Broken Pencils

  Everyone has a different definition of a “good” day. Some people think a good day is laying around the house and others believe hanging out with friends makes it better. No matter the definition everyone can agree that kind words can make their day just a little bit better. Encouraging others can often make you feel more motivated as well. I personally believe that making other people shine increases how good a day is.  My personal philosophy is to make everyday brighter by making others shine. I’m a firm believer that I practice what I preach. So if I spend everyday being a grouch and projecting that on others then I’m just going to make my day worse. Instead of that I try to go about my day with as much whimsy as possible. Choosing to complement others and reach out a helping hand inadvertently makes my day a little better each action at a time. Knowing that my actions are bettering someone else makes me happy. 

  As a kid I was obsessed with the idea, “Everything has to be perfect”. During the summer every morning I would wake up and  head straight into doing something art related. Rather it was painting, coloring, or crocheting, it always had to be perfect to the tea. I was driven by the image, ‘If it's not perfect, it's not worth keeping, or showing.’  Shortly in the future, I learned that's not how it has to be, as why fix something that does need to be fixed? Everytime I would paint I would redo the same stroke at least 30 times, at the end of my painting it looked smudged, and blurry. It didn't need to be fixed, but I let the’ imperfections’ drive me to fix it.  I would get mad, as it wasn't perfect: it had changed so much, it didn't make me happy seeing the result. After a while of having this mindset, I stopped painting. I was disappointed and upset about every painting. This affected me a lot, in many ways. I stopped trying on assignments, or even art, as I w...

  The Broken and the Wounded By: Lucy Why do we break the broken and heal the wounded? The morning of Forgive and forget. The reason to say yes to another day and be the one that shows joy to others, that doesn't kill the pain in others. The joy is worth another day. Every day someone will feel other emotions besides happiness, the majority of the time people are anxious. It's a part of being human but that doesn't mean they are hurtful to others, so why do you think you should be?  For starters forgive and forget is an important saying. Used a lot in the English language. It shows the power of forgiving others but in a respectful manner. As well as forgetting about the past and the mistakes that could happen. It's a powerful message, just like “ why do we break the broken and heal the wounded?.” The broken are strong souls and have been through a lot. It's the people at school that are having those hard days, or the ones crying in the hallway. They have endured som...

  We cannot change the past. We can not change the fact that people act a certain way. We can not change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. If someone doesn't stand for anything, then they will fall for anything. If they did speak their mind, remember it’s not what they said but how they said it.  The same morning of the summer program, a girl had just found out that her grandma had passed away. She was devastated because her grandmother was the only person who actually understood her and helped her through everything,  even teaching her more then she could ever imagine. But she still went to Trio because she didn’t want to miss the first day. She had let her emotions take over her and she had cried and was even mean to people she didn’t even know. That was all because she couldn’t control herself, she forgot to think before she spoke and she hurt a few people. But that same day, one of her friends tha...

          Have you ever been in a time where you felt as if nothing would get better? Well if you haven't then you just may be lucky, and if you have then I want you to hear this. Times can be tough but the storm will always pass over, sometimes you just have to wait it out.  Many people just give up on things that happen because they do not believe it will get any better no matter what they do, but again others do the opposite and try everything in hopes to make it better. I was one of the people to try everything to make it better, and this is a time where I did just that, I had once lived with my mom and of course that doesn't sound bad just to start off with but for me my mom was not a very good or helpful person in my life. When I was at her house I felt as if I was a dog trapped in a room just scratching and scraping at the door trying to get out to no avail. I tried many of times to tell my mom how I felt and to tell her about why I wanted not...

  This I Believe “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Those words by Mahatma Gandhi remind me of the kind of person I want to become. I believe everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and understood. I also believe that choosing kindness, integrity, and compassion every day can help build a better future, not only for myself but for the people around me. Every morning I look forward to seeing my friends and the people in my life. They remind me that even small moments with others can make a big difference. When I have to make a decision, I try to ask myself if it is the right thing to do or the kind thing to do. At the end of the day, I feel proud when I know I have taken another step toward the future I want. I have always had a strong desire to make something of myself. My beliefs help keep me focused and remind me of the kind of person I want to be. Ever since I was young, I dreamed about creating a better future for myself. I wanted to b...

  This I Believe: Equal Rights, Equal Fights I believe in Equal Rights, Equal Fights. Not just as a catchy phrase, but as a principle that demands fairness, responsibility, and integrity in how we treat one another. Equality shouldn’t be selective or symbolic; it must be real, tangible, and lived. To me, equal rights means that everyone, no matter their gender, race, sexuality, or background, deserves the same freedoms, opportunities, and voice. But too often, our fight for equality stops at convenience. We want rights so we all share responsibility, unbiased justice, and parity in protection. That’s where the second part of the phrase comes in, ‘equal fights’ I don’t mean violence, but accountability. I believe in standing on equal footing, whether it’s in a courtroom, workplace, or debate. If we’re going to claim equal rights, we must also accept equal standards. Respect must flow both ways. Equality isn’t about tipping the scales in favor of one group; it’s about making it l...

  Your body, Your choice According to AmericanProgress.org , an estimate of 60% of teen pregnancies come from assault of some sort. I believe that abortions are not murder, that clumps of cells are not babies, and that people should choose what they do with their body. I believe that everyone should be able to live freely in their bodies and make the choices they need for their safety and health. When I was young, I listened to people on the TV and in my own home talk about teenage pregnancies like a disease or like it was trashy. When I got older, I watched debates where people believed that abortion was murder and would send you to Hell. Those exact reasons are why I believe that teen pregnancies are not necessarily bad and why abortion is perfectly fine. Many factors could contribute to why a teenager got pregnant and why they would need an abortion. With almost every form of protection there is still a chance of getting pregnant, along with people who are forced or pressured ...

  I Will Bring the Truth. This I Believe.        By: Magnus Bring out the historical truth.          I'm the one who dives down who learns what others push down. I'm pushing through the boring parts in history. I learned the hard parts that others didn't. I was the one who raised myself to believe all cultures not wrong nor right. I might be the black sheep to others but the knowledge I gained made me respectful to others.           Yes, some people may think it's a waste of time at the end of the day. I believe it at times but in reality learning the past will help us learn the future of cultures. I believe in all and all is true. I believe that everyone can come together and help build what was lost so we can believe what we think for the better future. A future where no one is discriminated against for their beliefs. I believe that this can happen if I he...

  How do you treat those around you? I believe that so long as someone isn’t hurting others you should respect their decisions and opinions because it only hurts others when you disregard their wants and opinions. If they are respecting others then they’re entitled to be respected as well, and you should always be kind. This I believe.  I believe that people should be accepting of others. If someone is minding their own business and simply enjoying life it is no one's right to knock them down and tell them off. If you’re the person that is doing something to someone unprompted or simply because you thought it would be funny then you’re wrong. People should be treated with respect if they treat others the same. It is important to always  respect others and treat them how you would want to be treated even if they are different from you. Some people might have weird interests, but before you make assumptions or say things about them, ask questions and ask if it hurts any...

  No matter how weird to others, I will always be me. This I believe. By: Carmalee Ann “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.”, Oscar Wilde. No matter what I will bring my full self to the table. The mismatched socks, too many facts about obscure animals, and the obsession with the unusual and creepy and all. I believe in not showing up as the polished version that people think that I should be, but as the person I truly am. No matter how weird it is to others. I believe in staying true to myself and who I am, even if I do seem off to others. Throughout my life I've been given weird looks, be it for my sense of humor or the things I'm passionate about. Why don't you dress like us? That's weird. Why do you like that? I could practically hear them think. But I didn’t like how they dressed, couldn’t get myself to pretend to like the same things as them. I felt lost when I tried to pressure myself to fit in and found out fairly early on that I just couldn’t. When I w...

  This I Believe: Faith Do you believe in goals in life? Well there are a lot of goals you can choose from like going to college, or having a job you love but sometimes it takes hard work to get where you want to go in life so you would have to study, work hard, and  build up one at a time like a staircase or a mountain to climb up just to reach that goal it may take longer then expected but it’s all worth it in the end of time.    If you're willing to take your time step by step in what you believe in you will get to your goal in no time so like good grades, studying, chores, and ect. In my lifetime I believe that second chances should be made and to take your time and not rush things because if you do you’ll never have fun doing the things you enjoy doing. I always wanted to help people so I wanted to be a lawyer and help others get justice that they deserve. It shows me to keep going no matter what tries to drag me down to always get back up and never quit. It mig...

  I believe that small act matter Have you ever had one of those days where everything just sucks and then someone does something small that actually makes you feel better? It’s weird how just a little thing can flip your whole mood. It's weird how just a little thing can change your whole mood for the day. I’ve realized that even tiny things like a smile or someone giving you a compliment or asking if you are doing good can really change someone’s day. This I believe:small acts of kindness can make a big difference. And I believe this because of something that happened to me. One time I forgot my lunch at school. I felt super awkward and was just trying to play it off like I wasn;t hungry. I was lowkey hoping no one would notice. THen this kid I barely talked to slideme half of his sandwich and was like “Don’t worry it happens.” It sings simple but it actually meant a lot. That one moment made me feel seen and I didn’t feel alone anymore. Ever since that I’ve tried to do the same ...

                           “This I Believe, Good Outcomes Take Time” I believe that good outcomes take time. Do you believe this? I believe this because in my 8th grade year, I tried out for high school cheerleading and didn’t make it. I decided that I will try out again next year. When I was going to tryout I was really nervous, but I was also excited. I tried out and made it!  Each and every morning I want to drink coffee or sweet tea and go outside and watch the sunset.Going outside and watching the sunset would motivate me to make sure I pay attention to the sky and be excited throughout the day. What directs my actions and decisions is thinking ahead of how I want my life to be. Doing this will plan out my life for how I want it in the future, it will also help me set goals for myself and accomplish the goals. What gives me a sense of satisfaction at t...

  I believe philosophy must not be studied. There is no real way to determine thoughts, as everyone is unique.  My personal philosophy contains these things: I wake in the morning, not wanting to get up at all. I really have no purpose. Although, I really want to wake up believing „today’s going to be a wonderful day.“ I want to remove my complaints. My impulses are strictly based on my feelings. I need to learn to get out of my head. My sense of satisfaction is being able to rinse off my day. The feelings I have that are self-evident is sadness. I always get asked if I’m okay or depressed. My beliefs are very loose. I never stick to things I want to believe in. My philosophy measures lower than anyone I know. I don’t love myself enough.

I’m sure you’ve had at least one person give you a weird look, even though you don’t know who they are or who they are. They just judged you on appearance. They believe in a stereotype. Regardless of this, or how common it is, there is no such thing as a universally true stereotype. This is a simple belief, and even if people disagree, they cannot prove it wrong. It is a fact. You can say all people of [group] are [thing], but you’re wrong. If you’re right, it’s not a stereotype. And if it’s not a stereotype, it's not an issue. It is then not an opinion, which may be offensive, put simply. If I said “All adults are rude,” I’d be wrong. That’s a simple stereotype. Point out even a single outlier, and you’ve proven someone wrong in their stereotypical beliefs. One moment I can point out here that I’ve had to learn this was when I was playing an online game, and when I tried to talk to someone they said something rude. I don’t remember what they said, but I eventually got it out if ...

  Have you ever wondered what your this I believe is? Well it is something that I truly believe in. I believe that helping people is good and it will always come back. This I believe. My personal philosophy is helping people in need. I believe that kids in need should get as much help as they need. This is my belief because kids should not be ignored. Kids are the new generation and if I as a person were to treat kids with disrespect they might turn their backs on the world. Some things I like to help others with is schooling because some people don’t also know how to do certain things like math, language, and science. I also like to help people with getting better from sickness. When you help people with sickness they will keep talking about how you helped them get better and then soon they will be helping you.  I use it in daily life by making sure everybody knows what they are doing. My goal is to keep helping people and making sure that they graduate. This guides my friend...

  Empathy  “I will never walk in your shoes, and you will never walk in mine, and we shouldn't have to in order to empathize with each other.” Madison Beer wrote this in her memoir. I completely agree with her. I believe that empathy is one of the most important things. I don’t think you should have to go through it yourself to be able to empathize with someone who is. Most people don’t know it but empathy is an amazing gift. People will sit there and preach about how they are there for others and how they have so much empathy. But the moment one of their family or friends try to talk to them they make it about themselves or even worse say it's too much for them. That's not empathy, that's not even being a good person.  When my grandma was dying all I wanted was someone to talk to, someone to understand. The morning of the day she died was probably one of the worst mornings of my life. She wasn’t dead yet I woke up to my mom running around. She had come into my room...

  I Believe that life can be good or bad  I believe that life can be good because you can think of the good memories. I believe  that life can be bad because you can think of bad thoughts in life that can cause death. I believe One word can cause death because of bullying  and    A good life is because you get to think of the good stuff and positive stuff   I believe .No matter what you look like  or if you're different you should always respect others. Because  everyone is not perfect in their way they can be you no one should change who you are. I believe  that who you are today bc god made you . I Believe that good  can be bad  and good  because it depends  on your  attitude the  positive thought  and no suside  through  can be bad for you because you could go to death   and there would be a funeral to contain  one word can cause death  and also it can because it can...

  Research suggests that acts of kindness and helping others release feel-good chemicals like oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain, promoting positive mood and reducing stress. Not helping others can lead to feelings of isolation, decreased empathy, and even increased mental health issues like depression. This information strengthens my belief that people should unite and help each other because in life we all need help at some point. People might look at someone who truly needs help and laugh, this is the reason I wake up every morning and always have an observing mind set. Anytime I see or hear someone asking for help I do my best to help them even if it means putting myself out of my comfort zone.  I have always believed that you should try to help others and this one day became very important. My first day of preschool when it was time to clean up and saw children running to leave the room leaving one child to clean up the mess. Me being me I walked up and starte...