Taking Back the World

With the world changing every day, you generally aren’t able to make a huge impact on it. But you can do small things for yourself and others that bring back your spirit and humanity.  As a new year begins, we can look back and reflect on what is great in our lives and what is not so great.  We should all do this periodically to have an opportunity to change what isn’t working out well. For me this has been a few key things.

One, my career is unfulfilling and merely a paycheck.  It seems to get in the way of the things I really want to do.  I always seem to need more time.  I have discovered I have more passions for life such as videography, travel, and sharing my experiences through this blog.  But my daily life is like a machine.  I go to work, then home to do even more work that I don’t want to do, and then go to bed and do it all over again the next day.  Weekends are consumed with grocery shopping and cooking. Finding time on the two days a week to get serious about what I’d rather be doing is limited.  I feel trapped in an endless cycle that I can’t get out of.

I’m finding ways to simplify cooking for my picky diet, and buy more prepared meals so I don’t have to do it from scratch.  I plan to dedicate blocks of time to my passions instead of it being something I do when all of my other obligations are complete.  As for my job, I plan to dedicate time to explore my passions to provide a new perspective of life.  Maybe I will come up with a plan to start my own business or try a new career.  You don’t know your passions unless you start trying different things.

The next thing is I am surrounded by constant negativity, whether it is on Facebook or the local news.  These media sources always show the worst of humanity and it sometimes consumes me and makes me depressed.  Social media expands on this, especially on political views.  I try my best to stay out of the comments section.

I’m moving my news apps on my phone so they are less convenient.  I am limiting watching the morning news and instead will watch YouTube videos that are not related to news, but instead my hobbies or other interests.  These two things have greatly improved my mood, which has improved my sleep and my motivation to do great things.

Everything I have mentioned  so far, has impacted my relationship with my family and friends.

Relationships and social connections are some of the most important aspects of life.  They help you stay healthy and sane.  The people you live with matter even more.  If the situation at home is stressful or negative, you need to better balance home life with everything else you do and even prioritize it.  Because without family, what is the point.  This is your support network and if you don’t have them, then you could fall flat on your face and not get back up.  I’m making my home life more of a priority, going back to my roots with my wife and kick-starting it towards a more happy and fulfilling relationship.  I am also finding ways to be more social and get together with friends more often.  

What things are you doing to reboot and take back your own world?  Let me know in the comments.