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astro_noms) wrote2013-12-31 01:16 pm
astro_noms) wrote2013-12-31 01:16 pm
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everything you could do in the New Year
(This post was originally written by Zwierz Popkulturalny, a Polish blogger, who posted it on Tumblr. I got her permission to translate it to English and repost it with a link to the original.)
Making decisions in the dark middle of winter is hard. And yet every year, people try to change their lives in many ways, just because they've changed the calendar (not that they've used it to note anything down for years, but they've gotten used to the pretty pictures changing every month). We make decisions we can't completely fulfill; we promise to get more sleep, eat less, and run every day. And then in February, when we're pushing away the empty plate in a restaurant and yawning because we were up sitting in front of the computer until three am, we feel only distaste and disgust towards ourselves. Being weak-willed hurts the most when we're aware of the weakness.
There are resolutions, however, that we can make at any time. Ones we don't have to strictly keep to. This isn't a "never again" or "this is the last time" kind of promise. It's just a range of possibilities.
We could turn off notifications for annoying posts on Facebook, when we're getting worked up over something that doesn't really mean all that much.
We could read books and watch movies with a positive attitude - looking for what will delight us instead of expecting disappointment. And if it's part of our job, we can focus on what we liked. There are no ideal books or movies, and there aren't that many truly horrible ones. The things that can be good or bad are numerous, and it pays to look for both traits.
We could go back to things that moved us, and forget, if only for a moment, that we'll never read or see everything that was written or filmed. Reading/watching everything won't happen - it's impossible. But this isn't our fault, and we don't have to feel guilty about it. The less we have to force ourselves to read or see, the more joy we'll get out of participating in pop culture.
We could, from time to time, culturally lose ourselves - let ourselves have a few days or weeks of a cultural high, regardless of what causes it. It if means immersing ourselves in lowbrow literature and mediocre films, so be it. Sometimes what inspires us is not what's best, but what we know we could do better.
We could promise ourselves to leave positive comments more often than negative ones, and feed wonder and delight more often than wallow in criticism. And when we find something cool, we'll tell others about it, share the DVDs, and spam people with links.
We could promise ourselves that we'll always consider the other side's arguments, to know why you don't agree with them. Even though sometimes we can just say "just 'cuz."
We could have ourselves a good cry from time to time, while reading, watching, or listening. Crying is good for the eyes and not too bad for the heart, either.
We could read books and watch movies with a positive attitude - looking for what will delight us instead of expecting disappointment. And if it's part of our job, we can focus on what we liked. There are no ideal books or movies, and there aren't that many truly horrible ones. The things that can be good or bad are numerous, and it pays to look for both traits.
We could go back to things that moved us, and forget, if only for a moment, that we'll never read or see everything that was written or filmed. Reading/watching everything won't happen - it's impossible. But this isn't our fault, and we don't have to feel guilty about it. The less we have to force ourselves to read or see, the more joy we'll get out of participating in pop culture.
We could, from time to time, culturally lose ourselves - let ourselves have a few days or weeks of a cultural high, regardless of what causes it. It if means immersing ourselves in lowbrow literature and mediocre films, so be it. Sometimes what inspires us is not what's best, but what we know we could do better.
We could promise ourselves to leave positive comments more often than negative ones, and feed wonder and delight more often than wallow in criticism. And when we find something cool, we'll tell others about it, share the DVDs, and spam people with links.
We could promise ourselves that we'll always consider the other side's arguments, to know why you don't agree with them. Even though sometimes we can just say "just 'cuz."
We could have ourselves a good cry from time to time, while reading, watching, or listening. Crying is good for the eyes and not too bad for the heart, either.
Finally we could simply remember that being happy, content, and hopeful depends a little bit on ourselves. And that these are not things we feel often, so when we do - even if it's only vicariously - we should enjoy it. Life over the next year will be awful enough not to let us forget that satisfaction is a temporary state. And so the moment when we simply have to read the next page of a book is the cheapest treatment for reality. And we all need treatment. Until our dying day.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Happy new year by Amodiovalerio Verde, on FlickrMirrored from Tangents and Digressions.