We know they make us sound like those types of writers, but trust us, give them a try!
The most important thing I’ve ever read in my life is Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young, by Chicago Tribune’s Mary Schmich. I heard it first as a speech by Baz Luhrmann and it has has changed my life. Well, as much as an advice essay turned jazz backed spoken word poem about life can and I want it to change yours too! Go read it first, this article will be here when you get back!
Done? Perfect. Well now here’s Spineless’s list of New Year resolutions as instructed by Mary Schmich.
Step outside of your comfort zone
It’s easy to stay in your bubble. It’s nice and safe here, the familiarity is comforting. But too much comfort breeds bordem, and bordem breeds complacancy. Don’t let yourself be complacent. Do things that matter, that you’ve always been thinking about, that you aren’t sure if you should. Don’t do anything illegal or dangerous, obviously, we don’t want you or anyone to get hurt. But we want you to challenge yourself, push yourself a little.
This will look different for everyone. What you find challenging, might be a breeze to someone else and vice versa. That part of it, the comparisons, don’t matter, as long as you are doing something that is on the cusp of your comfort or beyond.
Be kind to people
The people you know. The people you love. The people you hate. The people you will never think about again. They may be in your life for a minute or many years, stepping in and out of it as your paths cross and diverge. No matter who they are, or what you think of them, be nice. It’s the simplest thing you can do, but it truly does have the biggest impact.
I think most people are kind to those they love, it’s the kindness we show to strangers that is the hard part. Why should you go out of your way to do something objectively pointless for someone you don’t know, who honeslty may forget this interaction anyway if they care at all?
I know that you often remember the bad strangers the most, the rude guy on the bus talking too loudly, or the lady yelling at the cashier. It can be disheartening, but honeslty, a simple bit of kindness can make someone’s day.
Take more photos just for you
Instagram is undeniably fun. As is facebook, twitter, snapchat and any other social media platforms out there. Well, maybe fun isn’t the right word, but they have to have some appeal or people wouldn’t use them. Myspace anyone? I’m not going to tell you to never use them again, to delete your phone and train pigeons to communicate with people. But I am going to encourage you to step away slightly. The online world seems so glamorous, so perfect and exciting and unachiavable, that we, not only don’t post everything we want, but miss life itself happening.
So take photos. Take hundreds, thousands even, and keep them for yourself. Print them, at an actual shop that prints physical photos, hell maybe even splurge slightly and get yourself a film camera. I bought myself a Kodak 92 recently and it is the greatest purchase I’ve made in years.
Date those photos, write where you were, what you did, who was there, who you were, and keep them. One day you will look back on them and be glad you had them, in all their unfocused, thumb in the shot, over the top smiles glory.
Take care of yourself
It’s easier than you may think to neglect this part. Life happens, you get busy and suddenly you find yourself working yourself sick without even realising. All it takes is a few times of saying “it’s just one all nighter,” “I just need to get this one thing done,” until suddenly it’s been weeks and your sleep schedule is non existent and you haven’t eaten properly in days.
Please be kind to yourself. Whatever that looks like for you.
Let yourself have days where you’re not ok. Stay in bed when you can, have a bath, read a book, anything you need to do on these tough days that help.
Start now, set out a path of consistent habits, that will help you in the future. Start yoga, or running, or eating healthy, and keep doing it. It will be tough, and some days you won’t be able too, it’s understandable, but you will be grateful for it later.
Find things you’re genuinely passionate about
It’s easy to define yourself by the things you hate in life. It’s simple to say “I hate the band Nickleback and Vegans and I don’t wanna hear anymore about that,” or whatever particular thing you find yourself passionately hating that day.
I’m not one of those people who’s gonna come in here spouting to you how it’s this generations fault, spoilt brats who are so angry. It’s not social media’s fault, nor is it video games, nor any other modern forms of communication that somehow take the blame. People have always defined themselves by what they hate, it’s a part of life. Don’t get me wrong either, there are certain things you should hate. Racism, Sexism, Systemic oppression and the endless list of horrible attitudes and actions that take place every day are all worthy of your hate; but there’s plenty out there to love.
Give standing ovations at local theatre productions, sing scream songs you love at any hour of the day, watch movies over and over again as you fall in love with them, cry at live performances that hit you just right. Do all of that protentious shit and ignore people calling you a snob. Because those things that bring you joy are what life’s all about. Define yourself by these things, the things you love, the things that get you out of bed in the morning and not by the things you hate.
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