By Ryan Allen Wight, Copyeditor
The year was 2021. The place was a quaint, occasionally idyllic West New England Villa couched in a city called Springfield. The People in the Villa were quite fortunate, all things considered. But Fortune retains her underhanded sleights; and for those of you who feel discouraged, stressed and spent, pent up and isolated, please know that hope is only a decision away.
Like sticky children shoving for the last cookie, numerous solutions contend to reveal themselves to the Villa’s expressly demoralized residents. Personally, my time in the Villa in 2021 has taught me a few introspective strategies for staying healthy in the head and doing well in the most important aspects of my life. I’d love to share three of them with you, fellow villager.
First, ask yourself: what do you want? That can be a terrifying question, so make sure you start with the smallest thing. For example, right now I just want to finish this sentence – victory! It’s like cleaning off a cluttered desk; you can decide what you want just one small thing at a time.
Although this is a tough question, to articulate a desire is to transform a vague feeling into a known goal. If you feel you are not getting what you want, take a moment to interrogate the discontent that saturates you. In places where turning a blind eye allowed you to assume substance and intention, there might actually be ambiguity and confusion. So, start small, and define a little goal.
Second, free yourself; Is there something taking too much of your attention or energy? Maybe there’s something we all keep in our pockets that keeps all of us perpetually looking down. Free yourself. Breathe.
The two things I hear most often from my fellow villagers are “I’m so stressed” and “I’m so bored.” Is this not an egregious contradiction? I don’t understand most things, but I do know that cutting tv shows, mobile games, and youtube out of my life made me fuller and happier. Obviously, that sort of asceticism is not a hard fast rule, but a moderate way of life.
I look around, and I see vastly inefficient applications of resources and potential. Unfortunately, no systemic solutions have materialized in my mind, but some tips for individuals have. Here’s one: a good education serves the good of the community simply by virtue of what it is; at the very least, I would urge a student not to expect the community to serve them.
Sometimes I like to sit back, relax, and take a brief look at my life. Where is my time going? What am I prioritizing? Are there better ways for me to be living and spending my time? Forgive yourself and free yourself, one tiny thing at a time.
Third, don’t complain; the Villa hardly benefits from a resigned disposition. It is normal not to feel great sometimes. I encourage you not to identify with any negative emotion you feel, but instead of venting it in the form of destructive words or actions, do this: seek what you love.
Seeking what you love can be so simple; don’t complicate it more than is necessary. If this is an area of confusion for you, perhaps you might ask yourself what it is that you want? Remember, start small; and give yourself a break — you’re doing just fine.
