Kamila Kansy a.k.a. Laura Makabresku is a Polish visual artist and photographer born in 1987, who captures beautiful imagery of dreams, fairy tales and the unknown. Artist website and Facebook.
View similar posts | selected by Margaret
Kamila Kansy a.k.a. Laura Makabresku is a Polish visual artist and photographer born in 1987, who captures beautiful imagery of dreams, fairy tales and the unknown. Artist website and Facebook.
View similar posts | selected by Margaret
Have you ever read an article or blog post so compelling, so impactful that it left you feeling motivated to change something about your life? When the words of an author really resonate, they promote trust in the reader, which is oftentimes based on their logic and credibility. They may even trigger an emotional response.
All of these phenomenons fall under the umbrella of persuasive writing.
Persuasive writing is one of the most common writing styles in the world. It’s also an art form. The main purpose of persuasive writing is to convince the audience that the opinion of the author is correct regarding a specific idea or set of ideas.
The use of rhetoric within writing is an absolutely crucial step towards persuading the reader. The word rhetoric can be defined as a set of compositional techniques that writers use to fascinate readers. When used effectively, those reading will be able to fully connect with what’s being presented to them; they will clearly understand all the points and feel connected.
The three sides of the Rhetorical Triangle correlate with a different impact point for the reader. In order to be a truly comprehensive writer, it’s important to account for each side of the triangle.
Whether or not your audience realizes it, they want to know your intentions as a writer. Comprehending a speaker’s motives is an instinctual desire for readers.
It’s the writer’s job to make sure that what they project is concise and articulate. Are you trying to educate, inform, entertain, or motivate? Stating the intended purpose, from a writer’s standpoint, is a fundamental first step to effective writing.
The audience is going to want to understand who you are as a writer. What makes you credible, and why should they listen to what you have to say?
Furthermore, an LSU resource[1] explains the role of a writer’s ethos:
“Ethos is what defines you as a writer and your character. It can be thought of as the role of the writer in the argument, how credible their argument is, as well as ethics.”
In order to write pieces that really resonate, writers must have a clear understanding of who exactly they are writing for. It’s important to ask yourself the following questions about an expected audience:
As a means of further connecting with an audience, the idea of pathos should be utilized. Pathos is the idea of gauging an emotional response within an audience. Ask yourself what emotions are ideal to instill. Do you want to tug at your reader’s heartstrings, or channel support by getting an audience excited or riled up?
Lastly, keep the context of any piece of writing in mind. Readers will view this with a critical eye and will be asking themselves questions, either implicitly or subconsciously. Keep in mind:
This all connects directly with the idea of logos, which relies on the extent of logical thinking within writing. A piece of writing that features clearly constructed points and intelligent insight will greatly appeal to an audience’s logos.
Addressing each side of the Rhetorical Triangle isn’t always easy and may require more attention to detail than you are used to. But it’s possible for anyone to produce engaging pieces of writing. In this case, the old adage is true: practice makes perfect. The more you think about each point of the triangle, the more second-nature this process will become.
There are countless reasons to always keep all sides of the Rhetorical Triangle in mind as a writer. First and foremost, your writing will fall short and not be credible if it doesn’t encompass each part of the triangle. And this must be done in a balanced fashion.
For example, if a piece of writing is far too heavily focused on statistics and hard figures, but doesn’t offer any insight into why the author is credible or invoke any emotional responses, it may come off as robotic, lacking a “human quality.” Readers may become bored or become put off when writing only focuses on logos.
Balancing each side of the Rhetorical Triangle is a must for effective writing. Whether writing is a career focus or side-hustle gig, there are many advantageous benefits for creating content that is well-shaped.[2]
The steps to effectively including the Rhetorical Triangle are highlighted fully in an article titled The Rhetorical Triangle: Making Your Writing Credible, Appealing, and Logical:[3]
Step One: Answer the audience’s question, ‘Is the source credible?’ Fully consider the impact your credibility has on your message. Failing to do so risks leaving your audience unconvinced.
Step Two: Answer the audience’s hidden question, ‘Is this person trying to manipulate me?’ Fully consider your audience; otherwise they may feel disconnected and the message will be lost. Appeal to their emotions where this is appropriate and honest.
Step Three: Answer the audience’s question, ‘Is the presentation logical?’ Fully consider the context of your message. And make sure you deliver it with a solid appeal to reason.”
When you fully embrace and utilize these rhetorical strategies you’re writing will truly stand out.[4] You’ll become a more effective, marketable writer. You’re audience will connect with your work, and are much more likely to engage in comments sections and through social media shares.[5]
A major reason that writers love what they do stems from the feelings of flexibility and how writing promotes work that is genuinely passionate. Listed as one of the top 5 work-at-home careers, writing (especially freelancer-driven writing) creates an atmosphere of workplace freedom.[6]
With practice, anyone can work from home like a boss.[7] How would this impact your life? What would you do if you had total control of your schedule? How much or how little would you work in an ideal world?
| [1] | ^ | Louisiana State University: The Rhetorical Triangle: Understanding and Using Logos, Ethos, and Pathos |
| [2] | ^ | Lifehack: 7 Side Hustles For Your 20s |
| [3] | ^ | Mind Tools: The Rhetorical Triangle |
| [4] | ^ | Lifehack: 5 Easy Steps to Make Your Writing Stand Out |
| [5] | ^ | Lifehack: Yes Social Media Can Be Good For Productivity, Here’s Why |
| [6] | ^ | Penn Foster: 5 Careers Where You Can Work from Home |
| [7] | ^ | Fiscal Tiger: Working From Home Like A Boss |
The post The One Technique You Need to Turn Boring Writing into Compelling Words appeared first on Lifehack.
If you asked anyone to list their top 5 concerns, I’m confident money or finance would be up there. Salaries, loans, mortgages, debts, stocks, investments, or other financial concerns that you can name are concerns we ponder on a daily basis.
So how can I not think about my financial situation? You might ask. The answer is financial freedom.
Financial freedom, on paper, means not being tied to burdens or concerns financially. In other words, a financially free person spends their money without worrying when is the next paycheck coming or how to pay off debts and loans.
It does not mean acting cool or boast in front of your friends or proving a point to your family, but rather for you to sleep peacefully at night and wake up with positive thoughts, rather than thoughts: “I am desperately searching for money day 34”.
Unless you live only in the present day, and don’t think about the near future (which is not the smartest decision nowadays), there are only benefits in being financially free. Firstly, it’s your emotional freedom – your thoughts are not constantly stuck to your bank account and unpaid bills. Secondly, you are aware of your expenses (well the majority of them, because we all have unexpected bills) and profits. You know when you can splurge on something you crave or need and when you need to cut back. Thirdly, it lets you make long-term plans like summer holidays or that yoga retreat you’ve been dreaming about.
Financial freedom will not happen overnight, and it might require doing some damage control as well. I have described a perfect scenario: you start with a solid base (your family) and go step-by-step. However, a lot of us go through a rocky road and get to the focusing point after a few positive and negative experiences. It is important that you are ready to start the path where you are willing to try hard and gain financial freedom. Let’s look at 5 ways to regain control of your finances:
There are people out there who take loans for their wedding party. One day of fun and months of paying for it, is that really smart and logical? I understand we live only once and you will only have one (hopefully) wedding day, but there are definitely ways to work around it and have a small, but tasteful wedding. And this is just one of the many examples of unnecessary loans. Do not follow your momentary emotions and think about consequences, about conflicts that might arise and realize that it can all be avoided, if you sit and think smartly and thoroughly about a serious step you are about to make.
You don’t have to be a shopocholic to buy things you don’t need. At one point of time we all have been there. I am not talking about big purchases, because sometimes the small ones adds up to an even bigger amount. A t-shirt here, a trendy scarf there, endless phones cases (for every mood possible), do not even get me started on cosmetics (for girls) and for car/laptop/bike accessories (for guys). My advice is not to buy something right there on the spot with the first impulse, but think about it a little. Are you sure you need it? May be you already have a similar item? Just really think about, may be even sleep on it (if we are talking about an expensive item), that’s all I am suggesting.
The price of addictive items is increasing drastically, however from what I know, it doesn’t make people fight their bad habits. People just carry on doing whatever they were doing, and the only thing that changes is the frequency of them complaining about prices which going up. It’s a matter of a simple math to find out how much you could have saved, if you were not involved in buying these addictive items. Just count how much you spend in a week/month/year on these items, and I’m telling you the number will surprise you.
Have a habit of being active, and by active I mean work, physical activities and emotional activities. Everything that makes your brain work and your soul happy. Find out what kind of literature you enjoy and keep reading (let it be Vogue or comics, if that’s what you love), do sports (for example I’m in love with tennis), do something for your soul and mind (in my case it’s definitely yoga), hobbies are very important (I write, and hope one day it’ll turn into something more serious). You might think: “how will it give me financial freedom”? All these activities will teach you to stay sharp and energetic, and they will make you want to accomplish more and more.
I understand that this point is making your finances go another direction. However, I am a firm believer that the more you give the more will come back. The trick is to be as genuine as possible when you make donations (by donations I mean not only money, it can be anythnig which help people in need). This is a rather philosophical approach, because you must set your mind on a thought that you truly want to help and do not hold on to whatever it is that you are giving away.
A combination of these tips will definitely create successful path for regaining your financial freedom or at least making it stronger. The best part is that once you make a habit out of these hints, it’ll become so natural for you to live peacefully without unnecessary worries.
The post How to Stop Worrying About Money Even If You Don’t Earn Much appeared first on Lifehack.
Many of us have jobs that entail sitting at a desk all day long. For those of us stuck sitting, we’re typically looking at a computer and don’t have the best posture. I find myself almost shrugging when I hunch over the keyboard at my desk, and it causes a lot of tightness and pain in my neck and shoulders, leading to headaches and discomfort throughout more of the body. Though common, struggling with tight muscles still causes us to perform poorly in our day to day activities.
Shoulders are a complex body structure, as illustrated below:
The human shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, but that also puts it at a higher risk of injury and pain.[1] More so, the shoulder is not just a joint; it’s part of the neck, ribs and scapula (shoulder blade).
Even if you don’t have a desk job, think about the way you carry certain items. Do you sling things over your shoulder despite how heavy and awkward it may feel? If you wear a backpack, you may only carry it on one shoulder causing you to walk in a lopsided manor. In order to avoid misusing your shoulder muscles and stay pain free, all four shoulder joints have to work appropriately. Thankfully there are simple stretches to assist you in strengthening stiff muscles and extending healthy motion.
It’s a good idea to warm up before stretching as strained muscles in your shoulders can cause injury.[2] Warming up is as easy as getting your blood flowing. You want to make sure your muscles are physically warm before exercising them. This can be done by holding your arms out straight in front of you with your elbows locked and pulling your arms back to form a T with your body. You can even warm your muscles by taking a warm shower, jogging in place, or doing some jumping jacks to increase your heart rate.
Sit up straight
It may not seem like much of a stretch, but simply sitting up straight and improving your posture helps move the spinal column and soft tissues to increase circulation and blood flow. While standing, slouch slightly forward before over-correcting to an upright position.
Retract your chin
You know how your face looks when you open your camera app only to find it’s in selfie mode? Yeah, that’s the look we’re going for here. Move your chin forward, then slowly bring is back by tucking it toward your throat. Do this hourly, and aim for ten times a day.
Roll your shoulders
This stretch is almost like a dance move. While sitting or standing up straight, roll shoulders up, back and down in a circular motion. Change direction after 10 rounds and do the same thing going forward. Remember to move in a circle, don’t just shrug up and down.
Stretch your neck
This is one of my favorites, as I keep a lot of tension in the area this stretch targets. Touch your right ear to your right shoulder. Now place your right hand over your left temple and apply just a little pressure by gently pulling your head to the right. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.
Thread the needle
via Greatist
This one isn’t as easy to do at work, but it’s effective. Start on all fours and lift your left hand off the ground. “Thread” the left arm through the space between your right arm and right leg, letting the back of the left hand and arm slide. Allow your upper body to rotate to the right but keep your hips level.
Stretch your chest
These muscles tend to always be tight, but they help pull your shoulders forward. Stand near a doorway and lift your arm, holding it straight or parallel to the floor. Grab hold of the door frame and lean forward. This will put your arm behind your shoulder and stretch your chest, upper arm and anterior deltoid muscles. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.
Stretch your rhomboids
via Physiowarzish
These muscles are located in the upper portion of your back and attach your shoulder blades to your spine. Find a pole or column to grab. Relax your shoulders as you pull your body back, extending your arms to feel the stretch below your shoulder blades. Hold for 20 seconds before switching sides.
Scratch your back
via WikiHow
This stretch is a bit more advanced and requires you to be pretty flexible. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t do it the first couple times. Grab a small towel or t-shirt, and bend one arm over your head feeding the towel or shirt down your back. Bend your other arm around and up your back to grab the loose end of the towel. Pull up and down as if scratching your back. Repeat three to five times before switching arms.
Circle your arms
Standing straight, make big circles with your arm. Get as close to a wall as you can (it’s okay to brush against the wall). Repeat ten times on each side.
Go for the goal
The Goal Post stretch is a great option even if you’re at work. With your back to a wall, allow your shoulder blades to rest in a neutral position and bring both elbows out to 90 degrees. Without changing the position of your elbows, turn your right arm upward and let the back of your hand touch the wall. Simultaneously bring your left arm downward so your left palm touches the wall. Do this for about thirty seconds.
Do you have any favorite stretches for your shoulders? Be sure to let us know!
| [1] | ^ | Greatist: 16 Simple Stretches for Tight Shoulders |
| [2] | ^ | WikiHow: How to Perform Shoulder Stretches |
The post Serious Health Problems Can Come from Having Tight Shoulders, Try the Streches Before It’s Too Late appeared first on Lifehack.
Fact: Life is stressful. Another Fact: It does not have to be.
In a sad statistic, only 1 out of 3 Americans can say they feel truly happy [1]. This means the other two are either depressed or general ‘meh.’ These unhappy feelings are certainly valid in difficult economical times. It gets harder and harder to find work every day, and the bills and payments associated with adulthood don’t slow down just because your paychecks do. People also feel unhappy when a relationship ends or becomes challenging. There are plenty of explanations as to why we are all so bummed out.
We live in a crazy world full of obligations, responsibilities and time frames forever-shortening with the advancements of Technology. Picking up your beloved cell phone can be a great distraction throughout the day, but did you know there are certain apps that can help you to feel happier and less stressed?
Nearly two-thirds of Americans can say they own a smart phone [2], so read on to find out how you can make your phone work for you.
Social media and content platforms can be tricky to navigate. Often times, influencers across the web are paid to advertise a product. This doesn’t automatically mean they wouldn’t use the product otherwise, but the line blurs. The apps that will be featured in this article have either been used by us here at lifehack.org, or we have researched the app and paid close attention to the reviews. This isn’t a sponsored ad, so don’t worry about getting conned out of $0.99. Besides, I prefer free apps myself.
I became interested in happiness-inducing apps as soon as I realized they existed, but I was also well-aware I needed them. Have you ever noticed how anxious you can feel after scrolling through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? It’s so common to come across a picture of your ex with their new partner, or see a friend you’ve been arguing with getting coffee with your frenemy. Sure, it seems petty, but that doesn’t make it any less true; it’s hard to not be bothered by things when they’re directly in your face. So I’ve found apps you can install to split your time between chaos and stress and meditation and bliss.
If you go to the app store and search ‘happiness,’ you will be inundated with thousands of apps. So where do you start? We’re going to list out our top five happy apps that we have used and love, and the highest rated. These apps will be rated on their uniqueness, price, usability and appearance.
I’ve used this app and I really enjoy it. It’s short meditations which is great for beginners who don’t yet know how to quiet their mind. There are levels to ensure you slow down and truly do one at a time, but each guided meditation session lasts only 10 minutes. The narrators voice is calming and steady which helps keep you focused.
Uniqueness: 8/10
My favorite unique feature is the SOS option. If you just had a stressful argument with a coworker or partner, you can go to the SOS screen and choose a topic to get you back on track quickly.
Price: 10/10
This is a free app!
Usability: 9/10
I think this app is super user-friendly when it comes to navigating and also accessing in general. Because the meditations are short, it’s easy to carve out ten minutes of the day to listen and be still. Sometimes I’ll listen before bed to drift off to sleep easily. And as a side note, it has an incredible 5 star review on iTunes.
Appearance: 10/10
This app is clean, attractive and fun. The colors are vibrant without being loud, and the animation is adorable. The app is happy to look at, and makes you feel happy!
This app offers activities and games to help with stress. It’s a new app and only has a handful of reviews, but they’re five stars so far! I’ve got this app on my phone and it’s such an interesting approach. You don’t just sign in and start, you fill out a questionnaire and it finds the right tracks for you. It provides customized games and activities that focus on happiness and positivity. It’s easy, customized and fun!
Uniqueness: 10/10
I appreciate how personal this app is. It helps me feel like it’s really focused on my happiness and not ‘general’ happiness.
Price: 10/10
It’s free!
Usability: 8/10
It does require some reading and tutorials. None of it is complicated, but you can’t just download and know what to do right away.
Appearance: 7/10
Some of the graphics aren’t super impressive, but ultimately it’s a colorful app that’s easy to read.
This app aims to do exactly what it sounds like: make you happier! This app connects with Apple Watch, and you can allow the app to randomly send you happy quotes. The app also serves as a gratitude journal. More so, you can take expert-led, short courses to discover new ways to find joy. You can keep your account info private or share your gratitude with other users.
Uniqueness: 7/10
This is such a neat app. It takes all the best elements of social media (sharing happy photos and positive interactions) and adds meditation, boy, community and more.
Usability: 6/10
You can connect with Facebook to quickly create an account, and I find that super convenient. It also allows you to invite contacts to grow your own little community of real life friends and family.
Price: 10/10
It’s free!
Appearance
This app also uses lots of bright orange to keep everything positive. The graphics are nice and the lines are clean.
This is a great app if you are more concerned with documenting your mental health rather than meditating or finding courses. This app allows you to track your mood and anxiety which can really help to pin-point what triggers your unhappiness.
Uniqueness: 10/10
I think this app deserves such a high score because it takes a unique approach to your own daily experiences.
Usability: 10/10
Easy to understand and easy to reflect upon.
Price: 10/10
It’s free!
Appearance
Clean lines, calming colors, easy-to-read font.
Honestly, this one has to make the list because I think it’s so funny. This app is specifically targeted at “fidgety skeptics” and boasts “no robes, no crystals.” Everyone should have access to meditation and happiness, not just the metaphysical yogis. The 5 star rating clearly proves people agree.
Uniqueness: 10/10
This app is 100% unique in its approach to mediation and making this app attainable to everyone.
Usability: 10/10
It doesn’t get simpler than this.
Price: 10/10
It’s free!
Appearance: 6/10
It’s not the cutest app, but it serves its purpose.
Have you tried any of these apps? Do you have an app not featured on this list that you swear by? We want to hear about it!
| [1] | ^ | Huffington Post: Happiness Index: Only 1 In 3 Americans Are Very Happy, According To Harris Poll |
| [2] | ^ | Pew Research Center: U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015 |
The post 5 Apps to Make You Feel Truly Happy Even If Life Is Hard Sometimes appeared first on Lifehack.
