“Do no be arrogant because of your knowledge, but confer with the ignorant man as with the learned, for the limit of skills has not been attained, and there is no craftsman who has (fully) acquired his mastery.”

—	Ptah-Hotep, Egyptian, late 2400—early 2300 BC

"Emo" and LGBTQ Youth Being Targeted and Eliminated in Iraq

Pink News is reporting that militia within Iraq have been targeting youths perceived as "emo", and/or LGBTQ. The militia have been attacking the targets, with attacks frequently leading to kidnap, torture, and murder. The attacks have been focused around the capital city of Baghdad, as well as in some of the Southern provinces.



While anti-LGBTQ violence and persecution is not uncommon in Iraq, this particular wave appears to have begun in early February. Pink News reports that "militias had warned emo youth and LGBT people that they would kill them a month ago. Posters containing the threats were put in cafés and on street corners in Baghdad." An image of such posters, listing the names of individuals marked for death if they do not conform to normative styles of dress and behaviour, has been circulated online, courtesy of Sumaria News TV.

Whilst the attackers appear to be acting independently of the Iraqi Government, official bodies have been contributing to the atmosphere of moral panic around the emo phenomenon within the country, as evidenced by the following excerpt from an Iraqi Interior Ministry statement, sourced from Al Arabiya News:

'The 'Emo phenomenon' or devil worshiping is being probed by the Moral Police who have the approval to eliminate it as soon as possible since it's detrimentally affecting the society and becoming a danger.'

'They wear strange, tight clothes that have pictures on them such as skulls and use stationery that are shaped as skulls. They also wear rings on their noses and tongues, and do other strange activities.'

In addition, Colonel Mushtaq Taleb Muhammadawi, director of the Interior Ministry's community police, made some extremely strong comments about emo youth to Iraq News Network:

''Research and reports on the emo phenomenon has been conducted and shared with the Ministry of Interior which officially approves the measures to eliminate them.'

'The Ministries of Education and Interior are taking this issue seriously and we have an action plan to eradicate them. I will be leading the project myself and we have the necessary permits to access all schools in the capital,'

A Pink News source within Baghdad, quoted under the moniker 'O', said, 'There are so many myths around them. They are being killed for being perceived as too feminine and gay.'

Al-Sharqiya TV, an Iraqi satellite TV network, reports that 90 men and women in the country have been murdered by these militias thus far.

5 Tips For When You Feel Like An Outsider or Like You Don't Belong

What to do when you feel like you just don't fit in

by Catherine Pratt
www.Life-With-Confidence.com

Do you feel like an outsider, like you don’t belong anywhere or that you just don’t fit in?

I spent a lot of my life feeling like an outsider. The good news is that we’re in very good company. In reading autobiographies of some of the most famous people, one of the statements you’ll commonly see is, “I felt like an outsider.” People like: Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Walt Disney, and Maria Shriver are just a few. Even Tom Cruise was teased as a child because he had dyslexia and so felt he didn’t fit in.

I also just read a short autobiography on Ronnie Burkett. Ronnie has been declared “a genius” in some circles for his amazing theatre work using puppets. I saw one of his shows awhile back and they truly are heart wrenching as well as thought provoking. Turns out, the only reason he discovered this talent was because at the age of 7 he felt like an outsider and ended up reading the encyclopedia because he was so unhappy. One of the articles that captivated him was on puppets and thus started a whole new life for Ronnie.

While it’s good to know we’re in good company, it also helps to know how to deal with these feelings.

Here are 5 tips for when you feel like an outsider or that you just don’t belong anywhere.

1. Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself
Often, it’s really only your own mind and emotions that tell you that you don’t fit in. You may actually fit in fine, you just feel like an outsider. It definitely doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

It’s important to know that feeling like you don’t belong isn’t always a bad thing either. A lot of famous celebrities say that being an outsider actually helped them. It allowed them to concentrate on their own ambitions and goals without feeling like they had to conform to other people's standards. They already felt like they didn’t fit in so could do their own thing.

Remember, it’s the people that are unique in this world that make the biggest impact and usually have something truly special to provide.

You don’t want to change yourself just to fit in with a certain group of people. That's where a lot of people go wrong. They end up wanting to gain approval from others and end up losing themselves in the process. You have so much more to offer by being true to yourself.

When you feel like you're not fitting in, ask yourself if it's because of what you're thinking? Are you thinking thoughts like:
I'll never be good enough
I'll never fit in
No one likes me

These thoughts may not even be true. It may be just because you continue to tell yourself these thoughts over and over that they become true for you.

So, if you catch yourself thinking one of these thoughts, turn it around and ask yourself what do you really want? This will get you out of feeling negative about yourself and will give your mind a way to think of some positive action you could take.

2. Get Comfortable in Your Own Skin
There is only one you and it may be time to explore that person and figure out what you like and what makes you happy. Also, figure out if you’re being affected by any limiting beliefs or past anger. You are a truly special person with your own amazing gifts, thoughts, and ideas. Get to know you better. Accept who you are and then start to make yourself the absolute best you can be.

When I first started out to get comfortable with myself, I gave myself the goal of “to be happy, healthy, positive, and to develop and maintain an inner peace.” I had to search deep inside myself to figure out what was going on but it’s definitely been worth it.

The irony is that once you get comfortable in your own skin, you will “fit” in more. The more comfortable you are with yourself, the more comfortable people are with you. You may also end up asking yourself later why you even wanted to fit in with those people. You'll have moved so far beyond where you are now and see that you have improved so much more than that group of people you originally wanted to accepted by.

You’ll be more accepting of other people and open to new ideas and concepts. You’ll probably also start to find people that are very similar to you. You’ll be able to go through life enjoying every moment because you’re comfortable with yourself and understand yourself. You’ll be more focused on your experiences, your goals, and the beauty you see around you rather than the opinions of a simple few.

3. Let Go of Past Anger
Sometimes it’s because of past hurts that we repel other people. We’re so angry at people that we can’t relate to anyone or only expect the worse from others. Once, I figured out how to let go of my past, I became much more comfortable being me. I found it was easier to get along with other people. Maybe cause I didn't care as much what they thought of me but more likely just because I think people are more affected by the "aura" you give off. So, if you're angry all the time, most people will avoid you and you'll end up only attracting into your life other people who are always angry or who feel like an outsider too.

4. Focus on Your Wants and Desires
Instead of focusing on the problem that you don’t feel like you fit in, try turning it around and focus on what you do want. What do you want to explore, what goals do you have, what do you want to learn? Ask yourself these questions:

• What is your deepest dream?
• What would you love to do?
• Got any places you feel you just have to visit before you die?

Then, go and do it. There are so many incredible and inspiring things in this world to explore. Focus on the positive and the beauty of the world rather than getting caught up in a negative situation. Answering questions like the ones above will provide you with so much more fulfillment than trying to figure out how to fit in. If you just try to fit in, you’re probably not being true to your real self and you won’t be happy for long even if you do manage to “fit in”. But, if you follow your true passion, you will not only be happy, comfortable in your own skin, but will also probably gain the respect of people you never dreamed possible. For some ideas on figuring out what you want to do, "Try a Life Direction".

5. You’re Not the Only One

It’s very easy to feel like you’re the only one who ever feels this way but I’d be willing to bet that just about everyone on this planet has felt like an outcast at some point, or many points, in their life. The next time you’re somewhere where you feel like an outsider, take a look around, there is probably at least one other person who feels the same way you do. How about going over there and saying, “Hello”?

In Summary
The key to handling the situation of “I feel like an outsider” is really all in how you react to that feeling. You can beat yourself up over it or you can become stronger for it. As the biographies of those that have gone through the same feelings show, there can definitely be an advantage to being unique. You are truly special. You just need to let the world see that.

Read more: http://www.life-with-confidence.com/feel-like-an-outsider.html#ixzz1odMfKsdO

Becoming like the Tao

“The Tao is (like) the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the Honoured Ancestor of all things!”

There is something inexpressibly thrilling about the Eastern expositions of the Absolute Reality. How far these words are from the fawning and flattering matter-and-power-oriented effusions of those who seek to placate a testy and haywire deity made in the image of their own flawed egos. Even though no words can really approach Its essence, yet Its glory flows in superabundance into even the worlds of relative existence. Actually those worlds are Its superabundance! And when the sages who are united with It speak of Its wonder, those who have evolved to the point of conscious seeking respond with joy and acclamation.


More after the jump: LINK

Have compassion for people even when they don't deserve it. In fact, have compassion for people ESPECIALLY when they don't deserve it, because that's when they need your compassion the most.

Amazingly able

Progress is made by those who do what they are afraid to do. Progress is made by those who do what they did not previously know they could do.

You cannot push the world forward by staying safe and comfortable. You cannot make great advances by holding tightly to the tired excuses and outdated assumptions.

It is energizing and liberating to turn down a road you have not traveled before. To reach toward what you cannot yet touch brings new passion and strength to your life.

You are amazingly able to do not only what you have already done, but also what you cannot yet do. Your capacity for learning and improvement has no limit.

Beyond where you are comfortable is where you will grow and improve and achieve. Nudge yourself away from what you already know, and discover how very much more you can be.

Give yourself the priceless gifts of new experiences, new skills, new knowledge and the confidence of knowing how quickly you can grow. Expand your horizons, again and again, and discover that every limit is there to be transcended.

— Ralph Marston

Read more: http://greatday.com/#ixzz1odLVeygg

We often think we need to find something missing to give us joy, when in reality we already have that joy and we just need to take a break long enough to see it. If taking things on doesn't bring you joy, try taking things off instead.

FRIDAY

Be safe this weekend, Oberlin.

5 Excuses that Keep You Unhealthy (and How to Destroy Them)

(fron Zenhabits)

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Matt Frazier of No Meat Athlete.

Each and every one of us, as a human being, is hardwired to choose the path of least resistance. We’re programmed to conserve energy for when we might need it and to avoid risk wherever possible, because that’s what it took for our ancestors to survive (and reproduce) in a world full of unknown dangers.

Today, it’s why the status quo — tested, predictable, familiar — is so comfortable. And it’s why we find change so difficult, even when our very lives depend on changing.

I’m referring, of course, to our health.

As Steven Pressfield and Seth Godin have so gracefully written, we procrastinate because somewhere deep down, we’re afraid to start. The resistance, or lizard brain, will fight tooth and nail to keep us right where we are. Because change is risky, and where we are is safe.

But when it comes to health, where we are isn’t safe. Known, sure. But not safe.

The excuses we use to justify one more pack of cigarettes, one more TV show, or another quick spin through the drive-through window (it’s convenient, and I had a rough day) are the tools of this fear. What we say to distract ourselves, to make it feel alright for now, is nothing more than a smokescreen.

It’s time to cut through the haze. What follows is a list of five of the most common, most debilitating excuses and fears that keep people unhealthy and powerless to change. Find the one that’s holding you back, and see it for the sham that it is.

1. “Before I can start, I’ve got to plan.”

Sure, planning is important. But right now, it’s just procrastination.

You know how it goes: “Before I start, I need to get workout clothes that fit. And shoes. And join a gym. And load some new songs on my iPod. Then I’ll get a meal plan and go shopping, and I’ll be ready to start!”

Maybe you do need all that stuff. But first, just start.

It’s easy: go outside and start walking or get on your bike. Go in one direction for just five minutes — fast when you want, slow when you want. Enjoy yourself — play — then turn around and come home. Do it again the next day, and the day after that, feeling free to gradually do more as your body allows you to.

Build some momentum by doing something small every day. Then, and only then, should you think about planning.

2. “I’m so out of shape, it’s overwhelming to think about getting healthy.”

Right now, don’t focus on getting in shape. The important thing is to take the first step.

Look at it as an experiment: commit to eating well or exercising for just one week, to see how it goes. Be curious and be playful, but really commit to it: set some ground rules, tell other people about it, and don’t cheat.

Forget any long-term health goals right now. Just take note of how you feel, paying particular attention to your mood and mindset — that’s where the changes will show up first.

When the time is up, congratulate yourself for sticking with it. If at this point you’re not excited to keep going, you can stop without feeling guilty and change your approach.

But maybe you feel lighter. More energetic. Happier. These incremental benefits are immediate, no matter how far away you are from whatever your ideal is.

So what would happen if you did this again for two weeks, or 30 days? Try it again, with the same strong commitment, and evaluate again when you reach the end.

The great thing about this approach is that it shifts the focus to the process, not the outcome, and at the same time prevents you from ever feeling like you’re locked into something that you don’t enjoy.

3. “I don’t know how to cook, nor do I have time for it.”

I believe you. You don’t have two hours each night to spend preparing a gourmet meal for your family, nor are you a master of matching flavors and textures to create beautiful, perfect dishes that are also healthy.

But I bet you can follow instructions. Find five minutes to search this site and others for simple recipes. Many won’t take you even half an hour to prepare.

Here are just a few examples of delicious, nutritious meals that don’t take much active time to make:

• Smoothies
• Beans and rice
• A grain, a green, and a bean
• Soup
• Slow cooker stews

Look at cooking as an opportunity to work with your hands and to be present in the moment, focusing on that one thing only.

Enjoy the smells, the textures, the process. The occasional Sunday when I spend three hours in the kitchen making pasta or vegetable lasagna from scratch is the most meditative time of my entire week.

4. “People will laugh at me when I exercise because I’m out of shape.”

A few might laugh. They’ll do so because of some insecurity of their own. But most people are so distracted and focused on their own lives that they won’t even notice you.

Of those who do pay attention to you, the vast majority will be inspired, and they will envy your determination. No joke.

Five-million-plus people watch The Biggest Loser each week. Are they doing it for laughs? No, they watch because it motivates them, even if they never take action.

When people see you working hard to get in shape, it reminds them that somewhere, they’ve got that fight in them too. Without realizing it, even if you’re doing this only for yourself, you become a leader by example. People are drawn to that.

I know, it feels like everyone’s watching you, judging you. But trust me: inside, they’re cheering for you.

5. “I’d like to exercise with a group or class, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep up.”

The quickest way to get better at something is to hang around people who are getting the results that you want. (You’ve heard it before, right? If you want to know your weight, add up your five closest friends’ weights, divide by five, and you probably won’t be far off.)

But with groups comes the fear of being “the weak one.” The one who can’t keep up, the one holding everyone else back. Most of us have been there at some time, and it’s no fun.

So how do you get past this fear?

Accept it and face it. Let the group know, beforehand, that you think you might have trouble keeping up. Tell them that if they need to go ahead, you won’t be offended, you’re just thrilled to work out with them and learn from them.

With that, it’s out in the open, no longer something to be ashamed of. Gone are the pain and potential injury of pushing yourself too hard in attempt to avoid embarrassment. And it probably won’t be long until you’re helping someone else who is new and afraid.

Go

The time to take that first step is today. If a flaw in your excuse has been exposed, take advantage of it now, before your fear can come up with a better one.

Getting yourself to start is the hardest part. As you begin to experience results and your new habits are reinforced, it becomes easy. You’ll discover that the more energy you use, the more you have, and being healthy is actually really fun.

Sure, it’s possible that you’ll stumble at first. Getting in shape isn’t as easy as watching TV, or eating whatever you want. But that’s okay.

The trick isn’t to never fall down, it’s to never stay down. When you mess up, use it as an opportunity to adapt and improve, not as a reason to quit.

And when the excuses crop up, step back, smile to yourself, and see them for what they are — a last-ditch effort by the old you, the comfortable, change-fearing you, to go back to the way things used to be.

Stop believing your excuses. Start.

Matt Frazier helps people discover their inner athlete and the simplicity of a plant-based diet. Get fitness tips and healthy recipes at his blog, No Meat Athlete, or sign up for his free series on getting started with plant-based fitness.

If someone can’t accept you at your worst, they don't deserve you at your best.

Nobody is perfect, and nobody deserves to be perfect. Nobody has it easy, everybody has issues. You never know what people are going through. So pause before you start judging, criticizing, or mocking others. Everybody is fighting their own unique war.

Think a positive thought

Think a positive thought, and you’ll take a positive action. Take a positive action, and you’ll get a valuable result

Thoughts can often seem easy, light, and inconsequential. After all, on its own a mere thought doesn’t have the power to do anything.

However, you most certainly have the power to do many things. And your thoughts are what determine and direct the actions you take.

If you continually focus your thoughts on the things you don’t want, those things will surely find their way into your life. By the same measure, focusing your thoughts on your most positive possibilities enables you to make those possibilities real.

When life brings you disappointment after disappointment, it’s easy to make all your thoughts negative ones. Yet it is just as easy, and far more empowering, to respond with positive thinking.

If you had the power to change your life for the better, would you use that power? You do indeed have that power, and it is in the thoughts you choose to think.

— Ralph Marston

Read more: http://greatday.com/#ixzz1oGVmtzIz