This week I want to show you guys my reflection after listening to the latest podcast episode of “The Diary of a CEO”.
I have followed Steve for quite some time and his podcast is actually my inspiration of starting a podcast-like vlog series where I talk about personal development on my YouTube channel.
I strongly recommend you guys to go listen to this episode – it’s so good and applicable, especially in pandemic time now – it is everything that everyone should listen to right now in order to get your life together. Steve basically summarised what I was thinking about in the past month in a sophisticated, organised fashion. If you’re interested in what happened in my life last month, go check out my vlog here. Whether you just lost your job, stayed in bed for online lectures or “working from home”, this episode a good encouragement. Stop wasting your life away during quarantine by binging on Netflix and ice cream. It’s time for you to get up and start investing in yourself for future’s sake.
I wish I listened to this episode in June last year when my life had a massive change – more impact, and much more disastrous than this coronavirus – I didn’t know how I picked myself up when I suffered from PTSD. But I subconsciously did the right things – journalled my thoughts, found silver lining among darkness and learnt how to switch off completely when I was overwhelmed – the journey wasn’t easy. But the rough path made me a stronger person. It was similar to this pandemic we are experiencing right now. While we don’t really want to say “we are in this together” because we are freaking dragged into it, the faster we realise how little control we have over the situation the better we can cope with it. Yes, in the end all you can control is how you think and react to something.
Here is a summary of what I learnt from this episode and how I will apply to my life:
1 be mindful of your thinking
I genuinely think human beings will be cleverer and achieve more success in life (however you define success) if they are being self-aware and sensitive about what they think. In chaotic times like this it is more important than ever to document your thoughts and analyse the triggers of negative emotions. What you think determines your action, which determines the outcome. This is where journalling comes in handy to keep track of your thoughts throughout the day. It certainly can be in any form you like – handwriting, typing, blogging, filming yourself… the options are endless. Whatever makes it easy to look back into and analyse.
Speaking of journalling I started using Notion this year to get my life together and I started journalling on Notion in March (I previously used Google Drive) while putting tags on every entry regarding what I wrote about so I can easily go back to any date and see what happened.
At this moment I think I am not doing the analysis part enough and from time to time I still worry about certain things. It is a journey – to understand a situation, find trails that pull the trigger of negative emotions and avoid certain things that contribute to those negativity. In my case, I now only read coronavirus-related news once a week to see the confirmed cases number. I never had nightmares anymore. I can’t really control how the virus will spread (staying home is the way, but it needs every one of us’ cooperation) but I can control how I think and not let news create worries that get inside my head.
I mentioned in my vlog last week that I was in a constant worry when the virus started spreading in late January in Asia. I knew it was all in my head but it troubled me so much I felt suffocated. Then I remembered that feeling a sense of breathlessness is one of the symptoms which intensified my worries. This vicious cycle was never-ending.
The biggest enemy in your life right now isn’t the virus. It’s your thinking. Especially negative ones. Your worries and negative talking in your head do you no good. They are going to ruin you.
It takes effort and initiative to find your own happiness and peace.
Only you can do it.
2 Desire and Long-Term Happiness
The more I write the more I am confused with why people slack off at home in the first place.
Especially for those who are supposed to work from home.
Seriously, what do 9-5 Mon-Fri people usually do during weekends? Are they just treating quarantine time like Sunday every day?
Steve put it in better words – it is always more comfortable to finish a whole tub of ice-cream while binge watching Netflix. Who wants to do home workout anyway?
But don’t forget this – all the short-term pleasures you are having now probably contribute to long term headaches. What feels good now might result in something you regret of.
There is a cost for short-term pleasures and desires.
No matter what circumstance you are in, your priority should always be your vision and your long -term values.
Do something every single day that your future self will be thankful for.
Yes the virus and the lockdown took my first placement opportunity away this month. What am I going to do? Keep practising my instruments. Find more music therapy articles to read. There are so many little things I can do that contribute to the future.
You might be thinking to change your job, start a new career or go back to Uni before the pandemic happened. Now you are stuck and seem to be getting nowhere, uncertain of what the future holds. Break down your goal to small tasks. Maybe it is time for you to train your public speaking skills. Learn how to code. Message that person that you met on a social networking event several years ago. You need to keep preparing for it, investing in yourself so when the chance comes – or when you create it yourself – you will be READY for it. And you will ace it.
Don’t let those little distractions in life stop you from going after the life you want ultimately, or ruin what you have.
As I’m wrapping up I did a little reflection on how the virus and the lockdown affected my study life. It is certainly a shame that I will be missing out a big part of my Uni life. But at the same time I know switching to online study mode is the best way to keep everyone safe and stop the virus from spreading. I would like to think that I got used to it pretty quickly without much resistance – but again, after what happened last year I think nothing would faze me.
Anyway, life is all good now. As good as it can be. This is also my form of documenting my thoughts. I hope I would laugh when I read this one year later, what do you think?
x
Venus