How To Stop Those Swirling Negative Thoughts

Just about everyone has been in a job interview. Have you ever been in one and blurted out an answer to the HR person interviewing you and then the recrimination starts? No, it's not from the interviewer; it's from that thought nag in your brain. It's your thoughts that come up, "Now, why did you say that?" and "Oh no, I've just blown the interview!", or even, "If this gets around, no one will ever hire me."

These types of responses and the thoughts that follow tend to happen when you're under pressure, like during that job interview. But here's the thing - thoughts aren't facts. Those screaming negative thoughts that assault your brain don't automatically turn into acts, either.



These cascading thoughts become a sort of self-punishment, whirling around in your brain, telling you what a screw-up you are. And more of those types of thoughts spawn even more, until you begin to believe that you've never done anything right, and are only capable of ruining your life and everyone else's in the future. Again, remember that thoughts aren't facts.

It's time to disrupt those negative thoughts with gentleness, even though that gentleness can be hard to find amidst the whirling negative thought machine. That's actually when thinking about the biological process of breathing can come in handy. Let the thoughts come; don't fight them. Focus on breathing, the flow of air in and out.

Focus on breathing can help you find out what is driving the thoughts and provide the calm of mindfulness. That anxiety and pressure that led you to blurt out an answer and then succumb to the negative thoughts can be calmed down. Focus on breathing helps reduce the pressure you feel, and allows you to focus again, so you don't end up undermining yourself.

That can also help place a more realistic perspective on what did occur. A mistake isn't the end of the world. You can learn from it, and might actually stop yourself the next time you feel the impulse to blurt out an answer. The harsh, self-critical thinking does not help; it hurts. You can even make a plan to focus on your breathing before you walk into a pressure-filled situation, allowing you to make more thoughtful responses. Mindful breathing can really lead to more positive experiences.

Thanks to information from this article by Elaine Smookler at Mindful: http://www.mindful.org/stop-negative-thoughts-from-getting-you-down/.

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A New Location On The Agenda

One of the pizzas available at Fleet Street location.

The BAGBY RESTAURANT GROUP has several locations throughout the Baltimore region, with different names and various ambiances. The food comes locally from its own Cunningham Farms, located in Cockeysville, MD. That means fresh produce, eggs, pork, and lamb are on the menu daily.

Now, over in Owings Mills, northwest of Baltimore, a new mixed-use development project is underway. The Bagby Restaurant Group is involved in a big way. In a first for this company, the plan is to open a liquor store, Foundry Row Wine And Spirit, in a 9,000-square foot space. The store will join such other retailers as anchor store Wegman's, a DSW shoe store, Panera Bread, and Smashburger's.



At the time their store plans were announced, CEO Chris Becker said, "Anytime you can be next to a Wegman's that has the potential of doing anywhere from $80 million to $120 million [in sales] - I think they range from on their locations - it's always tempting. And based on everything we looked into, it looked like a good move."

The company already had five restaurants in its portfolio and the plan was to add a wine store into the mix. But, Mr. Becker is planning that the store will have the added hospitality that is so much part of the restaurants already in the Bagby family. Mr. Becker explained, "We are trying to establish something a little different and give it an actual brand. Most places you don't really see liquor stores develop that so we're going to have the opportunity to have a great feel of a space with a nice brand." That actually could come about, with plans for the store to hold wine, beer, and cheese tastings, along with other special events, once the construction and store opening have occurred.

At the same time, Bagby is also planning to expand locations occupied by its quick service pizzeria, Bagby Pizza. Originally opened in downtown Baltimore, with a second one opened in Pikesville this past August, the brand has been so successful that the company decided to add another pizzeria to its holdings at Foundry Row.

Chef John Hufnagel at Ten Ten American Bistro, a more upscale restaurant.

This new Bagby Pizza will occupy around 2,000 square feet and be able to seat 35 customers. This one will be modeled on the quick-service Pikesville model, with less casual dining space than the original downtown location. Construction is to begin in June of this year, utilizing reclaimed wood and recycled materials, with an opening planned for the fall.

Artist's rendering of Foundry Row development project.

Thanks to this article from Baltimore Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/blog/charm-city-flavor/2015/04/bagby-restaurant-group-to-sell-wine-and-spirits-at.html; this article from Baltimore Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/blog/charm-city-flavor/2015/08/bagby-pizza-to-open-foundry-row-location-in-2016.html; and the above link.

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Music Support For Vulnerable Youth

Participants engaged in bucket drumming.

Many who have worked in mental health facilities have awareness that many types of therapeutic interventions are utilized in treating those who have emotional illnesses. One type of intervention involves the therapeutic use of music, which helps in expressing feelings or relieving dark moods.

In Portland, Oregon, Ian Mouser was working in two different settings with both youth in foster care and youth facing mental health challenges. He became aware of how music and songwriting could contribute to building relationships and, perhaps, transform lives. So, he founded MY VOICE MUSIC (MVM), which provides youth ages 5 to 17 with opportunities to write, record, and release their own songs. For those youth facing crises, the organization provides support to cope, heal, and thrive through music.



Monica Metzler works for My Voice Music as a Programs Outreach Coordinator. It is her function to help schools and youth programs arrange for a young musician, or the organization itself to come onsite for programming. Monica can utilize her background as a musician, performer, recording engineer, and singer-songwriter to contribute to her work. She has also been developing free workshops for adolescents with chronic and terminal illnesses, along with those who have emotional issues. She explained, "Music is a positive therapeutic tool that teaches youth how to release emotions in a healthy, productive way. Having access to a program that involves mentoring, self-reflection songwriting, and a supportive community helps build confidence and coping mechanisms."

These workshops are available for youth in ninth through twelfth grades, who have diagnosed chronic illness, terminal illness, or mental illness. Participants keep a weekly journal, participate in percussion jams, receive instrument instruction, and learn songwriting techniques. There are even sessions with guest musicians, and opportunities to perform and record their music. The conclusion of the workshop is a performance highlighting their compositions, which is open to the public.

Middle school students participating in music activities.

The larger organization, My Voice Music, serves a wider range of youth, beyond those who have particular vulnerabilities, or are thought of as high-risk. Each year since its founding, MVM has served approximately 2,000 youth in various program settings. Over 100 volunteers donate countless hours as artists, instructors, and fundraisers. They have won recognition both inside and outside of Oregon in spreading the arts throughout the State.

Celebrating the last day of Rock Camp.

Thanks for information from this article at Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/monica-metzler-music-workshops-teenagers-chronic-terminal-illness/; and the above link.

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The Amazing Edible Water Bottle

The amazing sphere of water.

How many of us buy bottles of water, encased in plastic, then just discard that bottle without thinking much about it? I bet that's true of quite a few. Where do you think those discarded water bottles go? Well, those bottles don't just decay and become part of the soil overnight. It takes decades, maybe even centuries for the environment to absorb those discards, if it ever even happens. If you're one of those astute individuals, you know that those bottles can wreak havoc upon wild animals, cause some to get limbs caught in the openings, or if they have wider openings, they can trap snouts. And when that happens, animals die.

So, what can be done about this problem, outside of banning the sale of water in plastic bottles? Introducing three young men with backgrounds in industrial design - Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, Guillaume Couche, and Pierre Paslier. They are co-founders of SKIPPING ROCKS LAB, a startup company based in London.



The first issue that this company tackled was one-time use bottles. The amount of waste that is generated is staggering. They came up with a product known as Ooho!, which is a type of packaging material made from seaweed and comes in the form of a sphere. The properties of interest were that it is easy and inexpensive to produce, strong, biodegradable, safe for humans, and even edible. It offers the convenience of plastic without the environmental impact.

Oh, and one other thing - you can even make it at home. The material is an algae-based gel and it is able to provide servings of water encased in a squishy gel. Unlike certain other manufacturers, these young men decided to place their formula under a Creative Commons license, meaning that the recipe and instructions are out there and free to use for anyone who wants to duplicate the product. In fact, if you are interested in finding out how to make the spheres, the information is in this video: https://vimeo.com/106488023.

By the way, this little invention still does have a few glitches. As you can see in the video, the sphere doesn't function very well after you take the first drink; the liquid just flows out. There isn't any way to keep the spheres clean and sanitized, and if you get a little rough with it, all of the water leaks out.

Discarded one-use plastic bottles clog up our environment.

However, sometimes a start is needed to bring a product to complete fruition and placing the formula in the Creative Commons may inspire others to add materials that can address some of the product's shortcomings. At this stage of the design, one function that has appeared is that the material is bringing the issues of plastic pollution and water conservation into the public eye for discussion.

Rodrigo, Guillaume, and Pierre, co-founders of Skipping Rocks Lab.

Thanks for the information provided by this article on Goodnet: http://www.goodnet.org/articles/edible-water-bottle-you-make-at-home?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=promoted%20posts; and also the above link.

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Helping People Who Are Homeless In Utah

Volunteers make personal, one-to-one contact with those who need their help.

Many organizations that provide services to those without homes take on a multi-task approach, trying to address more than one need. THE LEGACY INITIATIVE OF UTAH is no different. Its founder, Travis Hysell grew up knowing what it was to live with a limited income, and even spent a small portion of his life without a physical home. His mother raised him and instilled in Travis his sense of compassion and caring. He recalls her teaching him, "Even when we have little, it is still important that we help those who have less."

A major part of the projects launched by the Legacy Initiative involves a 5 acre community garden and an 8 acre food forest in American Fork, Utah. The community garden is being built in four different phases, with the first two phases setting up the gardens and crops. The remaining phases add various buildings around the gardens. These gardens provide foodstuffs for such services as the food kitchen, which provides meals for those who lack that resource.



The organization does operated with minimal resources. They raise awareness among community members and provide avenues for participation. For instance, the Legacy Initiative started out with just nine volunteers and had grown to 400 volunteers and served 20,000 meals by early 2014.

These days services are divided among three different teams. The Grey Team is the original program and provides food, clothing, hygiene items, along with other needed resources in a dignified and respectful manner. This team also provides advocacy services, providing a voice to those without permanent homes. The Red Team patrols the streets. By providing a street presence, they hope to reduce crime. The team removes and destroys used needles, various paraphernalia, and other harmful items; breaks up fights, provides first aid, and contacts EMS if needed; and performs welfare checks under extreme cold conditions. The Green Team is known for its sustainable practices. This team has been building the community garden in phases and is also working on the food forest. By doing this, the team is promoting sustainable practices and has the support of the city of American Fork.

There is compassion and dignity in helping others.

Besides promoting community involvement, the Legacy Initiative also accepts donations online. The future includes plans to spread their approach to other communities in the Far West. Similar to what has been accomplished in American Fork, the organization has been training teams in California and Washington. They wish to spread their caring and compassionate approach and their belief that all people are deserving of respect and dignity.

Some members of the Red Team.

Thanks to information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/travis-hysell-legacy-initiative-utah/; and the above link.

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Meeting Life's Challenges

Tristan Schilling in a hallway of York College.

Every so often, you can find a remarkable individual who, despite physical challenges, makes a mark in the world, just by living his life. That is true of Tristan Schilling, who has cerebral palsy that presents mobility challenges and also has a rare genetic illness that prevents him from feeling pain. In addition, his eyes don't produce tears and his body has difficulty regulating body temperature. He has spent his entire life in a wheelchair.

Tristan's physical condition has previously been in the news, when he was a lot younger. At age 5, he was in danger of losing his vision, so his parents launched a campaign to raise money so he could go to Rome for a special procedure only available there that ended up saving his eyesight. Later, as Mr. Schilling reported, "And I was in the news again when I scored a touchdown before one of our football games. So yeah, my name has come up a lot."



Today, Tristan says, "I'm in college, and that's always been a dream of mine. I've driven by York College as a kid so many times and I never knew that they would have so much to offer." However, unlike physically-abled college students, he requires a lot of support from caregivers. But his health care insurance provider, Gateway Health, was not on board with providing those services, which can be dauntingly expensive.

So, that prompted his mother to visit state Senator Scott Wagner. Sen. Wagner said, "They explained everything to me and showed me their documentation. What it came down to was round-the-clock care  vs. limited care. [Gateway's] interpretation of his needs resulted in him receiving limited care, but paperwork doesn't always paint a full picture."

That's when Sen. Wagner contacted Gateway President and CEO Patricia Darnley, Chief Clinical Administrative Officer Marie Glancy, and Legislative Director Tracy Lawless, and the group met in Harrisburg. Mr. Schilling continues, "I told them straightforward, 'I think it's wrong that you guys aren't allowing my needs to be met, this is what you're supposed to do, you're supposed to be able to provide for people.' We were able to get straight to the point and I got what I needed."

By November, the appeals with Gateway were resolved and they started providing 24-hour services, replacing the temporary services that he had been utilizing. Tristan does have some hopes regarding his recent experiences, "I think I made a lot of heads turn. My biggest wish coming out of this is that these companies start doing what they're supposed to and I think government should help them, but I don't think me, alone, can fix everything. There's just a lot of gray area."

What Tristan's situation shows is that in order to live in mainstream society, people who have physical challenges, and their family members, have to be able to function as their own advocates. Not only do you have to figure out how utilize assistive devices and services, but you also have to fight through a mountain of red tape that prevents you from reaching those services. It sometimes takes a determined pioneer to show the way to a solution.

On that special day when Tristan scored a touchdown for his team.

That determination may have added some new career possibilities into Tristan's future. As he reported, "My advisor suggested I change my major to public relations advocacy. I'm thinking about it."

Tristan Schilling has learned a lot about advocating for himself.

Thanks to information from this article by the York Dispatch: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/education/2015/12/20/new-challenges-lead-york-college-freshman-advocacy/76672996/.

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Hope Comes In Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

Exercise is an important part of preparing for MMA.

They come from the neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, and Hyde Park in Boston. While living in these neighborhoods they have been exposed to violence, poverty, and absence of links to education. It would be easy for these youth, ages 14 to 21 to lose hope.

But through LEVEL GROUND MIXED MARTIAL ARTS, they are being exposed to mixed martial arts - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. No Gi, and striking classes. These martial arts also expose youth to the tenacity, resilience, and discipline that are part of those arts. In addition, the programming provides daily life skills training, academic and career support, and individual mentorship. The youth program is available through two middle schools and one high school, and there is also an evening program at the Roxbury location.



The program has been in existence since 2013, started by Alexandra (Ali) Fuller, who has an MBA from Simmons School of Management, with undergraduate degrees in International Politics and International Affairs from Penn State. She has participated in mixed martial arts and ever since, dreamed of establishing the type of program that she turned into a reality. Her hope has always been for her students to "overcome incredible barriers they face that compromise the realization of their potential and dreams."

Level Ground is always looking for individuals to help out. You can volunteer as an instructor, mentor, tutor or host. Those who would like to donate can do so once or on a monthly basis. If you chose the sponsorship route, you would donate a larger lump sum to provide services for one athlete of a particular weight class. Corporations can hire the staff to provide classes at their site for a fee. The types of classes include MMA conditioning and training, MMA-inspired conditioning, and/or women's self-defense conditioning and training. Sixty percent of the revenue from the three corporate programs go back to Level Ground for their youth programming.

How has this program impacted the lives of the youthful participants? According to one 17-year-old, "Since joining Level Ground, I've been out of trouble - like running the streets. It really helped me build good friendships, and motivated me to work harder and do better." An 11-year-old middle school participant responded, "Level Ground taught me the main ideas of discipline and respect, and now I'm much more focused. I'm a totally new person because of all the love and care from everyone." And a 23-year-old youth added, "Level Ground has made me a more humble person, and showed me being humble comes from wisdom. It allowed me to make new friends and have a better relationship with my brother."

A group of fundraisers for Level Ground.

When a program is making such a positive impact, it is important for it to continue its valuable work. Each participant is a youngster who won't be part of a gang, who won't be committing crimes or doing drugs. It's the caring and the support that is of utmost importance; it's what makes a difference.

Friendships are an important part of Level Ground's youth programs.

Thanks to information from this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/alexandra-fuller-level-ground-mixed-martial-arts-program/; and the above link.

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