Close Ad

  • Kaitlyn Mcinnis

    Kaitlyn is the Managing Editor at Goalcast. When she's not guzzling iced coffee in the office, she's moonlighting as a wine drinker, food writer, pop culture aficionado and frequent flyer. It's also important to note that despite having introverted tendencies, she has a very real love for karaoke.
The Mercedes-Benz "Emerging Leaders" Winners Are Changing the World, One Innovation at a Time
Entrepreneurs

The Mercedes-Benz "Emerging Leaders" Winners Are Changing the World, One Innovation at a Time

Being a woman in the world takes courage -- being an innovative leader takes dedication, passion and an unwavering confidence. That's exactly what Mercedes-Benz wanted to highlight with their "Emerging Leaders" winners this past autumn. Interestingly, Mercedes has a deep-rooted history with female empowerment -- in fact, it's in the brand's DNA. When founder Karl Benz lost motivation when his invention kept failing, his wife, Bertha Benz, took it upon herself to solve the technical issues and take the first Mercedes-Benz on the road. It comes as no surprise, then that Mercedes wants to continue to honor female leaders today. The winners of their "Emerging Leaders" span across many fields -- from doctors serving underprivileged communities and public interest designers to founders and CEOs. These women, aged between 30 and 40 are changing the world -- and inspiring others to do the same. When asked what advice these innovative leaders would give their former selves, here's what they had to say: You know who you are. Seek wisdom from others but trust yourself. You got this. -- Emily Mills, Founder, How She Hustles Slow down and enjoy the present moment. -- Karina Kesserwan, Founder & Partner, Kesserwan Arteau Inc. Believe in yourself, you are stronger than you think. -- Kim Hallwood, Head of Corporate Sustainability, HSBC Bank Trust your instincts, know your self-worth, and take more risks big and small. As a great mentor once told me, “don’t overthink it, just go for it!” -- Genevieve Pinto, Partner, Renewal Funds Be proud of your ambitions. -- Julie Quenneville, President, McGill University Health Centre Foundation These women show us that owning your authority in your industry and being proud of your drive will get you far in life, yes, but it will also carve the way for others, create a ripple effect and truly change the world. It really can start with you.

Here's Why Bill Gates Stopped Listening to Music and Watching TV in His 20s
Career Growth

Here's Why Bill Gates Stopped Listening to Music and Watching TV in His 20s

The world's most innovative leaders have some pretty peculiar daily habits, but Bill Gates' productivity hack from his twenties may top the list. The self-made billionaire recently wrote a blog post about his "extreme" habit from his early adulthood: not watching TV or listening to music. "I stopped listening to music and watching TV in my 20s. It sounds extreme, but I did it because I thought they would just distract me from thinking about software. That blackout period lasted only about five years, and these days I’m a huge fan of TV shows like Narcos and listen to a lot of U2, Willie Nelson, and the Beatles." "Back when I was avoiding music and TV in the hope of maintaining my focus, I knew that lots of other people were using meditation to achieve similar ends. But I wasn’t interested. I thought of meditation as a woo-woo thing tied somehow to reincarnation, and I didn’t buy into it." RELATED: 5 Misconceptions About Meditation That Are Holding You Back Continuing to prioritize mindfulness These days, he may be listening to music and watching the occasional TV show, but he maintains a new productivity hack -- and it's the exact practice he shunned as a young adult: meditation. "I'm not sure how much meditation would have helped me concentrate in my early Microsoft days, because I was monomaniacally focused without it," Gates says. "But now that I'm married, have three children, and have a broader set of professional and personal interests, it's a great tool for improving my focus." "It's also helped me step back and get some ease with whatever thoughts or emotions are present. I like what I'm getting from my 10 minutes every few days." If you want to try out meditation, Gates recommends starting with the popular Headspace app, "Headspace made the barrier to entry low enough for me," Gates says. "It’s just 10 minutes a day of listening to Andy’s soothing British accent and trying to stay with him. Andy has taken some heat from hard-core meditators for his low-barrier approach, but he got me to take up meditation and stick with it. I’m glad he did." This newfound habit is proof that we all have room to grow and adapt to new practices to better our lives -- whether we start them young, or later in life.

Models of All Sizes Don Lingerie to Transform Times Square Into Body Positive Catwalk
Self-Development

Models of All Sizes Don Lingerie to Transform Times Square Into Body Positive Catwalk

The famed Victoria's Secret Fashion show aired this past weekend and, year after year, one thing was notably missing from the show: body diversity. In an interview with Vogue, Ed Razek, the chief marketing officer of L Brands (which owns Victoria's Secret) gave a statement where he shot down the idea of transgender of plus-size models ever gracing the Victoria's Secret catwalk. "No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world, and any other fashion brand in the world would take it in a minute, including the competitors that are carping at us." Rightfully so, plus-size models like Khrystyana Kazakova were not thrilled to hear the industry leader's thoughts on inclusive casting. Kazakova told New York Post, “I was talking with my friends like, ‘Oh my gosh, it makes me feel horrible.’ A lot of people feel unattractive after watching it.” RELATED: 16 Kate Spade Quotes on Style and Self-Confidence As a result, the former "America's Next Top Model" contestant decided to stage a guerrilla-style fashion show, where women of all ages, sizes and genders were invited to walk down Times Square as a response to the lingerie event. "I know that there are people flying from Italy, London, Melbourne, and Canada," Kazakova shared. Despite the chilly temperatures in New York, over 200 women of all backgrounds walked in the show, with wardrobe provided by plus-size womenswear brands King Size, Swimsuits for All and Woman Within. "It is in no way anti-Victoria's Secret," Kazakova said in a statement to The Independent, "it was just a way to support women who may not feel catered to. New York is ready for the change and the chance to embrace all kinds of beauty." The goal was really to create a fun, inclusive event that helps even a small margin of people to feel more comfortable in their own skin. For Kazakova, "body positivity is not just about being curvy, it's about being yourself. It doesn't matter if you are curvy, petite, trans, athletic, over 40, over 50, it's just about knowing you are beautiful."

Will Smith Shares the 'Most Poisonous Aspect' of Marriage to Jada and It's Surprisingly Relatable
Love Stories

Will Smith Shares the 'Most Poisonous Aspect' of Marriage to Jada and It's Surprisingly Relatable

Jada Pinkett Smith returned to Facebook Watch talkshow Red Talk Table this Monday, featuring husband Will Smith, to talk about the beginnings of their unique relationship."For years and years there's been a lot of speculation about us and our family has been pretty secretive, not secretive, just private," Will shared, "It's been private. We have created a marital and family paradigm that has been speculated about for a lot of years, so I'm excited to tell the truth."Reflecting on the early days of their relationship, Will was quick to share his emotional reaction to meeting Jada for the first time."I recognize when I see a person, if our relationship can be exponential," he said. "When I saw you on 'Different World,' it was that thing. The bell rings and I knew there was something in our energy that was magic."Overcoming turbulent times It's no secret that the twosome focused mainly on Will's career over the years, while Jada's purpose was focused mainly on raising the couple's children, Jaden and Willow. According to Will, this is where they could have done better as a team."Jada's an actress, but she had two babies and she had to be home to raise her babies while I got to do everything I wanted to do. She was sacrificing herself to fit my picture, but my life wasn't really disrupted in the least," he revealed. "I think that was the, if there were an individual, most poisonous aspect of our relationship in the past, is that I felt money and winning made a good relationship."According to Jada, it was fear that caused her to go along with Will's idea of success for so long -- "fear of not wanting to rock the boat.""I had kids, he's a force to be reckoned with," she elaborated. "There's a lot of stuff you let slide and go past that angers you, that you get resentment, but you don't change it because you're scared. At the end of the day, it's about fear."Jada then revealed that when she turned 40 she was ready for change and that's where Part 1 of the episode ended. Part 2 will be released next week on Facebook Watch.

Jada Pinkett Smith Explains Why She and Will Prefer the Term 'Life Partners' to 'Being Married'
Love Stories

Jada Pinkett Smith Explains Why She and Will Prefer the Term 'Life Partners' to 'Being Married'

This past July, Will Smith surprised the world on TIDAL's Rap Radar podcast when he announced that he and wife Jada Pinkett Smith prefer to refer to themselves as "life partners" instead of "being married.""I needed a different form to dissolve all the expectations that I had of a marriage," Jada, 47, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. "I needed to do that to see Will outside of husband and see him as a human being."It's no secret that Jada and Will take a different approach to marriage. The parents of three celebrated 20 years of marriage last December and continue to surprise us with their fresh perspective on what love can look like.RELATED: Will Smith’s Sweet Message for Jada Pinkett Smith Offers Key Lesson in Making a Relationship Last"We have all these expectations," she says. "’Oh, this is what a husband is. This is what a wife is.’ I started dissolving all the ideas and expectations and labels."Will, 50, will be the next guest on Jada's Facebook Watch show when it returns next Monday, a teaser from the upcoming episode reveals how real he gets when discuss their unique relationship."Will comes on the show for two episodes, and we talk about redefining our relationship, going from calling ourselves married to becoming life partners," she tells PEOPLE. "I felt like there was a way to speak about that that was open and transparent. But there are still aspects that are private!"RELATED: 5 Little Ways to Express Gratitude in a Long-Term RelationshipRed Table Talk comes back to Facebook on October 22. You can bet we'll be tuning in to hear more about what Will and Jada have to say about their inspiring dynamic as a couple.

Hero of the Week: This Man Is Rescuing Street Cows by Driving Them to Safety on the Back of His Motorbike
Everyday Heroes

Hero of the Week: This Man Is Rescuing Street Cows by Driving Them to Safety on the Back of His Motorbike

In Kathmandu, Nepal, many cows are abandoned by their owners when they're no longer of use to them. This careless abandonment results in thousands of stray, helpless cows left to roam the streets of the capital city. Thankfully, one man has made it his mission to bring these cows to safety -- to date, he's rescued over 166 cows. R.B. Neupane has taken it upon himself to create a makeshift sanctuary for the abandoned cows but he couldn't afford a transport truck. That didn't stop him though. RELATED: Hurricane Florence Hero Volunteer Rescues Abandoned Dogs Moments Before They Drown in Locked Cage Here's the kick: Neupane transports the cows one-by-one, by driving them out of the city on the back of his motorbike. "Earth is common for all, everyone has the right to live," Neupane tells BBC Reel, "There were many organizations looking for dogs, but there were no organizations for cows. That's why I started working for them." The biker now cares for nearly 200 cows -- all of which he has rescued from the streets of Nepal. "The cows and calves are left on the street when they are of no more use to their owners. If the cow gets old or stops giving milk they leave the cows on the street and when the bull calves are born, they are considered of no use as they don't give birth." Neupane explains sadly. Raising awareness While he's doing his best to combat the stray cow problem in Nepal, Neupane told BBC Reel that there are currently over 8,000 abandoned cows across Nepal. Because of this, Neupane has also organized dozens of campaigns to raise awareness and encourage the people of Nepal to care more carefully for their cows. This awareness has also resulted in outpours of residents visiting the sanctuary bearing vegetables, treats and other goods to help the cows along. While taking care of the rescued cattle gives his life purpose, he does hope the government will eventually intervene to help. The cow is the national animal of Nepal and Neupane has hope that they will one day wake up and help rescue the lives of these innocent cows and calves. In the meantime, Neupane and his fleet of volunteers will continue to do what they can by transporting as many cows as possible on the back of his motorbike.

Five Minutes With: KYLE, the Rapper and Actor Fighting Toxic Masculinity Through Music
Celebrities

Five Minutes With: KYLE, the Rapper and Actor Fighting Toxic Masculinity Through Music

You probably know KYLE from Netflix Original The After Party or from top tracks like iSpy or Playinwitme, but what you probably don't know about the rapper and actor is that his high school years were some of the most trying times he had ever experienced. These days, he's far from the shy, bullied kid from his formative years. In fact, he has made it his mission to inspire kids today to accept themselves and others, and to fight toxic masculinity in the locker room. When we found out KYLE was heading back to the very high school he spent so many difficult days with AXE Senior Orientation, we had to sit down with him to hear exactly how he felt about returning not-so-many years later. Goalcast: What does toxic masculinity mean to you? KYLE: Well, for me, I think it is the stereotypes that a lot of men, a lot of young men, are forced to put themselves into a box and it's not necessarily healthy for their mind, their spirit, their personality. RELATED: 5 Brain Hacks to Build Back Confidence If People Haven’t Been Treating You Well I think for me specifically, growing up I kind of didn't necessarily know how to accept myself or be myself because I wasn’t what a man was supposed to be in the eyes of so many people that were close to me. Goalcast: How does toxicity manifest itself in the music industry? KYLE: I liked hip-hop growing up but there weren’t any artists tapping into the things that I was tapped into. So for a long time I thought I was weird, I didn't think I was good enough for pretty much anything. It all had to do with these toxic stereotypes about what masculinity was. Being tough, being hard, being all of the same things that come along with toxic masculinity were in the forefront of the hip-hop community. We'd think about NWA, we'd think about Snoop Dogg; all those pioneers of what rap used to be, all came from a culture and a lifestyle that was very much emotionless, very much cut out from being a sensitive person. So I think that's how it kind of degreed its way into rap. It has taken a lot of work by a lot of specific artists to kind of uproot that. In the past five years we've seen rap go from one of the darkest, least inclusive genres, to the leader on so many social issues. Whether it's mental health or anything else, it's a whole positive movement that came along. It feels like every single rapper you could think about right now is promoting being accepted and being positive. And if you just rewind five years from today, when I first started rapping, that was completely the opposite of how people were. If you did anything that was remotely soft, it was like, "You are not hip-hop enough." I was smart enough to go back and do my research on people like Fresh Prince, Gavin Gashi, Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa and all these guys. I would always make the arguments like, "No, you have no clue." I was like, "In the beginning, hip hop was super expressive. Let's not forget this whole bright, colorful era." Now, in the last five years, people like myself, people like Lil Yachty, people like Kid Cudi, all these great individuals just promote really loving yourself, and loving who you are as an individual. Goalcast: It’s almost like a pendulum swinging. KYLE: Yeah, it swings. History repeats itself. So now, the bright colors are back; just instead of wearing them on our shirts, they're putting them in their hair. That's like the major difference. Goalcast: Drama class helped build your confidence in high school - did anything else make school easier for you? KYLE: Drama class was clearly the biggest positive change in my life in high school, but I would also say, like I said, that's when I was doing most of my music research, so discovering artists like Kid Cudi, who were open about the problems that they had and the insecurities that they had, was also a huge influence for me. I couldn't name you a rapper that ever once rapped about being insecure. Not one. And I'd been alive for fifteen years at this point. I couldn't name a song where a single rapper talked about maybe not feeling that great, not feeling untouchable, which is such a pain about rap, it was so damn macho at the time -- everybody had a six pack, everybody had all the girls in the world, everybody had a bunch of cars; nobody had a problem. It was so weird to me, because I'm like, "Dude, none of us feel this way. Why are we all pretending that any of us feel like this?" Goalcast: It’s all about being authentic. It makes all the difference. KYLE: Definitely. And it really inspires what I ended up doing as an artist, because if you think about it, these kids out there, there's nobody that's more important to them in those developing years than whoever their favorite artist is. Self love is one of the biggest things that I promote; promoting who you are exactly how you are. That's why I still have never gotten some dental surgery or something -- like give myself a Tom Cruise grill -- because I always just talk about the idea that you're not flawed. There's nothing that's wrong with you. There's no reason you should be ashamed about anything that you naturally have. If somebody was telling me that in high school, I would have felt completely different about myself from such a younger age. RELATED: How Authenticity Saved My Life - and How It Can Help Save Yours I just try to promote being authentic to the core. Just loving yourself for who you are and what you are. Goalcast: How do you feel about being a role model for young men today? Is it a lot of pressure? KYLE: I don't feel pressured necessarily; I'm not really doing anything besides just being myself. All I gotta really do is wake up and just be KYLE. If anything, I feel motivated. It gives me a reason to continue to keep doing what I'm doing. It was just a love of making music but now I have a whole group of kids that I know, every time that I continue to be myself, I'm helping them. So it's just really a motivator for me. Goalcast: What advice would you give your teenage self? KYLE: I would tell him, Listen Kyle, look at me, listen: you, the you that you're hiding inside of there that you're not letting anybody know or see, is awesome. You're a star, you're funny... I know you barely talk because you're ashamed of your voice and of having a lisp, but you can really rap! My biggest advice for myself back then would just be just trust yourself, love yourself and don't be afraid to be that actual you that’s on the inside. Stop trying to conform to what everybody wants you to be. Be you. Be nice. Be gentle. Be caring. Be funny. Be an extrovert. Be all those things you're meant to be because it's gonna end up being good. It's how you're gonna become successful. Don't shy away from being like the person that you are.

21 Celebrities Share Their Personal Struggle With Mental Illness, Inspire Us With Their Bravery
Mental Health

21 Celebrities Share Their Personal Struggle With Mental Illness, Inspire Us With Their Bravery

Editor’s Note: Struggling and feeling hopeless? You are not alone. Please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). We all struggle with feeling a little sad or a little anxious every now and then, but when those feelings of self-doubt and hopelessness overtake our day-to-day life, it might be time to consider seeking help. While struggling with a mental illness is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, the stigmas are still vividly present -- from its representation in pop culture to the very language we use unintentionally. While society has made great strides in removing the stigma of mental health and making it more accessible for those struggling to get help -- or even just talk about their struggle to a loved one, we, as a collective, still have a long way to go, and that’s why it’s so incredibly important to share our stories as often and as loudly as we can. RELATED: 7 Things You Can Do Right Now to Feel Less Anxious Here, we’ve lined up 21 different celebrities who are using their platform for good -- these mental health advocates continue to bravely step forward and choose to put their struggle out there for the world to see. Their fearless actions continue to inspire us to work toward breaking down the stigmas, reach out to those we love, and own our own truth. Keira Knightley Keira Knightley recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter‘s “Awards Chatter” podcast and the subject of her mental health came up. She said that when she was getting started it the industry, “it was a battle every day leaving the house” and that the looming presence of the paparazzi created a “level of violence, it felt, in the air.” Due to all this pressure, she had a nervous breakdown at 22 years old but manages her anxiety today by knowing when to take a break. >> Keira Knightly Gets Real About PTSD, Anxiety and How Hypnotherpay Has Helped Her Cope Demi Lovato Demi Lovato’s very public struggle with addiction has been splashed all over the news this year. Speaking out after her relapse, Lovato wrote, “I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction. What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.” We have so much respect for her positivity and perseverance during such a rough time, but staying strong and looking forward and accepting help when you need it is a great way to go about it. >> Demi Lovato Makes First Statement Following Apparent Overdose, Shows She’s Strong and Persevering Katy Perry As someone who heavily drew her self-worth and self-image from her professional success, her latest album’s lackluster reception came at a great personal cost. “Unknowingly, I put so much validity in the reaction of the public, and the public didn’t react the way I had expected to… which broke my heart,” Perry opened up to Vogue Australia. “I have had bouts if situational depression,” she confessed. Perry has since started a journey of reconnecting with herself and the important things in life, which don’t really have anything to do with material things, but more about knowing yourself, empowering yourself, making yourself happy and spreading that joy to others. >> Katy Perry Gets Real About Depression, Inspires Us with Her Healthy Coping Mechanisms Willow Smith In a powerful demonstration of vulnerability, Willow revealed a heartbreaking secret to the world and mom Jada Pinkett Smith for the first time ever on Red Table Talk, the Facebook Watch exclusive show hosted by Jada, her mother Adrienne and Willow. She confessed that as a child, she fell into a “black hole” and reverted to self-harm, much to the shock of her mother and grandma. Willow went on to talk about how a lot of teenage girls struggle with depression and self-harm, and that her struggle was by far not an isolated case. She does not believe this is a new affliction, just that there is more openness and awareness nowadays about the issue. >> Willow Smith Bravely Reveals Self-Harm Struggles to Her Mom and Grandma, Powerful Conversation Ensues Jordan Belfort Known best for being the real life Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort’s struggle with mental health has not always been at the forefront. His tale of redemption has helped motivate many others at their darkest hour. >> Jordan Belfort on How to Motivate Yourself Out of Rock Bottom Kevin Hart When days get tough, which we all have, Kevin Hart has a simple, yet rather deep mantra: “Every day is the start of a new day.” It’s so easy to take the disappointments, frustrations and failures of the previous day, week, and even year with us into the next. >> Kevin Hart Says This One Mantra Can Help You Cope with Mental Health Struggles Ariana Grande Ariana Grande recently shared she suffered from anxiety and PTSD after the May 2017 Manchester Arena bombing—”I don’t think I’ll ever know how to talk about it and not cry,” she told British Vogue in June. Grande also had an unexpected personal loss when her ex-boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller, died of a suspected drug overdose on September 7th. “Given the events of the past couple of years, Ariana is going to take some much needed time to heal and mend,” her team told People. “She will be staying close to home and using this period to spend time with her loved ones and work on new music without deadline. She thanks her fans for their understanding” >> Ariana Grande Announces a Much-Needed Break from the Public Eye to ‘Mend and Heal’ Michelle Williams Former Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams is hoping her current mental struggle will eventually have the silver lining of being able to help others. Williams signed herself into a mental health facility two weeks ago and is now taking the time to acknowledge her support network and use her own experience to remind friends, family and fans to take care of themselves. “You have to do the work even when you’re tired and feel the heaviness. Take one step at a time! Don’t overwhelm yourself.” she wrote. >> Michelle Williams Offers Encouraging Words For Anyone Suffering from Depression Josh Shipp Youth motivational speaker and author, Josh Shipp has since turned his life around and made it his life’s purpose to mentor teenagers today -- all thanks to the mentor he found when he was just 17-years-old. >> Josh Shipp Explains How 936 Marbles Can Change Someone’s Life Serena Williams Motherhood, albeit a welcome blessing, saw Serena Williams struggling with the all-too-common yet often still taboo challenge of postpartum depression (PPD) following the birth of daughter Alexis Olympia. “I remember one day, I couldn’t find Olympia’s bottle and I got so upset I started crying… because I wanted to be perfect for her,” she said. In fact, the 36-year-old athlete admitted she sometimes still has pangs of postpartum. “Honestly, sometimes I still think I have to deal with it.” >> Serena Williams Get Real About Mental Health, Inspires Us to Let Go of the Pressure to Be Perfect Shawn Mendes One of Time’s 100 most influential people of 2018, Canadian pop star Shawn Mendes is using his platform to tackle mental health. The 19-year-old artist has also been speaking candidly of his own struggles with anxiety, advocating for a stigma-free public conversation on mental health, especially among men. “It’s all about honesty […] It’s something that I’ve always been paying attention to with other artists. It’s why I love Ed [Sheeran] and why I love [John] Mayer so much,” he said on celebrities becoming more eager to share their personal truth. >> Shawn Mendes Opens Up About His Anxiety Struggles, Urges Men to Speak Out on Mental Health Lady Gaga Lady Gaga may be an inspiration for millions, but that doesn’t change the fact she has a lot of her own demons she continuously struggles with. Some know Gaga was sexually assaulted at 19 by a music producer and according to a recent interview with Vogue, she says that the trauma she suffered when she was a teenager still impacts her to this day, where she continues to suffer from PTSD and related health struggles. Saying she’s “on a roller coaster,” she shared: “I feel stunned. Or stunted. You know that feeling when you’re on a roller coaster and you’re just about to go down the really steep slope? That fear and the drop in your stomach? My diaphragm seizes up. Then I have a hard time breathing, and my whole body goes into a spasm. And I begin to cry,” Gaga described. >> Lady Gaga Gets Real About Her Mental Health Struggles Ross Szabo Growing up in a family stricken by mental illness, award-winning speaker and author, Ross Szabo, feared the day he would be diagnosed with something. Crazy, bipolar, inspiring: Ross battled his inner demons for years before finding a way out and taking charge of his mental health. >> Ross Szabo on How to Take Charge of Your Mental Health Kristen Bell Kristen Bell is not afraid to open up about her struggles with anxiety and depression. She’s always been an outspoken mental health advocate, often sharing her own experiences to help break the stigma. When asked what advice she would give to her younger self, the Hollywood star said, “Don’t be fooled by the game of perfection that humans play. Because Instagram and magazines and TV shows strive for a certain aesthetic, and everything seems so beautiful, and people seem like they don’t have any problems, but everyone’s human. Everyone has problems. Everyone feels yucky on the inside sometimes. And you deserve to feel just as beautiful on the days when you wear no makeup, on the days you don’t shower, and on the days you feel like you’re depressed. And you have an obligation to take care of yourself from the inside out because that’s how you can truly feel beautiful. There are resources out there if you’re feeling anxious — people to talk to, doctors to interact with, and there are tons of solutions out there for you. You are not alone. Never feel embarrassed or ashamed about who you are.” >> Kristen Bell Shares Post on What It’s Like to Grow Up with Mental Health Issues Lisa Nichols Lisa Nichols shares her struggles with abuse and depression, alongside her best actionable advice on how to make it through even your most troubling times -- and how to own your identity, “Don’t wear the labels and don’t let the labels wear you. You’re bigger than a label. I’m a woman before I’m a mother, I’m a woman before I’m a CEO, I’m a woman before I’m a daughter, I’m a woman first all things. I’m not a hero, I wanna be a she-ro and I wanna give her a chance. I say to you as your sister, if you don’t think you get to press reset, you better think again. It is not over. Matter of fact, it just begun.” >> Lisa Nichols Shares The 3 Sentences That Will Change Your Life Ryan Reynolds Whether he’s portraying the quick-witted Deadpool on the big screen or entertaining the Twitterverse by savagely trolling his wife Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds seems like a cool, confident guy. But behind those charming, effortlessly laid-back vibes, Reynolds is battling the same type of mental illness as 40 million adults in the United States: an anxiety disorder. “I have anxiety, I’ve always had anxiety,” Reynolds told The New York Times. “Both in the lighthearted ‘I’m anxious about this’ kind of thing, and I’ve been to the depths of the darker end of the spectrum, which is not fun.” >> Ryan Reynolds Gets Vulnerable While Sharing His Struggle with Anxiety Charlize Theron “You know, it was a huge surprise for me. I got hit in the face pretty hard with depression,” Theron told Entertainment Tonight about her bad diet she undertook to gain 50 pounds for Tully and its impact on her mental health. “Yeah, for the first time in my life I was eating so much processed foods and I drank way too much sugar. I was not that fun to be around on this film.” And if you think that sounds like an overreaction, you should know that it’s absolutely possible to feel the impact of an unhealthy diet on that level. Eating processed food can contribute to brain damage, and mental illness can develop from nutrient deficiencies. Not to mention that studies have shown a direct correlation between gut and mental health. >> Charlize Theron Gets Real About Depression, Shares the Scary Impact of Bad Diet on Mental Health Kendall Jenner It would be easy to assume that Kendall Jenner’s success equates to personal fulfillment and wellbeing, but in a candid interview with Harper’s Bazaar last year, Jenner revealed that her “debilitating anxiety” had gotten to the point where she would “wake up in the middle of the night with full-on panic attacks.” In her most recent interview with LOVE Magazine, Jenner reveals how she has learned to manage her anxiety over the years, painting a clear picture of the importance of making time for self-care and being open to the idea of saying no. >> Kendall Jenner Reveals How Her ‘Debilitating Anxiety’ Taught Her a Lesson in Prioritizing Self-Care Janet Jackson “The struggle was intense,” Janet Jackson wrote in an open letter for Essence magazine (via CNN). “Low self-esteem might be rooted in childhood feelings of inferiority. It could relate to failing to meet impossibly high standards. And of course there are always the societal issues of racism and sexism.” “I wasn’t happy with the way I looked. For most of my life, that lack of happiness followed me,” she wrote. “I wish someone had said, ‘You look fine. You look healthy. Being a little chubby is the least important thing in the world. Enjoy your childhood. Enjoy running and laughing and playing. Stop looking in the mirror and comparing yourself to others.” >> Janet Jackson Reveals She’s Struggled with Depression, But Her Secret to Finding Happiness is Truly Uplifting Wil Wheaton Wheaton, who battles chronic depression and anxiety, is a staunch mental health advocate — and he recently delivered one of the most powerful speeches on the topic at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) conference in Ohio. Addressing the crowd, the actor opened up about the heart-wrenching suffering he went through for decades, fueled by adults’ lack of understanding and a refusal to admit that since before he was 10 he had mental health issues. “Night after night, I’d wake up in absolute terror, and night after night, I’d drag my blankets off my bed, to go to sleep on the floor in my sister’s bedroom, because I was so afraid to be alone,” he shared at the conference and on Medium. >> Wil Wheaton Gives Powerful Speech About Mental Health Struggles Chrissy Teigen Postpartum depression impacts millions of women in major ways and every woman is impacted differently. According to Chrissy Teigen, one of the ways she was impacted is that she noticed some of her greatest passions diminishing, and that includes her love of food and cooking. “When I wasn’t feeling great, being in the kitchen was like torture. It felt like such a job, and you want to be excited when you’re in the kitchen,” she says. “I cook because I love food and I love to eat. It makes me happy to serve people. And when you aren’t feeling that way, it was like torture.” But once she figured out what was going on, she got better. She was prescribed an antidepressant and sought help from a therapist. >> Chrissy Teigen Opens Up About Struggle with Depression, Inspires Us with Her Raw Honesty

Surgeon Goes Viral For Sewing Up 8-Year-Old Boy's Teddy Bear After Operation
Uplifting News

Surgeon Goes Viral For Sewing Up 8-Year-Old Boy's Teddy Bear After Operation

A Canadian neurosurgeon performed a career first after his young patient asked for a special favor prior to his operation.Heading into the hospital for surgery can be a scary event at any age. But for Jackson McKie, an eight-year-old living with a cyst on his brain and a chronic condition called hydrocephalus, hospital visits are common place.Like most kids his age, Jackson brought his favorite teddy bear into the operating room with him, and when he asked his doctor, Daniel McNeely to stitch up his arm, the neurosurgeon couldn't say no.“I thought if there was something I could do to help make him feel better, it seemed like a simple gesture and I was only too happy to oblige,” McNeely said Tuesday.The doctor asked his team to prepare a table with some tools for the job, he then used leftover stitches from McKie's procedure to fix up the bear.“He’s one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met,” Jackson’s father, Rick McKie, said of McNeely on Tuesday.His father continues to say that Jackson was thrilled when he woke from his surgery to find his beloved bear, Little Baby, had been fixed up by McNeely, just like he had been.“I thought it might make a few people smile, that was the only intention I had,” said McNeely on the virality of his actions. “I’m glad that others are enjoying it.”As of Thursday morning, McNeely's first-ever tweet had been retweeted more than 13K times and commented on by people all over the world who were just as touched as McKie, Little Baby, and his family.Dr. Daniel McNeely's act of kindness is a heartwarming example of what healthcare professionals can do to brighten their patients lives in non-medical ways.