Shyness can make you lose great opportunities in life.

Here are tips on how to break free from shyness.

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1. Know the reasons why you’re shy.

It could be a traumatic social experience, environmental influences, genetics etc.
Being aware of the root of your shyness can help you become aware and accept who you truly are.

If you believe it has to do with your upbringing, examine your relationship with your parents now. Are they still domineering or are they shy themselves?

2. Identify the triggers.

By identifying what triggers your shyness, you can plan ahead and create a course of action for when you're placed in those situations. You can practice what you would do if faced with your triggers and work to overcome them.

3. Create what i call shyness bucket list

List out all the things you can't do because of your shyness and start overcoming them one by one. It is not easy but you have to build up confindence (if you perish you perish), you will not perish. talk to random people, join clubs etc

I sometimes forget how great it was to grow up in a tiny town that was all of 2 miles wide in southwest Indiana. You could walk or ride your bike anywhere and be safe, never worried about traffic, you could easily get anywhere. You were surrounded by country you could get to...

with a quick bike trip which could turn into a massive trip. My best friend in 9th & 10th grade and I would ride 20 miles from home sometimes, just getting lost, no idea how to get back home, not worried at all.

No worries of a job at that age, and no worries we would be in any danger. No cell phones in 1993, so no distractions. Just kids having the time of their lives. We used to spend the night at his aunt's house, who was cool as hell.

I remember one time she took us to get lunch in Evansville, "the bif city" 30 mins away. We followed that with a movie, a 2 hr trip to the arcade/batting cages, then a second movie that night. Crazy to have no responsibilities but to enjoy life.

She was probably in her late 20's or early 30's, very nerdy, but very cool to us, and a genuine friend even w the age gap. She was awesome, as was his mom who would stay up til 1AM to watch scary movies with us every weekend.

UNCONVENTIONAL EP1:

In October 2018, a man woke up, bid his wife & child a good day, & rushed off to work. He arrived at his work station by 6:15 a.m., was settled by 7:00 a.m, awaiting a meeting at 9:00 a.m. This was not to be, as an hour later, Mumbo jumped to his death.

In April 1992, a young man of immense intellect and rich background woke up, gave all of his $25,000 in savings to charity, burned all the money in his wallet, and marched into the wilderness. Four months later, McCandless's decomposed body was found in the forest.

In 1884, a former successful stockbroker abandoned his family and the opulence of Paris for the prosaic life of Tahiti, an island in the middle of nowhere. He wanted to paint - that was all the reason he gave. Gauguin died alone, of Syphillis & a destitute.

These were people leading normal lives, with normal families. But something in the highway of their existence snapped: Gentlemen, what makes a murderer tick is the question. We won't obsess with the morality of their actions but the inspiration. What makes a man unconventional?

My examination leads me to inertia. Greater than death itself, inertia bleeds you. Seeing the same faces every day: eating the same meals. Same courtesies. Same affectations. Same! Same! Same! For these men, and rightfully so, death was better. They needed more than sustenance.

1) The ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “Be silent for the most part.”

What did he mean? Allow me to explain.

Thread. 👇

2) On August 29, 1952, the piano virtuoso David Tudor walked onto the stage of the barn-like Maverick Concert Hall on the outskirts of Woodstock in New York.

He sat at the piano, propped up six pages of blank sheet music, closed the keyboard lid, and clicked a stopwatch.

3) Thirty seconds passed.

The audience, a broad cross-section of the city’s classical musical community, waited for something to happen.

4) Tudor turned one of the blank pages but made no sound. For four and a half minutes, he went about doing nothing. He never played a note.

He then stood up, bowed, and walked off stage. That was all.

5) The piece was called “4’33” and it was composed by John Cage.

Its purpose wasn’t about listening to nothing. It was about listening to everything.

I think everyone could use a lighthearted/happy story right now so here goes:

At the beginning of the pandemic I went through some painful personal stuff and would often go out at night for long walks because no one was around and I couldn’t sleep anyway. One night I was walking

down my street and noticed that someone had set up a few little objects in a tree planter and upon closer inspection I realized it was a fairy garden with a little note about the 4 year old girl who felt lonely in quarantine and wanted to spread some cheer. The next day I wrote

a little note to her, pretending to be a fairy named Sapphire that had come to live in the tree because she had set it up so nicely and I left it on the tree that night on my walk and said I would gift her with a magical fairy dice (I got really into crafting resin rpg die at

the start of the pandemic) if she did 3 things for me:

I wasn’t sure if she’d respond or even find the note but it was fun just imagining what she’d think. The next night on my walk I found this and immediately burst into tears:

There's this young couple I have known for a while. I see the way they dote on each other.

It is very rare you see the husband without the wife and even if the wife appeared first, the husband was never far behind.

During church service you would see them eyeing each other.

I recall during a Sunday Service in which his wife was to take the Bible Reading, I could remember him blowing her a phantom kiss as she climbed the pulpit.

It was her blush and smile that made me look at him only to see him making faces at her.

It was beautiful.

As Men's fellowship leader back then, I teased him a lot and told him in all honesty how many men are learning how to treat their wives.

He sighed and said "Bro., it was not always like that initially. Our first year as a married couple was a disaster".

"Let me tell you a story and then you would understand why I cherish this woman so. I know that God has said a husbands should love their wives but I never understood that love". He said.

Deep down, I was always afraid I would make a bad husband and an even terrible father.

During our first year, this man you are looking like this had been celibate for 4 years since I met my wife.

No other woman interested me - NONE! However, as I got married, my ex came out of nowhere and we opened communication.

I told myself "Nothing can happen".

I was wrong

THREAD: Of course right now I am totally questioning what my role in this world is. I don’t even know me. I have spent my young adulthood into my 40’s being a mom. Still a mom...but I literally have no identity.

Can’t relate to ppl my age with kids.

Can’t relate to ppl my age because they’re in chill mode, having sewn their wild oats while I am trying to figure out who the fuck I am.

In the middle of a pandemic where my social life was abruptly cut off and everything I was experiencing stopped and is now gone.

For example, having come out in late jan...meeting new people...learning about my sexuality. My sexuality was stifled due to being brought up with religion. Learning what my kinks were, without sex! Meeting like minded people...

In less than a month it was gone.

I feel like I’m not even me. I feel like I’m an outsider looking in.

Questioning what the hell I am doing with my life.

Frustrated. Lonely. Unsure of a lot.

And now I am wanting to completely gut GlitteryFab on every social media platform despite a fast growing base, why???? Because I’m tired of people just focusing on my aesthetics. My facial beauty. Or because I’m “thicc”. And also because it just seems rather shallow.

Things that are frustrating to here as an autistic person

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The classic

”You don't look autistic.”

Cool, I wouldn't have guessed you were neurotypical from your appearance, but here we are

“But you’re so normal”

Yes that’s because I mask to make you feel comfortable.

Like do you want me to stop making eye contact or would that be too much for you?

“Everybody is a bit autistic”

Ummm.....just no.

You’re either autistic or not

It undermines the struggles autistic people face in our society.

It’s also just dismissive.

Men are consistently told to step it up, to get their money up & to be better men & that we're trash & terrible leaders & abusers & misogynistic while most of us are just trying to find our way in life. No man under 30 has it figured out, those of us who seem like we do...

Are just master salesman & are tactically aware enough to portray a wholesome image while meeting our own ends. When we finally do reach the age where we are financially stable, sound leaders & are mature, well polished & successful...

We are told to date/marry the "age appropriate" women that were giving many of us shit as we were finding our feet. EVERY MAN KNOWS what it takes to be successful with women, yet no women give a fuck about what it takes to be successful with a man.

So this thread is to say to men, I know how many of you look through my content & don't engage, I know you're frustrated but never voice it out of fear of being shamed. But we men need to make our voices heard. Many women these days are unfeminine, confrontational, headaches...

Liabilities & downright unpleasant, but anytime we call this out we're branded misogynists... They call us out tons but are applauded... We are taught from a young age that we should take everything a woman gives you & never retaliate... Im here to say FUCK THAT.

A few thoughts about the end of life for the survivors who make it to the end of their lives (the elderly, yes, they are the survivors of life).

When I do nursing home visits, very often, people have come to the end of their lives. They have come to the end of what medicine can do for them. Medicine can't fix ageing hearts, or kidneys, or brains. There is no cure for old age (yet, watch this space over next decades).

When it's very clear to us that the medicines don't work anymore, we have a very frank discussion about changing our goals from trying to cure things that can't be cured, to prioritising comfort and dignity above all else. Treating symptoms now matters more than cure.

(We never, ever, give up, or stop, or pull out. We do not use the word futile, nothing is futile because there is always something we can do. Whether it's medicine or surgery, morphine or ice cream, there's always something we can do. We are there to lives completion).

These decisions to switch from trying to cure, to reducing symptoms and prioritising comfort and dignity aren't made in a prescriptive way. They are done over multiple discussions with our patients and families, and their carers and us. No god complexes here.

ever wondered about my personal life? no? well let’s pretend (i’ve actually never done one of these before)

1. i have not been a virgin in *checks notes* over a decade

2. 100% sub bottom. my bdsm test results are so bottom that the dom top options do not even register. i have been told i have top energy tho whatever that means

3. i am not picky about who i have sex with as long as they top but ideally someone who could kick my ass (but won’t unless i ask them to bc they’re nice). also caregiver doms. i am actually very transparent LOL

4. receiving any art is a blessing that i will treasure forever 💕

You don't have to forgive someone who hurt you. But forgive yourself

A thread

You don’t have to forgive someone who hurt you. You don’t have to pretend like the pain doesn’t exist or the reminders don’t come rushing back in every time you see them.

You don’t have to forgive someone who knew exactly what you feared and deliberately brought those fears to life. You don’t have to forgive someone who chose to make your life harder.

You don’t have to forgive someone who promised to make you happy or put you first but their actions constantly proved otherwise.

You don’t have to forgive someone who took your love or kindness or silence for granted and you don’t have to forgive someone who didn’t value your presence in their life. You don’t have to forgive someone who couldn’t make you trust them.

So here's the thing

I block people who have obviously bad intentions

This person came to my post with conspiracies and made the contradictory claim that the vaccines in question were both more reactogenic in black people and also not tested in them (go figure that one out)

after politely linking to a guidance from NASEM on the equitable distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine I was given a conspiracy theory about the CIA's involvement in this and the usual line of us not being able to trust pharmaceutical companies

Conspiracy theories aside, I would agree: pharmaceutical companies have violated our trust in the past and it's a problem. The most obvious example is the opioid crisis.

Here's why that comparison does not apply here:

The motive of profit is fundamentally different. People who have chronic pain can be reliant or addicted to opioids and will do anything to get them. Even if regular boosters are needed, the dosing for a vaccine is just not the same.

Vaccines in general are not the big money makers for pharmaceutical companies. They are public health interventions. This one will also likely be subsidized by the government (at least if expert recommendations are adhered to) which further weakens the argument

Somebody needs to tell a few people that, a general “policy” argument, telling a court that it has no right to decide an issue when the matter falls squarely within the case and controversy requirements of Art 3, and the Constitution specifically provides for jurisdiction of the=

parties; additionally, the court has federal question jurisdiction, is not a good take, and is not persuasive. Next, an argument of disenfranchisement of voters (a) is weak in countering the Bush v Gore equal protection opinion; (b) is beside the point, when the issues is the=

issue is not issues is

constitutional validity of votes cast by state appointed electors, especially in context of serious allegations that State officials unconstitutionally nullified provisions of statutes passed pursuant to the plenary power of the legislatures and thereby threw into chaos by=

dilution or nullification of their own citizens votes. More on this later-I am studying briefs because someone said “their brief is weak.” The person could not have referred to the TX brief. IMO, Tx did a fine, outstanding job in a case of first=

Dear @aliciakeys, howdy?

I saw the Open Letter you & some fellows wrote, addressing President Buhari.

The letter was not only rude in tone & condensending, it lacked evidence, verbose & irrational.

How you didn't know the joke was on you guys is what I would need to think on.

You people DELIBERATELY refused to make reference to the very many videos online showing CLEARLY that NOBODY died at Lekki Toll Plaza on October 20, 2020! What a laugh!

You folks kept saying stuff flying in the air WITHOUT EVIDENCE! Who does that? Who?

Wait, you think you were addressing kids in a nursery school in that laughable letter? 🤣

You even have the audacity to copy other African leaders who have seen through your foolery a long time ago.

No respect whatsoever sha!

I expected that in that finely put together trash of a letter, you would list out the names of the "protesters" that were killed in Lagos or elsewhere in Nigeria, like you did during your Black lives matter protests in the US.

Instead, 53 of you were just frothing in the mouth.

1/ A LONG LOUD SIGH

genius?
sometimes you are in its minimal spotted light
sometimes
other times you just know you've been touched and you freeze
moved but frozen
like a stranger it moves in
does its work and leaves

2/

maybe it's been a while since you two spoke
when the dead sea still hosted life
the hanging gardens of babylon grew in sinc with the breath of the planet
before the tower of pisa started to lean
or mayan buildings were in ruin

3/

so you write words
any words
they might at least soothe your hurt
hold your heart in a protective shield
you know how crippling unrequited love can be
do you still dream of its hug

genius?

4/

life and love share more than a first letter

(like the first letter you wrote under the veil of inspiration)

they also share good and evil
it's a flip of the coin
either way is fine with you
you'd bathe in holy water or sell your soul

5/

life love passion
somewhere in there -it lives
genius

all of nature a reflection through its transparent figure glows dark
like the shadows live in the radiant illumination of evening rays

so let me speak of us