The Power of Words: Part 1

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“But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” -George Orwell

As Orwell says, thoughts can have a huge influence on our words. If we think someone's something, we're much more likely to tell them (or someone else) about that something. Keep thoughts clean, and your words stay clean.

However, I find the second portion of this quote more important. What we say can influence what we think as well as what other people think. For instance, if I was to tell Jon Schmidt he can't play piano (he can, and very well by the way. See www.thepianoguys.com), he would dwell on it for days, months, or even years. The same can be applied to every circumstance.

Moral of the story: watch what you say. You never know what may happen because of it.


Just a note: I will be writing more about the power of words. I will split it into a few posts.

Words of Wisdom from Anne Frank

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"In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart."

I know we typically think of negativity when we think of Anne Frank and the Holocaust, but there is one quote of Anne Frank's that sticks out to me. She could have said every negative thing in existence and gotten away with it (she really had a horrible life, after all), but she didn't. She decided to say how good people really are. This is a girl who lived under the control of the worst leader in history and still had the goodness to say that people are good at heart.

Study Stress and How to Avoid It

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So, this is my first post, and I feel like I should explain this blog a bit. I feel like I have a bunch of great ideas, and I would like to share them. At times, this may seem more like a personal thought journal than a blog, but hopefully you find a few things I say useful, or at least take them into consideration.

I'll start with the biggest problem I'm facing right now: stress. I have a few really tough classes in school, and I consistently come home with hours of homework just waiting to be headached through.
It doesn't have to be this way, though. If you think about it, all of your homework (or any tasks, for that matter) can be managed in such a way that doesn't stress you out. I have a few tips that work for me, and I hope they can help you.

1. Don't Procrastinate

10:00 the night before is never a good time to get your homework done. The number one thing that has helped me with this is keeping track DURING class. Put a small notebook in your binder, pocket, or somewhere that you can take it to every class. Write down everything your teacher assigns you, even if it isn't due for a week or two. Then, go home and use 3 highlighters/crayons (red, orange, and yellow work great). Mark anything that has to be done the next day red, anything that has to be done in a couple days or that will take a long time to complete orange, and the rest yellow. Do 2 reds, 1 orange, 1 red, then 1 yellow. Use that pattern in time blocks. Spend 30 minutes each (or whatever you feel appropriate). Take a 3-5 minute break in between each block. This is my best way to avoid procrastination by far.

2. Manage your time with time blocks

As I said in number 1, block your day by time slots rather than tasks. For example, if you have an essay to write, don't say, "I'll write my essay, then I'll go to soccer." Say something more like, "I'll spend 2 hours on my essay, relax for about 10 minutes, go to soccer for 2 hours, then spend 1 more hour on the essay." Tell yourself that it doesn't matter if/when you finish.

3. Listen to relaxing classical music

Go to the store and buy a classical CD. Download some free classical music. Or if you have Spotify on your computer, you can listen to my Study Music Playlist.

4. Eat stress foods

Avoid foods high in fat or sugar. They will only add to your stress and drain you of your energy. Instead, eat some "Brain Foods".

Well, there you have it. My ways to relieve some study stress. I hope you enjoy this blog now and in the future.