February 13, 2018

You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly. – Sam Keen


“We come to love not by finding a perfect person but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.”
It starts by saying we don’t come to love, or fall into love, because we have found a perfect person. After all, we are all humans, and therefore, all quite a bit shy of perfect. At least everyone I know is that way.
The quote concludes by saying that instead, we come, or fall into, love by seeing an imperfect person perfectly. You see the flaws, and you see them clearly. But we love them anyway.
When we are infatuated, we often miss the flaws, but by the time we are well and truly in love, we have cleared our eyes, and are seeing them for the human they are. Flaws and all, yet we love them none the less.

Nobody is perfect, we all have our flaws. Our flaws make us special, our flaws make us human, our flaws make us who we are. Find someone who loves your flaws as much as they love you.


Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below.
February 13, 2018

This super easy and quick tutorial will show you how to use a couple of textures and layer styles to create a shiny, reflective chrome text effect. Let's get started!

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial.

1. Define the Pattern

Step 1

Open the Bus Seats image, and then go to Filter > Distort > ZigZag. Change the Amount to 20, the Ridges to 5, and the Style to Pond Ripple.

Step 2

Go to Edit > Define Pattern, and type Reflection Pattern in the Name field.

2. Create the Background

Step 1

Create a new 950 x 650 px document, place the AsphaltDamaged0043 texture on top of the Background layer, and resize it as needed.

Step 2

Double-click the texture's layer to apply a Gradient Overlay effect with these settings:
  • Blend Mode: Multiply
  • Style: Radial
  • Scale: 150%
  • Click the Gradient box to create the gradient fill using the colors #757575 to the right and #0f0f0f to the left.


 This will create a simple radial gradient.

3. Create the Text Layers

Step 1

Create the text using the font Bebas Neue Bold and set the Size to 220 pt and the Kerning to Optical.

Step 2

Duplicate the text layer, and change the copy's Fill value to 0.

4. Style the Original Text Layer

Double-click the original text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:
  • Size: 1
  • Uncheck the Use Global Light box
  • Angle: 30
  • Altitude: 16
  • Check the Anti-aliased box
  • Highlight Mode - Opacity: 100%
  • Shadow Mode - Opacity: 100%


Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:
  • Contour: Cove - Shallow
  • Check the Anti-aliased box
  • Range: 100%


Step 3

Add a Stroke with these settings:
  • Size: 1
  • Position: Inside
  • Fill Type: Gradient
  • Use the stainless steel xx gradient fill


Step 4

Add an Inner Shadow with these settings:
  • Opacity: 35%
  • Uncheck the Use Global Light box
  • Angle: -115
  • Distance: 3
  • Size: 7


Step 5

Add an Inner Glow with these settings:
  • Blend Mode: Vivid Light
  • Opacity: 100%
  • Color: #f4f2e7
  • Choke: 0
  • Size: 3


Step 6

Add a Gradient Overlay with these settings:
  • Check the Dither box
  • Blend Mode: Color
  • Opacity: 90%
  • Check the Reverse box
  • Use the stove pipe 70 gradient fill


Step 7

Add a Pattern Overlay with these settings:
  • Pattern: Reflection Pattern
  • Scale: 50%


Step 8

Add an Outer Glow with these settings:
  • Blend Mode: Multiply
  • Opacity: 35%
  • Color: #404040
  • Size: 21


Step 9

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:
  • Opacity: 100%
  • Distance: 5
  • Spread: 10
  • Size: 10


Step 10

Add another Drop Shadow with these settings:
  • Opacity: 80%
  • Uncheck the Use Global Light box
  • Angle: 132
  • Distance: 17
  • Size: 38


Step 11

You can go back to the Pattern Overlay effect, and then click-drag the pattern inside the text to move it around until you get a result you like.

This will style the first layer of text.

5. Style the Copy Text Layer

Double-click the copy text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add an Inner Glow with these settings:
  • Blend Mode: Linear Light
  • Opacity: 20%
  • Color: #e1e1e1
  • Technique: Precise
  • Size: 5
  • Contour: Cove - Deep


Step 2

Add a Gradient Overlay with these settings:
  • Blend Mode: Soft Light
  • Angle: 80
  • Use the steel pipe 10 gradient fill


Step 3

Add an Outer Glow with these settings:
  • Blend Mode: Color Dodge
  • Opacity: 50%
  • Color: #ececec
  • Size: 21


Congratulations, You're Done!



In this tutorial, we applied a filter to an image and defined it as a pattern. Then, we created a simple background using a texture and a gradient overlay effect.
Please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions, and outcomes below.
February 11, 2018

Why is Loving and being Loved Important?

In the context of this quote, we’re talking about how love impacts you, and how that is important in our lives. For this quote, we’ll discuss the out-going love and the inbound love separately. In each case, it seems that our belief(s) in ourselves change with the support of love.
The inbound love, the love you receive from others, provides us with the support we need to be strong. With the loving support of others, we are buoyed, and believe we can do (almost) anything.
In the case of love inbound, it gives you strength. You know some one loves you, and you are able to handle tougher situations, be more energetic in your life and move the unmovable. This is because with this love, all things are possible.
The out-going love, the love you give to others, provides us with the reason we need to be brave and courageous. With the love for others in our hearts, we are more prepared to sacrifice so that they won’t have to suffer.
In the case of love out-going, it gives you courage. You know your love for someone will sustain you and can help you face danger, deal with threatening situations, and sustain yourself against impossible odds. This is because with this love, you are emboldened and confident.



Love is one of the most powerful forces on this planet. Understand it, harness it and build on it. Love with honesty and integrity, and provide the world with your example.
Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below.
February 08, 2018


How to Know if a Person Truly Loves you?


There are some basic things that form the foundation of all healthy and loving relationships. Here are the top 6 ways for how to know if a person truly loves you.

1. They love themself.


A person can’t love someone else unless they love themself first. Self-love is so crucial because itequals self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-respect, and self-confidence.
Self-loving individuals know how to set healthy boundaries in relationships, and rarely if ever end up in codependent situations. They are willing to give to and please others, but not to their own detriment. They are usually good at teaching people how to treat them well, and their assuredness typically brings out the best in those around them.
They know how and when to trust others and if they love you, they will trust you.

2. They like you.. just as you are.

People who truly love other people like them as well. They experience all of their feelings for them out of choice, not beliefs of being obligated to feel a certain way about them. They respect their choices, even if they wouldn’t make the same for themselves. The best love starts out as like– someone who you would want to be friends with.
Most importantly when a person truly loves you, they love and like the version of you now. All of you. And they can live with the things they don’t particularly like about you. They aren’t gambling on some version of you they are hoping you will change into – or that they will change you into. Bottom line: If someone keeps on needing things about you to change as a condition for them to “love you,” they probably don’t truly love “you” to begin with.

3. They want the best for you.

And they are thrilled when you succeed. When someone truly loves you, they admire you. They are not jealous of your achievements, and they don’t see you as competition. If they do, it suggests they have self-esteem issues. A person who truly loves someone does not feel threatened by that person, who they are, and their accomplishments. Rather, they are inspired and elevated by that person, and vice versa.

4. They fight for your relationship.

The opposite of love isn’t hate – it’s indifference. People who love each other actually want the relationship. They care. They don’t like seeing one or the other person unhappy. And they are willing to talk things out and try to work through disagreements and arguments.
It may not always have an ideal ending. But when you love someone, you are willing to put in the time, energy, and effort to see if you can make things right. Effort involves action, which as I said is the main requirement in conveying true love to someone.

5. They want to share in your world.

When a person truly loves you, they want to get to know and spend time with people who are important to you – like your friends or close family members.
They also want to occasionally share in your interests and passions in life, even if they don’t personally take interest. So they may occasionally go with you to the latest Hugh Grant rom-com or play-off hockey game, instead of insisting you go with your friends.
All of this shows they are interested in knowing all of you, and experiencing what else brings you joy in life together.




Love is a whirlwind of adventures. Adventures composed of consecutive moments that bring different emotions. Emotions that trigger decision. Decision to either fight, hustle, gamble, risk, breathe, rest, love, hate, hold on or let go. You can fight for each other as much as you can. Like what they say, if you love them, never leave them, chase them, fight and be with them no matter what.


Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below.
February 08, 2018



How to Make Your Dreams a Reality

Many people have trouble seeing the potential of their dreams; they give up on them because they don’t see how they will ever come true. 


Moving forward with your dreams means starting with the first step

"Hold on to what you believe in and what you want to see happen in your life." Use the power of positive thinking in order to see your dream coming to fruition.

Powerful Ways to Make Your Dreams Come True

1. Visualize Yourself Reaching Your Dream

Visualization is a great first step to making your dream a reality.  By visualizing yourself in the final stages and achievement of the dream, you affirm to your subconscious that it can be done and that you are already on your way.

2. Get Organized

The next step in my experience to reaching your greatest dream is to come up with a strategic plan. 
Rather than just dreaming about it and hoping one day it comes to pass, create a plan that you could use to actually see it become reality.  Although this can be a daunting task, just remember that each step gets you that much closer.  Make a list of the first few steps and just do one thing at a time. 

3. Ignore the “Haters”

There will always be people who refuse to believe in the feasibility of your dream. They will put you down and they may even tell you that your dream is impossible. You must ignore these “haters” and march forward. Don’t let their negativity even touch you and keep focused and locked in towards your goal.

4. Pull The Trigger

At some point, you’re going to have to make decisions to make your dreams come true. These could be small decisions like going for a morning jog or bigger decisions like taking a large loan from the bank. Just remember that whatever the decision you make, don’t be afraid of making it. Always do you due diligence but in the end, make sure you “Pull the Trigger” for whichever option you choose. There will be more opportunities in the future but you must make most of what you have now.

5. Develop Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is crucial to making your dream or goal a reality. Unless you believe in yourself and your abilities completely, you will never be able to reach your max potential. In the simple but powerful words of Peter Pan: “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.”

6. Transform Your Dream into Energy

You must transform your dreams and goals into a burning desire inside of you. You must feel that you want to reach your dream more than you even want to even breathe. Once you’re in this state of mind you will find that there is not much that can stop you. This desire will fuel your every action and give you an endless supply of energy to reach your goal.
This desire can always be found in the most successful people.

If you hold tight to your goals, you’ll find it easier to stay on the right track. Training yourself to observe progress can be important, too. This will help keep you motivated. Regardless of what your dreams are – however big or small they may be — you can usher them in to your life!
Simple small steps every day, moving toward your dreams will get there.


Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below.
February 07, 2018
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