happiness
Happiness, defined; things that help you find happiness, keep it, and share it with others.
THE NATURE OF ABUSE. Content Warning.
The nature of abuse is fundamentally defined by an imbalance of power and control, where one seeks dominance to achieve obedience within the powerless state of another. The path to restorative peace, emancipation, and freedom must reside within the state of truth. To become a catalyst of change one must force the mask to drop for transparency and accountability to emerge. The façade or persona others may project to the world, often conceals their core real true-self. True character is often revealed within moments of critical crisis, where someone who has experienced grave injustice, torture, ridicule, resistance to help, or silencing is forced to walk without assistance. Within moments of despair one enters into the ascended state of revelation, awakening, and enlightenment of the true self. One must acutely address and recognize where policy, legislation, legal frameworks, leadership, or lack of compassionate care or empathy may not be apparent. What resides or lies beneath, will always emerge to the surface within time, especially when another’s superficial mask drops. What is often revealed is the performative façade is no longer evident. Within the critical moments of relationships, genuine intent is demonstrated by compassion, understanding, support, and a willingness to set aside personal selfish interests for the common good of all. Unfortunately, within the realms of cruelty or manipulative intent, there can be a stark contrast to the reality initially being presented prior by the abuser, as the charm inevitably fades. Survivors of abuse can identify a change in character when loss of control is evident. Within the moments of absence, indifference, apathy, or silence, abusers are often challenged in the sense, that they must confront what they have inevitably become. Abusers are often publicly caught in a lie that they cannot explain away. A turning point emerges for a victim of abuse, when there is a shocking devastating realization that the person they confided in, was engaging in a performance act. This knowledge can be a catalyst for a victim to begin their healing journey and leave an abusive relationship, as it provides certainty, that their instincts and moral judgement were correct all along.
By ELISABETH BABARCI about a month ago in Motivation
Where Is God When Bad Things Happen?
Bad things continue to happen in the world. People are aware of the mass shootings, terrorism, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wars, parents killing their children, and children killing their parents. Those acts have left loved ones in pain, suffering, and grief.
By Margaret Minnicksabout a month ago in Motivation
Just Being
What is a model human being anyway? Can anyone follow all of these steps and guides in a life unpredictable? Yes there are privileged individuals out there who take a very structured path to success but for 90% of people in the world this is not reality, and more often the advice stems from such demographic groups who can comfortably afford to sit at home making viral content all day without the concern of survival.
By Malachai Houghabout a month ago in Motivation
From Struggles and Failures to Building a Global Fried Chicken Empire
The man you see in the logo of the world’s most famous fast-food chain, KFC, is Colonel Harland Sanders. He spent his whole life doing hard work, but after the age of 65, something happened that completely changed his life. In this journey of success, he faced many challenges, and in the end, his own company, KFC Corporation, even filed a court case against him. Harland Sanders was born on September 9, 1893, on a small farm near Henryville, Indiana. The first big difficulty of his life came when he was only six years old, and that was the death of his father. Since he was the eldest among his siblings and his mother had to stay out of the house all day to earn money, Harland had to take the responsibility of raising his younger siblings at a very young age. By the age of just seven, he had already become skilled in cooking bread and vegetables.
By Bilal khan about a month ago in Motivation
Children Don’t Grow Up—They’re Pushed
We like to say children grow up too fast, as if time itself is to blame. As if childhood simply slips away on its own—quietly, naturally, without resistance. But that isn’t the truth. Children don’t grow up. They’re pushed.
By Imran Ali Shahabout a month ago in Motivation
everything happens for a reason
People often say everything happens for a reason. Let's understand why. One day in a forest, a young man came to meet a wise saint. He was very sad and crying. The saint asked what happened. The young man said, "Everything I had is gone." Robbers stole everything. I have nothing left. Not even a way to go home. How can this be good? It's the worst thing ever. How can you say it's for the better? The saint replied, "Let me explain through a story," the saint began. Once a terrible flood hit a small village, washing away everything. A poor farmer's family lost even their little store of grain. The farmer's son said calmly, "It's okay, father. Let it go. Whatever happened happened for good." The farmer got angry and said, "Why are you saying such foolish things? Everything we had is gone. We don't even have food or shelter. He shouted at his son, "Go away. Leave me alone." The boy left in tears. But as evening came and the boy hadn't returned, the farmer felt regret. Suddenly, a rescue boat came and saved them. A villager said, "You scolded that boy for no reason. He was right. We got saved after all." But the farmer said, "How is this good? We still have no home, no food. What will we do now?" His wife said, "We may not have money, but don't lose hope. We'll manage somehow. I'll start working in nearby houses to earn a little. That will help us survive." The next day, the farmer went to the city to find work. He looked everywhere, but didn't get any work. He was worried. How would he take care of his family? They had no real house, just a small heart made from straw. One day, the farmer looked at his poor crops and felt even more hopeless. He said, "My son left home, too. I have lost everything." And people still say, "Whatever happens is for the best. How can this be good?" His wife consoled him. Don't worry so much. Try again. Things will get better. The Palmer agreed and went to search for work again. But again he found nothing. On the way back he met a saint. The saint asked him what was wrong. The farmer explained how the flood took everything. His house food and how life had become very hard. The saint said exactly that's why I'm saying what happened was good. The farmer got angry. How can you say that? I'm suffering. I have nothing. Even my son left me. The saint calmly said, "The answer to all your questions will come with time. Don't worry." That night, after the saint had spoken, the farmer sat quietly, thinking deeply about the words. He wondered if it could really be true that everything happens for a good reason. Later, the farmer got a job at a rich merchant's house. The merchant was kind and paid well. He even offered the farmer a house nearby to live in. One night, someone knocked at the farmer's door. When he opened it, he was shocked. It was his son. The son said, "You moved and didn't even tell me. I searched and found you here. I left that day and went to the city to find work. I got a small job first and then I saved enough to start a little tea stall. Slowly, I built a better life." The farmer was overjoyed. As his son spoke, he realized that even when everything seems wrong, life has a bigger plan, one that only time can reveal. The young man who was listening to this story said, "Okay, but in my case, everything was stolen. What good is in that?" The saint smiled and said, "Actually, I found something in the forest. Here, take this. It was a glowing stone." The young man realized it was a philosopher's stone, a magical stone that turns iron into gold. He said, "If my stuff hadn't been stolen, I wouldn't have come to the forest. I wouldn't have met you, and I wouldn't have found this treasure." So, friends, what did we learn from today's story? No matter how bad things get, time changes everything. Painful moments pass. Never make decisions in bad times that you'll regret later. Even the worst situations often lead to something better.
By nawab sagarabout a month ago in Motivation
“The Day I Thought I Couldn’t Go On — But Tomorrow Changed Everything”
I never imagined that a single day could feel like the heaviest weight in the world. It wasn’t the kind of day that sneaks up on you; it’s the kind that hits you like a storm you weren’t prepared for. From the moment I opened my eyes, something inside me knew that this day would be different. I didn’t know yet how different, or how much it would change me forever. The morning began quietly, deceptively calm. I went through the motions—brushing my teeth, making a cup of tea, scrolling through my phone—but my heart felt heavier than usual. Small failures from the past week clung to me like shadows. A failed exam, an argument with a friend, a project that didn’t turn out the way I hoped—it all piled on top of me, brick by brick. By the time I left the house, the weight of disappointment already made my chest ache. Then the real storm hit. I tried to hold it together, tried to keep walking forward, but everything seemed to fall apart at once. A message from someone I trusted made me feel betrayed. A mistake I thought I had fixed resurfaced, and I realized the consequences were bigger than I could handle. Even the sky seemed to mock me, dark clouds rolling in, drizzling rain that soaked me through as if nature itself knew my sorrow. I found a quiet park bench, alone except for the occasional passerby with their umbrellas and hurried steps. I sank down, my arms wrapped around my knees, and I let myself feel the weight of the world for the first time that day. Tears blurred my vision, not because I wanted to cry, but because my heart had no other way to release the pressure building inside. I kept asking myself, Why me? Why does everything feel so impossible right now? Hours passed like this—silent, painful, endless. I tried to remind myself that bad days happen to everyone, that life is a series of ups and downs—but the words felt hollow. My mind raced with “what ifs” and “if onlys,” and every solution seemed just out of reach. I felt like a failure, like the world had moved on without me. I thought about giving up—not in the dramatic sense, but in the quiet, subtle way that your heart stops trying to hope for better. And yet, in the middle of that stormy day, something shifted. It wasn’t sudden, and it wasn’t magical. It was subtle—a thought, a memory, a small whisper in the corner of my mind that reminded me of who I was. I remembered the times I had struggled before, the nights I thought I couldn’t get through, and somehow, I had. I remembered the people who had believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. And I remembered one simple truth: pain doesn’t come to destroy you; it comes to teach you. I sat there for a long time, letting the rain soak through my coat, letting the tears fall freely, letting myself simply exist in the moment. And slowly, the anger, the fear, and the despair began to loosen their grip. I realized that this day—terrible, exhausting, heartbreaking—wasn’t the end of my story. It was a pause. A chapter that would shape me into someone stronger, wiser, more compassionate than I had been yesterday. By the time the sun began to peek through the clouds, painting the sky with soft hues of gold and pink, I felt a quiet shift in my chest. It wasn’t a dramatic change; it wasn’t like someone waved a magic wand. It was a tiny flicker of hope—a reminder that tomorrow existed, and tomorrow was a chance to start again. I walked home slowly, each step lighter than the one before. I realized that I didn’t need to have all the answers right now. I didn’t need to fix everything at once. All I needed was to keep moving forward, even if it was just one small step at a time. That night, I wrote in my journal—a habit I hadn’t kept up in months. I wrote about the pain I had felt, the mistakes I had made, the people who had disappointed me, and the fears that had kept me awake at night. But I also wrote about the small victories: the fact that I had survived this day, the fact that I had faced my pain instead of running from it, the fact that I was still here, still breathing, still willing to try again. And as I wrote, I realized something profound: every hardship, every failure, every heartache had shaped me into who I am. They had given me strength I didn’t know I had. They had taught me lessons that no easy day ever could. The next morning, I woke up before sunrise. The world was quiet, bathed in soft golden light. I stepped outside and felt the cool morning air on my face. For the first time in what felt like forever, I smiled—not because everything was perfect, but because I was alive. Because I had the chance to try again. Because I had the power to turn this day into the beginning of something new. I realized that life isn’t about avoiding bad days; it’s about learning how to survive them, how to grow through them, how to use them as stepping stones to something greater. Every setback, every heartbreak, every failure is part of the journey, not the destination. And so, I made a promise to myself: I would not let this day—or any day—define me. I would not let my mistakes or disappointments steal my hope. I would rest when I needed to, I would cry when I needed to, but I would never stop moving forward. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I don’t know if the path ahead will be easy. But I do know that I am stronger than I thought, braver than I imagined, and capable of more than I can see right now. And that is enough. That day—the day I thought I couldn’t go on—didn’t destroy me. It didn’t break me. It reshaped me, reminded me of my resilience, and showed me the quiet, unshakeable power of hope. Sometimes, the darkest days teach us the most important lessons. Sometimes, the storm is exactly what we need to see the sunlight. And sometimes, tomorrow really does change everything. So if you are reading this, and today feels unbearable, remember this: your story isn’t over. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to feel pain. You are allowed to be human. But don’t forget that pain is temporary, that storms pass, and that better days are waiting. You are stronger than you know, braver than you think, and the world still has beautiful things in store for you. Let today end. Let it go. Take a deep breath. And when tomorrow comes, step forward into it with hope in your heart, even if it’s just one small step. Because that step is everything—it is proof that you can keep going, that you can keep believing, and that you can keep writing your story, one day at a time. Your story is not over yet. And sometimes, the day you think you can’t go on is the day that changes everything.
By Ihtisham Ulhaqabout a month ago in Motivation
“The Selflessness of Hatim Tai”
In pre-Islamic Arabia, where evils were everywhere, there were still some good people. Among them was Hatim. Numerous stories have been told about Hatim. Even if we set aside the exaggerations in these stories, the truth remains that Hatim’s generosity is proverbial. In Islam, the generosity of Hazrat Uthman (RA) is exemplary, and countless incidents about him are well known.
By Sudais Zakwanabout a month ago in Motivation
