A New Year

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

2021 has begun, although to be honest it hardly feels any different. While the number at the end of the calendar going up by one doesn’t mean much itself, I think sending off the previous 365 days and welcoming the next is a healthy and necessary way to mentally refresh.

What 2020 Meant to Me

I think it’s pretty easy to say that 2020 was not a great year in a lot of regards. While there were many terrible events that occurred throughout it, I would say that I emerged at the end of 2020 in a better state than I entered it.

On a personal level: I moved apartments, got better at cooking, and started working on more personal projects. On a professional level: I became more competent at my job, saw multiple major features through from inception to completion, and received the promotion I had been aiming for.

Above all of these tangible accomplishments, I feel that I was able to improve my mental health and learn to be happier with what I have rather than obsessing over what could be better (this is a topic I touch upon in The 2020 Treadmill).

My Goals for 2021

My goals for 2021 remain largely the same as they were in 2020. I would like to continue educating myself as a software engineer and stay up-to-date on the latest technologies and development trends. I would also like to invest more time on personal projects. My main hurdle has always been deciding what exactly to work on, but something I learned last year is that the what matters far less than actually putting your fingers to your keyboard and creating something. Balancing preparadness and execution is something I will continue to focus on and improve at this year.

I’d also like to make the opportunity to travel more often, assuming that COVID is under more control by the latter half of this year. I have always said that I love to travel, but in actuality I have rarely invested the time or effort to make it happen as much as I would like. Even a short day trip every now and then is something I’d like to aim for. When I’m feeling the weight of life getting heavy, just getting out and experiencing a change of scenery can work wonders.

Regardless of what comes this year, I intend on keeping my head up and continuing to find ways to appreciate what I have. To my family, friends, colleagues, and anyone else who may read this - Happy New Year.

The 2020 Treadmill

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

2020 has been a wild year, and everyone has been impacted to varying degrees. Rather than closing my eyes and hoping things get better, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on what “better” really means for me.

The New Normal

“The New Normal” is a term that a lot of groups and media have latched onto in recent months. At first glance, it seems to reinforce the idea that life has changed as we know it and we are currently stepping into unknown territory. I feel that it can also be interpreted in a different light, albeit one that’s a little less sensational.

Many of us find ourselves isolated and living drastically stripped-down lives. Our communal hubs and gather centers have closed or are heavily restricted, many of us are working from home indefinitely, and those who are not as fortunate may be without jobs all-together. On top of this, the recent wildfires along the west coast have left families without homes and have wiped entire towns off the map. Every day, we find ourselves increasingly alone.

But in reality, this is no “new normal”. If there’s one constant in this world for each of us, it’s our very selves.

Finding My “Better”

With so little in the way of distractions and social outlets, I have found myself deep in thought more during this past year than ever before. Much of this has centered around my concept of “better” - what is it that I really want out of life?

It’s easy to always focus on the next best thing. The next product to buy, the next job or promotion, the next place to live. The grass is always greener, as they say. This sort of incremental pleasure is tempting to indulge in, but it never lasts as long as you think it will. Soon enough, the momentary thrill from having something new in your life will fade and you’ll be searching for the next “better”.

I used to watch a streamer named Reckful, and he would often talk about the hedonic treadmill. The concept is that no matter the external stimulus which may impact your life, you will inevitably level out to the same relative level of happiness.

The baseline of happiness varies from person to person based on things such as genetics, culture, and upbringing. I’ve pondered what this means for my own pursuit of happiness, and I’ve come to several conclusions:

Temporary indulgences (i.e. happiness candy) are ok, so long as I don’t expect them to make my life better holistically
Stop comparing my life with others’, everyone has different happiness baselines and approaches to bettering themselves
Strive to appreciate my baseline happiness, and by doing so recognize what improves the quality of my life rather than what makes me “happier”

Final Thoughts

This was a pretty lofty post, but it pretty much boils down to appreciating what you have, remaining modest, and recognizing that chasing the next best thing will never lead you anywhere truly “better”. This is a concept that I’m still working out in my mind, and I hope that by putting it into words I was able to figure it out a little better. If you took the time to read all of this, then I hope it helped you get a clearer picture of how to find your own happiness as well.