Millennialism with some first word problems and a sprinkle of dry humour
I’ve been lucky to witness a new beginning for a loved one. I am starting to internalise the complexities of feelings one goes through when moving out of your mother’s home for good, buying a new house that is yours to keep forever and truly stepping out of your comfort zone that was your childhood home for so long.
What makes a thought leader? On the surface it has a lot in common with what you’d look for in a cult leader – charming, charismatic and strong. But you want something more when it comes to a legitimate movement; the courage to leave room for debates and arguments. Being perfectly comfortable being confronted by those who critique whatever he/she’s put forward.
Neglect – I’ve seen it time and time again. Be it romantic relationships, friendships or even familial bonds – we fall into the spiral of neglect. I’ll be truthful, I’ve been known to neglect – I can behave like absolute trash. I’ve also been on the receiving end.
Continue reading “Consequences of Neglect – what do you do now?”
Change is daunting. Humans by nature tend to be somewhat averse to the concept. Heck, even when it’s for the better such as moving to a bigger and better home – it’ll cause you some anxiety. Be it the new job which comes with a better pay and sure – more responsibilities. You will feel yourself pulling back and hesitating just a little bit. You may shiver from the unexpected drop in temperature as you step out of your comfort zone.
What would you do indeed? Sometimes it comes in the form of a painful realisation that just because you can doesn’t mean you should. It’s about knowing yourself well enough that if someone offers you gold on a platter that it might not be the right thing for you, even if objectively it is. Maybe it’s not wrong now, maybe it always will be. It’s holding yourself back from short-term pleasure by understanding the weaknesses you have. That something may change you for the worse or result in more pain means turning your back on something that no one else would. You are the only one who understands your flaws and what will exacerbate those flaws. Act on what you know about yourself.
How many times have you yourself thought about how amazing it’d be to be able to read minds? But once you dug into it more, you understood rather reluctantly that this blessing was a curse in disguise.
‘Ignorance is bliss‘ may not be the perfect over-arching motto of life but it counts as a significant footnote.
“Learn to close my eyes.”
Merci Elena for the Sunshine Blogger Award nomination and your incredibly kind words! I will continue to tune in when you create fresh content and will no doubt continue to love it. Plug alert – she’s well worth the follow! Now, I have never been nominated for a title quite as radiant as this one. Nobel price next please. Anyone? Kay.
If you’ll indulge me in a little ramble; I’ll never cease to be surprised by the people I interact with on here. You guys re-define epic. I’ve made virtual friends (post the msn days) and it has become an irreplaceable part of my life – thank you. Without any further ado, here are the answers to Elena’s deep and insightful questions.
What was the first book you read or the first book that made a real impression on you?
I didn’t find my literary side until the ripe age of 15 or so. I wasn’t much for education at all, so the books that set me on this literary path were the Harry Potter novels. Yes, basic bitch pumpkin latte answer but it’s an undeniable truth.
If you could spend a month in any place of the world, where would you go?
Japan. I feel like I’ve been answering this question the same way for the last five years or so – I’m committed. As an anime nerd, it’s just a place that exudes character that I’ve only been able to experience through a screen thus far. One day!
If you could take any one person with you to this hypothetical trip, who would you take?
My mum. She’s long expressed a desire to see the spiritual side of Japan, the architecture and beautiful traditions. I also made her watch a handful of anime so she’s got extra incentives!
Which one superpower would you want to have?
I think super-strength would be the way to go. I realise it’s far from being a sophisticated answer like mind-reading or time-travel. But super-strength opens up so many doors in the most practical and grounded of ways. You can walk around anywhere, anytime without fear. You hear footsteps behind you at night or visit some rougher ends and you can soak in the satisfaction that you’ll be just fine. It just seems liberating.
How big a role do you think luck plays in achieving your dreams as compared to the importance of diligent effort?
Ou tough one. In the most general of ways, luck plays the biggest role before you’re born I.e. where, when, to whom and so on. So if I were to be born in Syria 2011 – that’s some seriously bad luck. I think that’s honestly one of the few points in life where you don’t have any influence over your own life – it’s your background. Your starting position is out of your control. That said, living where I live and understanding the endless opportunities that surround me, I’ll say a good 80% is solely based on the diligence you invest in whatever it is. It’s a matter of accepting the immense control you exercise over your own fate so you know how to wield it.
What is the one most important dream you want to achieve in your lifetime?
I haven’t had a fully-fledged dream in a while. Having outgrown the ‘I wanna be a billionaire so frickin bad’ thing and currently living in relative comfort (as in I can pay rent without having to resort to solely consuming tinned Baked beans), I haven’t been aiming. Work seems to go well, in the most general of ways I’d like to continue to progress, learn and simply become more able. Perhaps work with some bigger and better brands and companies. I am also looking to put some serious time and effort to this very side-project – my blog.
Through trial and error, have you arrived at any lifehacks you would want to share about working towards your own goals in your free time? (E.g. time of day that is best for your work, how to be more efficient, etc.)
Great question. Procrastination is an ever-existent challenge and one of the ways to counter it is to shut yourself away from distractions. I for one move myself and my laptop to the living room, away from all the crap in my room and the comfort of my bed. It works wonders. Working with some company (they’d be working on their own stuff) helps. Making mini goals fused with mini rewards during low productivity keeps you moving I.e. just write one more paragraph and then you can make yourself a cuppa. Make otherwise empty periods in your day count i.e. commutes for brainstorming.
How do you think one person can change the world for the better?
From observation – to thoughts – to critique – to wishful thinking of a better alternative – to brainstorming steps to reach said alternative – to making them actionable – to implementation. It starts with one person and one idea.
Share your favourite recipe!
I can’t cook the kinds of food I like to eat. It’s a dilemma. I’ll go with my sister’s shepherd’s pie and I don’t know how to make it. Sozzle.
What book/movie/TV series would you recommend to absolutely everyone and why?
Black mirror – just in the way it opens your mind to technology, the future, the potentials and plot twists carried out like no other.
Anime – it has to be Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. The sheer strength of the plot is ridiculous.
Moulin Rouge – for a great bigger-than-life romance, striking music and of course, Nicole Kidman.
Who and what are you grateful for?
More than I can list. From the basics; food, shelter and clothing to the most amazing family and friends. A good career that’s progressing. Day to day pleasures. Being able to live in security, being able to read whatever I want to read. For continuously being able to find new things I love. Being able to talk politics with my mother, spirituality with my friends and trash TV with others. That I’ve learned to recognise the good. Oh and shepherd’s pie.
https://wanderingoutsidethebox.wordpress.com
https://thoughttrailblog.wordpress.com/
https://chocobosage.wordpress.com/
https://unedited365.wordpress.com/
https://writingwaifu.wordpress.com/
https://mygotospace.wordpress.com/
https://lifecalls.wordpress.com/
We do well when applying a structure – those imposed by you and those imposed by others. Right now the libertarian in you will be shouting me down. I am all for live and let live but if you are in pursuit of a career, there’s no way around it. Applying a Structure tames your wild side. It tames it so that you can be productive when you need to be and let loose when it’s time to do so.
I’ve always found this sort of attitude incredibly calming – it’s just paper, it is just money. It forces perspective with three words, automatically sorting out your value system. It’s a reminder, one that we no doubt need.
Many of us tend to be a bit of a career-holic. Obsessively trying to climb that ladder, wanting bigger and better, a better title, better money, bigger desk and a shiny car with a personalised number plate. And then when we hit a bit of a speed bump and obsess when we find life is more difficult than expected. Take a moment and prioritise what is material and what is real.
We have an innate desire to be remembered and to leave a legacy. The things we do to have our existence be marked. The need to be continued to be thought of even if we aren’t around to do so directly. Whether it’s in secondary school, carving your name into the playground bench reading ‘Maddie waz here’ or leaving something behind at your workplace so that whenever people do see it, they think of you and your legacy. To plant something for an infinite amount of time which represents you. The whole – “this is your song” is synonymous for “Remember me when you listen to this”.