10 Things We All Want To Be Good At (and tips on how to be good at them ;)

Hi! Welcome to CK cafe studios!! Below, I invite you to choose a topic that you want to be better at and read the tips I have conserning them! Hope this is helpful!

Singing - Most people want to be good singers and everyone can be! A lot of peeps think that just because they don't have a good voice, that means they can't be a good singer. That is not true. Singing is actually mostly muscle memory like dance or gymnastics. I would recomend looking up YouTube videos on what exercies would help you to have a more controlled and powerful voice. Pretty soon, you'll be making your way to Broadway! We may even feature you in one of our famous Broadways ;) (see 'SHOWS, INTERVIEWS, AND MORE!' for more information).

Playing instruments - Some instruments are harder than others. Violin, for example, is harder than piano, and piano is harder than guitar. I would recomend that you start with an easier instrument if you don't have a teacher. Ukulele, guitar, piano, and recorder are some of the easiest instruments to self-teach. YouTube is good for finding easy tutorials. It is also important to remember not to get discouraed. Discouragement never leads to happy instrument playing. Just keep trying and eventually you could get really good! Maybe good enough for your parents to spend some money on a teacher for you! Also, don't be stingy with playing in front of others. It's hard, but it can actually be really helpful to get in front of people.

Dancing - Nobody knows how hard dancing is (especially ballet) until they take a real class at a real studio with experience. If you're not taking a class, then you can start by stretching and maintaining good posture. I would recommend sretching for twenty minutes a day (the butterfly and pigeon stretches are good for beginners). NEVER stay in a stretch for more than thirty seconds. You could over stretch a muscle and cause damage, making you even less flexible than before. Always be gentle, but make sure the stretch is not too comfortable. Also make sure you stretch ONLY after warming your muscles because you are less likely to pull something (good warm-ups are jumps, squats, and cardio). Planks are also super important to do as they will give you a strong core, which is one of the most important things in dance. Also watching experienced dancers can be helpful and inspiring.

Acting - Acting is hard for a lot of people, but comes naturally to others. An important aspect to being a good actor is to not be self-conscious. You need to let go of all your fear and imagine your audience as the humiliated ones. Once you start by letting go, it becomes much easier to be in the moment. Character development is extremely important to keep in mind while acting. Things to keep in mind while working on character develpoment are. 1) Who, when, and where: always ask yourself these question about your character and apply them to your performance. 2) Objectives, stakes, and obstacles: identify these things for your character and apply them to your volume, posture, and actions. 3) Voice, body, and costume: Use the information you gathered about your character and apply them to these physical aspects of acting.

Writing - Some are better at structured writing and others are better at creative writing. It is REALLY good to practice both. I would suggest you focus on the aspect of writing you need most work on unless you are writing a story. Then you have to focus on both. It is really important, when writing a story to have a strong structure and plot. Always start with a hook to pull your reader in within the first few chapters. Then you have to continue with little hooks throughout, otherwise the story will get boring. A good simple structure to follow is this: Setting (where the reader meets the main characters and gets a feel for the surroundings and obstacles), Rising Action (rising towards the climax, building tesion between characters and getting exciting), Climax (this sould be the most exciting part where your main characters solve the main problem), Falling Action (settling down and working out the smaller obstacles), and Conclusion (this could also be an Epilouge where you show or hint at what happens thereafter to the people, society, etc.)

Public speaking - Most people hate public speaking. It is often boring, scary, and a lot of work. However, sometimes you can make it fun for at least your audience and not awkward for yourself. Always start with a hook to pull your audience in. Questions, quotes, and jokes are all good hooks to start with. Make it a friendly conversation making sure to project your voice, make eye contact, use body motions to narrate your words, and interract with your audience. Don't fidget with your hands or pace back and forth as this makes you look nervous and unsure of yourself. Have CONFIDENCE! It is good to have movement, but it must be distinct, specific movment. Speak at a reasonable pace and loud and clear. Finally, talk with emotion, as if you were acting.

Cooking - I usually find cooking easier than baking, though for many it's the opposite. Let us know in the chat which you find easier. To make cooking the most fun it can be, you have to be creative! Adding spices is fun if you know the right combinations and do the right amount. Always remember: "If you have a spice, use it! Don't sprinkle it in, spoon it in!" - The Hundred Foot Journey (movie). A few simple spice conversations are:

• Cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg.

• Turmeric, garlic, onion, ginger, pepper, cilantro, cumin, bay leaf.

• Thyme, pink onion garlic, paprika, oregano, black pepper, mustard seeds, cayenne, cumin

• Paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne, dried oregano, dried thyme

School - Well, school is extremely stressful for all of us, my friends. We all struggle with it and we all dislike at least one aspect of it. Believe it or not, the best way to deal with the stress of school is to BE STILL. If you are still in the chaos and you recognize that the LORD is in the stillness, peace will come to you. It may take a while, but I PROMISE that there is a stillness to discover even in the chaos.

Fitness - Being healthy and fit is really important, espescially to young souls. If you are younger than twenty, I DO NOT recommend you go on a diet to lose fat unless specifically directed by your doctor or parents. Instead, you can cut out things like sugar, as long as you are still eating the same amount of food that you need to maintain your regular weight. Cardio is really important to do on a regular basis. Always drink LOTS of water. It is also good to try something new every once and a while (like dance, gymnatics, sports, running, etc.). Always stay healthy and fresh and set aside a time each day focused entirely to physical activity and stretching (If you have good weather, definately do these things outside, as the Vitamin D and fresh air help lift your mood).

Being an example - The best way to be a good exaple, of course, is to not think of being a good example and just to let go and let God. Think of a person in your life who is an inspiration to you. Name their good qualities and strive to have qualities as good as theirs. Don't change yourself though. You can never be an inspiration if you don't even know your identity. This is something all humans struggle with. But I implore you, don't put your identity in the clothes you wear and the things you say. Put your identity in Christ. For that is the ONLY sturdy foundation we can truly build our lives upon. Only then will you be an example to others. Only through Him who made you.

I hope you find these tips helpful! Quarantine and summer break are great times to try new things! Happy day and have fun!!

- Mr Nugget