a deal with the Exchange Student, like the photographer, the one with the lip ring, who owns this small umbrella that jingles when it rains. Or the student who always wears pearls. Many have cast a glance to spy for golden letters. 

Some are more open about their deals with the Exchange Student. It’s a tradition among programming majors to bind their Insight to a rubber duck, the sillier the better. It’s ridiculed a lot, but the tradition stands strong across the years. And it’s said that sometimes when one of the programmers is really stuck in one of their endless webs of codes the others will aid them by placing their rubber ducks in a circle around the computer. The ones willing to share their Insight are said to be nigh unstoppable.

The Trinkets are like casino tokens. The gentry find them irresistible, and will go to great lengths to acquire them. They never steal them, instead opting to either win or trade them, playing by their own odd rules.

Good gamblers can get anything from the gentry. Magical weapons, exotic skills and other gifts. Sometimes in the form of small objects engraved with gold.

Just remember not to let them catch you cheating.

Another good thing to remember: even though the gentry will not steal a Trinket as by their rules, the same cannot be said of the human students. Guard your virtues well.

Losing a part of yourself is highly unadvisable, always.

Some try to cheat the system. Cutting of pieces they think they can do without. The second son who came specifically to gamble for glory decided he could do without his fears, especially if he was to join the fae for poker night. He had the Exchange Student cut away his Fear. Covered it in salt, put it in a box of rowan wood and gave the key to a friend, to safeguard. He then shamelessly stepped into the queens quarters, asking her what it was worth, what she was willing to give him.

Most were pretty sure the noise drifting through the windows that night didn’t come from rugby practice.

The defected dancer did not wish to gamble. She knew what she had, what she wanted and what she wished to sacrifice for that.

“I offer you my Preservance. I have trained and trained for years on uncertain odds. It is finely honed and very strong and I hope to not need it anymore after today. In return I would like a better body. Suited for a dancer. So that I will not get injured and that stupid things like too short tendons or too weak joints will no longer hold me back. That is my bargain.”

Ḏ̤͕̜̄E̶̱̭A̖̙͞L̮͔̙͖͖ͧ͢

No one is quite sure she got what she wished for. Her body is certainly suited to dancing. Waving and mesmerizing, hypnotizing even. All students on campus know to avert their eyes. Things like that are dangerous, they know.

Few have tried to peek at her face, to see if they could find any trace of their former classmate back. To see if she was happy.

It’s hard to tell emotions from a face that has no eyes.

She’s rarely seen anymore, these days. Apparently she dances for the queen now. An honour, truly.

Legends tell of one gambler that made it out with both her Trinket and her desired price. The girl with the lungs that did not belong to her. The girl who came to the university with only two years left to live, and nothing left to lose. She sought out the Exchange Student in her second week, bringing two large, copper coins she’d saved to put on her eyelids when all went wrong.

She did not cheat and she did not bargain. She gambled. She went to that one odd place in the library, stepped into the shadows, and was not seen for two whole months.

A single game of cards may take that long. Especially with such high stakes. Especially with the fae.

They appreciate warriors. She had come to their table, faced with the entire court. She was given cards that had no numbers, but unfamiliar runes. She was not told the rules. Yet she played. Mimicking the others, she held her own for days and days and days.

Of course she lost. The fae are rarely beaten at their own games.

When she came back, stumbling, disoriented, underfed and horribly dehydrated, she remembered barely anything. Not the faces of her opponents, not the hand of cards she was dealt or what the other players had put on the table alongside her Trinket. She only remembered losing, the cold dread as she stared down at the horrid combination of cards her weak hand could not possibly compare with. And the queens cold crackling as she reached across the table for the small copper coin. And the horrid sensation of ice flooding her chest as her Kindness was taken from her.    

A very powerful Trinket indeed.

She’d woken up laying on a table in the library. Gasping for breath through her dry, dry throat. A copper coin on a very thin chain wrapped around her neck. On one side the golden letters, on the other a complex pattern, a rune in an unknown language, (though a few very bright history student managed to decipher an ancient runic symbol for Air among the twining lines).  

They brought her to the medics, and it was only after thorough examination that the girl discovered that despite her sore throat, her breath came easier than it had in years.

She never left Elsewhere University, afraid that whatever enchantment had been cast on her would falter when away from the queen. Instead she chose to finish the study she’d randomly signed up for in her mad gamble. She ended up a teacher, a permanent part of the staff. The others understood that sending her away would not be an option. Most other teachers had been students as well, after all. They understood the ways this place can change you.

She still wears the amulet up to this day. Some say that this is not a choice born from the instinctive desire to keep a Trinket close, but that every time she removes it from her skin her breath will come short and her lungs will burn. Some even say that it cannot be removed, whether by choice or force. They say the queen enchanted it (too much, too powerful. Let it stay with the human. Where no fae can get their hands on it.)

Some come to her still, for advice and tips on gambling. She’ll send them all away, discourage them. Even though deep inside she knows she’s made the right choice.

‘It needs to last’ one of the engineers had told her. She grasps her amulet, the copper strong as ever, infused with unfamiliar magic keeping her alive. She knows her Kindness will outlast her and wonders where it will end up. 

However much the memory haunts her, she hopes that maybe one day it will make its way back into the hands of the queen. Out of anyone, she certainly needs it the most.  

[ber39james]

Willpower Is a Muscle—Here’s How to Make It Stronger

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), children who demonstrate stronger willpower in the lab end up having better school attendance and stronger academic performance while also being more likely to have “greater physical and mental health, fewer substance-abuse problems and criminal convictions, and better savings behavior and financial security” as adults. Yet, in the APA’s Annual Stress Survey, lack of self-control is the leading reason Americans fail to follow through with healthy lifestyle changes. We’d all like more willpower. Unfortunately, many of us lost whatever lottery would have given us more self-control.

Right?

Wrong. It turns out that willpower is a skill that can be practiced and strengthened.

Your inability to keep your hand out of the cookie jar despite years of New Year’s resolutions might actually come down to a weak or underdeveloped willpower muscle rather than a predestined lack of self-control. But, before you start berating yourself about wimpy willpower muscles. . .

Take your eyes off the cookie jar. Look at me. This is exciting.

. . .new research shows that your willpower may not really be all that weak. In some ways, our modern world sets us up to fail. But in the face of all this, you can get better. So, how do you increase willpower?

What Is Willpower? How Does It Work?

Before we dive into the juicy stuff, it will be helpful to get on the same page about what we mean when we say “willpower.”

Essentially, you use willpower when you forego immediate gratification in order to achieve long-term goals.

According to Roy F. Baumeister, author of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, understanding self-control comes down to understanding these things:

Willpower is like a mental muscle.

It fatigues like a muscle if it is worked too hard, leading to “ego depletion” or “willpower depletion.”

Exercising restraint isn’t all that can exhaust the mental energy needed for self-control; decision-making of all kinds also depletes willpower.

With that context, it becomes more clear why your willpower might not be the problem: your environment plays a role, too. Dr. Kathleen Vohs explains, “[t]here is research that shows people still have the same self-control as in decades past, but we are bombarded more and more with temptations,” and “[o]ur psychological system is not set up to deal with all the potential immediate gratification.”

Just let that sink in.

All the media we consume, all the advertisements, the fast pace of life, the seemingly unlimited options at the store—even having too many clothes in your closet can be a drain on your willpower! Between all the temptations we encounter and the thousands upon thousands of decisions we make each day, no wonder that willpower is nowhere to be found when we need it most.

So, what’s the good news?

According to loads of research, you absolutely can strengthen and increase willpower so that in the face of everything, you will reach your goals.

How to Increase Willpower

More good news: there are several research-backed strategies to help you manage your willpower resources and strengthen your self-control muscles—even if you think you have none. The simplest strategies for improving self-control include meeting your basic physical needs and removing unnecessary decision-making from your daily life. The more complex strategies will take time and effort but are most effective in helping you fortify your willpower over time.

1Eat regularly.

The severe lack of determination you feel when you’re hungry isn’t just in your head. Research supports the idea that willpower requires a lot of brainpower, and the brain needs food. If you aren’t feeding your brain enough or often enough, your willpower will suffer. For this reason, if you’re trying to lose weight—or even write that term paper—eating small meals often improves your self-control.

2Remove temptations.

In his ground-breaking Marshmallow Experiment (yes, that’s what it was called), Dr. Walter Mischel and his team placed a plate of marshmallows on a table and gave children a choice between eating one marshmallow immediately or waiting for an unspecified time for two. What they found is that children who distracted themselves—closed their eyes, looked around, etc.—were able to resist temptation much longer than those who didn’t take their eyes off the plate of pillowy marshmallows. This “out-of-sight-out-of-mind” tactic has been confirmed to work for adults—in offices, with candy. So, if you want to avoid willpower depletion, remove some temptations.

3Reduce the number of decisions you have to make.

Remember willpower feeds on the same energy as all your decision-making. Try to limit the number of decisions you have to make. Here are some ideas for how to reduce the number of choices you make day-to-day.

Prepare your meals in advance once or twice a week.

Plan your weekday outfits on the weekend or try a capsule wardrobe. While planning an entire week of outfits is great if you live somewhere with reliable weather, a capsule wardrobe can have a similar effect and give you flexibility. Basically, you just pick items that match one another. My closet, for example, is all based on the same pallet. It makes dressing—and shopping—much less stressful.

For projects, create a structured plan to follow or get a professional to help. If you’re doing something like trying to get in shape, doing the same structured exercises might help you stick to it. Also, hiring a professional to handle the details can pay off big time. With my personal trainer, all I do it show up. He worries about the rest—which exercises, how much, and he gets it all set for me. Plus, I made a friend.

Outsource! Somewhat related to hiring a professional, outsourcing decisions is a good way to get things off your plate or just have a little fun. For example, at our office we get lunch deliveries from various places nearby—we just have to order it. Some folks, however, have discovered someone else on the team with similar tastes and told our office manager to always order what so-and-so is having. For larger projects, like publishing a report or planning an event, learn to let go of control. Get everyone on the same page to start, but then let others own some decision-making.

Batch tasks. This won’t really help you limit the number of decisions you have to make, but it will help you remove the distractions that some decisions cause. Check your email at fixed times or, if you use Slack, learn to love the “Remind me about this” function.

4Focus.

According to Baumeister, one of the worst things you can do for your willpower is try to make too many changes at a time (ehrm, New Year’s Resolutions?) You’re much better off picking one.

5Do some emotional TLC.

Unsurprisingly, emotions can have a big impact on your willpower.

Show your emotion. Tom Heatherton and Katherine Vohs measured self-control of people who had just seen a sad movie. One group had been told not to show their emotions and another group had been told to let their emotions out. The group that showed their sadness performed better on the willpower tests, presumably because they didn’t need to use up their self-control supply trying to hide their emotions. So, let it out!

Stop people pleasing. Making others happy and conforming to their standards is a surefire way to zap your willpower. Find ways to motivate your behavior that don’t require external approval.

Check your frame of mind. Baumeister found that just thinking positively about one’s willpower improved self-control outcomes in tests. So, if you’re having trouble resisting temptation, think about a few examples where you exhibited restraint successfully before trying again.

6Increase your motivation.

Inevitably, there will be times when your willpower is waning. In times like these, focus on motivation. Research by Mark Muraven shows that low-willpowered people perform better on self-control tasks when they’re told they will be paid. When you’re feeling temptation taking over, focus instead on how you can better motivate yourself. In the weight-loss game, for example, there apps like Gympact that bill you for not hitting the gym and pay you for living healthfully.

7Use some “Implementation Intention.”

In Willpower, Baumeister and co-author John Teirney outline how to cope in the face of temptation and bolster your self-control using a technique called “implementation intention.” It works this way: before you experience a temptation, you should already plan out your response. Let’s say you are avoiding unhealthy food. If you’re at a party and someone offers you dessert, you can plan to decline and instead ask for some fresh fruit. The key here is to think about situations when your willpower will be tested and prepare a response in advance—basically make your decision in advance.

8Practice self-control.

The most challenging but best way to strengthen your willpower muscles is to actually use them. Baumeister suggests creating simple but challenging tasks that require some effort to adhere to. For example, you can commit to turning the light off in every room you leave, putting away your clothes at the end of each day, or eliminating filler words from your speech. These relatively easy tasks, practiced diligently, will hone your self-control skills—and build your confidence in the face of temptation.

Without a doubt, fortifying willpower isn’t easy, but the benefits that come with reserves of self-determination can give you an edge. Researchers have even shown that strength of willpower is more strongly correlated with academic performance than IQ is. The investment you make in your self-control skills is one of the best you can make in your life.

So, now the question is, what are you going to do with your willpower?

The post Willpower Is a Muscle—Here’s How to Make It Stronger appeared first on Grammarly Blog.

from Grammarly Blog https://www.grammarly.com/blog/strong-willpower/

[speedilyironpirate]

Get Prepared For The Options In Weight Loss Surgery New Jersey Surgeons Are Offering

By Robert Perry

People who are obese often need comprehensive solutions to the numerous health issues they face. Carrying around a lot of excess body fat can place an exorbitant amount of stress on the arteries, heart, liver and all other organs and organ systems. Unfortunately, diet and exercise alone may not produce the rapid and remarkable results that these individuals need. That is why gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgeries exist. Following is everything you need to know about getting ready for the options in weight loss surgery New Jersey surgeons provide. One vital thing to know is that these procedures require patients to make a series of dramatic changes to their life habits and lifestyles. These apply to your diet and the types and amount of food you consume. It will not be possible to ingest large amounts of food at a time. People are usually limited to just two ounces of food or liquid once every two hours. This requires a lot of willpower and determination. As such, your provider will want to know that you are mentally ready for treatment even before your surgery is performed. The only way to prove this is by dropping a considerable number of pounds on your own, ahead of any changes to the size of your stomach or the functionality of your digestive system. Most patients are put on a 1200 calorie a day diet. Moreover, they are told to limit their intake of sugars and low-value, simple carbohydrates. As such, you will need to all but eliminate breads and bread products from your diet. You'll need to instead focus on consuming a lot of high-protein foods and complex carbs like whole grains and leafy green vegetables. Another change that you will have to make is to eliminate certain types of beverages. You may be surprised by the amount of calories that you are consuming in your drinks alone. This will usually involved eliminating sodas, fruit-flavored beverages and specialty coffees. Drinking more water will help flush excess fats out. Increasing your physical activity levels is another essential step towards your fitness goals. You do not have to engage in a lot of strenuous activity. You can begin by lifting small weights while sitting in a chair or by taking an aerobics class that allows you to remain seated. As you drop pounds and improve your endurance and strength, you can engage in more challenging activities. There is also a lot of emotional work that people have to do ahead of their treatments. Most people do not overeat because they are genuinely hungry. They overeat because they are attempting to fill an emotional void. Identifying this emotional void and finding all new ways to fill it is key for experiencing long-term weight loss success. By losing pounds on your own, you won't just be proving that you are prepared for exhibiting the level of commitment that your surgery requires. You'll also be putting your body in a much better position to tolerate the physiological stress that these invasive procedures entail. Once you have reached your target, you provider will schedule your treatment and you will be ready for the next and far more exciting phase of your life.

About the Author:

If you are looking for the facts about weight loss surgery New Jersey locals can pay a visit to our web pages online today. More details are available at http://bit.ly/2lJuGEC now.

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Get Prepared For The Options In Weight Loss Surgery New Jersey Surgeons Are Offering

By Robert Perry

People who are obese often need comprehensive solutions to the numerous health issues they face. Carrying around a lot of excess body fat can place an exorbitant amount of stress on the arteries, heart, liver and all other organs and organ systems. Unfortunately, diet and exercise alone may not produce the rapid and remarkable results that these individuals need. That is why gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgeries exist. Following is everything you need to know about getting ready for the options in weight loss surgery New Jersey surgeons provide. It is first important to note that these procedures will require you to under go immediate an extensive lifestyle changes. This is especially true when it comes to your eating and drinking habits. You will no longer be able to consumer large quantities of liquid or food in a single setting. In fact, you will likely be restricted to just two ounces of food or liquid within a two hour period. You will need to have a lot of determination and willpower. Your provider is going to expect you to prove your mental readiness ahead of your actual procedure. This is something that you can do by losing weight on your own, without the benefits of gastric bypass or other surgical treatments that impact digestive functionality. The average patient will have to adopt a 1200 calorie diet. It will be necessary to reduce the amount of simple carbohydrates and high-sugar foods you consume. This means eliminating a lot of bread products. The best options are going to be low in sugar and high in protein and they will also include whole grain foods and fiber-dense produce. Certain drinks are going to have to be eliminated from your diet as well. You probably consume a surprising number of calories in sugary beverages. Cutting out fruit drinks, sodas and sugary coffees is a great way to start. You can replace these with fresh, pure water to start flushing fats out. Getting more exercise is key for reaching your weight loss goals. This does not have to be strenuous as first. In fact, you can start by sitting in a chair and lifting a small set of hand weights or following along with a seated aerobics class. As your weight decreases and your strength and endurance increase, you can start pushing yourself to do more. Emotional work is also a critical part of preparing for treatment. It isn't common to overeat as the result of actual hunger. People typically eat to fill emotional voids. You have to identify your own emotional void and find new and healthier strategies for filling it if you want to succeed in your weight loss journey over the long-term. When you make an effort to drop a considerable number of pounds on your own, you will be showing your provider that you are truly ready to commit to a long-term plan for healthy life habits. You will also be improving your overall health so that you are better prepared for the considerable stress of an invasive procedure. After having reached the goal that your doctor has established, you can schedule your treatment and can start getting ready for an entirely new life and lifestyle.

About the Author:

If you are looking for the facts about weight loss surgery New Jersey locals can pay a visit to our web pages online today. More details are available at http://ift.tt/16n3gVV now.

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Getting Ready For The Weight Loss Surgery New Jersey Companies Supply

By Robert Perry

People who are obese often need comprehensive solutions to the numerous health issues they face. Carrying around a lot of excess body fat can place an exorbitant amount of stress on the arteries, heart, liver and all other organs and organ systems. Unfortunately, diet and exercise alone may not produce the rapid and remarkable results that these individuals need. That is why gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgeries exist. Following is everything you need to know about getting ready for the options in weight loss surgery New Jersey surgeons provide. It is first important to note that these procedures will require you to under go immediate an extensive lifestyle changes. This is especially true when it comes to your eating and drinking habits. You will no longer be able to consumer large quantities of liquid or food in a single setting. In fact, you will likely be restricted to just two ounces of food or liquid within a two hour period. Determination and willpower are absolutely essential. Doctors often want to make sure that patients are mentally and emotionally prepared before undergoing these treatment. You will be able to do this by losing pounds without first having a surgical treatment performed or otherwise changing the way in which your digestive system functions. Most patients are put on a 1200 calorie a day diet. Moreover, they are told to limit their intake of sugars and low-value, simple carbohydrates. As such, you will need to all but eliminate breads and bread products from your diet. You'll need to instead focus on consuming a lot of high-protein foods and complex carbs like whole grains and leafy green vegetables. Certain drinks are going to have to be eliminated from your diet as well. You probably consume a surprising number of calories in sugary beverages. Cutting out fruit drinks, sodas and sugary coffees is a great way to start. You can replace these with fresh, pure water to start flushing fats out. Getting more exercise is key for reaching your weight loss goals. This does not have to be strenuous as first. In fact, you can start by sitting in a chair and lifting a small set of hand weights or following along with a seated aerobics class. As your weight decreases and your strength and endurance increase, you can start pushing yourself to do more. There is also a lot of emotional work that people have to do ahead of their treatments. Most people do not overeat because they are genuinely hungry. They overeat because they are attempting to fill an emotional void. Identifying this emotional void and finding all new ways to fill it is key for experiencing long-term weight loss success. When you make an effort to drop a considerable number of pounds on your own, you will be showing your provider that you are truly ready to commit to a long-term plan for healthy life habits. You will also be improving your overall health so that you are better prepared for the considerable stress of an invasive procedure. After having reached the goal that your doctor has established, you can schedule your treatment and can start getting ready for an entirely new life and lifestyle.

About the Author:

If you are looking for the facts about weight loss surgery New Jersey locals can pay a visit to our web pages online today. More details are available at http://ift.tt/16n3gVV now.

Getting Ready For The Weight Loss Surgery New Jersey Companies Supply via Weight Loss Quick Advices http://ift.tt/2or1AzN

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Getting Ready For The Weight Loss Surgery New Jersey Companies Supply

By Robert Perry

People who are obese often need comprehensive solutions to the numerous health issues they face. Carrying around a lot of excess body fat can place an exorbitant amount of stress on the arteries, heart, liver and all other organs and organ systems. Unfortunately, diet and exercise alone may not produce the rapid and remarkable results that these individuals need. That is why gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgeries exist. Following is everything you need to know about getting ready for the options in weight loss surgery New Jersey surgeons provide. It is first important to note that these procedures will require you to under go immediate an extensive lifestyle changes. This is especially true when it comes to your eating and drinking habits. You will no longer be able to consumer large quantities of liquid or food in a single setting. In fact, you will likely be restricted to just two ounces of food or liquid within a two hour period. Determination and willpower are absolutely essential. Doctors often want to make sure that patients are mentally and emotionally prepared before undergoing these treatment. You will be able to do this by losing pounds without first having a surgical treatment performed or otherwise changing the way in which your digestive system functions. Most patients are put on a 1200 calorie a day diet. Moreover, they are told to limit their intake of sugars and low-value, simple carbohydrates. As such, you will need to all but eliminate breads and bread products from your diet. You'll need to instead focus on consuming a lot of high-protein foods and complex carbs like whole grains and leafy green vegetables. One important change is to pay more attention to what you are drinking. People consume a surprising amount of calories in unhealthy beverages alone. You can start by eliminating sugary sodas, specialty coffees and juice drinks. You can flush out fats by drinking plenty of water each day. Getting more exercise is key for reaching your weight loss goals. This does not have to be strenuous as first. In fact, you can start by sitting in a chair and lifting a small set of hand weights or following along with a seated aerobics class. As your weight decreases and your strength and endurance increase, you can start pushing yourself to do more. There is also a lot of emotional work that people have to do ahead of their treatments. Most people do not overeat because they are genuinely hungry. They overeat because they are attempting to fill an emotional void. Identifying this emotional void and finding all new ways to fill it is key for experiencing long-term weight loss success. When you drop pounds all by yourself, you will be showing your doctor that you are ready to commit to the necessary lifestyle changes. This will also get your body ready for the extra stress that an invasive surgical procedure is guaranteed to entail. After having reached the target weight that your provider has set, your procedure can be schedule and you can start preparing for the next chapter of your life.

About the Author:

If you are looking for the facts about weight loss surgery New Jersey locals can pay a visit to our web pages online today. More details are available at http://ift.tt/16n3gVV now.

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