Ness Gale – Page 4 – Low Entropy

Toxic Relationships: Finding the Courage to Leave

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Ness Gale

Faizah Latif (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

Romantic relationships for some are a blessing, and for others they present a challenge. Valentine’s Day looks different for each individual, as does the journey of love. When an individual makes the brave step towards leaving a relationship that does not serve them well, it is not an easy decision to come to terms with. Surviving through the toxic relationship, they may not even fully realize that they are in an abusive relationship. It may take friends and family to initially bring up the topic, while the victim of abuse will likely deny it and make excuses for the toxic behaviour. However, one can deeply reflect and identify the symptoms of abuse, and then make the decision of whether or not they want to continue enduring pain in the relationship they are in. Friends and family play a vital role in this process because they will be able to identify how the individual has changed throughout the relationship, likely damaging signs that have impacted their self esteem greatly. Individuals may also realize through therapy sessions, or come to terms themselves, that they are in the middle of what feels like an impossible situation.

Fortunately, there is hope and a way out, even though it may not feel like it in the moment. It takes a courageous leap of faith. Things will be scary and unclear at first, however it is for the better and greater things are coming. When someone is abused in any way whether emotionally, physically, financially, or spiritually, the individual experiencing the abuse becomes immune to it. When it turns into a daily routine, they start to think it is normal. It takes a great deal of self-reflection to check in and honestly evaluate where we are. Is this person making me become my worst version of myself? Do I have the capacity to grow with this person? Do they make me happy and feel safe? In being truly honest with answering these questions, it will be clear whether or not the relationship in front of us is healthy or not.

It can be daunting to imagine what life will be like without this person, and it can also feel very lonely. This is where the right support system helps incredibly. Attending a support group to speak to like-minded individuals will help in developing friendships and allow you to know that every other individual in the room went through a similar experience to you. As this is a huge step in changing one’s way of living, it is important to embody self-compassion and to remember that your journey will look different to everyone else’s. As well, there is no linear path to healing and there will be ups and downs to face. Moments of uncertainty and feelings of self-blame will present themselves. This is not the case, and it is important to acknowledge that no one deserves to be abused.

This new journey ahead feels overwhelming, and it is as if a new life begins. However, this does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. In fact, a new beginning signifies growth, resilience, and a way to carve your own path. Leaving a toxic relationship allows you to develop self-awareness and an ability to truly understand the traits that are healthy vs. toxic in a relationship. This can relate to any relationship in our lives, not necessarily a romantic one. Through leaving something toxic, we can better assess our personal boundaries and how we will not let someone mistreat us again.

Speaking from my personal experience, a few years ago I left a toxic relationship that did not serve me well. It was very difficult in the moment; however, I am now in a much better place. I was able to learn from this experience. After I left the toxic relationship, I went back to school and started working on myself. I developed new hobbies and truly discovered who Faizah is. I have now almost completed my master’s degree in social work, and I hope to use it to advocate for other women in a similar position that I found myself in. I also run a weekly support group for women to discuss Narcissistic Relationships and how we can empower ourselves to set boundaries and live our true purpose.

Valentine’s Day and love does not always have to be about a romantic relationship, rather we can focus on self-love and determining our self-worth, instead of chasing it in someone else. We need to focus on being kind to ourselves and to remember that we are exactly where we are meant to be. If you have left a toxic relationship, I want you to take a moment to acknowledge how much strength you have. May you be a guiding light for others and continue to carve your way towards success.

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Faizah is an aspiring social worker, currently in the process of completing her Master in Social Work (MSW) degree. She enjoys self development and advocating for important causes in the community. Writing is one of Faizah’s passions, and she is honoured to share her writing on the Low Entropy platform in the hopes of providing inspiration.

How to Support Loved Ones During Hard Times

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Ness Gale

Grace Cheng (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

No one likes to see their loved ones in pain, and we are more than willing to assist them in any way we can. Any number of situations could arise, such as a loved one suffering from an illness, the break-up of a relationship, bereavement, or struggling to make a difficult decision.

Providing support to loved ones during tough times can be challenging. Sometimes you may feel that there is nothing you can do or that you are not qualified or strong enough to help. It can be challenging to determine if a loved one needs advice, a sympathetic ear, or even some tough love, especially when the wrong approach may lead to them feeling worse about their situation. When people are struggling with difficult issues in their lives, it takes patience, understanding, and empathy to be able to help them.

Here are nine ways that you can support your loved ones during hard times:

Be There

The thing you most want to do is be there for your loved ones when they are going through tough times. It can be difficult to cope with grief, but showing empathy and support can make a big difference.

2. Be a Positive Influence

Try not to focus too much on the negatives when you are spending time with your loved ones, particularly if you know they are going through a difficult time. When you are aware that they are feeling down, try to plan something fun that will take their mind off of it for a short while. You may use the opportunity to have a chat with them, as well as to just have some fun and unwind. In some cases, they are more willing to share their problems when they are relaxed, so it may be more effective to approach an issue in this manner rather than through an intense conversation.

3. Listening

Listening is sometimes the best thing you can do for your loved ones. Just being willing to listen to their problems will help them feel less alone and isolated. If they are having difficulty communicating, let them know that you are available whenever they are ready. It is important to remember that offering support is not the same as providing advice. Listen to what they have to say and give them space to speak without interjecting your own opinions or advice into the conversation. When you listen to your loved ones, you will have a better understanding of what they are going through, which will allow you to determine what you can do to help them.

4. Be Empathetic

Putting yourself in the shoes of a loved one is one of the best things you can do when they confide in you. It is important to empathize with them and to understand where they are coming from, not to only say, “Oh, that’s awful,” or simply to give them advice without empathizing with their situation. Think about what you needed from your loved one during difficult times in your own life, particularly if the person is a family member. Whenever possible, tell them, “I understand how you feel,”, and if they ask you or you feel it will help, share similar experiences you have had in the past.

5. Be Patient

It is important to remember that everyone’s path is different and that they must follow it at their own pace. Patience is critical to supporting your loved ones. By being patient with them, you are letting them know that it does not matter how long it will take them to get better, the number of treatments, or the difficulties that may arise, as you will always be there for them and that it is okay to take their time to get better. It will give them hope and comfort if you demonstrate your patience, especially if progress is slow or stalled, which will also help alleviate any guilt they may feel about not getting better sooner. Having realistic expectations is essential. For example, if you are dealing with someone who has a chronic illness, keep in mind that there is no quick fix. It will take time for things to heal and improve, nothing ever happens overnight.

6. Avoid Judgment

Being there for someone requires that you refrain from making judgments. It is common for people to feel unable to reach out to others when they are struggling, because they fear that their problems will be minimized or dismissed. It is imperative to put aside all preconceived notions and judgments before trying to console someone in their time of need so that they do not view you in this manner.

7. Offer Physical Touch

Put a gentle hand on their shoulder. By conveying empathy through physical touch, you are sure to make them feel a little better or at least cared for. Sometimes all they require is a hug. No words are necessary – just open your arms and they will hug you. Hold on for as long as possible in order to demonstrate that you are there for them.

8. Be Soft

During times of suffering, people may become distant, depressed, or angry. There is no doubt that it is easy to lose your temper when someone behaves in this manner towards you, but unfortunately, pain and suffering can bring out our worst characteristics. You must avoid using a “tough-love” approach and remain calm, as your loved one needs to feel that their relationship with you is an emotionally safe one. Be compassionate and speak from the heart to them. It is more likely that they will turn to you if you are kind and compassionate, and getting angry with them will simply not accomplish anything.

9. Keep Checking In

Remind your loved ones that you are always available for conversation or time spent together. Ensure that you follow up regularly with texts or calls and set reminders to contact them on days that may be particularly difficult for them, such as birthdays and anniversaries. People who experience hardship often receive a tremendous amount of support in the first few weeks or months and then feel forgotten as friends and family return to their everyday routines—so even if it is just a quick weekly hello, being there for them over the long term can make all the difference.

Being present for loved ones does not only mean being physically present, but also being emotionally, mentally, and spiritually available at all times.

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Grace has an accounting and finance background. She enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, watching movies and playing sports.

Unseen Inequalities and Unspoken Bullying

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Ness Gale

Najmuddin Hossaini (he/him/his), Low Entropy Volunteer writer

Dealing with the concept of relationships is an examination of a phenomenon that is complex and multifaceted. Relationships are somehow a predetermined value in a human community that holds countless ups and downs. Analyzing the historical and social apparition of relationships makes it clear that they have been vital to forming love, friendships, hatred, terrible mistakes, big misunderstandings, basal narratives and withheld stories. Therefore, probing each dimension of our associations requires patience, a lot of time and comprehensive research. However, in this brief article, we are going to take a look at inequalities in relationships.

What is equality in a relationship?

Equality in a relationship means that your partner has as much influence and importance as you. The central core of equality is the amount of respect that both sides show each other. Equality is an ideal state that should be established between two parties, or at least they should make an honest effort to demonstrate it.

What is inequality in a relationship?

Inequality in a relationship means that the power and influence of the parties are out of balance. One of the sides becomes more dominant than the other, which can make the less dominant individual feel ignored, disrespected, unvalued or resentful. This situation may happen gradually, suddenly, intentionally or unintentionally; however, in the end, it will produce an unpleasant outcome.

Some concrete examples of inequality in relationships

The symptoms of exercising authority in a relationship can seem innocuous, from the way two people decorate their room, extending to all matters of shared life. By looking at the items in the bedroom of two people who are in a relationship, for instance, we might find the person who has more power allocating more facilities of the room for themself, arranging their personal belongings in their preferred places and decorating the room according to their taste. This way of applying power might be so subtle that neither party is aware of the mechanism.

In addition, the way people express common issues, conflict, resolutions and love may be completely different between people with power imbalances in their relationship. In the way they raise their child, look for work, entertain themselves, travel and socialize, the party who enjoys a superior position will likely assert more of their opinions and taste. These actions of influence can continue until they turn from seemingly normal interactions into open bullying.

What are influencing factors?

Many elements bring inequality in a relationship. These factors include, but are not limited to, social status, family dissimilarities, differences in education, economic factors, religious beliefs and psychological issues. Exploring and examining such influences would require a detailed discussion, which is out of the scope of this brief piece.

What do we get?

Although many relationships have a very beautiful appearance and seem wonderful from the outside, many individuals are in unequal situations. Bullying, oppression and coercion have cast a heavy shadow on many relationships. That is why the phrase “toxic relationship” has seen wide usage in today’s discourse. When it comes to relationship norms, questioning, critical examination, self-evaluation, humility, tolerance and morality may be the way forward.

[Bio]Najmuddin Hossaini holds a master’s in philosophy from Savitribai Phule Pune University, and a bachelor’s in journalism and political public relations from Herat University. He has published articles on human rights, women’s rights, peace talks, Taliban extremism, violence, environmental issues, recognition and creativity.

What Happens After We Found Love?

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Ness Gale

Andreza Gonçalves (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer.

Love is a simple, four-letter word that seems to be so complex that many people still struggle to find the real meaning behind it.

Some individuals try to define it in books, chronicles, songs, poems, or even in actions and figures. However, it can be said that love is a personal feeling that exists inside of us and that we need to express in some form and receive back to live a healthy and happy life.

It has already been scientifically proven that the human race is a social species, which means that we have a strong desire to live in community, even if we are more introspective and don’t enjoy socializing. The COVID pandemic was a great example of how a person needs to be in touch with others (even if it happens in the lowest proportion possible) to get help and also to interact and not get depressed from feeling loneliness.

That said, keep in mind that love can be expressed for friends, family, a pet, meaningful objects, or even someone you met, grew to admire, and now wish to marry. This last one is called romantic love and is treated by many as a life goal to achieve happiness.

Some men and women dream about finding someone to marry, have kids, and construct their own nuclear family. A society’s portion even suffers when they notice that it is not that simple to find “the one”, and after they have found them, they feel as if the mission was accomplished and that’s it.

Of course this idea shouldn’t be generalized, nevertheless, it’s important to mention that loving one another goes way beyond getting married and having children, it can be compared to a seed that must be watered everyday in order not to die.

To better represent what I want to say, I need to mention a book that sounds pretty coherent to me and that seems to help us understand how it works to “water the seeds of love”. It’s called The Five Love Languages, and it was written by an American pastor, who is also a counselor and writer, named Dr. Gary Chapman.

In his work, Dr. Chapman explains that each one of us has a main love language that demonstrates what we mainly need to feel love. As the book’s title suggests, there are five main languages; acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, words of affirmation, and physical touch.

These tongues are followed by dialects, but every person has one or two main ways of feeling loved. On the one hand, there are those who sense appreciation when someone cooks them a dish or does the laundry; on the other hand, there are those who experience it when they receive a compliment, a gift, a hug, or attention from a special pal.

With a PhD in adult education, Dr. Chapman proves in his writing that love not only must be cultivated, but that it requires the correct caring. In his thoughts he showed that people who received demonstrations of affection that were distinct from those considered relevant by them tended to not see these actions as manifestations of fondness. This is so serious that some couples were about to split because they no longer felt loved by their once soulmate.

If you get curious about Dr. Chapman’s doings, I highly recommend you to take his free and online test to discover how you prefer to receive love, so you can get your own conclusions about what has been explained above.

So, before I faced the Five Love Languages theory, I used to strongly defend the idea that we must acknowledge the appreciation we feel for the people around us, although after it I started to better understand that folks (like my grandmother) were not rejecting my gifts, it was just that it wasn’t the principal way for them to sense my caring.

After all this reflection we have made about love, we can conclude that love has to be cultivated every day for it not to wither and die, but it also must be cared for correctly.

It might sound way too hard; however, when you learn how to pour your heart out effectively, it becomes an easier and more valued task that can generate mutual results that are surely worth it both ways.

And remember, if a love tank is full, it is more likely for it to overflow and return to you. Nevertheless, don’t apply this with the intention of receiving anything back, since love is neither selfish nor self-centered.

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Andreza is a Brazilian attorney, passionate about volunteering, and who wants to cause a good impact in the world. Andreza loves her family, her dog, and traveling. She lives in Brazil and expects you to be touched positively by her words.

Non-Romantic Love: Beautiful and Valid

Posted on February 10, 2023May 3, 2024 by Ness Gale

Eri Ikezawa (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

Growing up, I remember love stories playing out through all manners of media—boy meets girl, they fall in love, they encounter trials and tribulations, but ultimately, love triumphs. There are variations, of course, but the recipe for this lauded love story only changes by a pinch more angst and a tablespoon less cliched resolution—not to mention the dire lack of LGBTQ+ and ethnic representation throughout these stories.

We have come a long way since then, thanks to a societal progression that I feel profoundly privileged to witness, but we also still have more to accomplish—and more marginalized communities to represent. It is heartwarming to see love stories including same sex or interracial couples—especially as a mixed child who’d been searching for depictions of couples like my parents in my youth.

Now, there is an area I still think society could still stand to represent and appreciate more—the importance of love in non-romantic form. Whether it is familial love, platonic love, or the love of a pet, all of these forms of love are often overshadowed and undermined in the shadow of romance.

I would like to clarify that I absolutely am not trying to whittle away the significance of romantic love and relationships in the lives of people—but there are many shapes of love that deserve the spotlight as well. Through emphasizing these other types of love, we—as a society—would also be giving comfort to those on the asexual spectrum.

Even for me now, being single from my mid-twenties to the present time, I occasionally find myself feeling insecure and worried about my (lack of) relationship status. But not because I’m inherently concerned—rather, it is the effect of years of societal conditioning and implicit pressure from peers.

There are intermittent moments where I question if there’s something wrong with me or if I should actively be searching for someone before I realize that the voice in my head doesn’t even belong to me. I never feel empty, lonely, or small without a significant other.

And so, as a person who doesn’t put an extreme stock into romance—having no ambition to have children nor being particularly invested in the idea of marriage—I do occasionally wish society and media would demonstrate the same reverence for platonic and familial bonds. Between my close bonds with my family (and pet) and the deep adoration I have for my friends—my chosen family—I have never felt like I have been missing out being a single woman.

I think the pressure oftentimes is infinitely worse for women, heralding women for being mothers and wives, while there is a tacit stigma behind being involuntarily (or voluntarily) childless and unmarried. On the other hand, single men are often viewed as playboys or “silver foxes”—but I digress.

The point is, when I look at the impregnable pillars in my life, from my doting father to my composed mother and to all my reliable, honest friends, I feel so deeply and so strongly that I simply feel fulfilled with all the emotional riches and sentimental wealth I’m blessed with. From my perspective, I truly value my independence to the point where I feel like if a romantic relationship is impeding on my happiness rather than meaningfully contributing to it, I would much rather be alone than wasting energy and making pointless compromises.

None of this is to demonize or disparage people who deeply desire a romantic connection—I simply think society would benefit from focusing on other sources of happiness as well. The steadfast, unwavering support from a friend is just as meaningful to many people as the romantic relationships.

There is even the argument to make that we expect friendships to outlast romantic relationships. That is, people enter relationships knowing that—however improbable or miniscule—there is a possibility that they might part ways with their significant other at some point. People tend to implicitly trust that their long-standing friendships will be lasting and enduring. If this is the case, why don’t we showcase the significance of our friendships in media as often?

The reality is we should be able to decide what we prioritize as being sacred to us—without social or media scrutiny. Although I am never offended, I always do find it wryly entertaining when people ask me why I don’t have a partner at this stage in my life. I can’t help but think, why does it matter? Why do I need one? And if I’m not worried about it, then why are you?

Honestly, the way I look at it, I am currently so focused on accomplishing what I want out of life—I find every personal triumph as an internal accolade, further developing my self-esteem and sense of self. I also profoundly understand that I need my happiness to come from within—I don’t want to outsource contentment and joy, finding a home in someone else.

I believe that if it happens, it will. And if it doesn’t? Well, even now, I am happy with myself and the kind of person I have turned out to be to the point where I fully recognize that my value and worth—especially as a woman—doesn’t come from my relationship status or whether I am a mother. It never has and never will—whether society as a large chooses to acknowledge that is not my problem.

With all this being said, I would like to reiterate again, it is not my goal to mitigate the importance of romantic relationships in any capacity. But it is undeniable that these are the relationships that tend to both take the most precedence in people’s lives and be the primary focus of a lot of media content.

I think if people understood and saw that other sources of love can significantly contribute to a fulfilling life, people wouldn’t berate themselves or be scared of “being alone.” Even if you don’t have a romantic partner, as long as you have other balusters in your life, you are—truly—never alone in life.

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My name is Eri Ikezawa and I have an extended minor in psychology and a major in linguistics. I’m still on the path to quelling questions about myself and the direction I want to head in, but in the meantime, I have always wanted to find a way to help others and contribute to a community dedicated to personal development and self-love.

Toxins Kill, So Does A Toxic Relationship

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Ness Gale

Ugochi Guchy Kalu (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

A toxic relationship, just like the actual toxin is poisonous, fatal and could lead to damage or an eventual death. While we all have our moments and seasons of selfishness, a truly toxic person will only take and give nothing but pain in return. However, in an effort to not demonize the benefits of service and sacrifice as part of a good relationship, a healthy relationship is mutually self-giving. These challenges and sacrifices that are healthily accepted should only ebb and flow towards connection and love.

It would be worthy to note that toxic relationships are beyond the context of romance. Any relationship could become toxic including relationships with co-workers, managers, in-laws, parents, siblings, friends, distant relatives and even towards an object of worship. While many people would defend their toxic relationships only because there is no physical abuse yet, I will have you know that it is only a matter of time till you get to that point, as physical abuse is the extreme manifestation of toxicity.

Many times, relationships do not end the way they begin, little tweaks, compromises, stretched tolerances made over an extended period changes the dynamics completely. This is even true with human nature and the unending pretense and change we show intentionally and unintentionally. I have learned to become unfazed when someone narrates how their once sweet and tender partner suddenly became a beast. People, especially those closest to us, have a profound impact on our well-being, – though we all experience the difficulties of living and loving imperfect humans, ultimately, our relationships should be a source of joy and not frustration.

A while ago, I was at the hospital to visit my neighbor Lila who had suffered a first degree burn from a home fire. With her life hanging in the balance, I couldn’t help but wonder if her situation would be any different had she made other choices, loved herself enough, left her marriage, which has now been blunted by endless abuse. Lila was set ablaze accidentally by her husband while they argued on infidelity on his part, yes, right, “accidentally”. Lila had been married for 10 years, and each of those years had a progression pattern, from silent treatment, being neglected, emotional, verbal and physical abuse, arguments and fights bothered on infidelity and financial irresponsibility, until the climax of being accidentally set ablaze. The first night I met her closely was the night she had run to my house wearing only underwear. She had a black eye and scratch marks, she had gotten into a fight yet again, not that we are unaware of those high pitched voices and thundering sound from the next house, but there was only so much intervention we could offer. She needed to save herself at the very least. Lila left once with her two kids, we all were happy, rejoicing that she finally chose health and herself, only to see her return after a month on account that her husband had apologized and promised to change. Her mother had advised her to reconcile with her husband as divorce was shameful and not taken lightly in their family, her spiritual mentors had advised her to fast and pray for her husband as it was the devil trying to destroy her marriage.

Conversely, I encouraged her to leave the sickened marriage and suddenly became the enemy. As I sat by her bed side and watched her draw her last breath, I had all kinds of emotions and thoughts running through my mind, there are simply no words to describe the chaos my mind experienced in those moments. Lila is no more, I’m certain there are many women and men like Lila, who held their toxic relationships hostage and refused to let go, with the false hope that things will get better.

One problem out of many, is that a lot of troubled relationship habits were baked into our culture, we have been enshrined to worship romantic love and scoff at practicality or unconventional sexuality. All genders have been encouraged to objectify each other to the point of seeing marriage as the best achievement and our partners as the prize we win in life. The religious teachings and cultural beliefs of so many people have been flawed to the point of no return. We have been brainwashed into accepting irresponsible partnerships as the only guaranteed pathway to societal recognition and respect.

I could welcome you to my country where single women are abused for not being able to score a man, where single men of a certain age are pressured by all and sundry to get a wife as their generational continuity is in double jeopardy. Welcome to my country where parents force their daughters to remain in an abusive marriage to avoid the shame and opinion of relatives, neighbors and friends. I could welcome you to my country where religious leaders and counselors recommend that couples pray and remain in a toxic relationship. I could welcome you to my country where we blame the devil for our acts of abuse and negligence rather than be accountable. I could welcome you to my country where people scorn each other and compete on which marriage is the happiest using social media as the validation tool. I could welcome you to my country where your married friends cut you off because you are no longer worthy of their presence and status. I could welcome you, but I’d rather not because your country probably shares the same sentiments.

Many of us entered relationships without realizing that a lot of our beliefs and habits are toxic to begin with. We enter relationships prioritizing love over the core components of a healthy relationship which is respect, trust and affection. With this mindset, we run the complete circle and end up with an emotionally damaged society. As relationships evolve, intimacy becomes companionship, companionship becomes complacency, complacency becomes contempt as the maximum limit of toxicity is now achieved. IT IS TIME TO LEAVE! Build that courage to leave alive or get dragged out in a body bag.

While exploring the signs of toxic traits in a relationship, these stood out the most; From partners who kept emotional score cards to obsession and jealousy, controlling, projection of insecurity, doing the bare minimum while expecting others to always bend backwards. Dishonesty, disrespect, negative financial behaviors, resentments, toxic communications filled with sarcasm, gaslighting conversations and extreme criticism fueled by contempt. These traits led to the unhappiness, ultimate doom and complete annihilation of anything healthy and sweet that was previously available in the relationship. I dare say that the greatest gift you can give to somebody else is the gift of your own personal development, filled with self-love and a healthy sense of confidence.

The road from a toxic relationship to a healthy one is not easy. Most people will not be able to scale it and commit towards recovery. There are chances that things could change for the better, however, I write as a prime advocate of mental health, in this instance, I would always prescribe the solution of leaving alive. I always encouraged victims to take a break, to give it all up, to let go of whatever investment is holding them down. I always prescribed the courage to love yourself selfishly while choosing the gift of life and happiness over the pains and exertion. My prescriptions are usually countered as harsh and extreme, regardless, I stand by my statement and convictions.

My name is Ugochi Guchy Kalu. As a firm believer of healthy relationships and self-love, I insist you own your past, take the step towards changing your future, because you are worthy of great love and healthy partnership.

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My name is Ugochi Guchy Kalu, I have lived in a bubble and also experienced real life hurt. I pulled through the toughest times through acceptance and a positive outlook. Stay positive, pals!

Love Isn’t a One Time Thing

Posted on February 5, 2023 by Ness Gale

Cristina Crescenzo (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

For as long as I can remember I have always been infatuated with the idea of love and romance, getting my first taste of it through fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, believing that true love’s kiss was genuinely the most powerful magic in this world. In addition to the media I was consuming on a regular basis I grew up with parents that had been together since high school and I believed I should strive for the same thing; a love that endures.

It wasn’t until I got past my primary days that my relationship towards love started to change almost to a more bitter degree. Don’t get me wrong I have always felt nostalgia for fairytales and have held tight to the belief that everyone deserves a happy ending but now that I have more life experience I have seen love take shape in many different ways and I understand now that love is something that doesn’t just apply in a romantic context. Thus, when I am asked a question like “Is it possible for a person to have more than one great love in their life?” My answer would be very different to the one I would have given at 13 years old.

Therefore, I no longer believe that people can only have one great love in this life because romantic love is not the only type of love we can experience and it is also not the most important one either, at least in my eyes. Someone I used to love once told me that “you can’t love anyone else until you learn to love yourself” and those words have been stitched into my heart ever since. So now learning to love myself more than anyone ever will is one of my main aspirations, because although meeting someone you can connect with is such a beautiful and special thing I think being able to love yourself despite all the flaws you may see or all the obstacles you might face alone qualifies as one of the greatest forms of love. I would count myself lucky if ever met one other person I could love that deeply but also feel secure knowing that if that love were to come to an end due one of many inexplicable reasons I would still have that love for myself that will sustain me through the rest of my time on earth.

At the end of the day within my own mind and heart I feel that we can encounter many different types of love in our lives and they can all be wonderful. For instance, the love I have for my dog and the love that he has for me is without conditions. Another example of a profound love we can share in a platonic way is with our friends. Hence, I trust that I have proved that love is not a one-time thing, however I do think the happily ever after part is up to us.

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My name is Cristina Crescenzo I’m a just a girl who loves to write and while I am going to school Low Entropy is a place I can share my passion and ideas with a diverse group of individuals. My main goal is always will be to spread awareness for mental health and the disabled community.

Is Loving Easy?

Posted on February 5, 2023 by Ness Gale

Bethany Howell (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

I once believed love to be something that occurs to a person – a passive process that is both inevitable and all-encompassing. That is what I was taught through countless forms of media consumed by my childhood self. Love seemed to be something just out of reach for me at that age. Sure, I knew what it was like to have crushes – the youthful flip of the stomach when I saw that one individual – but love was something greater than that. I had just assumed that I would stumble upon the life-changing event that is love when I was old enough or wise enough to finally deserve it.

One thing I was too young to realize was that it is something given without needing to be deserved. Love, at its best, is both unconditional and purposeful. Though it took many years and many trials, I see now that love is not something that occurs to a person, but something that a person must seek out; love is not a passive process, but an active one. Each day I choose to love my partner, far past the phase of butterflies and nervous glances. Years pass and love still remains through my own power of will and loyalty. There are days when love seems like a battle – a war against myself to fight on the side of those that I hold dear; however, there are other days where it is impossible not to love and not to be loved in return, even if you did not want it to be the case. Love is a challenge, but, with the right person, love can also come so easily. It is almost a sort of oxymoron, being both so effortful but also so completely impossible to avoid.

I know this sounds cheesy, but I have also realized that love is a promise to be made and to be kept. Just like a promise, love can be hard to keep and can sometimes be better broken or left behind; however, the best type of love is a promise shared and kept – this is the steady love we all search for. To love and to be loved, in my mind, is the purest form of vulnerability. That in itself can be terrifying. There is hope, however, as with this vulnerability comes a level of safety one can only get in a relationship with another being. There have been times that, despite my best efforts, love was not meant for me – a promise meant to be broken. Great effort goes into loving someone, but even greater effort is required to stop loving them. A broken promise stings in a way nothing else can. This is a truth that adds to both the complexity and difficulty of the act of love. Even with all of the evidence supporting its dangerous nature, love cannot be ignored, nor can be dodged, though I have tried many times. Loving is not easy, but stepping outside of it is borderline impossible.

Love may not be exactly what I pictured as a child. Though it was difficult to comprehend, even at that tender age I was experiencing love. The love of my mother was something that permeated every portion of my life. My younger self had one thing right after all – love truly is all-encompassing. I still feel my mother’s love today through our daily text conversations and her voice in my mind reassuring me when I struggle. Now this love is mixed with the love I feel for my partner, for my best friend, and for myself. Just as my religious upbringing taught me, there exists in everyone an abundance of love that does not diminish when spread out amongst many people. My love is not diluted nor is it the same across individuals. Of course, I love my friend in a different way than I love my partner, but it is all still love and affection.

To conclude – is loving easy? It depends who you ask or even at what moment you ask them. If you were to ask me all those years ago, I would have told you, “Of course loving is easy! It must be as easy as falling asleep!” Coming from a hesitant insomniac, loving may always be a bit more difficult than it first appears. When deeply analyzing it, however, I realize I wouldn’t have it any other way. Just as there would be no light without dark, there would be no beauty in love without its pain and hardship. It is the complexity and duality of love that gives us the wonderful reward that is connection.

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My name is Bethany Howell and I am a university student in my final semester of studying psychology with a focus on families and children. I have a passion for writing and mental health and my ultimate goal since age 13 has been to make a difference in the world through helping others, which is how I ended up here at Low Entropy!

Finding Love in Every Corner of Life

Posted on February 5, 2023 by Ness Gale

Cassandra Di Lalla (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

Love can be found in many different areas of our lives, not just in romantic relationships.

Love is one of life’s many treasures and it comes in many forms; it is powerful but it is deserving to every human.

Love is everywhere, love is boundless.

It’s the kind of thing that you either look for or the one that finds you, or maybe even happens out of nowhere and when you least expect it.

Love comes in different shapes and sizes, in any colour, at any age or stage in life; love does not discriminate over any sort of barrier whether it is medical, financial, emotional, physical, etc. Because love leads in life.

We share love with our family members, our pets, our significant others, our friends, and we even share love with things we are passionate about or that make us feel as though the world is our oyster, but we also share love with people in general like a communal love…a universal love.

I value and I cherish both the love that I put out into the world and the love that I receive in return but I know that the love I feel for some is a different kind of love that I feel for others. My mother, my father, and my brother along with fur friends all fit in the same category of being my “Ride or Die”. They are the very definition of the saying ‘Family is forever’. My mother was the first woman I ever loved and my father was the first man I ever loved. I have always been able to count on them no matter the situation. My parents were always my rock and they never ceased to amaze me. My mother and father truly gave me unconditional love and I could only hope that they felt my unconditional love a million times stronger! It is thanks to my parents that I understand what love is and it is thanks to them that I’m able to express my love freely and unapologetically. The gift of a loving and caring family is what makes the weight of the world seem a little less heavy and life’s challenges seem a little less stressful.

To those of you who have a significant other, the love you feel towards one another is very special and very personal. It is the kind of love that many hope for, and that others may stumble upon, but it is one that not everybody has. It is an incredible feeling falling in love, being in love, and sharing the same love amongst one another. Being in a relationship is magical but it is not perfect, though looking beyond those imperfections is all part of the journey you’re on together. Your acceptance, your patience, your caring, and your kindness with one another is what leads to the final destination which is thought to be enjoying life together.

Finding love in a romantic kind of way is nearly a full-time job because as humans, we’re looking for a partner whose values and morals line up nicely with ours, those who have a kind heart and are genuine with good intention, those who will be there for you through thick and thin, and with you in sickness and in health, etc. This kind of relationship is so special because our intention is to spend the rest of our lives with this person – our partner in crime and our other half. We want to be able to keep our heads above life’s deep waters and resist the urge to let go and allow ourselves to drown just because we were consumed by life’s tumultuous twists and turns. I have a fiancé and honestly, he’s been my lifeguard the entirety of our relationship…constantly pulling me out of life’s everlasting bodies of water because when my thoughts wander and flee – I feel like I’m drowning in despair.

When it comes to our pets, they deserve immeasurable praise; they’re undeniably loyal and they want nothing but your happiness and well-being because to them, that’s what matters most. Our pets always have the best possible intentions and are endlessly showering us with love and care. Some might say it’s overbearing but honestly, they deserve the world and then some. Our fur friends are non-judgemental, playful, loving, and intelligent creatures that always put us first despite how they’re feeling. They are always putting their owners up on a pedestal even if they themselves are the ones that need assistance from their humans. They’re selfless and will fight for you 100% of the time because they’re honoured to be a part of your family and forever grateful that you’ve given them a home filled with cuddles, snacks, and love. I cannot express enough how much I truly love animals, they just fill my heart. I’ve owned fish, cats, dogs, hamsters, birds, and mice. I’m currently still a pet owner and I guarantee that I’ll always be a fur mom.

Did you know there’s also such a thing as the love between a human and their passion(s)? Yep! It makes perfect sense to love something you’re passionate about. Whatever it is that you do is perhaps also something that reminds you that loving is easy and being loved is revolutionary; love will show you the light.

Care to guess what other kind of love is important? Self love, you guessed it! Oh my heavens…this one is absolutely not done enough! Loving yourself and caring for yourself is a huge priority, and there’s more than a handful of ways to help yourself in doing so. Self love is being mindful of who you are as a person and learning new things everyday. It is accepting yourself for who you are. Self love is about appreciating the person you were, the person you are, and the person you will become because all three of those instances did, does, and will serve a purpose in your life. It is important to love yourself wholeheartedly and take the best care of yourself in order for you to live healthily. Since happiness is homemade, go ahead and create your own elixir for pure sunshine and smiles. Oh, and don’t forget to always add a dash of sass so you know that you’re compensating for real life scenarios because in the real world – there’s no such thing as a perfect day. You’re entitled to saying “Oh, dang it” if things go wrong but just be sure to keep your head up and hug yourself afterwards. Self love will make your not-so-perfect day into a nearly perfect day.

Platonic love, also known as a friendship, is often hard to come by in this day and age because so many people turn their backs on one another or can’t be bothered getting to know someone to the core. Instead, they are very judgemental and more often than not – people get picked on because they’re different or simply because their personality is different than yours. Some other people walk into your life and stay there until the end…wanting to spend a day shopping with you, going out for a coffee or tea, discovering new places, going on adventures, or maybe just crafting at home or talking about life in general. It’s definitely nice to have someone to talk to or connect with that isn’t a family member because sometimes, we need that unbiased opinion or we need to see things from a completely different perspective and that’s okay. Although it seldom happens, it’s such a pleasant experience when you instantly click with someone and a lifelong friendship begins to blossom.

So, I wanted to add this one in here because there is a sense of love that one feels when helping others in need or when you’ve volunteered your time somewhere out in the community or anywhere in the world. You didn’t have to but you chose to out of the goodness of your heart. One small gesture can make a difference and oftentimes, that enables you to form a bond and maybe even a different kind of love too. See? You’ve got to start somewhere…one step at a time. Many people don’t realize how powerful community movements can be but if more people would chip in by providing their time and efforts (even as a one time deal), the world would be less divided, less cold and cruel, but more blessed. Planet earth would benefit from having more love poured into it rather than hate and that’s why lending a hand to make life more bearable is a rewarding path, an unforgettable journey, and the coolest destination.

Love is evolving in the most beautiful way and I just hope humanity will learn from it…love is a force to be reckoned with.

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Cassandra Di Lalla lives life purposefully. She enjoys reading, writing and mental health initiatives. She’s an animal lover for life and an innovative individual always finding new ways to create.

Can Inspiration Be Found or Does it Have to Come to You?

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Ness Gale

Heidi Collie (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

The term inspirational is commonly followed by the word person or quote. I think we all have a guilty favorite, and this is mine:

“Whatever you dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Framed on the wall of my Vancouver house, I stole this piece from my father’s office before moving to boarding school in October 2018 and have kept it with me ever since.

Despite huge demand for digestible media content in the form of soundbites, quotes and youtube TedTalks, I would argue that it is not productive to follow the term inspiration or inspirational with a noun such as quote. Rather, more deserving of this place is a verb. In other words, a piece may well be inspirational, but what does it inspire you to do? Who does it inspire you to be? For example, I feel inspired to: write; draw; compose; research nutrition; share what I have learned; apply to more jobs.

So what exactly is inspiration? Not to be confused with motivation (which unfortunately Google defines in almost exactly the same way), inspiration is “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something.” The way I see it, while motivation is the store of energy, inspiration is the store of desire. As public speaker and entrepreneur Steven Bartlett regularly addresses, motivation is most powerful when it is intrinsic or, formed upon one’s core inner values. In contrast, inspiration is strongest in its extrinsic form – emerging from the actions of others and the culture of your community.

Different as they are, inspiration and motivation share something foundational. James Clear famously wrote, “action creates motivation,” implying that you must first get going, get started, get moving and, over time, your store of energy will build; your motivation will increase. Similarly, inspiration does not come to you where you are.

So how does one find inspiration? The difficult thing is, unlike motivation, you can’t fake it ‘till you make it, but at the same time you must not sit back and hope it just happens to you. Ultimately, inspiration finds you, but only if you give it a chance to. That means breaking free of the life you know, stepping out of your home, work and usual routine. Learn new things, encounter new people and places; expose yourself to culture in every form and one day you’ll wake up and feel that sense of purpose, care for causes greater than yourself and desire to make a difference in some way. Don’t go looking for inspiration, go looking for life, and inspiration will find you. Thus, it seems fitting that as well as the definition we have been running with, inspiration means “the drawing in of breath; inhalation.” So there you go, inspiration is extrinsic, it comes from the world around you but, crucially, you must let it in.

I am no artist. In my own life I favour motivation over inspiration. I am well practiced at willpower, enjoy structure, control, tracking wellness habits like personal training sessions, cycling on Strava, nutrition on My Fitness Pal, books on Audible, and routine on Onrise. Inspiration has always taken second place, sometimes leaving me energized but aimless, wanting to make a difference but unclear in which way. Inherently extrinsic, inspiration isn’t within my control, but I am comforted knowing that when I boldly go out in search of adventure, it reliably finds me. I’ve made my peace with this. In fact, it keeps me going.

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Leave your thoughts for Heidi in the comments below — better yet, start up a dialogue with the Low Entropy community in person at a Conscious Connections meeting or online at our community site. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube to stay up-to-date with Low Entropy news!

Can Uncreative People Create Art?

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Ness Gale

Florence Ng (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

In Brene Brown’s Gift of Imperfection, she emphasises creative expression as a key part of living wholeheartedly, and by engaging in creative activities, one begins to let go of comparison to others as a measure of self-worth. But what if you are not a creative person? If creativity is inherent to all human beings, yet you lack the practice and skill to execute creative visions, can you still create art?

More importantly, does your art have value?

In the mythos of Vincent Van Gogh’s story, he did not always possess the skills to match his creativity. Instead, his life was dedicated to continuously cultivating these skills to eventually cement a legacy he would never see. Most people, including children, can technically put ideas onto paper by drawing colourful shapes and vague resemblances of common nouns, but whether that can be considered art and what the boundary into artistry may be is a whole different discussion. Indeed, the monetary value of art can feel rather arbitrary to those of us who do not work professionally within the art world.

For many artists, self-expression can take on many forms, and many place the emphasis on one’s personal growth and journey. Art can have great personal value, especially as a therapeutic way of meditating on and expressing one’s ideas, thoughts, and feelings. It can take on so many forms, from traditional media like paint and sculpture to embodying modes of expression like singing and dancing to modern engines of creativity like social media.

In today’s world, creativity, art, and the skills to create art are in the midst of intense discourse, particularly since the latter half of 2022. With the explosion of interest in artificial intelligence generators, it seems that anybody can “create” art by manifesting creative visions with mere taps on a keyboard. Such “artists” even sell their artwork to people who may understand how it all works. On one side of the discourse, AI art is an inevitable part of the future. On the other side, it is blatant theft. Can AI art be considered creative simply because it looks professionally done? If so, does it have value?

In my personal point of view, it is difficult to say what the value of art may be in the midst of this fiery and historically significant part of art history. It is harder still to predict the future of art. While I am not a professional artist myself, I cannot help but lament the current state of lawlessness among AI users threatening the livelihood of artists everywhere. I do believe that human beings are inherently creative and that everyone can benefit from a safe place to create. However, I also believe that personal gain should never be at the expense of others.

My advice to people who consider themselves less creative is to try everything. The act of creation is not about perfection—your personal art does not have to be “good” for it to be meaningful or valuable. If drawing is a challenge, perhaps you’ll find more enjoyment out of sewing, baking, or simple methods like paint-pouring. Even taking the time to snap pictures of flowers along the sidewalk can bring about the therapeutic quality of art.

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Hello! My name is Florence, and I’m an educator, storyteller, traveller, avid board game collector and curious, lifelong learner, among many other things. I’m passionate about human connection and mental well-being, and I love meeting new people!

Thoughts on Writer’s Block

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Ness Gale

Eri Ikezawa (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

That petulant blinking line on an empty document, where each passing moment feels like judgment day, as time elapses with not a single iota of progress—we’ve all experienced it to some degree in our lives: writer’s block. Whether it’s the struggle of writing a university paper or unraveling the knot in our heads to finish the main plot of our creative writing endeavour, in some way or another, we have all combated this frustrating phenomenon.

As a fan of occasional creative writing, I think it would be unfair to compare myself to a person who makes their livelihood as an author. However, I often unintentionally avoid writing when I am not inspired—a stab at ensuring I keep writer’s block at an arm’s length, giving it a wide berth like the creative pariah that it is.

It is easy for me to circumvent writer’s block since I know I tend to be most inspired when I am sad—something I am very consciously aware of. I have grown to realize that when I am happy, I usually tend to be too busy thriving and being active to desire focusing on writing and I also usually tend not to be as introspective during those times. And so, for that reason, I feel most inspired and creative when I experience a dip in my life.

As painful and agonizing as whatever I may be experiencing in real time may be, the artistic side of me finds some sort of beauty in it too. It also becomes something like a physical relic of whatever event is affecting me—in fact, I have a diary dating back to 2007. Even though I feel intensely dissociated from the person I was fifteen years ago, it is magical being able to step into my shoes and view everything the way I did back then.

And so, I find I experience writer’s block when I try to write poetry when I haven’t recently experienced anything memorable or inspirational. I never directly look for inspiration, but sometimes it’s a certain song, a turn of phrase I read in a book, a scene in a nature documentary, or I just use it as an emotional release during difficult times.

With all that said, I suppose I simply don’t often experience writer’s block because I usually actively avoid it by not writing unless I literally feel a tingle in my fingers, teasing and taunting me to set the page on fire—all it takes is a spark.

But if anything, the closest I personally get to experiencing writer’s block is through these blog submissions. I am intensely passionate about the topic of self-help and development and deeply desire to make a difference in people’s lives, but it is a personal challenge for me to be given a broad theme with a specific topic—rather than the personal “freelance” kind of writing I tend to gravitate towards.

I find that I usually hit a wall after writing for a while so I don’t try to push it, knowing it will be a fruitless endeavour. I usually pick it back up on a different day when my mind has been refreshed; although there is a whole separate challenge in picking it up on a different day, when the engine has been turned off once, to try and reprise the same journey you were on another day.

But I find it easier to go through the speedbumps and clunky alleyways of stopping once and restarting over the hassle of driving straight through when the mind is tired, and the gas tank is empty. The greatest struggle of this method is ensuring what follows is streamlined and seamless. That is, it shouldn’t look as though an expert seamstress handed over the remaining work to a novice, the uniform lines of the first few threads turning arbitrary and clumsy, sure signs of a rookie.

Despite the fact I don’t always experience this troublesome phenomenon, I still empathize greatly with the struggle of writer’s block. I suppose in some ways I pride myself on my literary skills, having always prioritized my affinity with language and writing as extremely high on my list of strengths. Therefore, when I feel stumped—a relentless fool running into the same, sturdy brick wall for the umpteenth time—it feels like a personal affront to what I inherently believe best characterizes me to some extent.

While I logically understand that writer’s block doesn’t unequivocally define my literary skills or my abilities as a person, it can occasionally leave me restless and insecure. It feels like an itch I can’t scratch, a sore I can’t relieve, a burn I can’t soothe—it’s constantly thrumming in the back of my head, reminding me that there’s something I need or want to accomplish but that I’m somehow unable to manage.

Ultimately though, just as the circumstances of writer’s block befalling any author or writer is variable, the solution for it is also dependent on the individual. I don’t think there is one singular way to rectify the problem. If I were to make suggestions that have helped me out in the past, one idea I have is having friends edit your work or contribute their own ideas. Sometimes, it helps to put the work down and immerse yourself in the real world. And on other occasions, you simply must wait until the dry spell passes and rain graces the literary drought.

But no matter what and no matter how long your writer’s block endures, I want to remind people that it does not define your skill or you as a person—you are still as talented as ever. And the dry spell, as always, will pass.

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Could Your Favorite Hobby be Your Side Hustle?

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Ness Gale

Natalie Zeifman (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

If you’re a creative person who enjoys making things, there are definitely opportunities to turn your favorite hobby into a side hustle that could help make you a bit more money at the end of the month, or at the very least help cover the cost of what you already love to do.

Online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace are now widely used, and while the majority of listings on these websites are for used items, many people do take advantage of the popularity of these venues to sell their original art.

Local markets for farmers and artists are also becoming a mainstay of many cities and towns. From the weekly market to the larger festival, there is the option to book a table to sell your work.

Local cafes and home decor stores are also known to display or sell local art, so it doesn’t hurt to approach them with your work as well.

If writing is more your jam, there are quite a few magazines, journals and newspapers which will pay you for your poems, short stories or articles. It can be competitive and the majority of publications do not financially compensate non-staff writers, but it can still be a great way to get more recognition for your work. Databases such as The Submission Grinder can help writers find the publishers that best fit what they write.

Of course sales aren’t guaranteed so it’s best to do your creative hobbies for the joy of them, and to start small and see what response you get when attempting to sell your work.

It’s also good to know that attempting to make money off of your hobbies can come with both benefits and drawbacks. Certainly being financially compensated and recognized for your work can feel amazing, and putting your work out into the public more purposefully can help further your career. Trying to make your creative pursuits more financially lucrative can also help encourage you to increase the quality of your work, and motivate you to produce more.

On the other hand, it can take away from the joy of a hobby to feel that you have to do it, especially if you feel pressured to do it at a pace that isn’t natural to you. You may feel financially pressured to produce pieces that aren’t as personally meaningful to you. It also takes time, effort and sometimes even extra financial cost to sell your work, on top of producing it.

Some people prefer to keep the ‘work’ out of their hobbies, while others deeply enjoy making their hobbies into another source of income. You may just need to try it to know.

All that being said, here is a list of hobbies that could bring you both creative joy and a financial boost in the coming new year:

Painting. Whether water color, acrylic, or oil paint, on canvas, paper or wall. This art form has so much variety and you can take it up rather inexpensively with dollar store supplies.
Re-painting and decorating old furniture.
Making wooden constructions such as plant stands, tables, fireplace mantles etc. Many hardware stores will cut the wood to your dimensions on request, so all you have to do is hammer the pieces together and decorate as you wish.
Jewelry making. Wire based jewelry is especially easy to work with, but people who wish to advance their skills further can also take up some small scale metal work right in their own kitchen.
Embroidery. Embroidered designs are becoming popular these days and can be hung on the wall. You could also offer custom embroidery of items with a couple’s names, favorite lyrics, pretty designs etc.
Knits and crochet. All kinds of items can be knit or crocheted from socks to purses to hanging plant baskets.
Driftwood and found item creations. Many things are being made with natural found items these days and they are quite popular. There are driftwood sculptures, driftwood and hanging yarn decorations, vases glued with seashells and rocks etc.
“Book nooks” or bookend dioramas. I highly recommend looking these guys up as they are so cute and creative. Book nooks have gained popularity recently. They are basically little mini-world dioramas that take up about a shoebox of space which can be placed on bookshelves. You can paint a shoebox, fill it with fake foliage or clay figures… The sky is the limit.
Sewing fabric creations. If you love to sew, you can make fancy custom clothing or even pillows with fun material.
Soap or candle making. While you do need to get some special materials to make these guys, the process itself is relatively easy and they can be fun to customize.
Cooking and baking. You can check out BC’s Guideline for the Sale of Foods at Temporary Food Markets here.
Writing. Poems, short stories, articles, or even your own book. Join a local writer’s club for support, tips and inspiration.
Photography. Although photography is probably one of the more expensive hobbies a person can pick up, there is potential to make side income in it. If you can develop your skill enough, you can become an event or wedding photographer. You can also find large frames at local thrift shops and sell framed prints. There is potential to offer out the photoshop skills associated with photography as well.
Pottery making. Although clay material does need a kiln oven to set properly, you can often bring your pieces into pottery studios or recreation centers which will fire your pieces for a fee. Make-your-own-ceramic studios can also provide you all the materials you need on site.
Music busking. Although regulations vary by city and you may need to apply for a yearly license, if you’re feeling brave enough to show off your musical skill, it can be a way to both add life to your city and make a little bit of extra income.
Custom clothing design. Using fabric paint or the combination of special transfer paper, an inkjet printer and an iron, you can make custom designs for clothes that are particular to local tastes and culture.

The beauty that art brings to the world has been valued for thousands of years and it is unlikely to ever go out of style. Have no doubt that there is value in making art a part of life.

Happy creativity in the new year!

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Leave your thoughts for Natalie in the comments below — better yet, start up a dialogue with the Low Entropy community in person at a Conscious Connections meeting or online at our community site. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube to stay up-to-date with Low Entropy news!

The Concept of Creativity and Its Obstacles

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Ness Gale

Najmuddin Hossaini, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

Everyone agrees that creativity exists, but what creativity is, how it can be understood, and how innovation emerges may be a matter of debate. To better explain, people have definitions of imagination, not an all-encompassing perception. That is because the nature of pluralistic societies requires that we need to recognize the existence of different views on phenomena. Moreover, the norms of a tolerant humane community expect the residents to be flexible and modest toward others in addition to social affairs. Thus, in this brief article, we strive to investigate the inquiry “what is creativity?” as well as review the obstacles to it from perspectives of social and cultural contexts.

Robert E. Franken has written: “Creativity is the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.” According to him, apart from the positive or negative result creativity may bring, it is the process of producing something that is personally or generally favored. To know Kant’s position, Scott Barry Kaufman in online Scientific American wrote: “Kant conceived of artistic genius as an innate capacity to produce works of ‘exemplary originality’ through the free play of the imagination, a process that does not consist in following rules, can neither be learned nor taught and is mysterious even to geniuses themselves.”

In contrast, Nietzsche relates creativity to moral values. He believed that a creative individual is possessing a higher humane value only for being creative. “Creative individuals are the highest human exemplars and humanity should be organized in such a way that promotes and is conducive to their existence, since it is creative individuals that are the ‘improvers of mankind’ and who will construct and direct culture.” (Puszczalowski, Philip, University of Calgary). It looks like Nietzsche believed that master morality comes true by creative persons and through this way, they explore their individual uniqueness.

Barriers to Creativity

Generally being purposeless, fearful, resistant to change, not thinking, and unwilling to improve are considered obstacles to creativity, however, we need to see and study some of the complex restrictions to artistry in the context of cultures. For instance, the custom of Sati “chaste wife” was a Hindu practice in which a widow woman sacrifices herself at the funeral of her dead husband. It was a kind of literal suicide that prevented women from any sort of blooming individually and socially for centuries. Another phenomenon that had involved Indian society for hundreds of years was the issue of Caste. This unwelcome situation removed the possibility of any kind of tolerance, consistency, and altruism from the Indians and made that country a land where it was difficult to experience a moral, honorable and humane life. Following many decades or even centuries of scientific, cultural, and even political elites’ efforts, the good is, after India’s independence, the custom of Sati and Caste culture were legally banned and considered morally obscene.

About 44 years ago, a revolution occurred in Iran, which historians have recognized as an Islamic revolution, that is, a religious one. The revolt was led by Ayatollah Rohullah Khomeini; a religious leader who was now considered a political leader as well. One of the first political-religious decrees of Mr. Khomeini required all girls and women to wear hijabs. The scenario did not end there. They passed an Islamic constitution, which said that women were banned from many rights, including running for the presidency, judging, going to sports stadiums, and leaving the country without their husband’s consent. As a result, Iranians, especially women, have been enduring suffocating hardships and spent multiple costs struggling to regain their most basic human rights. Now, Iranians’ protest is not demand-oriented, but change-oriented. In another example, the Taliban in Afghanistan relying on a kind of interpretation of religion has been imposing many restrictions on girls and women so they are systematically removed from all social spheres, including attending schools, and universities, and working in public or private organizations.

Although many believers, even religious thinkers claim that the actions of Mr. Khomeini and Haibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban have nothing to do with their faith rather they use religion as a tool; nonetheless, looking at religion’s history, its social manifestations, and holy texts; the perception that religion is the factor and facilitator of such behaviors is closer to the on-going reality. From the author’s point of view, in such a situation, not only religion and religious culture itself are obstacles to creativity, but those who deny the negative role of religion in this field are also involved in suppressing originality, and the idea of innovation.

What do we understand?

When we talk about creativity, we usually think of it as an individual’s idea or art, while the obstacles to creativity are generally social factors. The stronger manner of creativity may be person-centric, visible, or invisible, but its deep connection with culture, religion and social norms always takes it beyond the level of the individual. Besides, in a democratic culture, ingenuity becomes more possible, nevertheless, in closed societies, especially religious, absolutist, discriminative, and misogynist cultures, creativity is limited or even prohibited. If an action other than the predetermined rules is done, it is likely troublesome for the creative person.

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Najmuddin Hossaini holds a master’s in philosophy from the University of Pune, India, and a bachelor’s in journalism and Political Public Relations from Herat University, Afghanistan. He has published many articles on the subjects of human rights, women’s rights, education rights of women, peace talks, the Taliban extremism, violence, and environmental issues.

The Story of My Life

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Ness Gale

MacKenzie Chalmers (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

Art and creativity are two words that hold a relationship with one another, but can be used individually. Art is visually creating a product that catches the attention of viewers through the design or the messages and emotions felt when observing. Audiences can be attracted to the colours used, the lack of colour, or the composition. Creativity is thought of as using ideas and imagination to form a complete product, solve a problem, create visual work or to help communicate a message to an audience. These two concepts work together when someone is creating a piece of art. Creative ideas are being used to visually produce art for an audience and to communicate a message.

Art has transformed from being known as paintings in galleries or drawings on paper, to digital dance, musicals or theatre. A dance routine, a song, a play, or a photograph or video are art forms that visually create a message and design to audiences. People produce these types of art in ways to visually tell a story.

I would always use the terms art and creative to describe myself growing up. I was known as the “art kid” or the “creative kid”. If we were doing a class assignment, I would always be picked to be the artist. My writing pieces would always be read aloud by my teachers to demonstrate the desired way to communicate a message they were looking for.

Looking deeper, the terms art and creativity mean storytelling and expression for me. They are used to communicate a story to viewers. In my life, I have always used art and my creative thinking to tell a story.

I am a photographer and videographer and my entire goal when producing new work is to tell a story. I enjoy creating work with the goal to bring forth a message to my audience. A photograph can be pretty, or glamourous. While I incorporate those factors into my photographs, I like to have other focused components. A simple portrait can show the exhaustion someone is facing. A nature shot can demonstrate the conditions of the environment surrounding us. A couple portrait can show the struggles being faced. It is about composition and emotion. I can show the happiness, or sadness felt. Creativity is being used to produce these art pieces and to best determine how to express the messages and stories to be told.

Additionally, I am a writer. I create fictional stories that are based on real experiences. I base plot lines, and character traits on real life situations, while continuing to add ideas to keep the story interesting. I examine the theme of the story, the messages I want to bring forth within the plot and what I would want people to receive from the story once it was finished. By incorporating my own thoughts and emotions into my writing and into the plot and characters I create, I am sharing pieces of my story or the story I want to tell into my writing.

Both of these terms are part of my identity. I do some form of art most days and I am using my creativity daily. Whether I am brainstorming for a new project, writing down my experiences and how I can incorporate them into my work, or mapping out locations and themes for a new art project, I am constantly being artistic and being creative.

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MacKenzie is a digital media enthusiast with interests in various aspects of media. She takes part in novel hunting, photo and video creating, and creative writing.