Welcome to our World, Citizens of Justice.

If you remember a Psychology Class that you took during your scholastic career, you may have heard about how the environment affects you through compounding, emotions, and somatic equilibrium. With a lot of fancy words in the palm of your hand and the leaf of your textbook, how could they possibly relate to you in any way shape or form? WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?

Let’s start with the basics: motivation. If we refer to classical conditioning with positive & negative reinforcements along with punishment, we tend to strive more towards positive reinforcement as animals: this is the reason why behavioral analysts and that mom named Jane prefer to celebrate their children’s achievements instead of shaming them like Jim Carrey in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas." In both cases, something bad will happen: Whoville will be destroyed, and the child’s self-esteem will be lowered and subsequently, the child will develop a pessimistic attitude towards life.

This leads me into my next little milk-tantrum: personality types and motivation sources. Type A personalities are very competitive: almost as competitive as fathers rushing out to buy the latest DeWalt 12v cordless drill with integrated LED light. They pride themselves on having control over their life (yes I am a Type A personality, guilty as charged), but more importantly attribute their motivation internally, or "intrinsic motivation," as the scientific community calls it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have Type B personalities which are more lax than laxatives themselves. These personality types love to use the TV remote even though you can control your TV with a hand gesture, and frequently call someone via cell-phone (not by pressing the buttons, BY GEORGE! Using Siri or Google or Cortana of course!), even though they are in the next room. You guessed it, they attribute motivation more externally, or extrinsic motivation.

Now the main crux: the environment compounds/negates whatever emotion the subject is exhibiting at the present time. This is why when you feel down, or sad that you missed the last episode of ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder”, people tell you to find your happy place and find solace either in a cup of coffee, a partner, or a safe environment. In this world, adding two negatives doesn’t make a positive, but just makes a bigger negative (even math is supporting this thought). Take an individual who is down into a positive environment, arousal increases and the subject is subconsciously forced to interpret whatever is going on. Taking people out for a “night on the town” with their feelings in focus is a great way to alleviate much of that unwanted stress.

Wait, did you say… STRESS?!?! (blood pressure rising!)

Correct. Keep yourself in either/or: a positive environment or a positive attitude during your career and lifestyle. Yes, there is failure at every turn just waiting to bite your nose and force the tears out of your sideburns – but remember that it is okay to fail. STRESSING COLLEGE STUDENTS LISTEN UP: whatever happens do not fret, because tomorrow is another day and you cannot make adequate decisions while under the influence. Yes, being stressed out qualifies as under the influence. Have you heard of the criminal defense “heat of passion”? If not, you DEFINITELY have to watch "How to Get Away with Murder," but also realize that because, when placed in a stressful situation and heightened to the maximum number of pure veins popping out of your eyebrows, a person can commit an action so vile that the true culprit would be named Mr./Mrs. Stress.

Don’t worry, you probably won’t murder someone, but what you will actually be killing is your peace of mind. Take this information into consideration and live a more satisfactory life, starting with you.

Always a pleasure. Venture forth, Citizens of Justice!