EDHS Contemporary World Affairs

MrsCavalluzzi · Guru

THIS YOU BELIEVE - A FINAL EXAM ASSIGNMENT!

Davin Shinedling · Veteran Member

My Belief
My belief is not the all too common treat others how you would like to be treated. Now there is no doubt in my mind that this simple little motto is important but in my life I find my motto being pick up the trash you see on the ground. Now you may be thinking what an odd life motto but indeed odd is the key to self happiness and making others happy. I found my self applying this motto to my every day life after May of my freshman year. It was just after practice one day when my coach pulled the whole team aside and started to talk to us about how to improve. He was saying that if we wish to improve in the water we need to improve outside the water. He gave an example of just picking up a simple piece of trash and how that can translate to improving morally which would then help you in the pool to not be so selfish. I wanted to see if he was right to see if it would really help me so I started to pick up every piece of trash I found around campuses and this habit stuck with me. Just picking up a piece of trash can help you out in so many ways a couple is. It shows that you care about your campuses or even out side of school shows you care about your city and plant. Thus creating a sense of achievement when you feel like you've achieved something you get happy and you feel like you can take on the world and accomplish anything. So by throwing away one small piece of trash I quickly transformed my life I felt like that was only the first step so I quickly started to do more things I focused more on academics and quickly became a A and B student and I put more effort out in practice and now am a varsity player all this because I threw away one piece of trash and felt strong enough to do what ever I set my mind to.

Riley Harris · Veteran Member

I believe in love for animals. Animals are those friends that will always be by your side whether you are happy or sad. They are the best friend that will always love you and want to be with you. Animals can make you happy when you are sad, and share your best moments together. The amount of love that animals can show is unmatched by humans. They act better than a lot of humans and they cant even speak. They can make you happier than any human can. When they die, it feels like you lost one of your closest family members. They give a person something to fix their attention on and can be a great way to teach children certain things. You form a lifelong bond with whatever animal you have and you treat it like it is a human, most of the time. You feel empathy when they get hurt and you spend $1000s keeping them healthy. There are some animals that people dont think about having as a pet such as a squirrel or a flamingo and a lot of animals we, as humans, eat. There is an ethical and moral code for the way to treat animals and a lot of the time that goes unnoticed. We kill hundreds of thousands of animals a day for our food and even though it is very tasty, it is slowly killing off the species. There are a lot of organizations against killing animals, such as PETA and I think they are right for standing up for a cause they believe in, but I do not think they will ever stop the killing of animals ever. The killing of animals has been around since the beginning of time and it will continue until the end of time. Respect for animals is the same as respect for humans, everyone should practice it, and it should not be unnoticed. To sum things up, animals are a big key to happiness. They are there for you when others arent and they will always love you, so do not take them for granted.

kyliemoore · Veteran Member

I believe in being kind to people even if you dont know them. I think in our daily life we dont take the time to be respectful and nice to others. I think a lot of us have these cliques and dont adventure out enough to be kind to others. Throughout High school I think this is a huge deal, not enough people go out of there way to smile and say hi to people just walking around. A simple Hi, how are you? to someone can make someone day. A lot of us dont think to just be kind to others I think it is more of just being nice to the people that we are close with. You never know down the road if this person could be someone important to you and showing your kind is a very good first impression I think others would agree with this. Not only is being a kind thing a good thing but it makes you feel really good when you see someone having a bad day and you being kind to them can make that change. Being kind to others also shows that you respect them and show there not a lone there is someone there that cares about them and how there day was its just a good feeling. Showing respect to someone will lead to others being kind and respectful to you and want to be around you more. I believe that if you our kind to others more people will are that and want to be kind just like you which will make this world a better place. Having someone say about you that you super nice is something you should be proud of a lot of people cant say that about themselves and for you to be able to know you our nice is something very special. Being kind can also get you a lot more places than being mean to someone. More of us should focus on others around us more and not just yourself. It would make less drama also if everyone was just nice and respected each other.

PostmanPat · Veteran Member

One thing I think about when I go through life is: The world is a wonderful place. Dont waste your time focusing on the blemishes. My dad told me this when I was 5, and its one of the memories I still have of that age since today. I tend to catch myself with this every time I get into an argument over someone elses opinions. Everyone has their own opinions and its really your job to respect and learn why they have them. Learning different viewpoints also improves your ability to reason with someone who has your shared opinions or someone who opposes them as well. Whenever you focus on the small things in life, you also tend to either forget the big picture or fail to notice your environment and what is going on in the real world. Your mind is focused on the unimportants yet the important details are waiting to be discovered, understood, and learned. If I focused on the hard part of swimming I wouldnt have done classes for 3 months a year. If I focused on the trival and difficult act of building a computer I wouldnt have made money off of helping other people do it. Sometimes the mind wants to focus on the big picture yet the world is trying to stop it, such as advertisements about pointless objects that look important and meaningful. Maybe youve seen an ad for something that supposedly makes life easier yet never works correctly, and some company far away has ripped you off. Instead of focusing on ads for junk, watch some documentaries and teach yourself about the world. Instead of panicking about a bad grade, find your mistakes and relearn to avoid messing up again. If you feel like you need to give up, stop and try again.

Zachattack · Veteran Member

I believe the world is always going to have problems and obstacles. A lot of the time our obstacles look like mountains to climb. Life is not supposed to be easy. If it is, than I dont think you are living it right. Although some peoples problems are much greater than others, I always remember this saying. God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. It seems like the measure of your worth in this world is how much money you make, but I dont think that is right. Why not measure a man on the obstacles he has overcome.
We are extremely blessed in Orange County to live the way we do. We dont wake up not knowing where our next meal is going to come from. We dont worry about clean drinking water and we dont have to worry about being killed on our way to school. People in other countries have obstacles that we cant even imagine. For a lot of kids in high school, the biggest problem for them is not getting enough likes on their Instagram picture. I think the world is separated, separated between people who have and others who have not. Maybe if as brothers and sisters, we could close that gap and problems would disappear for people. If we all help each other climb each others mountains than maybe those mountains would like hills instead. Chances are, the person right next to you could be going through the same struggle you are.
Not every problem is as big as getting shot at. A lot of the problems people have are in side of us, in our head or in our heart. People suffer from insecurities, distrust, and hating themselves and the best thing to do for these people is be there for them. Because I guarantee everyone has felt that way.
Everyone needs to stay together and know that everything happens for a reason. God has a plan for all of us and although you may not like the plan at first, it is the right plan for you. Once you over come your struggles in life, you will feel more accomplished than you ever have before. Life is just a journey and adventure through your struggles and youll realize that life is so great and there is so much to love. I believe the world will always have obstacles, but it will always have people who are willing to conquer those struggles

cjfreddi · Veteran Member

I believe that there is still hope for this world and for mankind. I believe that the good in this world will always outweigh the bad and that nothing/no-one is beyond hope for repair. Over the course of this semester I have heard and read countless stories about the cruelties of man and the tragedies that unfold every day across the world. It seems that for every uplifting story I read there are dozens of equally tragic ones. Objectively speaking, it would be very easy for me to give up my positive view and adopt a more pessimistic opinion about the future of civilization on this planet. But I have chosen to ignore simple logic and remain optimistic even in the wake of such tragedies as have unfolded this year. In my mind, one act of kindness and compassion will always outweigh one-hundred acts of cold-hearted cruelty. I refuse to simple believe that our society is doomed or is governed by some outside force that wishes us ill. Instead I choose to believe that we control our own destinies here on earth and that the future will be whatever we make of it. After all, civilization at its core is nothing more than a collection of people. People are imperfect. They make mistakes and mess things up. Even though we may all fail sometimes, that does not make any one of us failures. We cannot fix our past mistakes but we can learn from them. All the tragedies in the world today are the results of one major failure- a failure to love one another. So many of the tragic events today are the results of people failing to love another and set aside their differences. I believe that there is still so much in store for humanity but that our collective destiny can only be fully realized once we put aside the petty differences that divide us and come together. This is why I choose to view the world positively. I have realized that pessimistic thinking and apathy is the enemy and that a negative attitude about the world is nothing but a hindrance. I have chosen not to judge mankind by its mistakes but rather by the moments where love shows through. My biggest hope for this world is not a solution to global warming, an end to all wars, or anything like that. My biggest hope for mankind is that we would learn to believe in ourselves and in each other.

Zoe Kline-Koenig · Senior Member

This I Believe

If I were to have one philosophy for life, it would be to look at the world through the eyes of mans best and cuddliest friend, the dog. I will admit that sometimes our dogs may not be the smartest of animals, banging into walls, eating their own poop, and barking at every other leaf that falls off of the tree. However, I think the simplicity with which they look at the world is astounding.

Dogs have only simple rules to creating friendships. If you have food, they will be your friend. If you pet them, they will be your friend. Throw the ball? Congratulations, you and the dog are now friends for life. To a dog, a stranger is only strange until they can sniff their butts and see if they will pet them. Dogs dont see black or white. They dont see gay or straight or Christian or Muslim. They only see friendship in the simplest of terms: You be nice to me, Ill be nice to you.

Months ago when my family and I brought a new dog into our house, we were afraid of how our current dog would react. Of course, when the new dog first came in they growled at each other and were defensive. But, surely enough after a couple of minutes of sniffing and licking, they were the best of friends frolicking out in the yard. They held no prejudices against one another. Sure, one is caramel colored and one is brown, but that doesnt matter to them because they both like to chase the ball and bark and passing birds. Their friendship is simple and pure.

Much like my pups, I am defensive when meeting new people. It is hard to know if they will like you, or make fun of you, or try to step in on your friends. But, once it is determined that they are friendly (hopefully by a different method than sniffing butts), I try my best to be friendly back to them. I want my friendships to be as pure as my dogs friendship is, without the fog of preconceived notions and prejudices. Because if people can see beyond this fog, the people who they think are evil or weird or untrustworthy, are just people.

mothertrucker42 · Veteran Member

I believe in karma, if you or someone else does something bad, something bad will eventually happen to you. For certain people it takes longer than other, but karma goes along the idea of treat others the way you want to be treated. When I was younger there was a girl I knew on the playground who I didnt like, and she had just fallen and gotten hurt. As I know from experience younger kids can be very mean, so when she started to cry everyone made fun of her and I joined in. I didnt see what was wrong with doing what everyone else was doing. So later that year, I fell and sprained my arm, and when I cried everyone laughed at me. I knew what it felt like to be her, I was in her shoes. Karma had come to give me what I deserved. I learned that just because a group of people are doing something doesnt mean that you have to do the wrong thing. Standing up is better than following along even if you are standing alone. Some people dont think that they can be affected by their actions. Perhaps, karma isnt really, people just get revenge on that person who had hurt them. Or maybe people see a person treating someone badly and act on that treating other people better and realizing that if you treat people with respect they will also respect you. Karma can come at bad times and good times, I believe that if you have a good attitude and treat people with respect your life will be easier and more enjoyable. You will be happier because people will see you as a positive person, and no one wants to be around someone negative, they want to be around someone who is happy and nice.

Russizzle · Veteran Member

I believe in the power of music

As a high school student playing French horn in a wind ensemble, jazz guitar in a jazz band, and songwriting for my own band where I play guitar and sing, Ive caught just a small glimpse of how much music can change ones life.

I was eight-years-old when it began. My grandma had this thing where everyone in the family had to learn two instruments. She played piano, so naturally, I was taught piano. But I also wanted to pick up trumpet, so I did. As the years went by, I learned and finished books that taught me how to play, but I didnt feel too much for any of it.

Then came middle school. I picked up the guitar a year before and tried out for the Tuffree Middle School jazz program and made Jazz 1 both years. Going into middle school, I played trumpet, but my director asked if a few could switch to French horn. I took the opportunityand then my life changed. The horn is the most beautiful thing Ive ever played, and it opened my mind to all the amazing things that can happen from just a simple melody. At the time, I loved playing my instrument, and become whats commonly known as a band geek. My directors selection of tunes to play at our concerts seemed to have praised the horn parts, and I felt like I was in heaven.

But before I realized it, middle school had passed and high school was here. My experience with music exploded in high school, and I become one who lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps music. The members in the band became family, and the music held much more to want most see as dots on a page. I began songwriting the summer of my junior year, writing songs on an acoustic for my garage band. It wasnt until mid-fall season had I ventured to writing scores for full orchestras and ensembles.

Through experience of learning, listening, and writing music, I have come to realize how much music dictates ones mood, life, and the way they feel. Hearing beautiful melodies spread across a perfect chord progression can express love, gratitude, or happiness, while harsh, loud attacks and accents can bring excitement. These, and all of the things in between, have the power to change you and the way you are, and that is why I believe in the power of music.

Kristen Lindner · Veteran Member

I believe:

Ever since I was little, Ive sang a song at church that had the lyric Pull me a little deeper, I wanna know your heart. And it has always touched my heart. It allows me to apply it to the hearts of the ones around me. Not only religiously but in the way I look at the world.

In journalism before you ever interview a subject you sit down with them and you get to know them. Learn a little more about who they are. I like to apply that to my life. Whenever I meet someone new or become closer with someone I love learning about them. Knowing why they believe the things they do. Get to know their hopes and dreams for the future. And learning their failures, and how they overcame them.

Its like the saying never judge a book by its cover. Its very true. Not until you dig deep do you start to understand the heart and mind of an individual. You get to look at life through a new prospective of love, hurt, and new state of mind. You see why someone is a certain political party, or a certain religion. You learn their customs and motives.

Going back to interviewing someone, as I tend to do with Hawk Talk. Even in a brief few minutes you can learn so much about an individual. Going into meet someone new, you shouldnt judge or have preconceived ideas. Because you if you do youll never find out the real reason why an individual is they way they are. Yes, maybe someone does drugs or is an alcoholic but you cant judge them until you know why they became that way. Its not fair to the other individual of to yourself.

It really is interesting to look at the world with a new perspective after meeting someone new. You can look at new and old situation and be able to face it. You get an understanding for all different types of people that are in the world. You just need to allow yourself to open up, be able to learning and take in new ideas, and to really search and dig deep at someones heart. Because you might be surprised to find, even in the oddest of people the most beautiful heart youll ever see.

Lia_Love522 · Senior Member

This I Believe...The Soup Slurping Philosophy

I believe in the soup slurping philosophy, the idea that we must give thanks and appreciation for what we have and to those who provide it to us.

In the U.S. we are taught manners and one of them is that slurping our pasta, soups, or making any other unnecessary obnoxious noises while eating is wrong. But, in Japan this is quite the opposite; and being half Japanese Im going to side with that side of my ancestry.

In Japan slurping your soup is necessary if not expected. To slurp your soup is a way of giving thanks and praise to the chef, for they provided you not only with nourishment but with a delicious meal. If we applied this action (not the physical soup slurping but the giving of thanks and praise) to those who provided us with food, shelter, education, or even that random stranger who gives you the spare change you need to pay for that meal, we could advance so far as a society.

Taking the time to say "Hey, Thanks" before getting out of a taxi or "Have a great rest of your night" to the store worker closing up could brighten someones day (or night) and that simple action can be passed on to someone else. Its like a domino effect, we help someone theyre more likely to help someone else and so forth. A simple comment or deliverance of spare change helps pass on a message that were thankful for what we have, what we are given, and what others provide for us. And plus a little kindness to others could put smile upon your own face.

Yes your mom may nag you each day to clean your room or put away the dishes and it may seem odd to thank her for always doing that. But showing her your gratitude, in just a small way, for just being your mother and doing all her motherly things (no matter how annoying) can mean so much her.

Likewise a small thanks to a teacher for taking the time to try and help you understand their subject is a way to show your appreciation for not only their time but the fact that we live in a country/area where education is readily available. Even if they give you what seems like a billion hours of homework theyre doing it to improve you, and thats pretty great.

It begins with a thought that turns into action; a small gesture of gratitude to help brighten someones life, even a little.

Some may do it by slurping soup, but what will you do?

-- Edited by Lia_Love522 on Wednesday 29th of January 2014 12:23:04 AM

Teddy Bear · Veteran Member

Waking up every morning, I tend to first go to the mindset of sleeping in 10 more minutes and just dread getting up in the morning. Then something pops into my head, start off your day with a positive outlook because today is another chapter to your future!( it sounds cheesy but its true!). Even though I have a negative attitude right after my alarm clock yells at me, I quickly remember to change my attitude and look forward to what the day will bring me. I learned to do this because of my very adventurous past. I was born in South Korea and lived there until I was 8 years old. I have always dreamed of coming to America and learn to speak English. Having such a big dream to go across the world and learning a new language and having the dream come true helped me to always look positive on my goals and my future. I believe that always looking forward to what can come to you is a big part of having enthusiasm for achieving and completing a goal. I feel like Im literally living the dream, I dont think I could think of a better way of saying that. Having such a big dream come true so early on in my life really helped me to change my perspective on the world and people in a different way. So even if the littlest things might get me down, I remember that I got through hard times in my past and I could get through it now. It helps me to be optimistic and I think that having a positive mind will help with anything people set their mind to. I believe to always look for a little things in life that will later add up to a much greater thing. I think its really a great thing to keep in your mind during your life time, it helps you keep you on track and I believe that having this mindset could help others to have a postive mindset an on and on and on. It is pretty hard to think like this when i feel really down and can't focus, but just really trying to be postive and have an open mind helped me through my 17 (going on 18) years of life, and I think it was very helpful.

kevinNguyen · Veteran Member

Its not always easy to enjoy the present; sometimes it is worse then the past or not as exciting as the future. Sometimes the present just brings pain or other negative emotions that you just want to forget. That was me when I was a younger, always hating a new day and never really enjoying what today had to offer. Now as a senior I can say that living in the moment has taught me many important things. It has taught me that life is to short spend time sulking or wishing and you should just learn to forgive and forget. Living in the moment has also taught me how that if you spend too much time trying to recreate past experiences then you miss the chance to create new ones. I learned this the hard way as when I was younger I only talked to a select group of people never really trying to talk to new people or anyone outside my small group of friends. Eventually I changed in about eighth grade were I began to talk to others outside my group and that was when I realized that I missed a possibility to make a new friend and experience. Living in the moment has also taught me about opportunity. Opportunity only comes ever so often and it is very easy to miss if you are not paying attention and only when you miss it you realist that you messed up. My father once told me around the age of seven that life was to have regrets or could haves or should off. At first I put this thought out of my mind and never really took it to heart, but as I grew older I began to realize and understand what my dad was saying. He was talking about how in life you will never be able to do everything there is to offer but those opportunities that life does give you to be able to do something special you should really take it and enjoy ever little experience whether it is bad or good because you will never know if you do not try. Taking a step back and looking at the world and my life I realize there are many things I did not do because I was to scared or I was too naïve but I learned to forget and look for the next opportunity to do something great that is why I believe in living in the moment.

jordynransom · Veteran Member

I believe in respect. It wasnt long ago when my mom and I took a trip to Las Vegas. We took taxis while we were there, and I noticed that every cab we took, my mom would ask questions to the driver. She asked one of the drivers where he was from and he was from a country in South America. He loved the country he was from and raved about how beautiful it is, how everyone is nice to each other, and that they didnt have to pay taxes. It sounded like such a great place to live so we wondered why he would leave such a place. The answer was simple, he loved to play golf. There was no golf where he was from and he was so passionate about playing that he moved miles away to play the sport. I remember a time in hawaii when I was getting a henna tattoo and my mom started doing her thing and asked where she was from and how she got into henna and she responded saying it was just a hobby she did to make some money. Turns out she went to a very good university and she majored in business and was very intelligent .I would never have known such interesting facts about these people if my mom hadnt asked. She always took interest in the lives of strangers. This i believe is respect. Even as a child my mom would talk and listen to peoples stories. She isnt pushy and never asks anything too personal. She also never judges, even if it is something she doesn't particularly agree with, she shows respect. It is impossible to know someone based by just their appearance. I know that now. And sometimes the people who seem the most ordinary are the most interesting. I often find myself doing what my mom has been doing for so many years, And that is engaging in the world and interacting with all kinds of people. I like to take interest in other peoples lives rather than my own. I believe in showing kindness and respect to all people.

DyllanS · Senior Member

My Belief

All of the beliefs I have today, are highly influenced from my past. I believe that childhood isnt about getting the things you want, or having the best life, or even doing the funniest things. It is more of a mold to the character one grows up to be. Your parents should be disciplinary to a point, not beating you senselessly over and over again. Children should learn respect for others and respect for themselves. Not just please and thank you, Im talking about helping out other people in need. If a senior citizen is about to walk through a doorway, you best be holding that door open, thats the right thing to do. You see someone struggling with carrying something, you best be helping them, because if you dont, youre getting a lecture. No excuses, ever. As a young adult, you will make mistakes, once or twice is enough, any more, youre pushing the limits of your character, and when you do that, you reflect the way you were raised. You stay respectful of yourself and respectful of others. There are going to be times when people disrespect you, and you do not respond to them. They werent raised the way you were. They werent taught the things you were taught. They are disrespectful because they dont respect themselves, and you can be there for them, no matter what the outcome, always be the better person. You get nowhere by asserting your dominance over others, being a jerk, or bossing other people around. The simplest ideas of life can be sued everyday to their fullest potential. Being nice, treating others as youd like to be treated, having manners, being respectful. They are all so simple to accomplish, but yet so many people refuse to believe that they are capable of actually doing these things. Its a shame to see the negative in things all the time, but we all have our ups and downs, so in the end its all up to what you do. You can make it a great day or not, the choice is yours.

jenniferleonard · Veteran Member

I believe in singing in the car.

Singing in the car sounds so mundane because literally everyone does it. Even when we dont realize it, we are humming to those songs that radio stations play on repeat.
I love rolling down my windows and blasting my favorite song. I feel so carefree, like nothing can bring me down. Now, Im not the greatest singer, but that has never stopped me. I sing in the car by myself, with my family, with my friends, really anyone. Songs allow me to reflect, and they can bring me back to moments and memories that I can never get back.

One memory that stands out in my mind is the summer of 2013. My friends and I decided to be tourists for the day in Los Angeles, and we went on a tour of the Warner Brothers Studios. It was one of the highlights of my summer. On the way home, we were basically parked on the 210 freeway. However, my friends and I decided to blast some music and roll down the windows in that 110 degree heat. We sang along to some older songs we had forgotten about, and some newer songs from that summer. We looked at people in other cars and sang the songs to them, which was really funny to see the looks on their faces. That memory will always stay vivid in my mind.

Even today, on January 28, 2014, while the stress of finals can get to me, I still sing in the car. I walk to the parking lot after a long, atrocious day of two finals and twenty minute classes in between. But right when I turn my car on, a song starts playing on the radio. The one I cant get out of my head. So, I roll down the windows and sing along, because why not?

So, why not roll down the windows and sing along to your favorite song? Youll feel less stressed, and lets be honest, we all need to scream out some lyrics every once in a while, no matter how tone deaf we are.

-- Edited by jenniferleonard on Wednesday 29th of January 2014 03:05:11 AM

luigy47 · Veteran Member

Im a teenager, Im still trying to find what I believe in, but one thing Belief that I know of is Enjoy the Little Things in Life. I know it sounds very cliché but its completely true. As a teenager we dont have much worries and we should enjoy the most of it while adulthood comes creeping around the corner and then we got to worry about a ton of issues and relationships, it becomes stressful. Sometimes you need to unbind yourself from these ties and just let lose. I like to walk and go to national parks in the morning with a coffee and just enjoy the sunrise because personally I think its good for your soul. I like to walk without a destination and see where that adventure takes me just for the fun of it. When you get an invite to a party or a get together, most of the time I wont pass on it. I personally dont like to stress about everything, even though I think I too much, and thats why most of the times Im almost daydreaming just planning to take time out of my schedule for my next adventure. While Im just out walking, I try to be nice to all people and help out if there in need because thats the polite thing to do. But just imagine if that person you just helped was going through depression and your random act of kindness just restored their faith, I just hope I can save someone from falling into loneliness because its a not a nice place to be in. Ive spent too much time in there and still lost but at least I know I cant do that and Im still trying to find myself by helping out and try to enjoy every part of life because you just dont know if this is the only time youll ever see it. Life comes and goes and losing someone makes you realize these flaws in life thats called death. I think death is a beautiful thing because its like a permanent point of relaxation and sleep; you dont worry about anything anymore. But dont go for death right away, life is the best part, thats why you need to enjoy it.

SpaceNate · Veteran Member

I believe that everyone should give a compliment to someone once a day. I know that most people don't care much for social interactions with strangers, but I believe it does a world of good. And this doesn't have to be a long compliment it could be "nice job" or "Love your shoes" something as simple as that can really bring someone a smile or laugh. People are constantly stressed and don't always smile or laugh or even stop to enjoy life. I've done this quite often and most people say "thanks" or smile, but it's enough to let me know I made someone smile. If people just tried a little to make someone enjoy themselves I believe people will become more friendly and overall more willing to help one another. Complimenting someone may at first be weird or difficult, but it will be easier to communicate and help with public speaking. America the best country in the world and yet most people don't even know their own neighbors. I believe that saying "Hi" and then some compliments will eventually create a friendship and you will know your neighbors. So make a compliment and smile not because you said one, but because you know you made someone want to compliment someone else too.

sheilasey · Senior Member

I believe in the phrase, "this too shall pass".

Throughout life, individuals will experience the most difficult situations they will ever face. "This too shall pass" is not just a phrase I live by but one I also repeat to my family and friends. The phrase is one which allows individuals to continue to strive and to purge disbelief. It serves as a simple reminder that although times are hard, mankind must continue to fight against struggle. One must also remember that these times are only temporary and that all events, better or worse, will eventually pass.

The simple phrase, "this too shall pass" has served as a saying which has helped me through many difficult times. I continuously look to this phrase to find strength within myself and to continue. Despite the phrase only being a total four words and straightforward, it has a very broad meaning to me.

The saying provides much meaning to my own life, as it has been endlessly used as a self-reminder and source of encouragement to defeat my own plights. It has taught me to look at life in a more healthy and positive way. I no longer see times of sadness or difficulty as times which will withstand or crush my spirit. Now, I view negative thoughts and complaining as a waste of precious time. "This too shall pass" has reminded me that even the most difficult times may be for the best or even teach a crucial lesson. I realize that even periods of anger and immense sadness will pass and that things will ultimately get better.

I apply this phrase to all aspects of my own life, whether it be academic or personal issues. It helps me strive against challenging times and persevere. I have become a stronger and more determined individual because of this phrase. I have realized that even the most grueling times will teach me the greatest lessons and help me conquer my greatest enemy, self-doubt. "This too shall pass" has also caused me to recognize that the only thing stopping me from reaching my own goals is myself. With simple hope and determination, everything (well, almost) can be possible.

-- Edited by sheilasey on Wednesday 29th of January 2014 08:45:27 AM

diana07 · Member

I believe in respect. I believe in treating people the way you would want to be treated. Every person has their own story and background so we can never truly understand that person but we can try. I believe that one of the main reasons for all the bad in this world is because we dont follow these beliefs, which in a way is very sad because we sometimes expect so much from others and yet we dont give that which we expect in return and that leads to tension. Despite what everyone thinks I truly believe that there is and always will be hope for mankind, when you look past all the tragedy and evil we see on the news and in our everyday experiences you can always find the light of kindness and hope. Yes it may be hard to find that light sometimes but it is to be expected. Mankind is the exact opposite from perfection, something everyone knows. We have made so many mistakes in our past and in the present but despite all of that we have made so many improvements and discoveries that at one time we believed impossible. Mankind has come so far in so little time and it amazes me when I stop and think about all we can come up with in the future. The only way we can continue on in success is if we forget and forgive all that is wrong today to make it better for tomorrow which will ensure a better life for future generations to come. Why spend so much time fighting and killing over trivial things when we can enjoy that little time we have here and at the same time change the face of mankind. We have to learn from our past mistakes in order to move on and the only way we can do that is if we work together to make this world a brighter place.

Mary Sanchez · Veteran Member

I believe that everyone is responsible for their own actions. I think many people go through life not taking responsibility for what they do when they are afraid of the consequences. For example, if a student arrives late to school and says he is late because his mom didnt wake him up on time. While that may be true, it is still the students responsibility to make sure he is ready on time for school and instead of taking some of the responsibility he just shifts the blame to his mom. I admit that I have made up excuses to avoid taking responsibility for my actions in the past, especially when I was a kid. If I didnt do my homework, it was because my teacher didnt write it down. If I got into a fight with my sister, it was because she started it. If I didnt do my chores, it was because my mom didnt remind me. Basically, if I did something wrong, then it was someone elses fault. As I got older I realized that no one is responsible for my actions but me. So many times people blame other people for their wrongdoings in an attempt to shift the responsibility off of themselves. They dont think about the person they put the blame on. I know I wouldnt like it if someone blamed me for what they did. I have learned that I cant go through life making excuses for my actions. This revelation has helped improve my life and me as a person. For example, my grades have improved, I always do my best to avoid being late, and I hardly ever miss a homework assignment. Once people realize that they can no longer blame others for what they do, they tend to be more careful with their actions. No one wants to be responsible for something bad, but if someone does something wrong then I think they should take responsibility. People have no trouble accepting responsibility when they do something good, so I think they should do the same when they do something wrong. I believe everyone should take responsibility for their actions, whether those actions are good or bad.

Dane Ransom · Veteran Member

What I Believe

My personal belief is that when someone begins to practise equality, they can begin to truly enjoy life to its fullest. Unless the person absolutely deserves it, there is no reason to treat them differently than anyone else. It is a waste of time and often hurtful to treat someone different for no reason. The world would move faster and smoother if everyone practise equality, a goal we should all strive toward. I formed this belief when I was attending Encino Elementary School, a small school not too far from Los Angeles. Most of the students that were enrolled there didn't even live close to the school, and had to be bused in just to be able to go to school. Most kids didn't have much in terms money and other material things. So instead of forming a competitive environment, my friends and I just treated one another as equals, not asking who had more money or had a nicer house. We never condescended to one another or made fun of someone who had less. We were equals to one another, we helped someone if they needed it, and we grew up together. By the time I finished elementary school, all I knew was equality, it had become the core principle of my life. I when I moved to Orange County when I was ten, it was so different then Los Angeles (Not saying that Orange County is bad place or anything!!). I wasn't used to people having so much more in their life compared to others, but I just kept to my personal beliefs and tried to treat everyone the same. This kept me from becoming jealous of others and just made my life just go by easier. Most people were nice treated and treated people with equality, but there were also people who were condescending to people who might not have very much in their lives as they did. This is what I wasn't used to, because I couldn't see the point why you put someone beneath you, it doesn't give you anything of use and is often hurtful to the other person. I learned that if you try to treat everyone with equality, life is really enjoyable no matter where you live.

SassySmith · Veteran Member

I believe I am a loud, fun, out going, and a sassy young lady. I asked my friends and family to describe me in one word and I usually get, sassy. I think the reason they call me sassy is because I usually speak my mind no matter the situation. That does not mean I don't have a filter or I am rude, because I am not, it just means I am not going to keep my feelings in and let resentments build up. I may be called mean or a female dog, but you know what, it really doesn't bother me because I am not in this world to please others and conform to what they want. I am in this world to try my best to help, support, and care for the people I love. My motto in life I try to live by is''it's really not that serious'', which means to try and be calm and cool when it comes to a serious maybe stressful situation. It took me a while to figure that out because my life consisted of a lot stress and unfortunate situations. I was depressed and wanted attention but I went about the wrong way to get that attention. It took me doing something really stupid and getting in A LOT of trouble with me mom to straighten up my life. I think I have grown up a lot since I was a little, annoying and angry freshmen. Any time there is a big serious issue going on in my life I try and be calm because in all reality what ever is going on right now in the present is really not that serious and it will always get better in the end. I think of it as, if it is not better and its getting worse well then it's not the end. I try to be nice to everyone because you never know who you will run into, that random girl in class no one talks to, she could be suicidal and going through a lot in her life and that one compliment you gave could keep her alive and pushing for a few more years.

Olga · Veteran Member

I believe in a world where everybody has enough of everything: clothes, food, water, shelter. Wouldnt it be great if people stopped being greedy and selfish, and everyone took their fair share? It is hard to share sometimes, but I find it easier to part with some things, like clothes and toys, as the years go by. However, mankind cant sit around and let time soften their greediness and selfishness. Much progress occurs over celebrations, such as Christmas, New Years, birthdays, etc, because people feel like its the right season, or right time, to give. Im not saying theres anything wrong with that. Its just that, all over the world there are people who dont have what they need because the group that is in charge of them usually doesnt care about their fate. Oftentimes, the people in charge want everything to themselves, and theyll end up pulling strings to get even more power and money. I think thats wrong because, as children, were all taught to share with others, and not be greedy. As adults though,we people become fierce, looking out for our own well-being. We need to try our best to be generous and helpful. Volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating money to a charity, or helping out at a shelter, are all great ways to take away some pride, and teach yourself the art of being grateful. Everyone cant be made kind and generous, but the best way to lessen the sting of selfishness and greed in the world is to do your part. Give away, or give your time, when you can, to others. Also, be grateful for your stuff: you might not have a celebritys wardrobe, but youre not freezing out in the cold, with no clothes on. As for food, America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. There is plenty of food around, and sometimes not enough people to eat it! The vision of people everywhere, having enough to call their own, is a big one, and nearly impossible. However, nearly impossible doesnt have to be a rain on the parade of motivation. The phrase could just be a motivator for each individual who is trying to do their part.

damaris_cgomez · Veteran Member

I believe in treating everyone with respect regardless of their actions towards you or anyone else. This specially applies to, I feel, to the people who arent respected on an everyday basis. I find myself drawn to notice the individuals who arent often recognized, and I think this is the reason why I now believe in treating every person with the same amount of respect.
It always comes to my attention how the majority of people base their actions towards another based on their appearances. If I were to off-the-bat treat an individual with disrespect, it would most likely cut off further contact with them. I could be loosing potential friends without even giving them a chance. Disrespecting someone is probably the easiest thing to do when Im angry and do not agree with the other persons action or opinion. But to start off, I am no one to tell someone what they should not do nor am I somehow liable to judging them.
My sister always asks me why I respect people who clearly dont deserve it. Then I would ask how to determine who deserves it. She wouldnt let the conversation go on for much longer. I am not entitled to decide who deserves respect, from me or from anyone else. I dont know when I decided to make this a law to live by, but it has shown me to not make assumptions on appearance. People who are widely disrespected often have no one to lean on because no one takes them seriously, and I have chosen to give them a chance. It gives me an opportunity to become the best person I can become. Respecting everyone around makes you a better person and I have come to the conclusion that showing equal respect to individuals who havent been respectful of others only reflects my character, not theirs.