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Reverse graffiti
Reverse graffiti, also known as clean tagging, dust tagging, grime writing, green graffiti or clean...
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Snow and Charming know what’s up…
Love this.
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The final Stefon sketch from Saturday Night Live.
The Stefon bit was one of my favorites. I’m gonna miss him
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Me for the past three days!
From the poem To This Day by Shane Koyczan:
“ … and if you can’t see anything beautiful about yourself, get a better mirror, look a little closer, stare a little longer, because there’s something inside you that made you keep trying despite everyone who told you to quit.”
This gets me EVERYTIME. :)
The BEST Thing You’ll See Today: A Pep Talk From Kid President
I’m in love. Take 4 minutes and give this a listen. :)
“We all need a little encouragement every now and then. Kid President, knowing this, has put together a video you can play each morning as you wake up or to share with… your friend who needs a kick in the right direction. Take a moment and spread some encouragement. “It’s everybody’s duty to give the world a reason to dance.”
Always.
You are not stuck or doomed to live your life the way you are. Or feel the way you feel. Or think the way you’ve always thought. Or know the things you’ve always known. Or hate your body forever. It’s OKAY and absolutely possible to let those things go. And it always starts with a shift in attitude, practice, and yeah, even faking it til you make it. Sometimes we have to see we CAN before admitting we ARE.
Often, we hold on to old beliefs, ways of thinking and behaviors because we’ve never known anything else. Even when they aren’t ‘working’ for us, we’re addicted to their comforting smell & caress. We might even feel a hit to the ego when we have to admit to ourselves that we’ve been holding on to something that doesn’t work anymore, wasn’t true, or perhaps was even painful or harmful to us. It’s a bit of an ouchie, but okay. You’ll often see this kind of hanging on when making major changes (including body loving or health related ones).
Forgive yourself. Let it go. Move forward. You don’t owe it to anyone, and you can’t make up for the past. But you can move forward doing what’s best for you, and make the rest of your time here amazing.
(I highly encourage you to take 20 minutes to watch this incredible TED Talk about the power of body language. Applies to all kinds of ‘faking it til you make it’ scenarios and life changes, and might inspire you to try a new approach. Thank me later.
I should probably start by saying this isn’t a post in defense of plastic surgery. Or anti-plastic surgery. This is a post about body love: something I feel passionately about and something everyone deserves. With or without implants.
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions on plastic surgery: it’s a highly personal choice and not for everyone. While I do believe it’s gotten excessive (understatement), I believe the best way to address it is by pumping out some body love. I’m hoping that by posting reminders to love ourselves as we are, accept our “flaws” (though I don’t like that word) and focus on our health and happiness, that future versions of ourselves won’t feel as much pressure to “perfect” themselves through surgical procedures.
An amazing story! So inspiring! :)
Loved some of these replies! Got a few requests to re-post them, and they’re great for a quick motivation boost if you need one!
Original post here if you want to chime in!
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alexandrina-mcnight answered: I’ve stuck with exercising daily for 18 days in a row now and I have muscle definition in my arms
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powerbodymind answered: Proud of half-marathon in 2 hrs, climbing the highest mountain in a country with a heavy backpack on my back and doing 5 pull-ups in a row :)
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iknoimfab answered: BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE WARM UP OF INSANITY WITHOUT STOPPING!!!
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culturevulture73 answered: When I landed my tiny toe loop jump as an adult figure skater!
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holothuroideadeblainville liked this
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fit-kitten answered: running my first 9k’s in 60 mins! proud and kind of amazed!! :)
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geekerrific answered: Running my first mile!
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herpchester answered: The fact that I’ve finally accomplished getting rid of my Orthorexia. Thanks to you, I’ve finally found a healthy relationship with food :-)
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pretty-yin answered: The first time I ran long enough to hit my second wind. I don’t even remember the distance, just that I had the mental strength to get there.
This was one of my favorite moments from Sunday’s race. It was truly emotional and amazing to witness.
Bloody, sweaty and bruised, I was waiting to watch another friend start the race when I heard the crowd roar from the finish line. You could tell there was something going on, but it was far too crowded to catch what it was all about. A few moments later, they announced that a 72 year old woman had completed the race. Our jaws dropped. What? THAT race? Knowing how hard the race was, it was difficult to imagine that a grandmother would be able to complete it.
But we hadn’t heard the whole story.
Not only did she complete the race, but she did so on a whim. With no training. With asthma. And with loads of encouragement from her Spartan race daughter, who was at her side the whole time.
This was truly inspirational to witness and tears flowed from my eyes as I read her story. Her daughter recounts the experience on the Spartan Race blog.
Less than a mile away from the finish line, there were a series of obstacles. The only one my mother missed was the spear throw. I did the burpees for her. I knew she was getting exhausted but with every step she took I pushed her, saying we were almost there. If we had gotten this far, we were not giving up now!!! I could see how tired and dehydrated she was. It was about 104F that day. She climbed up theat 8 foot wall like a cat! She went through the tunnels. She made her way to the electric barbed wire. She went up the cargo nets with great agility. She ran the inclined platforms. Then came the final obstacle before facing the gladiators: the inclined slippery wall with rope. I guided my mother telling her how to position her body. We were side by side. She barely had strength in her arms. She said she couldn’t take another step. I said to her: “Mom! This is the last one!!! Now give it all that you’ve got! And I know you have it! Now pull!!! PULL!!!! YOU CAN DO IT! Take baby steps and pull yourself up there!!!”
Another Spartan Chick was at the bottom and helped me by guiding my mother as I was extending my hand from the top of the ramp. The crowd was going wild seeing my mom. She was near the top and said she couldn’t get over. I remember yelling “ YOU GOT THIS MOM! Do it!” And she did! The crowd soared! It was a magical moment. I think my heart stopped when I saw her legs make it over. We made our way down cautiously. I looked at her, hugged her saying how proud I was to be at her side, and how incredible I believed her to be. As we turned around, a few yards ahead of us the gladiators were waiting. I had promised my mother I wouldn’t let any gladiator tackle her. She was going to stay at my side and I was going to shove them if someone dared to approach her. As we made our way towards them, I eyed them cautiously. All four of them bowed down in front of us. They looked at my mother and applauded her. Everyone around the finishing area was applauding and cheering. Arm in arm, mother and daughter crossed the finish line with tears in our eyes. We had made it! My mom Johanne had made it!
My father was waiting for us at the finish line. His face said it all. He hugged both of us and then held my mom in his arms. Clearly you could tell how emotional he was to see his muddy wife, that against all odds finished a Spartan Race, despite not having trained for it and suffering from asthma.
I can tell you my mom was a Spartan Super Star! She was being stopped left and right and everyone wanted their pictures taken with her. The MC even made an announcement about Johanne Di Cori, the 72 year-old Spartan Chick/grandmother that just finished the course. I was tearing up for the most part after the race. Words couldn’t and still can’t express how proud I am of my mother. She is the reason why I am strong and determined. I just can’t stress that enough.
Paralyzed woman finishes marathon 16 days after start
A 32-year-old paraplegic woman using a robotic walking suit has completed the London Marathon, 16 days after the event began.
Hundreds of onlookers cheered a tearful Claire Lomas on Tuesday afternoon as she crossed the finish line on The Mall in central London, The Sun reported. Lomas, who was paralyzed from the chest down in a 2007 horse-riding accident, walked the 26.2-mile course using crutches and a £43,000 ($69,500) suit that uses motion sensors to help her move her legs. When Lomas shifts her balance, the ReWalk machine moves her joints forward, allowing her to take a step, the BBC reported.
Lomas, of Eye Kettleby, England, averaged more than 1.5 miles per day since the marathon began on April 22, following the official route. She stayed at a hotel at night and was driven to the spot where she stopped the day before, according to the BBC. Her husband, Dan Spicer, accompanied her the whole way, and her parents and 1-year-old daughter also were with her for parts of the walk.
“The support has been breathtaking and it feels fantastic to finally finish,” she said, according to The Sun. “I really didn’t expect this and I can’t quite believe it’s all for me. Everyone has been so supportive and I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Even WITH arms & legs, this would be quite a story. Let it serve as inspiration to overcome your own challenges, whatever they may be!
Via Gizmodo
Philippe Croizon lost his arms and legs in a terrible accident 18 years ago. Since then, he has trained to become a world class athlete. This summer, the Frenchman is going to swim between every continent in the world.
This video will make you laugh, inspire you, and make you want a fun pass at Caine’s arcade.
Ah-mazing!Laughing, crying, truly touched by this little boy with a BIG imagination.
On repeat. Wow. :)
Caine, I want a fun pass!
xo
Caine Monroy is a 9-year old boy who spent his summer vacation building an elaborate DIY cardboard arcade in his dad’s used auto parts store.
He’s about to have the best day of his life.
Caine dreamed of the day he would have lots of customers visit his arcade, and he spent months preparing everything, perfecting the game design, making displays for the prizes, designing elaborate security systems, and hand labeling paper-lunch-gift-bags. However, his dad’s autoparts store (located in an industrial part of East LA) gets almost zero foot traffic, so Caine’s chances of getting a customer were very small, and the few walk in customers that came through were always in too much of a hurry to get their auto part to play Caine’s Arcade. But Caine never gave up.
Psst- Caine’s got a college fund growing online, and after watching this you may be inclined to donate. Visit the site here for more pics & deets. http://cainesarcade.com
This gets me EVERY TIME! Such an important thing to learn: you don’t have to come in first to finish a winner.
Tears. Weep. Josh Groban. Sigh.
When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.
Excerpt from 30 Things To Stop Doing To Yourself
As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
- Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
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Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read The Road Less Traveled
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- Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
Seed of Wellness
The cells in your body are a willing community. They look to you for the lead. So lead with your mind. Rally your cells and give them an inspiring pep talk. Present a powerful vision of health and wellness as all work together. Let every thought be positive and affirming, and your cells will follow the lead.
Say to yourself: My thoughts have healing power. My cells respond so well to my positive thoughts.
I’m the kind of person who has a tough time watching MMA fighting (I’m a mama at heart, and the second they step in the ring they feel like my babies. My bloodied, battered, sweaty babies). I don’t usually watch or share stories like this, but this is too good!
Nick Newell is a pretty famous fighter. A one-armed fighter.
Newell was born with a left arm that stopped growing past the elbow. It’s a condition called congenital amputation. He adapted, became a high school and collegiate wrestler, and is now an undefeated MMA professional.
Apparently he also has a hard time finding competition… no one wants to lose to a guy with one arm!
Stories like this remind us that the limitations we set ourselves exist only in our heads. If we want something, hard work, passion and determination CAN get us there.
Pretty awesome.
Click above to watch him win his latest match. I’d post it here, but it’s pretty brutal. :) Caution: blood and victory.
“A compliment is something like a kiss through a veil.”
Victor Hugo
“Do not offer a compliment and ask a favor at the same time. A compliment that is charged for is not valuable.” Mark Twain
Some are sincere. Some are quite the opposite. Some like to get them. Some feel a little uneasy and self-conscious about them. And from time to time I think to myself that there is too few of them.
They are underused and underrated and are often forgotten amongst gossip, negative self-talk and complaints about the boss, the job, the weather and milk prices. Negative observations about reality are plentiful. Positive observations are much less common. So, here are five compelling reasons why it’s a good choice to use more genuine compliments in your day to day life. And a bit further down, three tips on how to give them.
- You can make someone’s day. That’s a nice thing to do.
- Increased positivity. Keeping your focus on the positive parts in people expands your own positivity. You’ll notice more positive things about yourself, your own life and other things in your surroundings. What you focus on in your everyday life you’ll see everywhere, not just in other people.
- You get what you give. Don’t keep this in the forefront of your mind while giving a compliment. It may make the compliment seem insincere and like you are just out to get something from the other person. But still, people often have a strong feeling of wanting to give what they got. Perhaps not right away, but over time reciprocity and a positive relationship can build. And in general, what you give you tend to get back from the world around you.
- Attractiveness. Positivity, appreciation and being able to genuinely express yourself are three attractive traits both in personal and professional relationships. People tend to want to hang around and work with people that have such traits.
- It’s fun. When you give a genuine compliment you ignite a spark of happy feelings inside of yourself. Now, here are three tips for sharpening your compliment giving skills.
The compliment has to be genuine
Otherwise you are just trying to take something from the one you are complimenting. And that will not work so well. Your insincerity will often shine through. A compliment delivered with positive words but with a body language and voice tonality - in this case the two most important parts of interpersonal communication - that aren’t saying the same thing may often not go over so well. And the rule that you get what you give still applies. What you feel when you deliver the compliment will come through. So make sure that there is a genuine feeling behind the words.
Cultivate a habit of appreciation.
This will let you discover all the genuinely nice things about people. With this filter closed it will be harder to see the positive things in people and to give compliments that are actually totally genuine. Try to appreciate the things around you - your home, friends, family, co-workers, computer, weather, food etc. - for a few minutes a day to build this habit.
Compliment on something the other person feels is important to him/her.
It may be - at least in some cases - a good practice to not compliment on something that the other person doesn’t have much control over. Or something that he or she has been complimented on a thousand times before. Looks and other more superficial stuff are examples of such things. A compliment that is kinda expected will not be that powerful. And even though your compliment is genuine it may just be lumped together with all those other similar and not so genuine compliments the person has received. Instead, observe what makes this person tick. What are his/her passions, qualities, interests and proudest achievements? What can you genuinely appreciate about those things?
Now, go out and make someone’s day.
