2020 — A reflection of thoughts
and a journey to mindfulness
Many of us would agree that last year is the worst year in the modern history.
The pandemic has forced us to stay distant from others. The adoption of online working, teaching, banking, dating — almost everything — is a must.
It is soo common to be overwhelmed. We spend most of our time (literally) on screen. And there comes a time when it’s just too much.
The Other Side of Exceptional Information
I’m not surprised that in those dark times (and up until today), social media becomes a place, super safe and comfort, for things like: complaining, throwing blames (to government maybe), playing victims, throwing sarcastic matters & other passive-aggressive bullies, etc.
Anyway, that’s the reason why social-media exists, right?
Well, I’m not sure.
The Internet has not just open-sourced information; it has also open-sourced insecurity, self-doubt, and shame. — Mark Manson
In some way, technology has solved old economic problems by giving us new psychological problems.
How I unplugged myself
Well, as an introvert, I mostly benefit from unplugging, including from social media.
Not to say that I’m anti social. I mean, if I had to stay home for hours, or even days, I would be really okay with that. A lockdown isn’t really a nightmare.
In fact, in gives me plenty of time to make reflection, to connect with myself. That is the best time to take my pen, and write everything out of my mind. That was how I took benefits through journaling.
How I take benefits through my journal
Learn to enjoy spending time with yourself. That way, you’ll never truly be alone.
#1 | It helps me focus on the present
First thing first, there’s no rule in journaling, we can write almost everything, from my thoughts, to-do list, reflections, or even random sketches and doodles. We can also use our tablet or a piece of paper is also sufficient.
Journaling led me to start whispering a chatter within myself. What is going on inside me and all around me at a moment. It helps me to gain clarity where there was none.
Such that, it acts as very much a mindfulness practice.
The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.
#2 | It makes me appreciate every progress and achieve bigger goals
Once I was afraid of dreaming, not that into an ambitious person. Just go wherever the wind blows, procrastinate everything. I wasn’t clearly enough defining the goal, but strangely, everything (seems to) went well.
Punch line? That is the problem.
Life actually begins at the end of your comfort zone.
As an example, I quit my job, now what? Right, no one ask me to do something, no one give me deadlines. It is me, myself who has to invent those targets.
If I don’t have any vision, well, I will achieve nothing. So I started to dream big, at first, I was surprised how easy (and fun) was that.
How to fulfill them, however, is another thing.
In my previous story, I said to myself that in order to summit a peak, I just need to hike, and then continue hiking, then hike more, and so on.
That’s how I manage the progress, through the journal.
I write down everything that I think is achievable for the next 24 hours, and just start doing it. At the end of the day, it’s really rewarding to see my achievements. I just learned that how easy is that to appreciate every tiny progress.
And as the bonus, it makes me aware that I’m just one step closer towards my goals, every single day.
No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying, including you
#3 | Or simply, it helps me become a better person (hopefully)
Journaling is one of the easiest way to release any stress. By writing down our thoughts, we will be aware of our own emotions, including the negative ones.
Thus journaling increases our sense of awareness.
As I said earlier, “I’m not surprised that social media becomes a place, super safe and comfort, for things like: playing victims, complaining, throwing blames, sarcastic matters & other passive-aggressive bullying.”
Have you ever been provoked by one of those acts ? The fact is some experts believe that negative emotions (including fake news) are more contagious than positive one (including the real one).
And as, we know, awareness is the ultimate key to regain our self-control, which is a critical state of mind, so that we can regulate our behavior.
Thus by staying aware, I can keep my negativity in check and create a better decision. A simple act of kindness will stop the spread of negative contagious emotions.
Gossip dies when it hits a wise person’s ears
Finally a journey to mindfulness takes one step at a time
And every one of those steps is a tiny little decisions that needs to be made correctly along the way in order to achieve the ultimate outcome. — Stephen Duenier on his Ted Talk.
Journaling helps me stay focus and aware. By staying aware, I’m able to track down and learn as much as I can from my past mistakes, decide what the best things to do in the present, and finally design my future.
