INPUT ARTICLE: Article: One way to really go above and beyond in your passion is to become a mentor to other people who are just starting out in your field. Once you feel like you’ve really cut your teeth and have enough experience to share it with others, then you can take some people who share your passion under your wing, whether they are younger siblings, junior employees, or even people who ask you questions online. This can help you take on more of a leadership role and to further your passion by spreading the joy to others.  Once you feel established enough in your passion, you will feel a real joy in being able to help other people succeed in your field. You can think of it as sharing the love. You don’t want to be one of those people who is so obsessed with his passion that he doesn’t want to help other people succeed in it because he thinks that there are too many actors/writers/bloggers in the world already. If you know someone who is coming up in your field, you may even want to offer to help that person. Another way to go above and beyond in your passion is to share how much you care with a wider audience over social media. As long as your messages aren’t too annoying or repetitive, sharing your interests, posting your essay, blogs, videos, or other relevant information to show how much you care, or just writing an occasional message to get the word out can get more people involved in your cause.  Just be ready for the fact that not everyone will care or agree with your message. That’s part of having a passion, though, right? Make sure people feel like you’re trying to send a good message instead of self-promoting too much or doing things just to get attention. If you’re really passionate about something and want to devote yourself to it, then you will have to make some sacrifices along the way. Though you may not want to become monomaniacal (like Ahab and his whale) and give up absolutely everything for whatever it is you love, you should be prepared to give up some other things that you may love in order to really put your passion into practice. Here are some of the things that you may have to sacrifice:  Your social time. If you really want to succeed in your passion, then you may have to give up some of that time you love spending with your family, your friends, or your significant other. Your sleep. Many people who live and breathe for their passions aren’t known for getting ten hours of shuteye a night. Your free time. You may love lounging around, watching TV, or throwing a Frisbee to your dog, or reading magazines, but you’ll have to give some of that up. Though it’s important to make sacrifices if you really want to pursue your passion, you also have to be able to find a healthy balance that lets you live your life without too much stress or heartache. If you’re serious about following your passion but have other obligations, such as to your job, your friends, your family, or to your health, then you have to find a way to make time for your passion without completely giving up all of the other things that do matter to you.  It may help to make a schedule to let yourself have time to both pursue your passion and make time for your family and other important things in your life. This can help you transition between activities a bit more smoothly. Of course, you can give everything else up and devote all of your time to your passion. But chances are that you’ll need a bit of a break or a change in scenery from time to time, or you may feel completely drained and exhausted when it comes to doing what you care about most. If you really want to be passionate, then one thing you have to work on is living in the present moment and enjoying what you’re doing. Though it’s likely you have plenty of goals and a vision of the future that you want to have, if you really want to be passionate, then you have to work on giving in to the moment and really enjoying all of the effort you’re putting into your passion right when you’re working on it.  For example, if you’re working on a novel, your main goal may be to get it ready to send to an agent, who will hopefully sign you and then try to take it to the publishers when it’s ready. However, if you spend too much time stressing over the next steps, you may not be able to enjoy how much you love writing in the moment. Plus, if you’re too worked up about the future while you’re pursuing your passion, you won’t be able to do as good of a job as you would do on it if you gave it your all in the moment. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you’re really proud of the work that you do, whether you’re an Oscar-winning actress or someone who works her butt off to show up to every casting call. Most people out there don’t really have anything that they’re passionate about and you’ve gone the distance with caring about something that means the world to you, whether it’s a cause, an art form, or something else that gives your life meaning. Trying is more than half the battle. Even if you may not be the best-selling writer, President, or top activist that you want to be, you should be proud of yourself for continuing to put yourself out there no matter what. Most people quit after failing a few times, and you’ve made it clear that you’re determined not to let anyone stand in your way.

SUMMARY: Become a mentor. Share your passion over social media. Make sacrifices. Learn to find a balance in your life. Live in the present as much as you can. Be proud of yourself for caring.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You never know for sure what a bully might do, so confronting the bully in a place with many witnesses can make the confrontation safer. It also means there will be many witnesses if the bully tries anything physically violent.  You can confront the bully it in the hall at school, in the cafeteria, etc. Choosing a place where there will be adults is also preferable because they can help keep the situation from escalating. Bullies thrive on your insecurity and will often pick on people who they think are easy targets. By physically standing up to them, you are sending the message that you aren’t afraid.  Sometimes simply standing up to a bully will make them back off.   Tell the bully in a confident and certain tone to stop. Don’t get emotional. Simply tell them, in a matter of fact way, to stop. Having a friend for moral support can make a big difference when confronting a bully. Having a friend with you can also isolate the bully and make it more difficult for he or she to continue their abuse. Therefore, having a friend with you makes you a more difficult target for bullying.  Also, be there for your friends when they need to confront a bully.  Your friend does not need to say anything or even actively participate. Their presence alone can make the difference. A bully wants you to be upset. Do your best to show the bully that you do not care what they say. It can be very difficult to to stay cool when you are being bullied, but it can make a big difference.  Keep a neutral face. Don’t show your anger, even if you feel it.   No matter how mean the bully is, respond with phrases like “that’s interesting” and “ok, thanks.” This will help to disarm the bully. Do not be afraid to go to an adult when bullying becomes a problem. Sometimes you will be unable to deal with the problem by yourself. In these cases, get help.  You may feel pressure not to get an adult involved, but when bullying becomes serious, it is the right thing to do. Staying and fighting will only make things worse and can get you in trouble too. Always report physical violence to a teacher, principal or other trusted adult in the school.

SUMMARY:
Confront the bully in public. Stand up and be confident. Bring a friend with you when you confront the bully. Show the bully that you don’t care. Tell a teacher or other trusted adult. If the confrontation escalates to physical violence, walk away.