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Tag: Casablanca

Anne Frank, Year of Yes, Casablanca, Practical Psychology, and a Dhammapada Verse

Sunday Supplement #100 (April 9th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

– Anne Frank

Book of the Week:

Year of Yes – Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes is the creator and writer of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and the executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder.

In Rhimes’ book, she describes how she used to devise every excuse possible to avoid public situations that made her feel uncomfortable.

But after a comment from her sister calling her out for never saying yes to anything, Rhimes promised to push herself outside her small and safe box.

It took me a few chapters to get into, but Shonda Rhimes’ vulnerability, wisdom, and charm made for an excellent read with many lessons to take away.

The biggest takeaway for me was that even when things are going well, looking for areas of improvement can make a massive difference in how we feel.

Movie of the Week:

Casablanca

The 1942 film Casablanca follows a cynical expatriate American cafe owner as he struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.

You’ve probably heard of Casablanca because it’s considered one of the best films ever made.

The reputation of the movie is well-warranted. Everything from the story, the acting, the cinematography, etc., is phenomenal.

Some classic films don’t stand the test of time, but Casablanca is one that ranks in the highest tier of Cinema regardless of the decade or year.

If you haven’t seen Casablanca yet, put it on your watchlist.

Brainfood of the Week:

8 Simple Self-Improvement Principles | Practical Psychology

Practical Psychology has over 2 million subscribers and uploads inspirational and motivational videos and tutorials on various personal development topics.

In this video, Practical Psychology breaks down eight self-improvement principles with the guide of the two-minute to being implementation.

The principles are pretty basic and are probably things you’ve come across, but it is a good reminder of how little things can help your overall well-being.

If you find the video too introductory/general for your liking, check out other Practical Psychology videos with a more in-depth look at self-improvement.

This is the first time I’ve featured their channel, but I always like coming across new sources of information. Give it a look if it calls out to you.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“By effort and heedfulness, discipline and self-mastery, let the wise one make of himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.”

– Dhammapada verse 25

The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings of the Buddha. It is in verse form and is one of the best-known and widely-read Buddhist scriptures.

I picked this verse for the Sunday Supplement because it encompasses our ability to achieve a level where we can withstand any storm against us.

Sometimes life can get overwhelming, and it feels like we are spent. It’s a relief to have support around us, but I believe we must also help ourselves.

Through our efforts, awareness, discipline, and self-mastery, we can become the best versions of ourselves.

Always try to grow and look for areas of improvement, and have a blessed week ahead!

*I’m excited about reaching the 100 post Sunday Supplement milestone. I might take a break or stop at some point in the near future, but I’ve had a blast writing this blog. I hope you’ve taken away something from it that’s brightened your week ahead! Thank you for being a part of the journey 🙂

**Here is a guide page in celebration of 100 posts. I hope it makes it easier to go through the past posts and gives you easier access to the content!

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Emily Dickinson, Elevation, The Shawshank Redemption, The Dodo, and Romans 15:4

Sunday Supplement #32 (December 19th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.”

– Emily Dickinson

Book of the Week:

Elevation – Stephen King

I’ve featured two Stephen King books in the Sunday Supplements, Cujo in Sunday Supplement #19 and Eyes of the Dragon in Sunday Supplement #4.

Stephen King fans will know the affiliation of the number 19 in his works, so I felt it appropriate to dedicate a passage on the 19th to King.

I’ve given two different sides of King’s writing so far, and Elevation falls to his more positive side. If there is a single book in his canon that breaks his stereotype, this would be the one I’d encourage non-horror fans to give a chance.

Elevation tells the story of Scott Carey, who starts steadily losing weight at an increasingly alarming rate, even though there doesn’t seem to be a difference in his physical appearance.

Carey doesn’t want to raise the alarm, but he trusts his local doctor, who worries about the eventual outcome of the process. In the meantime, Carey builds a relationship with the couple next door who experience prejudices of the small Maine town of Castle Rock because of their sexual preferences.

As Carey comes to see the reality of his neighbors’ situation and his own, he starts to try and help the community.

I’ve read over 40 Stephen King novels, and this one (146 pages hardcover) was one of the most surprising and enjoyable. If you check it out, let me know!

Movie of the Week:

The Shawshank Redemption 

Stephen King features again with the adaptation of his novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.

The 1994 adaptation of King’s novella follows the bond two men create through common acts of decency while imprisoned and their eventual redemption.

When asked what my favorite movie is or what I think the best movie ever made is, I usually answer Casablanca, Citizen Kane, or The Shawshank Redemption.

IMDB lists the film as number one on their Top 250 movies list, which backs up my claim why the film is one of the best ever made.

There is a big difference between the novella and the film, but the narrative’s overall message of redemption and hope isn’t lost.

The film didn’t do well at the box office and was nominated for seven Oscars but didn’t win one. This snub amazes me, but the film’s recognition in film culture makes up for the lack of awards.

If you haven’t seen The Shawshank Redemption, put it at the top of your list. The movie might become your favorite film ever.

Brainfood of the Week:

Human Chain Rescues Dog Stranded in Canal | The Dodo

The Dodo is one of my favorite Youtube channels to indulge randomly. Their channel aims to create a place for everyone who loves animals and cares about their wellbeing. They host uplifting videos about animals, their owners, and their stories.

In this video, a few total strangers in Almaty, Kazakhstan, come together to form a human chain to rescue a stranded dog in a canal.

Everyone once in a while, I find myself Googling or searching on YouTube “random acts of kindness” to give me a boost. What I find always lifts my spirits.

This particular video shows me the power of one person deciding to do something that makes a difference. That one act can give other’s courage to join.

Moments like these restore my faith in humanity. They can be small or big, but they always remind me that we have the power to make a difference in the world.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

– Romans 15:4

When I feel down, it can be hard for me to be positive or remember good times. This Bible passage reminds me that I have made it through every difficult period in my life.

Every time we go through enduring times, blinders can block us from seeing the light of the good times in our life. It can also be tough to believe that there will be more enjoyable moments in our lives in the future.

Our current situation might be the most challenging situation we’ve encountered, but our life experience should teach us that we’ve survived everything we’ve faced.

In moments where I haven’t faced challenges the way I hoped I would, or the results didn’t go my way, I’ve felt down or discouraged. However, when I have time to reflect, I’ve found that there usually are lessons for me to learn from each failure.

In the end, I find and choose hope. This passage perfectly reminds me that there is always something to learn and that we always have reason to hope for good times.

Find something you can learn from, find the hope from that lesson, and have a blessed week ahead!

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