Happiness in the words of Dumbledore

I absolutely love this quote, and not just because it is from Dumbledore, one of my favorite literary characters. 

I think this quote just emphasizes the importance of perspective on life.  As it says, even if you are in a really sad place in your life, you can still find happiness, whether it's a good book or some friends you can laugh with.  

One way you can apply this is by taking some "Me Time" when you feel overwhelmed by school, friend drama, or family situations.  Set aside time to watch your favorite TV show or catch up on your magazine subscriptions or even organize an area of your room.  

When times are tough, think about this quote and remember that you will always be able to find a little shred of light in the darkness.  

Annika

Kindness

 

 

    Sometimes we perform simple acts of kindness without realizing it. For example, when we play sports we are constantly encouraging our teammates. Encouragement is important, because it helps others feel motivated to finish what they started. When we encourage others it makes them feel better and it also helps them want to do better as well. For example, in sports, when we encourage our teammates it helps them want to keep practicing to improve their game. When there is a weak link on your sports team, instead of getting annoyed with them encourage them. This will help make your team stronger, not only on the field, but off the field as well. 

Think Positive

I think this is such a great reminder to always stay positive.  I know it can be hard, especially when everyone is so focused on doing what they want; and if people get in your way, it's always their fault. Right? Well, not exactly.  

From reading Romeo and Juliet this year in school, I've learned that people really love blaming others for their own mistakes, mainly fate. It amuses us, as the readers, that the characters would cause a problem and then blame luck for the consequences.  But are we really so different? Don't we all hate being blamed? And putting the blame on ourselves is even harder to do.  

I want you to think about how you act in tough situations. Do you accept what happens and move on? Or do you get frustrated and hold on to that feeling for the rest of the day? I think that the best answer is to think of what good things could happen, and not what bad things might happen.  

Annika

Simple Acts Of Kindness

    Sometimes we may over think simple acts of kindness, but really they are easier than you think. That's probably why they they have the word simple in the title. Sometimes they can be so simple that you don't even realize that you are showing an act of kindness to someone, because they may just seem like common sense. You'd be surprised how simple some of these acts really are. For example, showing kindness can be as simple as remembering someone's name. This may be hard to believe, but it's true. Some people can be so happy that you valued them enough to remember their name. So try to remember the names of the people you meet , because you just never know it could quite possibly make their day.

Francesca

Self Esteem pt. 2

     One key thing to achieve self esteem is to not let what others say or do affect you. If anyone ever says something that breaks down your self esteem or confidence one thing you can do is to stop being around that person. Something to keep in mind is to never try and damage that person's self esteem back. This can change your personality and you could start putting others down which hurts others and yourself.
     I know it can be hard to make yourself feel better when people say certain things. But, when this happens you should get a piece of paper and write down three things that you like about yourself or you are proud of. This could be anything from good grades to sports you do. This can really help to mend your self esteem if it ever falters.
      Always remember that you are wonderful (:
          -Julia <3
 

Confidence: Part 2

    Confidence is such a tricky thing. We assume that everyone else is more confident than we are, and why that? We see our insecurities and think everyone sees them and judges us for them, but in reality that's not true.  For me personally, I feel that my insecurities are so obvious that everyone sees them. Sometimes I feel like when I walk out of the house people just stare at me because of these hideous things about me, but the truth is that no one cares about or notices your insecurities. Despite how they may feel, insecurities aren't a huge flashing neon sign that follows you around for everyone to see. They're all in your head. Others are probably too wrapped up worrying about their own insecurities to notice yours. Once you stop constantly worrying about this I promise you that you'll feel more confident. 

Remember: EVERYONE struggles with their own insecurities. Just know that what ever you're struggling with you're not alone. 

-Natalie :)

Happiness is Jam

As you may have guessed, my part of this blog will be promoting happiness.  This topic, like confidence, self-esteem, and so many others, can mean a multitude of things to different people.  

To one, it may mean you're in a place with a lot of people, and you just get to talk.

To another, it might mean that you are playing your favorite sport.  

And to yet another, it could mean you get to relax and do absolutely nothing.  

I really liked this quote because it shows how it is utterly impossible to make others happy without making yourself happy first.  This is such a prevalent issue because so many people just want to please others around them, and they completely forget to focus on themselves.  

Now, I'm not saying that you should only care about yourself.  No.  I just want to remind you that you are important and it's good to remember that in everyday life.  

See you in a month!

Annika <3

Simple Acts Of Kindness

Simple Acts Of Kindness

Hey guys, it's Francesca. This door represents what may be keeping us from showing simple acts of kindness to others. By this I mean that there may be something keeping us from showing these small acts. This thing, this door holding us back, might just very well be fear. Maybe you're afraid that the person you are trying to reach out to may reject you, or that this act may cost you you're reputation and you're friends at school will end up making fun of you. So, whatever you're fear may be stand up to it, open the door that is keeping you from spreading kindness. If you do those same friends that you thought would make fun of you will probably see what you are doing and will want to join you and help you make an impact. So, the next time you see someone sitting alone or being made fun of, don't think about what others will say, instead think about the huge difference you can make in that person's life just by simply being kind to them. Don't be afraid to step outside you're door and make a difference. After all that is what sisterhood is all about.

Self Esteem

     Just be yourself; you are wonderful. This quote seems pretty straight forward, but what does it mean? To me, this reminds me to always believe in myself and have a high self esteem. Self esteem means to reflect a person's overall emotional evaluation of his or her own worth. This can come across as something that sounds easy to do, but it takes some work. However, it is worth it as self esteem is the key to success.
     How can you gain self esteem? The first step is to know yourself. To be able to know yourself, you have to let go of expectations, consider your values, and try new things. By letting go of expectations, you will be free to truly do what you want and be yourself. By considering you values, you will be able to live a life that you are proud of. By trying new things, you will know what you do and do not like to do and you will feel more open to change or new things.

You are wonderful (:
-Julia <3

Confidence

    The definition of confidence is to believe in one's abilities. However confidence has different meanings to different people. To you it may mean believing in yourself and your goals, and to another girl it may mean not caring what others think of you. 

    So why is confidence so hard to come by? We spend so much time comparing ourselves to one another, and the thing is that we are all individuals with our own strengths and weaknesses.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with being yourself. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else and find your own strengths. Above all just believe in yourself!

-Natalie :)

Leader's Meeting Inspiration

Hi everyone!  It's Annika :)

Yesterday we presented our Take Action project at the Leader's Meeting and I loved the response we got.  I was one of the girls who was talking about our project, so I was able to see the initial reaction, which was surprise accompanied by a gasp.  It was fun to see everyone so curious; it was as if you could hear them asking "Why are there balloons?" and then "What are those tags for that are attached to them?"

Anyway, I hope that everyone present enjoyed their little encouragement for the day and is excited to spread similar positivity everywhere around you.  

Feel free to leave a comment telling us a story about how your boost impacted you or how you impacted someone else.  

Now to walk you through the process in pictures:

It took us a few tries to get a good picture-the wind did not want to cooperate.

We each took a few balloons to the face in the process.

Loading up was fun...

...and a little tight.

Francesca (on the right) and I presented our project

while Julia (hidden to the left) and Natalie passed out the balloons.

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