Day: October 15, 2021

The numbers are pretty glaring: up to 90% of all news stories today have a negative spin to them. That’s because the human brain responds to bad news more. Yet, there’s no denying the negative effects this growing trend has on people’s mental health. To make a difference, Smiley Society hopes to change that narrative by encouraging the world to turn to the positive and encouraging. 

The movement is a project of Pola Rewako-Jakusz, a social media influencer and positivity advocate who encourages people to consume more uplifting content online.

“Since I was a kid, I’ve always wondered why there’s so much bad or sad news in the media,” she expresses. “People today rarely get to hear positive or good news and decided to change that.”

Pola started Smiley Society, an Instagram page that shares motivational content regularly to its 13,000 and growing followers.

Some of the content campaigns that Smiley Society has worked on these past few months include a series called “Motivational Mondays,” which fights the lack of motivation and helps people find the resolve to work with passion and follow their dreams. Every Thursday, Pola Rewako-Jakusz also posts recipes for homemade cosmetics and exercises that could help people improve their self-care routines. Sundays are usually meant for positive movie recommendations for people who want to dive into a good movie night on a chilly Sunday afternoon or evening. 

Apart from these strings of post series, Pola also uses Smiley Society to feature inspiring individuals who overcame insurmountable odds to achieve some level of success. She also maintains a blog that shares tips and principles around self-live, self-discovering, perseverance, and many other motivational themes. Finally, from time to time, Pola might also post recipes, gardening tips, and other practical ways to stay productive and happy throughout the week. 

More than just being a source of content for her followers, Pola also makes it a point to engage with her audience. She believes that what most people need most now are those who will listen without judgment.

“I’m always open to talk to my followers whenever they need that,” the happiness champion shares. “I want them to feel like we’re friends and that they can share anything with me and rely on me when they need some help or advice. All in good intentions to make others happy and to make them smile!”

Moreover, Smiley Society also looks to be an advocate for social involvement and philanthropy. Several studies have shown that selfless acts help drive more oxytocin production and lead to better mental states in people. Accordingly, Pola started a Christmas drive last year to encourage followers to give to the homeless. She hopes to do more of these programs in the months to come.

Pola also hopes that Smiley Society will play a role in mental health awareness. She has been teaching people to normalize talking about one’s feelings, anxieties, and fears in recent times. She maintains that positivity isn’t about avoiding bad news but about choosing to keep that balance in check. Consequently, Smiley Society hopes that more people will start sharing and telling uplifting stories and begin a momentum shift in how much bad news people consume on social media and other channels. 

To visit Smiley Society’s channels and check out its content, visit its Instagram account and website.

For all the glamour attached to the music industry, it cannot be denied that it’s also a world that can be brutal and unforgiving for aspirants aiming to give fame a shot and pursue their passion. Heavily influenced by trends and bearing a general bias toward mainstream genres such as pop, it is a competitive space that forces musicians to conform with the standards if they wish to gain a solid foothold. But, amid the pressure, impressive artists have emerged, defying expectations and carving their own paths toward the summit. Denitra Lashay Hicks-Smith, better known as Ladi D, is among today’s standouts who are not afraid to go against the grain. 

An up-and-coming name in the music scene, Ladi D is an American rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur based in Houston. Widely considered one of the hardest-hitting rappers and promising songwriters in the current music scene, this passion-fueled personality exploded into the limelight with a unique, sexy, and cool fiery shine that immediately captured the attention of industry peers and listeners alike. 

Highly versatile, Ladi D boasts a discography that showcases her artistic flair and dynamic style. Although she only made her debut in 2021, she’s already managed to secure the spotlight not only for her undeniable talent at songwriting and rapping but also for the extent to which her tracks speak of real-life experiences that people from all walks of life can relate to and understand. From the get-go, she has always placed a heavy premium on authenticity, believing that musicians can make a difference in the lives of others if they ground their efforts in realness  and operate under a well-meaning purpose. 

So far, Ladi D has worked with an incredible roster of artists, from Lil’ Flip to T-Rell. Additionally, some of her hottest tracks, including “Keep It Real,” “Let’s Go,” “Screens Fall,” “Tellin No Lies,” “Choices,” “Look at Me,” and “Pull Up,” have made its way to people’s favorite playlists and perfectly demonstrated her potential to dominate the R&B and pop music scene one day. 

Apart from making waves as “America’s Next Hottest Female Rap Artists,” Ladi D is also taking bold steps closer toward the forefront of the commercial space. The mind behind the record label Royalty Only Entertainment, she seeks to elevate the next generation of hip-hop enthusiasts and equip them with the knowledge and resources they need to navigate the waters of the industry. 

Ladi D has come a long way from the country streets of East Texas. Expected to reach greater heights in the years to come, she will continue to go all-out in etching her name in history. As she climbs the ladder of success, this purpose-driven figure hopes that her journey will set an example for others to follow and  emphasize the importance of perseverance and dedication in translating one’s dream into reality. In the long run, she also intends to build an empire that creates opportunities for others and maneuvers musicians and creatives in the right direction.

Learn more about Ladi D by visiting her website.