Hard Work Pays Off

We've all heard the expression, but putting it into action is an entirely different matter. Because when you're in the middle of a huge assignment/ fitness challenge/ project etc., the last thing you want to do is work hard; especially if you've been working hard on it for the last few weeks. You're probably dying to have a break; to relax, or go on a holiday someplace where you don't have to think about it. Why? Because you're exhausted by now. You've passed the initial excitement phase, and your enthusiasm is probably long gone. By now you're thinking please hurry up and be over, so I never have to face you again. Or something to that effect. Right?

We've all been there, believe me. I'm pretty motivated when it comes to writing, but I get sick of it sometimes, too. There will be times in life when you just don't feel like doing it, no matter how passionate you are about it. I think it's important that we prepare ourselves for this. 

A lot of people think badly of themselves when they start losing motivation. You start thinking of all the time you're wasting, how slow you're moving, and how many people are going to be ahead of you. But it's totally natural to have a break. If anything, I think it's absolutely necessary. If you stare at a computer screen for hours on end, train for ridiculous blocks of time, or practise your instrument all day long, you start to drive yourself crazy. You also aren't really enjoying life. Of course, sometimes it's necessary to practise for a long period of time, but you're still human. You need a break. That's not the problem here.

The problem comes when a break turns into forever. All good things are best in moderation. And, like all good things, breaks are also good in moderation. When your break turns into a six-hour YouTube sesh, you're outdoing it. If that helps you relax, then fine. But I know first-hand that once I pass a certain time limit (usually about 20 mins), I start to lose interest, motivation and track of time. This is dangerous, because you get so comfortable, you don't want to get back into work-mode. Hence why short breaks are always better. If you're not good at keeping them short, use a timer. There is no excuse. Have breaks, but don't trust yourself too much. Things that lie stagnant, want to stay stagnant. An alarm will pull you out of it and keep you on-track.

I know a lot of my readers are either in high school or Uni/TAFE. Even if you're not, you've either been through this, or you eventually will. And you'll know how hard it is to stay motivated. What I've learned from my own school & Uni experiences, is that the hardest things to do are the things most worth doing. No one promised life would be easy. But I've never heard of anyone succeeding without hard work. I'm not talking about fame, because a lot of stupid people who did nothing amazing, are famous for... Well, no one really knows. What I'm talking about is real success. The people who started with nothing and made something out of it. So there's got to be a compromise somewhere, right? It doesn't just happen. If it did, everyone could make it, easily. We've got to be realistic.

Everyone wants to be successful, to leave something valuable behind; something that makes a mark on the world in some way. Whatever that thing is depends on who you are. We all have dreams and ambitions. The difference between the people who achieve success, and those who don't, is one thing. Hard work. That's it. There's no big secret, no 10-step formula for success. You can read all the self-help books in the world, but if you don't take action towards making your dreams more than dreams, you'll never make it. Hard work is the only way.

The funny thing is that it's so easy to spit the phrase out, but so hard to actually do it when the pressure comes. You start to get overwhelmed, stressed and frustrated. You feel like you can't breathe, or that it's all too much. Doubt has a funny way of creeping into the midst of it all. This is where you start to weigh up the possibilities, and you question if it's even worth what you're going through right now. The hard fact about life is that this is your biggest test. Although you're restless and don't want to go on, you can't win the race unless you put your last ounce of energy into that final stretch. Your muscles will burn the most right then, but you know you can't come first unless you push through the pain and go on.

It's the same with any type of race. It's going to burn, I can tell you that now. Your mind and/or body will be begging you to stop. But you can't. This is exactly when you need to remember how far you've come, and why you're doing it. The latter is extremely important. You can get so caught up in the stress of it all, that you lose sight of why you started working towards your goal in the first place. So take the time to refocus your attention to that. It will help, because you'll remember where you started, and remind yourself why you never want to go back to that. On top of all that, you'll realise just how far you've come, and why it's still worth fighting for. 

It might even take longer than you originally planned, but never let that throw you off. Everyone has to face their own share of bumps along the road. Just think of them as stepping stones. And remember, as long as you're always moving, you're on the right track. Every step forward is a step in the right direction. It can be really frustrating to wait, especially when the people around seem to be fast-tracking while you're stuck in the slow lane. Just remember the tortoise and the hare. There's more than one way to win. 

Just don't give up. You'll regret it more than any detour or traffic jam along the way. And remember, hard work really does pay off. The satisfaction at the end of the race will surpass any of the pain, stress and frustration you went through to get it. 
Just keep going, and you'll get there. I mean, seriously, have you ever seen a snail give up? He knows where he's going, and he knows as long as he keeps moving in his desired direction, he will eventually make it. He doesn't think about how long it's going to take him. He just keeps moving. So keep moving. 

When you find your passion, that in itself is worth fighting for. No one else can do what you were made to do. Don't throw that away just because you're passing through a storm. No matter how bad it is, it will always pass.

Pinkie Promise

"I've got your back." 
It's a phrase we've all heard, probably more than once. Unfortunately, that's as far as it goes most of the time, because it's always easy to make promises when you're on a high. Realistically, we've all been a part of it, so there's no sense in being judgmental over it. We are human, and we need to accept that we aren't perfect, and neither are our friends. Sometimes people will make promises that they won't keep; it's life. 

So what, right? What's the big deal, anyhow? If everyone does it, then it's not really worth mulling over. But that's the point. We think just because 'everyone else' does things, that it excuses us for doing it, too. It's the same with promises. I've learned a lot about friendship in the last couple of years, and I know how much it sucks when you're on the receiving end of this. 

There's a great quote that makes me nod every time I read it. It says: "It's very easy to say 'busy' when someone needs you, but it's very hard to hear 'busy' when you need someone." 
Is it not the truest thing you've ever heard? 
It always seems like when you need people the most, they aren't there. Then you realise that you do the same thing to others. The point is, I don't think we take our promises seriously enough. And we don't realise it until we're the ones copping it. 

Telling someone that you've 'got their back' gives you a really big responsibility; and one day, they're going to need it. Humans were made to live together, support each other, and show each other care, love and friendship. It's as basic a need as water. That's why it's so important to take our promises seriously. People will rely on you to come through on your promises eventually.

I think the real problem with keeping promises is the way we perceive them. Allow me to explain this: when someone makes you a promise, you probably don't think much of it for a while. Then something happens, and you realise you need them. Let's be clear. Promises mean different things to different people, depending on their personal needs. For example, to some people, support could mean something as simple as a good conversation. For others, it means taking them out and spoiling them for a day (mostly girls;)), or just shouting them lunch. The point is, we all have our own definition of what support means to us. 

My definition of support has always been based around having a friend who I could talk to, because I learned quickly that those kinds of friends are hard to find. But my definition of support will probably differ from yours, and that's okay. Everyone has their own needs. They're generally shaped by something lacking in your life, your life experiences; and/or your view of the world and what's important. I realise this is getting a little deep, but it's important to understand these things. Basically, you need to appreciate that not everyone thinks the same way that you think. Therefore, their needs will be different, too. Don't expect people to be like you. 

We also forget that other peoples' needs are just as important as our own. Everyone wants to feel like someone hears them, like they're not alone in whatever they're going through. But it's so easy to become insensitive when it's someone else. Because it isn't you. And I think part of the reason karma comes back around, is to remind us what it feels like when we're in the lower position. It's telling us to remember what that feels like, and not forget about others when they're feeling low. This all comes back to the idea of basic human needs. 

Life is about give and take. And, like all good things, it's best in moderation. Don't expect to take your whole life without having to give. So remember, they need you just as much as you need them. Don't think it won't happen, because you'd be surprised at how soon you'll need someone to be there for you, too. And in all truthfulness, you really don't know what people are going through. Even if they fill you in, you can't really know how they feel unless you've been in the same situation. The best you can do is just be there for them. You could be the person to stop someone from making a really damaging decision, or just brighten their day. And you know they'll do the same for you when you need it. Trust me, they'll respect you for it. 

And if you already know you won't be able to offer them that support, don't make the promise. Don't get yourself into a position where you'll lose the trust with people you love and care about. You'll hurt them more making a false promise than you would just staying out of it in the first place. 

How do you know when you won't be able to go through with a promise?
You'll know you're not really dedicated to a promise if:
a) you're looking at your timetable before agreeing, 
b) if you have to 'get back to them', or
c) if you hesitate. 

It's that simple.
If you have to think about whether or not to help someone, then you probably didn't want to in the first place. And if you're not in it 100%, then you're better off leaving it alone. How do you do this? Be honest with yourself. Whether it's a gut feeling, or you're just too busy to help them out, you're always better off when you're honest about it. People have issues, sure; but they're not completely ignorant to the fact that you have a life, and your own set of responsibilities and problems also. Just don't say "I've got your back" if you know you can't cover them when they need it most, yeah?




Thanks for reading this week's blog. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you want more awesome blogs, inspiring quotes, pics, and other stuff, like our official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bettieteesblogspot. Alternatively, just search up "Bettie Tee's Blogspot." 

What Doesn't Belong

Before I begin, I would like to personally thank all my lovely readers/subscribers for their support in getting our Facebook page to 100 likes. Three months ago, I didn't even know I would become a blogger, but here we are. So thank you to everyone for your wonderful support! You remind me why I love writing.

Now, to this week's blog...


If you've ever played the game What Doesn't Belong, you'll know that nobody likes the item/object that stands out of the pack. Let's use an example:- an apple, an orange, a mango and a carrot. Clearly, the item that doesn't belong is the carrot. It's not a fruit. So you would immediately cross it out, and treat it like a lesser item, just because it doesn't fit into the category you're looking at. 

Truth is, if you had that item in another game, you'd treat it differently. If the choices were a carrot, a cucumber, a lettuce and an apple, it would be the apple that was crossed out. Again, you think of it as a lesser object. Like it's not worth as much as the other things. Hence, we're taught to judge things by what they're surrounded by; and no one likes the one that doesn't fit, because it seems wrong.

It's the same with people. We're so quick to judge others by their personalities or looks, we don't even consider that they have something wonderful to offer the world. However, this world would be dead boring if it was full of one type of person. Even worse, we wouldn't have the professional, artistic and cultural diversity that we celebrate today. Basically, the world would be completely out of balance. But how do you know where you belong? How do you figure out where you fit into the equation?

It's a common fact that people want to belong. It's totally natural to want to fit in somewhere. It's human nature. We need to feel like we have a place in the world; a purpose, and people that love us just for being us. The problem with this, however, is that we're taught to fit the mould. We're taught that we need to be a certain way to fit in. You go through school either forcing yourself into a social group you don't belong in, or suffer loneliness for not accepting the ideology. I was in the former category for a long time. And it's not because the people I grouped with were bad people; we were just different. They were apples and I was the carrot. Of course, I needed to belong, so I sucked it up and ignored it. Instead of accepting what I knew to be true and moving on, I tried to conform to what I thought I needed to be. This all happened because I didn't let myself be who I was.

If you're someone who is struggling with this right now, I have some great news for you. There are people out there who will accept and love you for everything you are. It won't be easy, I'll tell you right now. I had to spend a fair bit of time alone before I found where I belonged. But that's okay, because once you do, you'll wish you'd done it earlier.

Everyone is born with a unique set of personality traits, skills, talents and characteristics. It's those things, plus your life experience and attitude that will make you who you are. It can be really hard to figure out how to fit all of that into your own little slice of the world. But you are the only you there will ever be, and when you spend your life trying to fit someone else's shoes, you'll never feel good enough. Just like the carrot will never be a fruit, no matter how long it hangs around in the fruit basket. Dress it up any way you like; it's still a carrot. You'll know, because you won't feel right; something about it will never sit comfortably with you. So why try to be a fruit when you were born a vegetable? It's simple: you want to belong. I hear you. I do. Please bear with me. I found this poem on a Facebook meme that really got me thinking. It goes like this:

She had blue skin,
And so did he.
He kept it hid,
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by...
And never knew.

There are people out there literally searching for someone they can relate to. Someone like you! (seriously). But we're all walking around with these masks on our true personalities, too scared to cause a commotion. We're so scared of being different that we'd rather live our lives halfway. Please, if you get nothing else from this blog, get this: walking alone is never as lonely as being alone in a crowd. What do I mean? You can spend all your time being a carrot in the fruit basket, a writer in a science course, or an athlete in a business suit; but you'll feel lonelier doing that, than just being yourself. Naturally, it's easier to just go with the flow. I get it. But you only get one shot at life, so wouldn't it be worth finding out?

You owe it to yourself -- and your creator -- to use what you have and make the best of it. Just quit trying to be something else. If you were meant to be an apple, you would be an apple! It's like a car trying to be a truck. It wasn't made to be a truck; it was made to be a car. If the maker of the car wanted it to work like a truck, they would've just made a truck. If God wanted you to be like them, He would've made you like them. So instead of feeling 'less' than the people around you because you're different, you should feel all the more unique. Just because you don't fit into their category, doesn't mean there isn't a place where you will fit in.

Clearly, it takes a bit of bravery to leave the fruit pile and find your vegies. There will always be the fear of failure, the fear of disappointment, and of course - loneliness. And it very well could be lonely for a while. But at the end of the day, you'll find your way to the right people, the right friends, and the right career. You'll be happy, because the people around you will understand you, and relate to your interests. They will appreciate everything you are, and you'll never feel like you don't belong again. You really have more to lose by not doing it.


Thank you for reading this week's blog. I hope you all enjoyed it. Feel free to add suggestions, feedback and comments below this blog. Alternatively, you can post them to the official Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/bettieteesblogspot.

Family Ties

I hope you're all prepared to be smooshed by gooey talk. 

Okay, I'm only kidding, don't freak out. Today I want to talk about families, and why they're so important. 

Firstly, you should know I write my blogs based on whatever's really stood out for me throughout the week. This week, it's family. Yep. I can't say it's all been wonderful, but it's usually when things go wrong that you realise how important it is. Let me explain this: you only know what you've got when it's gone, right? It's the same with family. If you have a fight with a parent, sibling/cousin etc., you realise how much better it is to be at peace with those people. 

Let's face it: half the time you wonder if your family is only there to drive you crazy. And it's true. They do drive you crazy, and that's not going to change just because you're getting older (spoiler alert). Basically, there's no point wishing they would change just because time has passed. The beauty of family is that they find new ways to drive you up the walls. When you're five, your siblings drive you mad by stealing your toys. When you're twelve, you get grounded and treated like you're still eight. You make it to sixteen, thinking Of course they'll take me seriously. You get a lovely surprise on the other end of that one, but I won't spoil a second hope on the same blog. 

Don't be fooled though: adulthood doesn't stop it from happening. The point is, your family can drive you crazy your whole life long. But you're probably doing it to them, too, so please don't go around acting like a victim around them. They're not bad people, they just know you too well, and vice versa. There is a bright side to all of this; please bear with me! I need to cover the crappy bits first.

I can promise that no one else you come across in life will fight you, bully you, hurt you, forgive you and look after you the way your family will. Sure, they're the most frustrating human beings in your life, but they're also the only people who will be there for you when no one else is. Wrap all of that into a big ball of DNA sequences, and you have unconditional love. I grew up with seven siblings, and we all took our turn doing stupid things that friends would've given up on us for. But our parents never did. And that's the difference between friends and family. Don't get me wrong: I have some truly amazing friends that I would not trade for the world, and I'm not saying that you can't have great, supportive friends. Hell yes, you can. I do, too. However, if we put things into retrospect, the majority of your friends would not put up with and forgive half of the crap your family does. Feel free to disagree; I'm just speaking from my own experience.

Another big thing about family is that they have your back. Every time one of my siblings had some weird or ridiculous-sounding expedition or task to do, we all had to help. Even when it meant giving up my entire Saturday, I got into it and helped them out. Why? Not because I love carrying bricks around for my dad, or standing in the heat of the midday sun to rake the leaves. Of course I have better, more interesting things to do. But I know, with a certainty as strong as oxygen, that when I need help with something, they will do the same for me. Again, I'm not putting friends down, but they usually don't stick around for all of your boring plights the way your family will. There's nothing more supportive than that, people.

The sad truth is, these days a lot of families are torn, broken or disconnected, and they miss out on that support system a family provides. That's why it's so important to appreciate them now. Your mother isn't telling you not to go to that party because she wants you to suffocate in the house. And your dad isn't rejecting that boy/girl you want to go out with because he wants you to die alone with fifteen cats. You should remember that your parents have walked the road before you, and they probably know what they're talking about when they tell you something isn't good for you. If you saw your best friend walking into a trap, you'd stop them, right? Your parents are just doing the same thing. They love you, and you don't let someone you love walk into things that will hurt them later on. 

At the end of the day, you won't always understand why your family (including extended family) does or says the things they do. But one day, when you're wiser and older, you'll know it was for your own protection; even if that's not the outcome you got. As bad as it sounds, your family are the only people you can trust will always want the best for you. And if you feel punished because your parents are disciplining you, just remember that they want you to be the best person you possibly can. 

When I was six, I was eating lunch with my family one day. Being curious and immature, I decided to stick my finger into the tub of margarine and scoop out a lump. My dad saw me do it, and immediately ordered me to eat it. I protested, but he won in the end. I never forgot the horrible taste of plain margarine down my throat. I thought he was trying to torture me; when in reality, he was teaching me a valuable lesson. Every time I even though of wasting food since then, I stopped myself, remembering the margarine. What's my point? At the time, it can seem like your family wants to treat you badly to punish you. The truth is, I wouldn't take that lesson back for the world. You learn the most valuable lessons through the worst of times. Sure, that wasn't necessarily the worst of times, but when you're six, it sure does feel like it.

After having a wonderful weekend with my family, I was reminded of the warm, loving feeling you get from no one else. My best memories were made with them, and I wouldn't trade them for anything else. That's why it's so important to appreciate your family. They won't be around forever, and there's no better time than right now. Sure, my dad and I don't always see eye to eye on everything, but he's been at every award's night and special school assembly to support my achievements. I fight with my sister almost daily, but she's the best friend I have. I get lost in translation with my mother all the time, but I don't know anyone who would sacrifice as much as she has for me. And I know for a fact, that everyone has a family -- big or small, one parent or two -- that they can be thankful for.

You don't need to have a perfect family to be a happy one. In fact, I don't know anyone who does have a perfect family; and I don't believe they exist anyway. Just know that they've got you when nobody else does. Surely, that has to be enough to get you through the rest.

Making the Most of Now

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" - Teddy Roosevelt.

I, for one, can say this has been hugely affecting me recently. I always talk about making the most of now, and living in the moment. But if I'm honest, I'm only getting better at procrastinating; and it's so frustrating. I waste all this time on useless nothings, and then spend even more time regretting all the things I should've done that are now way behind schedule. The biggest downer is, you are the only one responsible, the only one getting frustrated, and the only one who has the power to change it. 

The funny thing about me is, I have told myself so many times that my brain only works at night. So I waste the day away (if I'm home), mauling over all the things I should be doing that I'm not. Then I try to console myself with the pathetic "my-brain-only-works-at-night" mantra I use to make sense of it all, when in reality, I should actually be getting off my butt and putting some work into more productive things. 
I don't expect that you will be using the same excuse to procrastinate, but we all make excuses for why we put things off.
Don't deny it. 

I know it's also very easy to fall into denial about the whole excuse thing; and people will swear that it's not an 'excuse', but a 'reason'. The truth is, if you're not serious enough about something to admit that you're making excuses, you'll never get it done. This blog may sound a lot like tough love, but I'm talking to myself here, too. We all do it. We make excuses and put things off until the very last minute, because it's the only time your brain works that fast. I get it; I really do.

The truth is, life only gets harder as you get older. What I mean is, in primary/elementary, you have a bunch of teachers checking your homework every week, and making sure you're on-track. You go to high school, and again, you have teachers, peers and parents all prodding you about your homework, assignments and study sessions. They all want to know how much you're putting into it. But once you get to University/Tafe/College, nobody cares anymore. Whether you fail or not, your tutors will still get payed.

Don't misunderstand me -- they're happy to help if you chase them up, but no one looks after you to make sure you're up-to-date with it all. It's your job to seek help once you're out of school. So it's really important that you learn to take control of your priorities while you're still surrounded by support. I got really independent in 11th & 12th grade, and I still struggle to motivate myself sometimes now. It's tough. You're on your own in the big, bad world, trying to figure out who you are and what you want. The point I'm getting at is that it's normal to feel a bit lost and generally confused. You're held by the hand for twelve years, then dropped into the deep end. It's hard, I know.

But if you remember the 15-year-old version of yourself, who believed in their dreams and vowed to let nothing get in the way of them, then you need to understand this is the exact point where you need to fight for those dreams the hardest. It's when you least want to do things that you need to try your hardest to do them. Why? Because only the fittest make it to the top of the food chain, and this means you need to learn to adapt to your environment, which includes self-motivation. Regardless of how hopeless and far away your dreams seem, you need to know that they can be achieved. They can. 

The main reason so many people never achieve their goals, is because they try for a little while and fade out down the line. They realise how hard it is and decide it's too much for them. I can't say I've achieved all of my goals, because I'm still learning and growing, but I know for sure, that everything I have managed to achieve, did not come easily. Achievements would not be achievements if they were easy to obtain. Everyone would be successful if that was the case. The sad truth about being successful is that it's an often lonely road. It's really hard to hold on, because you won't see results until your blood, sweat and tears have earned them; and you have no one to push you but yourself. Everyone else is occupied with their own goals.

I also think the whole "Making the Most of Now" concept has been classified under the YOLO category, and left there. Making the most of now applies to every area of your life, not just the fun, adventurous parts. No matter who you are and where in the world you live, you can make the most of everything you have in every moment, even if you feel like you have nothing. Some of the most successful people in the world came from nothing, so don't let that excuse you from what we're talking about. Absolutely everyone can take a leaf from this blog and apply it to their lives. It doesn't matter if you're not at the same level as the people around you, or if you're not where you hoped you'd be. What matters is that you just keep swimming! Snails are slow, but they still get places. What's my point? Just because you can't see it now, doesn't mean it won't happen. The catch, of course, is that you don't stop, especially when it's the hardest. The only walls that stop you from achieving what you want, are the ones you build yourself.

So forget where you are and who's beating you. I'll tell you quite harshly (and honestly), that someone will always be better than you at whatever you do. That's not the point. The best thing you can do for yourself in life, is to make the best you can out of whatever you have in each and every moment. If any of you ever had to make things out of piles of rubbish in primary school, you'll see my point. The teacher gives you a bunch of empty boxes, bottle caps, pipe cleaners and milk cartons, telling you to make something out of it. You look at the items at first thinking it's not going to amount to much. But as your robot/airplane/alien/whatever starts to take shape, you get really into it, and you realise you could make something awesome. By the time you finish, you have a ridiculous smile plastered ear-to-ear across your little face, and you feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. You think, Wow, I made this!

The idea is using what you have to make the best out of it, even if all you have is a pile of useless items. It's creating something unique with these things that makes the difference, rather than the quality of what you have. We don't all have the best resources available to us, but if we make the most of what we have right now, we can create something really unique. There's nothing more valuable than time, and we all have the same amount of it in every day. Procrastination is time's worst enemy, and it doesn't want you to do anything great. It wants to hold you back and see you throw in the towel. You can't let it win. Life is far too short and your dreams too important. You don't know when you'll run out of this precious resource, so it's up to you, and only you, to spend it wisely. Make the most of now.

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The Genius In You

How smart are you?

It’s a question we all feel the pressure to prove our value for. Every test you sit, every exam you write, every show you perform, and every speech you present carries this hidden question. It’s a question you never see on the paper, but you feel it by the butterflies in your stomach, the sweat on your palms and the quiver in your voice. And it’s really daunting. Throughout school, college/TAFE/University, you put all your energy into writing dozens of assignments to prove how smart you are. You’re conditioned to think – no, believe – if you don’t get great scores on your finals, and graduate with a good OP/GPA, you won’t have as good a future as the “nerds” in your class. You’re taught if you don’t take the hardest science and maths classes, you’re not really a genius like they are. So you limit yourself to average standards because you don’t understand calculus and chemistry. If you ask me, I think it’s ridiculous.

I spent over half my schooling life thinking the same thing. I always thought I wasn’t smart enough, because I didn’t catch onto algebra as quickly as the ‘smart kids’. Then I finally realised it wasn’t the case at all. Let me make something very clear: just because you can’t do what society tells you ‘smart people’ can do, does not mean you aren’t smart, too. And don’t get me wrong, if you’re one of those math geniuses I’m referring to, you should be proud of what your brain can do. I totally respect that ability. I just don’t think the rest of us should be dumbed down because our brains work differently.

The fact is, if you’re better at English and arty stuff than maths and science, it just means your brain works differently. The left side of the brain is what you use when you solve mathematical problems, and all your logical thought processing. The right side of your brain is where your creativity and artistic flair is produced. You can train both sides of your brain, but one will always be stronger than the other. So if you’re at the stage where you’ve realised you’re pretty bad at Art but you kick ass in Physics, you’re probably a Left-brainer.

And there’s nothing wrong with being stronger either way. In fact, if we weren’t, the world wouldn’t have all the things it does. It would either be full of art or full of architecture. They’re both great, but could you imagine if one or the other were missing? Life would simply be incomplete. That’s why it’s so important to remember that, no matter who you are or what you’re good at, you shouldn’t compare yourself to other people’s strengths. In fact, everyone should celebrate the diversity of talents other people have to offer the world. Everyone is good at different things, and we need all of the world’s wonderful brains to make it complete.

So forget what people tell you, because some of the most successful people to ever live were once told they would never amount to anything. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper for “lacking imagination,” and Michael Jordan was kicked out of his high school basketball team. If they had let that stop them, they wouldn’t have achieved the things they did. Need I say more? You can’t let what other people say determine your ability, your intelligence, and most of all, your amazing potential for success, whatever the word means to you.

Let me tell you something: you are good enough. You’re good enough because God made you exactly the way He saw perfect, and gave you everything you need to make the most of the genius you possess, regardless of the form it comes in. I’ll tell you right now, I couldn’t have passed Maths B in grade 11 to save my life, but I always knew I was great at English, so I worked my ass off and topped the subject for five years straight.

What am I saying? Find what you’re good at, and what you really love to do, and become excellent at it. Talents are like muscles: everyone has them, but you need to exercise them to make them stronger. And let’s face it, this day and age won’t promote you to excellence unless you put in the time. There are too many people on the planet.

It’s one of my biggest dreams to see the world embrace everyone’s genius, because we all have it in us. But just as Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” We need to quit judging people by their math grades and science certificates. Maths is not the only way to be a genius. We should be teaching students to use what they already have, instead of trying to force their brains at something else. If you were meant to be someone else, you would’ve been someone else. It’s really that simple. Life goes far too quickly to waste trying to do something you hate, when you could be the next Einstein at the thing you’re already great at. A life worth living is a life worth loving. 

Dream Killers of the 21st Century

Hello everyone, my name is Betina and I'm an app-aholic.

Apps.

If I could sum my biggest time-wasters up into one word, that would be it. And if any of you have an i-device, or know someone who does, you'll know what I mean. And don't think you're exclusive if you're not with Apple, because I know for a fact that Samsung and Nokia have jumped on the app-wagon, too. Angry Birds, anyone? 

No one is safe... O.o

Apps are the sickeningly wonderful inventions of tech-savvy people with too much time on their hands, who are clearly out to ruin your life. So they put their brains together and invent these impossibly addictive apps that chew up all your time and focus. Worst part is, they sell them to you like you need them. You wonder what you ever did before this eclectic wonder graced the face of the planet. And of course, one turns into one hundred, because once you’re sucked into it, you decide you’re not really living until you’ve explored every app that could have anything to do with your entertainment, social and work life.

Before you know it, they’ve taken over your life. You can’t do anything without checking if there’s an app for it. You go to the gym, oh wait, there’s an app for that. You want to play a new game, there’s an app for that. You forgot where you parked your car last night; do not fear, for there is an app to find it for you. You need someone to talk to; there sure as hell is an app for that, too.

It physically puts me into a panic when I look at the clock and realise three hours have passed and I'm still playing Candy Crush. It's an epidemic. I literally didn’t have the game for more than a fortnight before I started to see it everywhere. Suddenly, my siblings, friends, and a bunch of randoms on the bus are all playing Candy Crush.

Let’s face it: apps are highly addictive and totally unhealthy. Staring at an iPad screen for hours on end cannot possibly be beneficial for your eyes. Neither is missing out on life to play the latest version of Temple Run. You fall asleep playing these ridiculously over-repetitive games, and you don’t get out of bed in the morning before you’ve played a round. I mean, seriously, forget the zombie apocalypse. It’s apps that are killing our brain cells.

What’s so unbelievably ludicrous about apps is, you’re addicted even though you never get any satisfaction or reward from using them. Think about this: if you win the next level of Angry Birds, do you actually get anything out of it? Is getting a new high score in Sudoku going to help your career? Does it add anything to your life if you have 5 different photo shop apps? Are you going to help end world hunger or cure diseases by knowing how many calories are in your breakfast every day?

The ugly side of technological advances is this: they distract you from the things that will actually help you get somewhere with your life. They waste time you don’t have, so you compromise on everything else. That’s what addictions do, and just because these ones are decorated in bright colours and fancy features, doesn’t mean they aren’t just as bad as the others. Look, I’m not saying you should delete all your apps and sit at your desk studying all day and never do anything fun. Even if that were the case, I could not possibly succeed at winning it.

The idea is that life needs to be balanced. Everything needs to be done in moderation, or it will do more damage than good. Apps are no different. Of course you should enjoy them; that’s why they exist. But you don’t want to look back at your life in 30 years regretting all the things you didn’t do because you were distracted. There are a multitude of ways the world distracts you from achieving important things, and if you don’t learn how to manage your time between ‘fun’ and ‘priorities’, you’ll always let the ‘fun’ out rule everything else. I’ve been there, and it’s no way to get by. It destroys your plans, and pushes your dreams further each time you make another compromise for these distractions.

What I mean is, there’s a time and place for everything, which is why it’s important to prioritise. You only get one shot at living, and you need to make the most of it. You don’t want to get to the end of your life only to come to the realization that you didn’t do everything you wanted to. Play your apps, count your calories, but don’t let them rule you.

At the end of the day, if you don’t take control of what you have, then what you have will end up controlling you. You’re probably thinking, far out, Betina, it’s not that extreme. They’re just apps. Everyone has them.

Of course they do! I do too. But I’ve seen the ugly side of app addiction, and it killed so much time I could’ve spent on more productive exploits. It all comes back to regret, and there aren’t many things in life that are worse than regret. All I’m saying is, no app - no matter how amazing it is – will be worth the time you lose now, in ten years’ time when you didn’t do what you knew you could’ve, would’ve, should’ve done. Don’t wait until then, evaluate your priorities now.

Thank you for reading this week's blog. Hope you all enjoyed it! Don't forget to like the official page at www.facebook.com/bettieteesblogspot for weekly posts, inspirational pics & updates.

Bettie.