7 Brutal Life Lessons People Learned In Their Lives

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This Short Film Will Make You Feel Really Grateful To Your Mom

A mother sacrifices her own magic in order to ensure her family’s life is rich and beautiful. The guidance of your mother goes beyond what you can see. As you work diligently for play time, your mom prepares nutritious meals and drinks for you. The effort goes unseen by the eyes of a child, but the love is felt. She’s there to give you direction when you’ve gotten distracted. Your mother has a steadfast focus on ensuring you make progress that can be easily overlooked because she makes life easier for you. Even time with other family members is made more enjoyable because of the unseen efforts of your mom.

Mom is the reason why playtime is possible

You learn the right mix of play and work from your mother. You play around your clean house and your bedroom because of your mom and you clean up because of her too. Early on, you learn to clean up last night’s mess so that today can be more enjoyable. Even if the lesson doesn’t sink in right then, your subconscious mind absorbs it. She makes room for your imagination to take hold of the house and grow. You have no idea until you get older that your sense of entitlement to express yourself started its roots in your childhood. As an adult, your sense of self expression flows so freely in your style of dress, work, activities and more.

The family is able to play and enjoy themselves because the mother ensures the stability of the household

Your mother gives your household a special kind of stability. Mothers feel that everything in a home has its place and you likely recreate this in your own home as an adult. Just as she was there for you to help clean your messes as a child, she is by your side ready to help clean your adult messes too. A mother’s love is so strong and permeates the child so much that they may not be able to recognize it outside of themselves.

She’s always thinking ahead for your sake

You may have never thought about all of the inconvenient times you got sick. In the middle of the night, your mother was there fulfilling needs you didn’t know you had. There she was to expedite the process of getting you back to play time. Even when you can’t articulate the way you’re feeling, she recognizes the problem and works on healing you. A mother’s knack for being proactive is the reason why she has medicine for your cold and band-aids for your cuts.

A mother’s selflessness allows the magic to touch every part of the household

Mothers are magical. If that power were to be used only for herself with nothing left for the family, the household just isn’t the same. Meals just don’t have that motherly warmth. A mother could use her magic on selfishly beautifying herself. She knows the household would suffer from this. The family’s homemade meals would be fewer and further in between. Everything from the decorations on the walls to the clothes on the family’s backs are affected by the magic of a mother.

A mother is truly more magical than imagined

There is a certain specialness from your mother hanging a picture on the wall just so or lovingly placing decorations around the house. All of these items are in place because of a mother’s selflessness. She works on creating a beautiful, comfortable home that you may have thought just “came together” that way. She hangs your sometimes cryptic childhood artwork on the wall and decorates your belongings with the name she gave you. Every single day, you’re groomed and dressed in clean clothes by the love your mother is determined to give to you. A mother’s ultimate sacrifice is to eventually give up being a princess and give that magic to her child.

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Strict Moms Contribute Much To The Success Of Their Daughters, Science Says

To nag or not to nag, that is the question that has troubled probably any mother that ever lived, and dramatic teenage girls’ reactions to nagging aren’t making this decision any easier.

Luckily (or sadly), mothers can rest assured that their at times annoying preaching actually helps their teenage girls in making the right decisions as far as their education is concerned, as a study from the University of Essex shows. It also helps them to make better choices in life in terms of getting well-paid jobs and avoiding teenage pregnancy.

Pushy moms had it right all this time

According to the study conducted on 15,500 teenage girls aged 13 and 14 between 2004 and 2010, this does not go on to say that a child of a nagging mother is much more obedient and will approve of every piece of advice she is given, but quite contrary, that a child will, on a somewhat subconscious level, remember mother’s advice when it comes to making important decisions and do the right thing.

It does not necessarily mean that a child completely understands and agrees with the advice, but it is more about them not wanting to listen to the same story. “In many cases, we succeeded in doing what we believed was more convenient for us, even when this was against our parents’ will. But no matter how hard we tried to avoid our parents’ recommendations, it is likely that they ended up influencing, in a more subtle manner, choices that we had considered extremely personal. What our parents expected about our school choices was, very likely, a major determinant of our decisions about conceiving a child or not during our teenage years”, says Ramirez.

It seems that there is an upside to having a strict mom as the study findings show. Girls with more pushy dominant parents, are four per cent less likely to avoid getting pregnant in a teenage period than the girls of less controlling parents. The former girls are also more likely to go to university and strive for better careers and salaries.

Having a nagging mom proved especially beneficial for girls lacking academic aspirations who, not getting support from teachers or friends, only had their moms’ lectures to follow.

Best of both worlds

Yet, the study shouldn’t be taken as an excuse for mothers to turn into strict, authoritative figures with no compassion or understanding. A slightly more balanced approach should be considered instead.

Yes, parents should make sure that they instill right values with their children growing up, but the approach doesn’t need to be aggressive. Instead, they should serve as examples of happy, healthy and accomplished human beings and their children will have great role models they would want to look up to.

When parents work together with their kids on building their confidence and self-esteem, they can be more relaxed knowing that they would choose what’s in their best interest, in any given situation and won’t let insecurities or peer pressure influence their decisions.

Parents sometimes fail to see that there isn’t a single set of standards and aspirations each person should follow and by trying to make their children think and act a certain way, they are actually doing them more harm than good. True, there are certain general rules that lead to a more fulfilling life, but the trick is to slightly alter the approach. Instead of constantly measuring their children’s successes to higher standards, parents would actually help them more if they taught them how to be the best they can be and find their own way by doing what makes them happy.

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Old Man Struggling With Yardwork Is Astonished By What A Group Of Schoolboys Do In His Garden

All it takes is a small selfless act of kindness to make a huge impact on someone’s life, as the boys from New South Wales have taught us when they helped an old man with yardwork.

Genuine team spirit

As they were coming home after a rugby game, students from Cooma North Public School in New South Wales showed a true team spirit outside the field as they together with their parents and teachers rushed to help an 81-year old struggling with woodpile in his garden. It didn’t take long time for these boys to move the logs to the back of the garden and put a smile of gratitude on the old man’s face.

The great deed didn’t go unnoticed. Apart from affecting the old man, the students’ doing has deeply moved anyone who has heard or read about it. The school’s principal was full of praise for the boys in her Facebook post that got more than 14,000 shares.

Entire community honored the boys’ noble act in their comments and likes, the most grateful being the daughter of the gentleman.

True winners

That day the boys won in a rugby league game, but their most important victory has played out outside the field. They brought us hope that, in spite of the horrors that are going on in the world, there are still thousands of small acts of kindness to override it. Their great gesture of kindness has made us all more optimistic about the future of mankind.

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4 Surprising Reasons Tomorrow's Technology May NOT Be More Advanced

In the past 100 years, we’ve seen incredible technological advancements become increasingly commonplace.

To realize just how quickly things are moving, consider this: the Intel Pentium 3 processor, produced from 1999 to 2003, had a max CPU clock rate of 1.13 GHz. The iPhone 7’s A10 Fusion processor’s max clock rate?

2.34 GHz — more than double that of the Pentium 3’s.

However, there are multiple reasons why technological advancement may hit a dead end. Here are four of the main ones, including one which may slow down the growth of the internet in the very near future.

1. Battery Life

Speaking of the iPhone — did you know that the battery takes up most of the space inside its case?

That’s because we’re still using a variation on the same rechargeable lithium-ion battery technology that was first commercially released in 1991 by Sony. As gadgets become more complex and power-consuming, those batteries need to be larger to power them.

Unless we find a new way to power our devices away from power sockets, we’re going to have to deal with increasingly larger gadgets — or stop making them more advanced.

Right now, many industry-leading companies are working on innovative ways to make batteries. One of them is SolidEnergy: a company with roots in MIT. Another is Toyota, which has recently published a paper on high-power, solid-sulfide batteries.

But as of right now, there’s no alternative to Li-Ion batteries on the immediate horizon — which may stop mobile technology from developing in the very near future.

2. Expensive Electricity

If we continue using fossil fuels at today’s rate, they’re projected to run out in the 21st century. Oil may be gone as early as 2050 — but prices may explode long before that. In the U.S., fossil fuels may already be losing the price war against solar and wind power.

One thing that could happen is that we invest in solar, wind and geothermal power, getting cheap electricity in the long run. Some people think the U.S. will make the switch by 2050.

But before that becomes a reality, we may be faced with the prospect of increasingly expensive electricity.

If the latter happens, we may have to rethink the need for electricity-guzzling cars and gadgets in favor of simpler ones that don’t put quite as big of a drain on our wallets. Cars engines are getting smaller, and often simpler — other technologies may soon follow suit.

3. No need

Between 2005 and 2013, the Nintendo Wii — a technologically simple gaming console — outsold both the Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, two far more powerful devices.

Could this trend repeat itself in other industries? Not necessarily. This is just one example, and it doesn’t prove that simplicity is the way to go for everyone.

However, the Wii case certainly shows us that “more powerful” doesn’t necessarily mean “better.” And with batteries and electricity costs potentially limiting the number of people who can afford complex devices, simplicity may be the way of the future.

Of course, processors, screens and sensory devices will all continue to get more complex in laboratory settings. But in the end, unless customers need and buy those advanced technologies, devices may remain as they are now or become simpler.

4. Limited bandwidth

Last year, researchers and scientists met in London to discuss the fear of fiber optic cables approaching their physical limits. According to an Alcatel-Lucent spokesman, that may happen in the next 4-5 years.

That’s a problem, because 8K video, over-the-top messaging services like WhatsApp and mass video streaming all require bandwidth — and lots of it.

This might seem like a stretch to you right now — but just take a look at this infographic published by Ooma, with data compiled from publications like The Economist, the New York Times and the Huffington Post.

The data it references shows us that WhatsApp uses up to 12.6 Mbps of bandwidth compared to Facebook’s 2.1 Mbps… and Snapchat uses a whopping 40.5 Mbps.

If messaging services keep developing at the same astounding rate, we may have to find new alternatives to fiber optic cables sooner rather than later.

On an optimistic note, there are many techniques that would enable us to get more power and speed from the same cables that are in place today — and together with renewable energy sources and battery technologies on the horizon, there should be no long-term issues with technology’s advancement.

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5 Tips for Rebuilding Your Credit Scores After Your 20s

If you’re anything like me, your early 20s were not your most financially sound years. With a low-paying job, rent and bills to pay, and plenty of shiny gadgets tempting you at every turn, credit cards often seem to magically make it all work… until they don’t anymore.

Sadly, once you get your act together and want to start making adult purchases such as cars and houses, those foolish financial missteps can come back to haunt you. Thankfully, there are many ways to help repair your credit scores, which in turn will allow you to secure better financing on those large, milestone purchases your more mature mind is now focused on. Here are 5 suggestions to help you get there.

1. Consider Debt Consolidation

Not to be confused with debt forgiveness or bankruptcy, debt consolidation simply refers to the idea of moving all of your outstanding debts to one place in an effort to make paying them off easier. There are a few reasons why this could be a good idea, not the least of which is the path to financial freedom it provides you. Additionally, depending on how you choose to consolidate, it could serve to boost your credit scores.

The two most popular forms of debt consolidation are personal loans and balance transfers, both have their pros and cons. First, personal loans can be good for boosting your credit scores because they will move your debt from revolving lines of credit to installments. That’s significant because your maxed out credit cards will carry more weight than installment loans when it comes to your credit utilization ratio. Since credit utilization/available credit makes up 30% of your FICO scores, paying off your credit cards with a loan should give you boost.

Sound good? Well, there are a couple of snags you should know about. As you’re undoubtedly aware, banks aren’t really in the business of lending you money for free. Because of this, you’ll want to ensure that the interest rate and APR (annual percentage rate) you’re offered on a loan doesn’t exceed what you’re paying on your credit card(s). On top of that, many lenders will charge what’s called an origination fee—a percentage of your loan amount that you pay to the lender and don’t get back. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to do the math or use a personal loan calculator when exploring your options.

Another form of debt consolidation is a balance transfer. Typically this is done by opening a new credit card with a 0% introductory rate and then transferring the debts from your other cards to your new one. Although this might save you a good amount of money in interest if you’re able to pay down the entire debt quickly, it could end up hurting even worse if you let that introductory offer end. Additionally, be aware that most cards charge you a balance transfer fee – as high as 5% of the amount you are transferring. Lastly, opening a new card will actually ding your credit temporarily since it’s a new credit inquiry, but the added credit availability will help you down the road.

2. Keep Your Cards Open

Regardless of what method of debt consolidation you use (or don’t use, for that matter), you may be surprised to learn that closing your paid off cards is actually a terrible idea. Sure, it might feel good to call up your credit card company and tell them where to go, but closing your account can hurt your credit scores big time.

Part of the reason for this goes back to the idea of credit utilization. If you close your accounts, you’ll have far less available credit, which is a disadvantage in the eyes of FICO. Plus, a lesser (but still important) factor affecting your scores is your length of credit history. Unfortunately, when you close an account, the time you held that card no longer gets added into this average. It’s a much better idea to leave your cards open and just use them responsibly.

3. Try A Secured Credit Card

Didn’t get the “don’t close your cards” memo until it was too late? If you’ve really tanked your credit, it may be difficult to get approved for a new credit card at first. Even more frustrating, without a credit card, rebuilding your scores can be tricky. That’s where secured credit cards come in.

What makes secured cards different from the ones you’re familiar with is that they require a deposit. The size of that deposit will depend on the card issuer and the credit limit you’re seeking, but it’s typically a few hundred dollars. Since you’re giving the card issuer collateral, these cards are far easier to obtain than unsecured ones, making them a good choice for those who are nearly out of options.

4. Pay Your Bills On Time

This may seem obvious, but it’s a huge help. Although any overdue payments you’ve made in the past will stick to your credit report for seven years (much like swallowed gum), putting those behind you and establishing a clean streak will serve you well. Additionally, while you will still see those errant payments on your report, their damage to your scores will diminish with time, so don’t fret too much.

5. Monitor Your Credit

Even if you abide by all of these tips in hopes of repairing your credit scores, how will you know if any of your efforts are paying off if you don’t bother to check? Thanks to modern technology, keeping up with your credit scores is now easier than ever, and often free.

One place you should start is AnnualCreditReport.com, which provides you with your Equifax, Experian, and Transunion credit reports free once a year. The bummer here is that, in order to actually view your scores, you’ll have to pay. However, reviewing your report is extremely important because you may catch errors that are dragging your scores down unfairly.

As far as your scores are concerned, some credit cards now provide you a FICO score on your statement or on their website. If not, you can also try sites like Credit Karma to get a rough idea of what your scores look like. I say “rough idea” because Credit Karma utilizes the Vantage model for calculating credit scores as opposed to the more common FICO model. Because of this, you may see discrepancies, but at least you’ll be in the ballpark.

Yes, it’s true: adulting is hard. Alas, many of us make some major financial mistakes in our 20s that affect us as we attempt to be real adults a decade or so later. The good news is that, even if you’ve trashed your credit scores in the past, they do change and can recover. By paying off your debts, looking for secured forms of credit, paying on time, and keeping an eye on your credit, it will only be a matter of time before those dark fiscal days are finally behind you.

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