Self Care Song of the Day #7: Kid Cudi-Love

I've been on a Kid Cudi listening spree ever since he checked himself into a mental health care facility last month. It took a lot of courage for Cudi to share his struggles with the world and I sincerely hope he gets the help he needs.

Fans love Kid Cudi's honesty in his music

I think Cudi is a shining example of how we can all help fight mental health stigma. If Cudi can come out and talk about his own demons in Hip Hop--a genre that is especially averse to admitting vulnerability of any sort--we can all come out and do the same in our own worlds.

The truth is, we all face adversity. And we all get stressed out and down...and lose hope. That's the nature of life. And when we do, we can't be afraid to tell others that we're going through it. And, on the flipside, we should also make ourselves available to people in need around us. Those are two small--yet powerful--things we can do to reverse the stigma against mental health issues.

I love, "LOVE," an unreleased song that has a powerful message. It's a reminder that the sun always rises tomorrow and that there's always a way out of a dark spot. Bump this! Take care of each other and keep fighting the good fight!

"Don't be so down, c'mon young homie

You'll be OK, you'll find real love

All of the stories, the hero gets lonely

Now is the time to show what you're made of"

Comments

The Long Shadow of Gun Violence (In Loving Memory of Bette Clark)

I met Bette and her oldest son, Joey, during a death penalty trial in Center City. It was the sentencing phase for the two men who killed her youngest son, Timmy, who was gunned down execution-style when he was 15. Caroline, an advocate with the Families of Murder Victims, introduced us. "Bette, this is Jooyoung. He's a researcher and wants to interview you." Joey sized me up and seemed protective of his mom, who had already been through so much. Her eyes were red from crying, so I said, "I'm really sorry to hear about what happened." She smiled a little and said in her Tacony accent, "Thank you. It's been such a long day. But, call me whenever, sure." I spent the next day with Bette and her family at the courthouse and visited them weekly over the next year. I hadn't planned on following the families of murder victims, but my ongoing research in Philly had pushed me in this direction. While getting to know gunshot...

Bas Rutten's Punk Payback: How (Not) to Act During a Robbery

El Guapo I love Bas "El Guapo" Rutten. The Dutchman was a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, 3-time King of Pancrase, and an all-around badass. Following his illustrious fighting career, he transitioned into MMA commentary. I've found his commentary insightful and think that he comes across as a very humble and approachable person. Recently, I learned that Fuel TV was producing a show for Rutten called "Punk Payback." I immediately thought that the show would be a spin-off of MTV's "Bully Beatdown," a show in which professional MMA fighters confront and beat up bullies. To me, this would make sense: Bas Rutten was bullied when he was younger and openly talks about developing self confidence/awareness through the martial arts. I just watched a 10-minute clip of Punk Payback and am surprised to report that it isn't this kind of show. Instead, the episode I saw featured Rutten providing colorful commentary on how to resist/disarm armed...

Why You Should Read "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" (& Bukowski)

I just finished reading Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck . This was a breezy read and packs a ton of wisdom into 210 pages. I read the entire book on my flight back to California yesterday and think it's worth checking out, particularly if you're disillusioned with the cult of self-help-pop-psychology in today's book market. Manson's book is as advertised, "A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life." Other passengers were interested in the book, too! I was initially drawn to The Subtle Art... because Manson, a professional blogger , draws inspiration from Charles Bukowski aka "The Dirty Old Man." Bukowski is one of my favorite writers and has a legion of fans who adore his blunt, crude, and honest way of writing. I can't think of a less pretentious writer. Love or hate him, Bukowski was someone who wrote with raw sincerity; "The Dirty Old Man" was open and unabashed about his vulnerability and he...

Positive Sociology

Search This Blog