"Culture or Clout?

In a world where trends go viral overnight and style is shared with a swipe, borrowing from other cultures is more common than ever—especially in the way we dress, speak, and move to music. But here’s the real question: when are we honoring culture, and when are we just using it for clout? For teens and young adults navigating identity and influence, understanding the line between appreciation and appropriation isn’t just about being “woke”—it’s about being aware. Because celebrating culture should never come at the cost of disrespecting the people it belongs to.

Defining Cultural Appreciation and Appropriation

Cultural appreciation involves seeking to understand and learn about another culture in a way that respects and honors its traditions and values. It fosters mutual respect and deeper connections between diverse communities. Conversely, cultural appropriation occurs when individuals adopt elements of a culture not their own without understanding or respecting the significance behind them, often reducing sacred or meaningful practices to mere fashion statements or entertainment. ​FAB L'Style+2Greenheart International+2Parents+2

Fashion: A Double-Edged Sword

Fashion is supposed to be about expression—but what happens when someone else’s culture becomes just another “aesthetic”? The industry has a habit of pulling from global traditions without context, turning sacred symbols into accessories. Think about it: a Native headdress on a runway isn’t bold or edgy—it’s disrespect wrapped in designer fabric. When culture is borrowed without credit, meaning gets lost, and real people get erased. The drip might be fire, but if you don’t know the story behind the fit, are you really wearing it—or just using it?

Music: Blurring the Lines

In music, blending sounds from different cultures can create magic—but it can also spark serious controversy. When artists borrow beats, flows, or vibes from cultures they don’t belong to—especially without giving credit—it can feel less like inspiration and more like exploitation. This hits even harder when the original culture has been historically silenced or pushed aside, while the artist profiting off its style gets praise, fame, and streams. The question isn’t can you use it—it’s how you use it, why, and who really benefits.

Language and Slang: Context Matters

The use of slang or linguistic expressions from different cultures is another area where the line between appreciation and appropriation can blur. Adopting phrases or dialects without understanding their origins or cultural significance can lead to misrepresentation and perpetuation of stereotypes. It's essential to approach language with sensitivity and awareness of its cultural roots. We all love a good phrase that hits—but where did it come from? Using slang from different cultures might feel fun or trendy, but if you don’t know the roots, you might be repeating someone’s struggle as a punchline. When language born from survival or identity becomes a social media catchphrase, it’s easy to slip from appreciation into appropriation. Words carry weight.

Navigating the Fine Line

To engage in cultural appreciation rather than appropriation, consider the following guidelines:

• Educate Yourself: Learn about the cultural significance of the elements you wish to incorporate. Understanding the history and meaning behind cultural practices is fundamental.​

• Seek Permission and Give Credit: Whenever possible, obtain consent from cultural bearers and acknowledge the origins of the cultural elements you are using.​

• Reflect on Intent and Impact: Consider why you are drawn to a particular cultural element and how its use might affect the community it originates from.​

• Support Authentic Representation: Instead of adopting cultural elements yourself, consider supporting artists and creators from that culture by amplifying their work.​FAB L'Style

"Hustle Culture is Overrated: Reclaiming Rest as a Radical Act"

The Rise of Hustle Culture

Hustle culture promotes the idea that one's value is directly tied to their productivity. It champions long hours, constant connectivity, and the pursuit of professional achievements above all else. While ambition and dedication are commendable, this relentless drive can blur the lines between diligence and overwork, leading to detrimental effects on mental and physical health. As noted by YoungMinds, hustle culture equates busyness with productivity, exhaustion with accomplishment, and, most dangerously, self-worth with professional success. ​Washington Square NewsYoungMinds

The Toll on Mental Health

The emphasis on perpetual work inherent in hustle culture has been linked to increased stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Talkspace highlights that individuals entrenched in this mindset often experience significant mental health challenges due to work-related stress and prolonged working hours. ​Talkspace

Gen Z's Shift Towards Balance

Recognizing the unsustainable nature of hustle culture, many within Generation Z are actively seeking alternatives that prioritize well-being. A recent study revealed that a significant percentage of young Australians, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are experiencing burnout, prompting a reevaluation of work-life balance. This shift emphasizes emotional sustainability and the importance of aligning work with personal values. ​news+2New York Post+2New York Post+2news

The Rise of Hustle Culture

Hustle culture promotes the idea that one's value is directly tied to their productivity. It champions long hours, constant connectivity, and the pursuit of professional achievements above all else. While ambition and dedication are commendable, this relentless drive can blur the lines between diligence and overwork, leading to detrimental effects on mental and physical health. As noted by YoungMinds, hustle culture equates busyness with productivity, exhaustion with accomplishment, and, most dangerously, self-worth with professional success. ​Washington Square NewsYoungMinds

The Toll on Mental Health

The emphasis on perpetual work inherent in hustle culture has been linked to increased stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Talkspace highlights that individuals entrenched in this mindset often experience significant mental health challenges due to work-related stress and prolonged working hours. ​Talkspace

Gen Z's Shift Towards Balance

Recognizing the unsustainable nature of hustle culture, many within Generation Z are actively seeking alternatives that prioritize well-being. A recent study revealed that a significant percentage of young Australians, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are experiencing burnout, prompting a reevaluation of work-life balance. This shift emphasizes emotional sustainability and the importance of aligning work with personal values. ​news+2New York Post+2New York Post+2news

Reclaiming Rest as a Radical Act

In a society that often views rest as laziness, choosing to prioritize self-care becomes a revolutionary act. Engaging in activities that promote relaxation and rejuvenation—such as mindfulness, adequate sleep, and setting boundaries—can significantly enhance overall well-being. Calm.com suggests incorporating practices like mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress and improve mental health. ​Michelle Courtney BerryExperience Calm

Strategies for Prioritizing Self-Care

• Set Boundaries: Clearly delineate work from personal time to prevent overextension.​

• Mindfulness Practices: Engage in meditation or deep-breathing exercises to center yourself.​

• Physical Activity: Regular exercise can alleviate stress and boost mood.​

• Quality Sleep: Aim for sufficient rest to allow your body and mind to recover.​Experience Calm+1Michelle Courtney Berry+1

• Seek Support: Connect with friends, family, or professionals when needed.​

Conclusion

Challenging the glorification of hustle culture is essential for fostering a healthier, more balanced approach to life and work. By embracing rest and self-care, individuals can cultivate resilience, enhance productivity, and lead more fulfilling lives. Prioritizing well-being is not an act of defiance but a necessary step toward sustainable success.​

Cover Image Suggestion:

An image depicting a serene individual practicing mindfulness or relaxation, symbolizing the embrace of rest and self-care amidst a hectic world.​

References:

• YoungMinds - The Double-Edged Sword of 'Hustle Culture'

• Talkspace - Hustle Culture: The Toxic Impact on Mental Health

• News.com.au - 'Unheard of': Work habit Gen Z won't quit

• Calm.com - Hustle culture impacting your mental health? Here's how to deal

"The Digital Double Life: Are You Curating or Hiding Your True Self?"

In today's digital age, social media platforms have become integral to the way Generation Z communicates, expresses themselves, and constructs their identities. In a world where likes validate our worth and filters redefine our features, we must ask: Are we truly expressing ourselves online, or simply perfecting a version of who we think the world will accept?

The Allure of Curation

For many in Gen Z, social media serves as a canvas for self-expression. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat offer opportunities to share moments, thoughts, and creations. However, this sharing often involves a selective process where individuals choose what aspects of their lives to reveal, aiming to present an idealized version of themselves. This curation can lead to a disconnect between one's online persona and real-life identity. As noted by the Rooted Ministry, teenagers are engaging in "the full-time job of online identity formation, working to project a curated self to a watching online world." ​

The pursuit of authenticity online often collides with an unspoken yet powerful force—the craving for validation. For Gen Z, being “real” is the ideal, but being accepted is the currency. A study from Trinity University reveals a quiet contradiction: while young people prize authenticity, many are still willing to reshape their digital identities in exchange for likes, shares, or fleeting affirmation. It raises a deeper question—are we chasing connection, or just compliance with the ever-shifting standards of social approval?

Blurred Boundaries Between Online and Offline Selves

For some, the line between online and offline identities is increasingly blurred. Research indicates that a significant portion of Gen Z perceives their online identity as their most authentic self, with 33% stating no difference between their online and offline personas. This integration suggests that, for many, digital platforms are not just tools for communication but extensions of their identity.

Striving for Genuine Connection

Despite the challenges, there is a growing movement among Gen Z towards embracing authenticity and seeking genuine connections. The emergence of platforms like BeReal, which encourages users to share unfiltered snapshots of their daily lives, reflects this desire for realness in a sea of curated content. By promoting spontaneous sharing, BeReal aims to reduce the pressures of self-presentation and foster more authentic interactions.

Sources

Rooted Ministry ,

digitalcommons.trinity.edu

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeReal?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://thenodmag.com/content

Science Confirms That People Absorb Energy From Others

The science that studies the behavior of energy in living things is called bioenergetics.

An interesting study was conducted at the University of Bielefeld, Germany, which shows that plants can absorb energy from other plants. Olivia Bader-Lee, a physician and therapist, followed the results of this investigation.

According to Bader-Lee, our bodies are like sponges, absorbing energy that is around us. “This is exactly why there are people who feel uncomfortable when they are in a certain group with a mixture of energy and emotions”. “The human body is very similar to a plant that sucks or absorbs the energy needed to feed your emotional state, and can energize the cells and increase the amount of cortisol and catabolize to feed the cells depending on the emotional need. ” continues Bader-Lee.

Bader-Lee says that over the centuries, man has lost that connection with nature, in which the exchange of energy could bring enormous benefits to humanity.

Ultimately, the spirit is energy, and what we call “supernatural” is nothing more than the manifestation of different energies in the world. This was known in ancient cultures from every continent, but science has decided to ignore it and only few scientists dare to address these issues, for fear of criticism and rejection by the scientific community.

HERE ARE FIVE ENERGY TOOLS TO USE TO CLEAR YOUR SPACE AND PREVENT ENERGY DRAINS WHILE RELEASING PEOPLE’S ENERGY:

Stay centered and grounded. If you are centered within your spiritual self (instead of your analyzer or ego) you will sense right away when something has moved into your space. If you are fully grounded, you can easily release other people’s energy and emotions down your grounding cord with your intention.

Be in a state of non-resistance. What we resists sticks. If you feel uncomfortable around a certain person or in a group, don’t go into resistance as a way to protect yourself as this will only keep foreign energy stuck in your space. Move into a state of non-resistance by imagining that your body is clear and translucent like clear glass or water. This way, if someone throws some invalidation at you, it will pass right through you.

Own your personal aura space. We each have an energetic aura surrounding our body. If we don’t own this personal space we are vulnerable to foreign energy entering it. Become aware of your aura boundaries (about an arms length away from your body all the way around, above and below) as a way to own your personal space.

Give yourself an energy cleanse. The color gold has a high vibration which is useful for clearing away foreign energy. Imagine a gold shower nozzle at the top of your aura (a few feet above your head) and turn it on, allowing clear gold energy to flow through your aura and body space and release down your grounding. You will immediately feel cleansed and refreshed.

Call back your energy. When we have our energy in our own space there is less room for other’s energy to enter. But as we focus on other people and projects we sometimes spread our energy around. Create an image of a clear gold sun several feet above your head and let it be a magnet, attracting all of your energy back into it (and purifying it in the gold energy). Then bring it down through the top of your aura and into your body space, releasing your energy back into your personal space.

Source:

Originally written by Michael Forrester and published on Prevent Disease

consciousreminder.com

http://tinnuochan.com/science-confirms-that-people-absorb-energy-from-others/

The Ultimate Detox Smoothie 🥤💪🏼 L.A DETOX

LA Detox is a web series coming out the end of 2018, focusing on the important facts and tips, alongside pros and cons of living a healthy food lifestyle. 

THE “MIRACLE TONE” – RAISE YOUR VIBRATION WITH THIS HEALING FREQUENCY "432HZ"🕊

As sound healing becomes more popular, more and more people are starting to experiment with it. You have people learning how to chant, listening to specific frequencies, and using singing bowls. It’s not just those of us who are interested in spirituality and New Age concepts that are looking into this ancient Eastern knowledge, but scientists as well, studying these sounds and how they affect the body.

Though sound healing is only now beginning to enter into the mainstream, it’s been used as an ancient healing modality for many centuries in different religions. Even scientists such as Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein spoke of the importance of viewing everything in terms of vibration, energy, and frequency.

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”

– Nikola Tesla

Science has proven that everything is made up of energy and that everything holds its own vibration and frequency, which can then be increased or decreased. One person’s vibration that they’re emitting can then affect another person’s energy, and science has proven this interrelation through studying quantum mechanics and our electromagnetic fields or auras. You can read more about the research The HeartMath Institute is conducting on the heart’s aura and how we affect other people here.

With that logic, since sounds also hold their own frequency, wouldn’t it make sense that a specific sound’s frequency would affect that of our own?

The Science Behind Sound Healing 

Dr. Herbert Benson, professor, author, cardiologist, and founder of Harvard’s Mind/Body Medical Institute, studied how sound healing, specifically mantric chanting, can help induce the Relaxation Response. The Relaxation Response is defined as an individual’s ability to prompt their body to release chemicals and brain signals that cause muscles to relax, respiration to slow, and blood pressure to drop.

The Relaxation Response can reduce symptoms of IBS and counteract the physiological changes of stress and the fight or flight response, including muscle tension, headache, upset stomach, racing heartbeat, and shallow breathing.

Dr. Ranjie Singh, a neuroscientist, writer, businessman, and global educator, found that chanting specific mantras releases the hormone melatonin, and this in turn offers many benefits, including tumour shrinkage and enhanced sleep.

Chanting has been found to oxygenate the brain, reduce heart rate, improve blood pressure, and calm brainwave activity. It can even cause the left and right hemispheres of the brain to synchronize.