2009
Seems like the New Year caused everyone to reassess their lives causing them to make resolutions they'll forget about long before the New Month. Long ago I made a resolution not to make any resolutions and I'm proud to say that I've stuck with that.
Still, I've found myself feeling rather melancholy the past couple days, which is odd because I've kept myself pretty busy and usually only dwell on stuff when I have extended periods to dwell on stuff. So perhaps I've succumbed to this New Year introspection with the rest of the so-called sheep.
Despite my melancholia, I am certainly able to put things in perspective. I used to be pretty whiny and emo in my younger days. I wish I could go back in time and kick my past self in the butt. I was so busy angsting that I didn't get a chance to appreciate how well I had it.
Every day now, I give thanks for all that I do have. Especially in these days where so many people don't know where their next paycheck will come from. I also have my health and am supremely grateful for that.
So I think I've got the right mindset, but I do believe that every good thing has a natural flip side. Perhaps I've become too complacent.
I was involved in an interesting discussion a couple days ago. Which is better; to be an adventurous world traveler or to be completely happy where you are now. Is it better to be restless and driven to encounter new people and experiences? Or is it better to be perfectly happy where you are and to find new worlds of wonder in your own backyard?
I argued for the latter which, I think, just reflects my current mindset. For once, my life has been relatively calm and stable and I've been really enjoying that. I've found that for the most part, I'm actually (gasp) happy. I'm grateful for all that I have and feel that happiness has to come from within. Too many people think something else or someone else can complete them and run like crazy to obtain that. The pursuit is a distraction from their longing but certainly not a cure.
Of course, the real answer to the question is a combination of the two. In real life, we're not relegated to just one choice or the other. I think it's best to first be happy where you are and then seek out new experiences to make life even richer.
So that's where I'm at right now. I do see what I consider my two worst traits (my laziness and my natural introverted tendency to withdraw) keeping me from taking the steps to make a good thing even better. So while I'm not going to make any resolutions, I am going to try to take small steps to get out of my self imposed comfort zone a bit.
This is certainly not a new idea and in fact, seems really cliched. But then again, a lot of cliches are cliches because they're true. And I often feel I have to either do something incredible or revolutionary or not do it all all. Which means, I usually end up not doing anything at all.
Still, I've found myself feeling rather melancholy the past couple days, which is odd because I've kept myself pretty busy and usually only dwell on stuff when I have extended periods to dwell on stuff. So perhaps I've succumbed to this New Year introspection with the rest of the so-called sheep.
Despite my melancholia, I am certainly able to put things in perspective. I used to be pretty whiny and emo in my younger days. I wish I could go back in time and kick my past self in the butt. I was so busy angsting that I didn't get a chance to appreciate how well I had it.
Every day now, I give thanks for all that I do have. Especially in these days where so many people don't know where their next paycheck will come from. I also have my health and am supremely grateful for that.
So I think I've got the right mindset, but I do believe that every good thing has a natural flip side. Perhaps I've become too complacent.
I was involved in an interesting discussion a couple days ago. Which is better; to be an adventurous world traveler or to be completely happy where you are now. Is it better to be restless and driven to encounter new people and experiences? Or is it better to be perfectly happy where you are and to find new worlds of wonder in your own backyard?
I argued for the latter which, I think, just reflects my current mindset. For once, my life has been relatively calm and stable and I've been really enjoying that. I've found that for the most part, I'm actually (gasp) happy. I'm grateful for all that I have and feel that happiness has to come from within. Too many people think something else or someone else can complete them and run like crazy to obtain that. The pursuit is a distraction from their longing but certainly not a cure.
Of course, the real answer to the question is a combination of the two. In real life, we're not relegated to just one choice or the other. I think it's best to first be happy where you are and then seek out new experiences to make life even richer.
So that's where I'm at right now. I do see what I consider my two worst traits (my laziness and my natural introverted tendency to withdraw) keeping me from taking the steps to make a good thing even better. So while I'm not going to make any resolutions, I am going to try to take small steps to get out of my self imposed comfort zone a bit.
This is certainly not a new idea and in fact, seems really cliched. But then again, a lot of cliches are cliches because they're true. And I often feel I have to either do something incredible or revolutionary or not do it all all. Which means, I usually end up not doing anything at all.