Forged In Affliction

Happy birthday to our brother Lamar!
We are grateful to have the opportunity to bless this guy with an amazing 40lb cake for his 61st birthday! ♡ We are honored to know Lamar and be a part of his journey! We love you!
-From Forged In Affliction

"When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too." -Paulo Coelho

Hello again guys! This week we've got a quote that really reflects a lot of the prior themes we've talked about here. Love, I often find, is one of life's greatest concepts. As the quote says, love makes us want to be better, and as we do so, the world too becomes better. This cycle then makes it much easier for others to find love as well, thus the world becomes exponentially greater for all around as this love spreads. And of course, the opposite can be said for hatred, however. The more you hate the worse things become. Therefore, one should always strive to choose love. That is the key of Coelho's quote, he says "When we STRIVE to become better than we are..." meaning we do not need to be perfect right away, but rather as long as we put in the effort and are willing to make the necessary changes to be better. Even if it takes time, and even if it's not perfect, you'll notice the positive changes in your surroundings that much more. So we ask that you all love deeply and strive to be become better! We love you guys and wish you an awesome week and a happy Monday! -Bran
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"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them" - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Hello guys! This week we found it important to honor the fallen this Memorial Day and remind everyone of the sacrifices others have made to allow us the freedoms we enjoy! Quite often throughout our day to day lives do we forget that there are others out there giving their lives so we may enjoy ours relatively peacefully. It's easy to take for granted those privileges given to us, but this week I urge you all to be more mindful of the things you do have. You'll notice yourself feeling more thankful for these things, and much more understanding of the underlying price that has been paid in blood for them. We love you all and wish each of you a happy Monday and an amazing week!
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"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Hello everybody! This week I've got a quote from one of the greats! This quote specifically feels very relevant nowadays because the great problems that surround us all. In The Hobbit, Thorin on his deathbed says this to Bilbo after a great battle caused in part by Thorin's own pride and greed. After the battle's end, and looking back more clearly, Thorin realizes that that pride and greed had caused so many problems that need not have happened. Instead, he reminisces on what could have been if more people, like Bilbo, valued kindness and comfort instead of selfishness and hate. In the moment those negative feelings are much easier to gravitate towards, but we must be mindful of the spiral that those negative feelings can drag us down if we're not careful. We must do our part to lift others out of that spiral and remind them that we each have limited time on this Earth, and we must spend it wisely. To dwell on the negatives is a waste of that precious little time given to us. Instead, focus our attention towards the simple comforts and joys of life and live happily in the company of friends and family, and remind them of the love you share for one another! We love you guys, happy Monday and let your week be one filled with those small comforts and joys! -Bran
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"Abandon the safety of mindless following. Abandon what holds us captive to suffering." - Take This Oath by

Hey there guys! This week we've got a really good song lyric from one of my favorite bands when it comes to finding inspiration. This one in particular really stuck out to me because lately I feel like society as a whole is trending towards negativity as our "default mode". Even if we don't notice in the moment, that negativity causes us and those around us so much unnecessary suffering. The worst part of this wicked cycle is that the more people come to feed into that negativity, the more negative this mindlessness becomes. Instead, we must break free of that mindlessness, abandon the cause of all this suffering, and think for ourselves. However, I do think it's important to note that he calls it the "safety of mindless following", because that's what it is. It's our comfort zone, and it is safe. And so to break free will surely not be easy, but it will always be worth the effort; and you'll feel that relief as the suffering dissipates. So, I ask you all to become mindful of your actions, escape the mindlessness, and choose for yourself. Through these changes you will feel the benefits and notice the improvement it has on your life. Happy Monday everybody, have an awesome week, and we love you all! -Bran
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"Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you can see it, you'll never make it through the night." — Leia Organa

A bonus Motivational Monday post since it is still May the 4th! Star Wars has always held a special place in my heart since I was a kid, and I've always appreciated the overlying theme of hope that they have throughout the series. This specific quote I really enjoy because of the simplicity of the analogy Leia makes, while still being extremely effective in delivering its message. Hope is always there, and you should always believe in it. If you lose hope in a moment of darkness, then you're doomed to fail. It is in those moments of darkness that you need hope the strongest so that the light will come once more and shine for all to see! So, know that the light will always come back, hope is always there, you just have to believe; even when it might not be visibly obvious. May the force be with you guys! -Bran
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"Keep moving forward!" -Meet the Robinsons

Hello everybody! A nice short and sweet bit of inspiration for our quote this week, but there's a good bit to unpack within it. Throughout the entirety of Meet the Robinsons, the phrase "keep moving forward" is echoed constantly to remind the main character, Lewis, of the importance of not giving up, and I think it can apply to all of us in our lives as well. No matter what hardships come our way, we must keep moving forward. It is the only way to grow and become stronger! The character Goob even highlights the sort of downward negative spiral one can find themselves going down if they refuse to move forward and instead let their life's challenges derail their life. So instead of following that path of negativity, I ask all of you to keep moving forward! Allow yourself to be Forged in Affliction and you will find growth and happiness! Happy Monday and have an amazing rest of the week! We love you guys! -Bran
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"To sow seeds that others might one day taste the fruits of your garden - that is the beauty of [humanity]" -Feo Ul, Final Fantasy 14

Hi guys! This week we've got a quote from a game I spend quite a bit of time playing. This one stuck out to me, though, because in a very magical fantastical world, there is still a respect for the future. To plant a garden and have it bear fruit, both literally and metaphorically, takes plenty of time. Depending on the fruit, it can even take so long that you yourself may never fully reap the benefits, but instead the future generations will. In a broader sense this is speaking to just making the world better as a whole. We all can do our due diligence to make the world a better place and no matter how small the step may seem for us now, it will make a world of difference for those that come after us. Let go of selfishness and pride and instead choose kindness and generosity. Share your light with others and make the world better for not just yourself, but those around you and those that will come after us. Happy Monday! Kick some ass! We love each and every one of you, and wish you all an excellent week! -Bran
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"Hope is forged when our goals, pathways, and agency are tested and when change is actually possible." -Brené Brown

Hello everybody! We've got a good one this week! The quote here definitely supports something we've often said: stagnance prevents growth. The more you allow life to stay the same, refuse to change, and stay in your comfort zone, then the more you deny yourself these growth opportunities! If change is feasible and you allow yourself to be tested, then the growth will come. This mirrors our own personal mission here of allowing ourselves to be Forged in Affliction! So, allow yourself to be open to change and prepared to face whatever challenges may come your way on the road to achieving your goals. Through that will you find your character tested and developed to grow stronger and more resilient. We hope to see you all embrace change and grow from your life's challenges. They'll only make you stronger! We love you guys, have a happy Monday, and a fantastic week awaits you!
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"BETWEEN STIMULUS AND RESPONSE THERE IS A SPACE. IN THAT SPACE IS OUR POWER TO CHOOSE OUR RESPONSE. IN OUR RESPONSE LIES OUR GROWTH AND OUR FREEDOM." -VIKTOR E. FRANKL

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💥Comment below what that quote means to you!
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