Minimalism:
So you’re sitting in front of your computer, browsing. How many tabs are open?
4? 5? 7?
I’m sure that’s too few for you. And I know it because I am that.
Right now I have 8 open tabs.
Pfft. I know. 8 is weak af. (wow Gen Z)
Or that’s what I thought.
Here's a confession. I’m so used to having so many open tabs just because it feels right.
It projects that I’m doing something important, something productive. I seem busy.
But here’s the thing.
Being busy isn’t a badge.
What happened to only having 1 to 3 tabs open, to bookmarking or heck closing the other bazillion tabs?
What happened to performing some focused work?
I always end up opening at least 10 of them but more than half I don’t really need. At least for that moment.
That’s also true in life.
So now I’m learning to close what I don’t need in the present.
In return, I can enjoy the peace, the space, the focus.
So come on. Close that tab with the Orange and Black logo. ;)
Excerpt:
What’s the difference between obsession and love?
I asked that question right after hearing this line from the movie The Menu:
As usual, I’m not going to spoil anything.
I want you to experience the film without knowing anything about it except that it’s mind-blowing.
So go watch it later on Disney+ (not sponsored) or just be Monkey D. Luffy (don’t).
Going back. I love that whole scene because it touched on how important balance, and purpose, and happiness are in our lives.
And particularly in our craft and our work.
Because to be honest, here in this crappy, complex world, it is a privilege to be able to follow your passion.
Not everyone is lucky enough to do it. And those who have the luck to do it, often get lost along the way.
So wherever I land, this is my note to self:
True love is about offering what you both need to be alive. (In this case, “both” consists of you and your passion).
So there’s no need for a well-thought-out plan, for a continuous intrusion of your mind, or for anyone’s approval.
If you don’t know what to do, just do what keeps you happy and surviving.
Actionable
It’s the month of January—the best time to (re)start.
It’s the time of the year when we all set our goals for ourselves until we say ‘fuck it I’m done’ 3 weeks after.
My advice?
Instead of adding more things that you want to do this year, remove toxic stuff in your system and change it.
Make a list of what you hate doing and think of how you can level it up (in a good way).
Can’t stop complaining about your (mostly shitty) work? Transfer that energy to doing something you love on the side—a passion project, a challenge. Or simply rest well. At least you’ll have something to look forward to after work.
Can’t stop streaming ‘til 2 am? Just hit exit, then listen to podcasts before bed instead. That way your eyes can rest, you still get entertainment, and you can learn new stuff (depending on what you listen to).
Noteworthy
Pop-quiz. How many days are there in a year?
Come on. You know it.
365 right? Genius.
Now, in those 365 you have experienced and created a lot of moments—good, bad, and ugly.
Imagine you could collect bits and pieces of them, remember them, relive their lessons, the happiness they brought.
This app lets you do it. And trust me, this is noteworthy.
Enter my favorite app last year: 1SE (1 Second Everyday).
What’s it about? Glad you asked.
It’s basically a video journal. You’ll upload a clip (or photo) on the app every day. But it should only be a 1-second clip.
Then here’s the coolest part: the app can mash it and piece it together so it’ll look like this:
And that one’s only a week of my life. So imagine a month, a year, or heck my whole life.
It’s like a movie with all my precious memory in it. Purely awesome.
But what I love most about this is its simplicity.
One second. That’s it.
You can capture the best moments, the worst, or even the most random thing you’ve experienced in your day and store it.
So in a year, you’ll have 365 memories you can look back to.
You can reflect, see the small but good memories that we usually forgot because of this complex world.
That’s beautiful.
That’s a wrap! If you still didn't get anything from this here's the only thing you must remember… Let’s make this year as peaceful, exciting, and focused as we can.
Happy New Year!!!
Rooting for you,
Johnrille
Love the analysis on the menu! saw that scene differently after reading this. Also looking forward to the passion project I’ll be doing, lezzgo ;)
btw thanks for the exposure haha