Outrageous Optimism
Bio
Writing on a variety of subjects that are positive, progressive and pass the time.
We're here for a good time AND a long time!
Official Twitter: @OptimismWrites
Author Twitter: @gabriellebenna
Achievements (1)
Stories (39/0)
Grinding in the Dark
Grinding in the dark. It sounds dirty, perhaps even a little enjoyable to some… To most, it may seem like you have something to hide. I’ve had all of the above reactions from my peers and more when I share my view on the subject.
By Outrageous Optimism about 20 hours ago in Psyche
Stand Up For Ukraine
In all the years that we humans have graced this planet with our presence, there has been one constant that seems to follow us wherever we go… war. Even when we speak of peace, the routes which we plot out to get there can often be considered an offensive strategy – peace by force, whether you like it or not. We trudge onward, leaving a trail of destruction in our wake. At times it feels almost impossible to go on, the relentless stream of bad news becoming overbearing, willing us to switch off and stop paying attention. It is imperative that we keep paying attention.
By Outrageous Optimism 22 days ago in The Swamp
Call Me Freedom
What does freedom mean to you? Is it staying up all night and sleeping in? Having no one there to dictate how you spend your time or make the choices you do… Is it deciding that you will have that mimosa before noon, or choosing between the red or blue top without your partner breathing down your neck? Is it the luxury of being able to take a sick day when you need it? Does it arrive each time you head to the polling station and vote for what you want to see in the world? Is it buying enough food for the month and still being able to pay the bills? Perhaps freedom is having no bills! Perhaps it is being able to walk down the street where you live and feel safe.
By Outrageous Optimism 2 months ago in The Swamp
- Runner-Up in We Have a Dream Challenge
Lessons in AweRunner-Up in We Have a Dream Challenge
I’m sitting on the bus on my way to work. My headphones are plugged into my ears and I’m looking down at my phone. I enter my workspace. It’s a glorious building, built in the 1930s and decked out like an underwater haven. A sea of emerald meets my eye as I walk through the front doors. Though I’ve seen the architecture many times and often take it for granted, when I stop for a moment to look up the sight before me is truly magnificent.
By Outrageous Optimism 4 months ago in Motivation
5 Signs You're In Recovery
As a society we speak a lot about what is wrong with us. How we can improve or progress. Whilst it is perfectly healthy to want to better ourselves, we can never really appreciate the now if we are constantly worrying about the future. Furthermore, it can be important, particularly for those of us who have been overcoming past trauma, to take a moment to live in the present and appreciate how far we have come. After all, isn’t that what we have been bettering ourselves for? To step out of the past, away from the anxiety of the future and into the present?
By Outrageous Optimism 5 months ago in Motivation
What is Load Bearing?
Load-bearing. I’ve seen this term come up time and again within different contexts. Some are simply about how to correctly assemble the structure of a building with strong foundations so that it can withstand enormous loads. Other articles, particularly about emotional load-bearing, talk of the disproportionate amounts of mental and emotional labour women in heterosexual couples have to bear when they find themselves running an entire household on their own, despite putting in the same amount of hours at work as their male counterpart.
By Outrageous Optimism 8 months ago in Psyche
Actions Over Words
Actions of care. That is my love language. By actions of care, I don’t mean that I want somebody to do everything for me. I do not want a servant, nor do I wish to be coddled or treated as if I am helpless. What I think of, when I think of actions of care, are the times when somebody close to you knows you and thinks about you enough that they engage in small actions that might make your day brighter, or your life easier in some way.
By Outrageous Optimism 9 months ago in Humans
How Do We Get Humans To Treat Other Humans Like Humans?
I want to talk about something that has given me a lot of pause. It’s about the importance of using your voice, showing up for each other, and community. I am a citizen of dual nationality… which is very confusing, because I am both us and them, self and other, the byproduct of two countries – England and Tunisia – yet also unable to qualify as a true-blue native of either of them. You could say I am somewhat displaced. Although not nearly as displaced as those who have found themselves with no other option than to leave the only place they know and try to cobble their lives back together on unfamiliar land.
By Outrageous Optimism 9 months ago in The Swamp
