Month: January 2021

To Shanghai, With Love

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Born in the bustle of a densely packed, hyper-competitive metropolis, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Tim Ling takes us back to a childhood spent meeting the onerous demands of an exacting academic system – not only giving us a taste of what it was like, but showing how crucial and enduring friendships were forged in its crucible.

Before coming to Canada, I lived in Shanghai. It was the place where I grew from a baby crying in my mother’s arms to a 15-year-old young man. Shanghai was the city upon which I built each piece of my understanding of the world, this city that I had never left before. Until I left, I never realized that I could love a place so much.

Shanghai is a city with 27 million people. That’s like stuffing the whole population of Canada on Vancouver Island. In Shanghai, there’s never a lack of human resources. 

Then again, having a large population comes with challenges. Competition was created, far more intense than what we have in Canada. One can be doing their job one day and be fired for no reason the next, just because there are so many people waiting to take their  position. Workers often lack any sense of belonging in their companies, because there are likely any number of other companies willing to offer a better salary. 

People don’t stay in one position for long – usually no more than a couple of years, in fact. You either get promoted, switch to a better company, or get kicked out. This is one reason why we call Shanghai the City of Opportunities. With people switching positions all the time, there’s always a chance that you find a better place. 

The story I’m going to share today isn’t going to focus on the competition of Shanghai, but it’s going to be based on that. 

As a kid I didn’t know how fierce the world was outside. We were like blank paper, waiting for the stories of our lives to be written. I spent the nine years from Grade 1 to Grade 9 learning concepts that made me who I am today.

When I was in school, students formed very close relationships. We were under a system that is quite different to the Canadian educational system. The sense of intense competition was present in schools from the moment you walked in. I still remember arriving in Grade 9 every day at 6:30 in the morning, studying for 12 continuous hours doing test papers and practice problems, and not leaving the classroom until 6:30 in the evening. 

What we learnt was way more difficult than what is taught in Canada too. I was doing the equivalent of Grade 12 math in Grade 9. However, I didn’t feel stressed out then. I’d even say it felt pretty easy. Maybe it’s that I got used to it, but more likely, I believe that socializing with people around me helped me overcome that stress. 

We were all students who bore too much at that young age. So, like patients in the same hospital ward, we felt very close to each other. After all, they were the only ones to accompany you while you did your 12-hour test sheets. We could always talk to each other and discuss problems. We’d even eat and nap together. We felt like one whole. 

When we face difficulties, we won’t just stress out. We don’t even need to use words. I just turn my head around. I look at you. You are doing the same stuff I am doing. You are facing the same difficulty I am facing. You turn around and face me. We look into each other’s eyes and we smile. We are in this together. 

There is this emotion built among us, like brothers and sisters, that made us lifelong friends. School is like a second home, where those classmates who have been through the hard times with you are your family members. 

It was with those friends, who acted as an analgesic drug every time I fell, that I overcame this period of time.

Pretty strange for a Grade 9 like me to have built those kinds of relationships at the time, right? I felt surprised by it even then. I was full of resentment for the educational system we had, and thought, given a chance, I would never come back again. 

Looking back, I realize that that system actually worked. When I later flipped open a Canadian Grade 10 textbook, only to find  that I had already learnt everything in it in Grade 6, I was surprised, and joyful. 

What’s more is that I now have a group of friends forged from deep, shared experiences. I would never have such friends if it weren’t for the nine years of education I got in Shanghai. 

Shanghai was the place where my stories began. It is where I put hard effort into my studies and built my most important friendships. It is where I gained my most important understandings, and learnt how to socialize. 

I fell in love with Shanghai, without noticing.

When was the last time you fell in love with a city or a culture? What was it that captured your heart? Get us dreaming about faraway lands and special places in the comments or at a Low Entropy meeting.

Gusto in a Dangerous Time

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As we round the corner on the first month of a new, hopeful year, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Mike Vaness pauses to reflect on what still might be salvaged from the flaming wreckage of 2020.

It would be a massive understatement to say that 2020 was a tumultuous year. Our lives have changed in ways that mimic works of fiction. However, we persevered and made it through, anticipating a brighter new year and promising to better ourselves. This is the time to make some positive changes, bring about new habits or start new hobbies. On the other hand, these new resolutions are often challenging and overly ambitious, and many of us have undoubtedly fallen back into old habits. As such, in 2021, I feel that instead of racing toward a “New Year, New Me,” perhaps we should look back upon the year we’ve just wrapped up, and find some positivity and growth that was mixed within all the chaos.

Looking back on the holiday season, I think it would be safe to say that our normal routines and expectations completely changed. Normally we would have been busy working out travel plans, matching schedules with work and social events, and attempting to see everyone and go all the places we could. This year there was a lot more emphasis on staying home with online shopping and shipping. It was hard to deal with the reality that we could not visit family or friends during the time when being with our loved ones was most important. I know when this realization first sank in for me, I was feeling quite depressed and sad. I haven’t been able to see my family in over a year, and it does not look like that will change for months to come. With that in mind, I have also come to realize how thankful I am for the new technology that allowed us to be more digitally connected than ever before. 

When I sat down on Christmas morning with just my partner and myself at home, we had a quiet breakfast, opened a couple gifts and took a much more calm and slow pace. We both commented that we were not exactly missing the pressure of having to keep to a tighter schedule – although I admit we don’t have children in our household, so this may not have been the same experience for everyone! We then began to set up a Zoom call for my family, and it was amazing to be able to see everyone’s faces when we spoke with them. It just brings a new level of communication that helps fill the void of not being together in person just a little bit more. New technology is by no means a replacement for being with friends and family in person, but I’m still glad it offers more than what we have had in the recent past.

The flexibility of technology can be positively applied to other aspects of our lives as well, with people being able to work from home and finding an entirely new sense of work and life balance. People have discovered all kinds of new hobbies and projects because they were encouraged to stay home. Many people have been able to explore different creative avenues that before may have been overlooked. I myself have found that I enjoy trying new and different recipes in the kitchen, and trying things that are a bit unusual. It has been an uplifting and fun experience that has allowed me to expand my repertoire for weekday meals.

Looking back at how our lives have changed, we can also focus on how best to move forward. We can see how things have changed on a grand scale, and while we may not want to maintain many of those changes once the public becomes a safer place, there are always some changes that can be made for the better. There is no reason, once we gain more freedom, why we cannot continue our creative pursuits. I will continue to look into new things to try in the kitchen, as well as working with other crafts. For instance, I recently bought equipment to work with casting resin, and am looking forward to trying it out to see where it can lead for future projects.

While we have all had our lives upended, in the end we can either completely ignore the past or try to move forward with gusto and fervor. I think there is a lot of good that can be had from looking to the past, reflecting, learning and gaining perspective. The past year was one of sadness and chaos, but there are bits and pieces that we can pull from it to help us keep moving forward. For 2021 we can try to bring about a new us, because we have grown even in the shadow of a disastrous year. We made it through, and now we can take the best parts of ourselves and decide who we get to be.

Who are you going to be in 2021? How much of 2020 will you take with you? Comment, keep an eye on this space and check out some Low Entropy virtual programming in the new year!

Always a Mountain to Climb

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From the symbolism of mountain goats to democratizing spirituality, Low Entropy Leah Costello speaks on the importance of accepting – and even embracing – the persistence of adversity in life, and how it can enrich every journey.

My grandmother Joan’s life advice: “There’s always a mountain to climb.” As a Capricorn, the sign of the sea goat, I appreciate the imagery of a goat persevering up the summit.

I passed on Joan’s advice to my friend Jesse and he said, “God, that’s depressing! She’s a really happy woman, isn’t she?”

I explained that she is a happy woman and I agreed with her – there’s never a time when everything will be perfect. Jesse holds onto hope that there will be. And so did I, for many years. I kept thinking, after this everything will finally come together. I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t get to the top of that mountain. I should have it all figured out by now! Some people have perfect lives, right?

I didn’t get it for a long time. I got part of the way there when I started reading Pema Chödrön, the acclaimed Shambhala Buddhist monk who lives in my homeland of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She says that there will never be a time when everything comes together, that we have to accept where we are in every given moment without judgment. If I’m being honest with myself, it took some very deep wounds and family tragedies to gain a deep understanding of this concept. Eventually, I realized that this is what my grandmother was getting at in her mountain-climbing analogy.

So what does this mean in practice? Well, I’m still not 100 percent sure. I’m figuring it out. I’m far from a monk living in the isolated highlands of Cape Breton. I do yoga videos at home like everyone else. But no matter what you are doing, you can always make room for yourself. I struggle during corpse pose to keep myself from making an inventory of all the things I have to do that day. It’s hard not to silently criticize myself and others, and even harder to confront the people I love.

My current philosophy is a simple, albeit cliché one: life is a journey and not a destination. That’s what Pema and Nanny Joan are getting at. Bring yourself back to yourself: back from the downward spiral of to-do lists, back from the chain reaction of thoughts that lead nowhere and back from the dramatic arguments playing out in your head.

People call this mindfulness, but you can call it whatever you like – whatever gets you there. My Nanny didn’t study as a monk, but she gets it. A lot of people get it. They clear their heads, get some air, gain perspective, check in, pray, give offerings, do therapy and get a little help from their friends.

People get caught up in fancy spiritual terms and forget that they were coined in a very different time from our own. The same idioms and imagery may not work for us. Spiritual practices, such as mindfulness and prayer, capture a universal part of the human experience. Human experiences don’t “belong” to any particular culture or group. You can bring yourself back to yourself in many ways, whether through established spiritual traditions or more eclectic approaches.

For my grandmother, it’s mountains and goats. The goat climbs up the mountain in his endless pursuit of the summit. But when he gets to the top, he sees the whole mountain range. It’s endless and stretches out to the horizon. He might get discouraged, but during that peaceful time on the summit, he can see the whole picture, the totality of challenges that we all experience. It allows him to practice acceptance of the perpetual climb. And that acceptance gives him the strength to move forward.

How do you handle recurring challenges? And are goats the most inspiring animal? If not, then which one? Start the debate in the comments or at a Low Entropy meeting, and convince everyone with your air-tight argument.

. . . and also it’s flamingos. It’s obviously flamingos.

Alone This Time

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As the matriarch and primary caregiver in her troubled family, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Kathy Woudzia had her fill of responsibilities and challenges. These roles became her identity, and she was good at them. But what happens to a person when all that was familiar disappears, and they’re left to pick up the pieces left behind?

Please note that this article discusses substance use.

In this past year many changes have occurred in my life. Since I was 21 I’ve been a mother and wife. I’m 58 now and the kids have all left home. I never really understood the term “empty nest syndrome”, but I certainly understand that sentiment now. When I became a wife and mother that became my identity, how I defined myself. Because I became a mom at such a young age, I gave up a post-secondary education. Although I enrolled in online university courses for certifications in health and fitness studies and business, I never completed my degree. 

Over the years I held jobs as a bookkeeper, library technician and conference planner, but held no formal education in any of those areas. When I was 32 my marriage to my first husband and father of three children ended. He had struggled with alcoholism for years. Six years later I met my second husband, a professional, and at the age of 41, was blessed with my fourth child. Because his job was so demanding, we decided that I would primarily stay home, raise the kids and look after the household. 

In September 2015 my beautiful little granddaughter was born. Unfortunately, I wasn’t aware that her mom, my daughter, and her partner were addicted to opioids. My granddaughter was born addicted to opioids and needed to be slowly weaned off over the course of one month. Because my daughter and her partner were ill-equipped to care for her in a safe and responsible way, I was compelled to resign my on-call position with the Richmond School District as a library technician and begin to care for my first grandchild. Later, my daughter would move in with my husband while she was recovering from her opioid addiction. 

Many addictions include relapses, and that was the case with my daughter and her partner. For three years I was not only the wife of my husband and mother to one teenager still living at home, but I became a 24-hour on call caregiver to my daughter, her partner and my granddaughter. My days were overfilled with family obligations. I couldn’t wait to have some alone time!

Throughout my 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s I have been parenting with little to no regard for self-improvement in areas outside of family. I devoted so much time to them that I failed at keeping old friendships or starting new ones. When my daughter was in recovery and went back to her position as a science teacher, I spent my days caring for my granddaughter, cooking, cleaning, shopping and working out. That was my life minute-to-minute, day-to-day, year-to-year. It is amazing how quickly the days turned to years and the years turned to decades. I had no profession outside of being a professional wife and mother.

Then, in 2018, things began to spiral downhill. On April 22, 2018, my daughter, mother of my granddaughter, died of an accidental opioid overdose. Suddenly my world was turned upside-down. The loss of my eldest daughter was devastating and I missed her dearly. When she passed away I also lost my granddaughter because she moved to Vancouver Island to be with her dad, who was recovering there with his family.

Initially, the lack of constant attending to others was a welcome one as I was fatigued with caring for so many people and having so little time to myself. Now it was just my 17-year-old daughter, who barely needed me and my husband to look after her. I filled my days with shopping and working out with some new friends I had made after the loss of my daughter. I enrolled in a writing course with New York University and began writing about my daughter. Then another blow. My only sibling, my brother, died of complications due to alcoholism. Another devastating loss exactly one year to the date my daughter had passed. 

Six months after my brother passed I began struggling with mental health problems of my own. I began experiencing bipolar symptoms. I was admitted to a hospital for one month in January 2020. When I was released from the hospital my husband had moved out of our home. Soon after, my husband had officially left me, my daughter went to university and I found myself completely alone.

The old parable, “the grass is always greener on the other side” is certainly true in my case. From wishing for alone time to longing for the busy days where I didn’t have a minute to myself, I have now realized I do not enjoy my time on my own. Not having developed many hobbies (outside of writing and exercising) or friendships, I often find myself very lonely and depressed. Because my job was professional wife and mother, I now find my life significantly vacant of activities I used to enjoy.

For the past four decades, a constant flurry of activity gave me a sense of purpose. In the absence of a husband or children to care for, I have now lost my identity. In raising my children, I was propelled by a desire to ensure my children transitioned to successful adults. In my mind, I was convinced that because they had graduated from universities with degrees, that meant success. My daughter once said in a card, “mom, if us kids were your employees then you would win employer of the year award”. That summed it all up for me. I had put all of my energy into what I viewed as my profession, motherhood. I completely immersed myself in activities that were centred on my kids and husband. Without either as a conduit to stay busy, I now find myself with loads of spare time and no  purpose: a toxic combination. 

Empty nest syndrome did not have meaning for me until I experienced it. In addition, I have experienced additional substantial losses in my life. The reality is, I have no one left to look after. In facing “ENS” head-on, I am compelled to find a new purpose outside of my husband and children – a new identity.

Do you have any advice for anyone who might be experiencing ENS? Or maybe you have your own struggle to share, to let us know we’re not so alone after all. Please let us know in our comments section or in person at a Low Entropy meeting. 

When Good Things Happen to Bad Habits

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Cooking up good habits can be a long, frustrating and disheartening process. Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Nahid Nowrozi shares her best methods to break bad habits while keeping your self-confidence intact.

“A bad habit never disappears miraculously, it’s an undo-it-yourself project.” 

-Abigail Van Buren

It is crazy to me that a person’s mind can be so strong and yet so fragile and vulnerable when it comes to lifestyle changes. We’ve all struggled with feeling guilty after spending too much time on our phones instead of being productive, especially during quarantine when being busy felt like an unpleasant option. We all know that during this COVID situation it has been difficult to start new things, but there must still be ways to improve ourselves, right? I am in good health, I study, I exercise, I tutor and I volunteer, but it is still easy for me to fall into bad habits. Usually, the feeling of guilt is strong enough for me to never do something bad again.

But why do I keep indulging in the same bad habits?

Studies say that bad habits are mostly caused by stress, boredom and deep-rooted issues. The reason bad habits exist is that they provide some type of benefit in your life: usually pleasure, comfort or satisfaction. That’s why it’s difficult to put an end to them quickly.

Then how do I change this situation?

I start by focusing on why I want to change a bad habit. Generally, it’s because the consequences affect my well-being. My behavior around other people can also become unpleasant. For example, as a student, sometimes I have to sacrifice a few hours of sleep to finish projects. Sleep is something very valuable and beneficial for me, and I have to prioritize it. We have to remind ourselves constantly about unwanted consequences in order to not fall back into a habit and make the same mistake again. 

One thing that helped me a lot was making weekly challenges that turned into monthly challenges, until that behaviour became a good habit.  They say it takes anywhere from two weeks to even more than a year to form a good habit, depending on the person and the goal.

To improve my sleeping habits, I started by turning off all my electronics and forcing myself to read or journal instead.  This would tire my eyes, making me sleepy. Before this change, I would sleep at around 1:00 a.m. That slowly improved to 11:00 p.m. Every week I would try to sleep one hour earlier, which meant that I would wake up one hour earlier. In the morning, I would get my work done more efficiently.

Whenever I listen to people talk about their struggles with bad habits, I notice one thing that seems to cause a lot of problems: often people are not aware of how they truly feel, or how a habit affects them. If you don’t know how to feel, how are you supposed to choose your actions properly? If you only make yourself feel guilty, how are you supposed to consider your behaviour clearly?

If you are able to understand and accept your feelings, you will notice that there are so many new options that could help you. Learning to control your emotions and reflecting before repeating a habit will become invaluable, and you may notice that you don’t enjoy the habit as much as you think you do. For example, if I don’t sleep enough, I won’t be able to focus on my work during the day, I won’t be energetic and I will be very moody. In the long term, lack of sleep has been closely associated with hypertension, heart attacks and strokes, obesity, diabetes, depression and anxiety, decreased brain function, memory loss, weakened immune system, lower fertility rates and psychiatric disorders.

Imagining yourself succeeding without your old habits is a great way to motivate yourself. To make this happen, I distract myself from what triggers my bad habit by changing my environment and my surroundings. The more time you have at your disposal, the more likely you are to indulge in a bad habit. In my situation, I shouldn’t watch TV or scroll on my phone until I am done with schoolwork for that day. What can I do instead? Other than finishing my schoolwork, I could take a nap, exercise, volunteer or spend time with my family.

This approach can help us make a fresh start, but I know what you’re thinking: what if I return to my old habits?

The more you try to entirely suppress your thoughts, the more you’re likely to revert back to a bad habit. We all need to remember that bad habits don’t simply disappear on their own: we have to replace them with good ones. And remember, we’re only human, and it’s hard to always stick to one routine. You might fail a few times, but it doesn’t mean you’re striving for the impossible. Forgive yourself and be patient – give your mind the space to gradually control your behaviour, and good habits will follow.

How do you break a bad habit? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments section. You can also explore Low Entropy’s services for opportunities to discuss the difficulties of breaking bad habits in a supportive environment.

What I’ve Found While Searching for a Job

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Unemployment is not only a source of rejection and self-doubt for many – it can also impact your very livelihood. With persistent optimism, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Catherine Pulgar shows us how she is navigating this difficult period in her own life.

The job search is so challenging, especially if you are a recent graduate. In my own experience, every time I read job posting – even an entry-level one – I doubt myself. “Am I qualified? Look at all the skills and experience they require…” 

I’m still working at it, as I’ve been searching for a marketing position since late July. Some days are better than others, due to the financial problems that come with being unemployed. However, job searching in itself has been an opportunity to learn skills. I’ve developed an increasingly calm approach to my job search, by reminding myself that I’ve been applying my skills in other valuable ways, including volunteering for two organizations.

But being grateful and cheerful in this situation can be challenging. For example, I had a fantastic interview a few weeks ago, but received an email later saying they moved forward with another candidate. It was disheartening and discouraging. However, I’ve found I must honour the emotions that come with these vulnerable experiences. This was not my first rejection, and I have been learning constructive ways to overcome the sad, angry or hopeless feelings that can arise in situations like this. 

Each person has their own way of handling rejection. It’s easier for some than others. In my case, since starting my job search journey, I have come up with ways to deal with the stress and its impact on my mental health.

  • Writing a Reflection Diary: This is a great technique where I write out my daily accomplishments, challenges, or tips for things that I may want to improve. I write at least three phrases almost every day about things in my life that I am grateful for. It helps me stay positive, just remembering the bright side of things, and that we can always find something positive, even in the most stressful moments!
  • Working Out: Even though I’m not a fanatic about working out every day, it is an excellent endorphin source that helps me clear my mind, relax and reach internal peace.
  • Meditating: Sometimes I practice meditation and yoga, because I feel these two activities are a great way to release stress and balance my body.

Still, during this time, I struggle with rejection. But I have also come across amazing people while on my job search path. People who have offered me advice, support and comfort. My partner Victor told me, “If you do not have this or that skill, study and master it.” Thanks to him and others, I have cultivated my perseverance to keep studying and learning. 

Remember that if you do not have a skill or experience, do not feel bad. Every person started from scratch until they became masters in their field.

Do you have any tips on how to handle the emotional toll that unemployment can bring? Your experiences and advice could make a big difference in someone’s journey – share them in the comments section, or at a Low Entropy meeting.

Three Easy Steps to Conquer Paralyzing Fear

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New beginnings can be scary. Not everyone can let it go and dive into the unknown, but Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Anna Bernsteiner has advice for when you feel frozen by your anxieties.

Back when I was a kid, the most terrifying feeling on this planet was change. I remember one time when I was five years old, my parents replaced some furniture, including a sofa table I loved. That’s all it took to upset me incredibly: everything new was bad.

Of course, things are different now, but whenever I’m close to a really big change and have to make a decision, I feel that crippling fear of the unknown climbing up my body again. Not knowing what comes next and not knowing if my choice is the right one . . . new beginnings and chapters still frighten me.

However, I’m learning that the new and unknown is the one thing that makes us grow. It challenges us and what we think we know. It pushes us to self-development and greater adventures. Life doesn’t stop, and the most important lesson I have learned this year is to flow with whatever it throws at you.

So when you face change and feel anxious, try to remember that, whatever it might be, you have control over your life. No matter how drastic a decision might seem in the moment, think of how it might look in a few years. Is it still really that big of a deal? It could be a breakup, a new job or a move that’s giving you the chills and makes you scared. If you look at it from a distance, it won’t have as much power over you, and you will be less anxious and more open-minded to new beginnings. Try to zoom out for a moment and see the bigger picture of these nerve-racking situations.

Another method that helps me face the new is by writing it out, or talking about it with a friend. By explaining the problem and the fear attached, it takes away some of its intensity.

Last but not least, believe in yourself. Change is rarely comfortable. We have to go through some rough patches to grow. Learn to believe in who you are.\

Look at it this way: would you rather go into a job interview telling yourself you’re going to fail, or say to yourself, “I’m scared, I’m going to work hard and give my best. I can do it.” Either way, there is no certainty that you will get the job. But if you don’t believe in your capabilities, who will?

So whatever you are going through right now, whatever change or new challenge awaits you, stop for a minute and look at the bigger picture, talk to a friend about it and, most importantly, know you have the power to do anything – if you believe it.

Okay, so maybe it won’t be “easy” . . . but it’ll be worth it! Let us know in the comments or at a Low Entropy meeting how you build yourself up to take on the big changes in Life.

The Russian Resolution: Post-2020 Resilience and Resolve

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The first weeks and months of a year are usually littered with abandoned New Year’s resolutions. We are, however, all capable of improving our circumstances. Sharing his tale of his first, frigid year in Russia, persevering through solitude and an inability to speak Russian, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Salem Ziani encourages us to make the most of our strengths, work hard and see our ambitions through to the end.

Like Forrest Gump’s mom always said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” I think the year 2020 was a bit of bitter-tasting chocolate for almost all of us. We all confronted fear and anxiety. However, we must also be grateful, because 2020 allowed us to think about our future plans, and to consider our resolutions for 2021.

This was the fourth New Year’s that I spent alone, far from my family. This past year was the hardest for me: I had just arrived in Russia, I knew nobody, I didn’t speak a word of Russian and, without a job, I found myself alone in the world.

I moved to Russia in September 2019 to study. From the beginning I did not like my program because it was not what I expected. As well, coming from the warm weather of the Mediterranean region, Russian winters were very unusual for me. Every day the temperature was -25C, and I had never experienced that.

The most difficult obstacle, however, was the fact that I didn’t speak Russian. I was seeking general employment in industries like restaurants and construction, but I couldn’t find anything because speaking Russian was a must to be hired. I really struggled trying to fit myself into jobs that didn’t suit me.

Then I asked myself: why am I doing this? I had existing skills that I wasn’t using to move forward and become stronger. I could do better. I reminded myself that I graduated with a master’s degree and speak four languages . . . I just needed to learn another one. So I learned the Russian language in three months.

Unfortunately, just as I was building momentum, the pandemic hit, the lockdown started and life became harder again. I remember being very worried about my family, who were so far away from me. Were they healthy? Were they safe?

I was stuck in Russia, with everything around me stopped, but I didn’t give up. I found a teaching job online, taking advantage of my knowledge of several languages. Today, I am among the best teachers of the group. I am grateful for everyone who helped me get through that period and reach the place where I am now.

There is a saying that the tragedy of life is not to aim for the top and miss, but to aim for the bottom and touch it. This year, let’s take the chance of being different. Stop listening to the useless little voices that surround us: let’s dream big. Let’s do it our own way by capitalizing on our talents, our strengths and our advantages. Being different can be a source of energy and progress, and realizing this can unlock happiness.

A lot of people wait until New Year’s Eve to make a resolution and then give up from the first day. Many resolutions are wishes that require hard work and persistence: like caring for a flower, you have to enrich the soil, water the plant and be patient. And even in failure, every day is a new chance to move forward. We don’t have to wait until January of each year to make our lives better.

My wish is that, in 2021, all of us get the best-tasting chocolate. Happy New Year, everyone.

Share your resolutions with us (New Year’s or otherwise) in the comments, or tell us other ways in which you’ve pushed forward and upgraded your life. Better yet, start 2021 right with positivity, encouragement and empathy in one of our Low Entropy meetings.

Gym Class: What Weightlifting Taught Me About Productivity

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With muscle, iron and insight, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Siddharth Bala forged valuable lessons in self-improvement.

There is no question that working out can impact your mental health in many positive ways.

A weightlifting concept that turned my life around is progressive overload. The idea is that, as a novice weightlifter, you start by lifting small. The next week you lift a bit more, and then more, until you reach your peak potential. The key word here is “progress”: it doesn’t matter where you start; you just increase the intensity of your workouts on a regular basis.

Here are three life lessons I took away from the progressive overload concept:

1) Start Small: After a long hiatus from my gym routine, I was shocked to see much of my strength decrease. I wasn’t able to lift as heavy as before and was constantly out of breath. I had to start somewhere, and I disappointedly started from ground zero with really light weights. This proved to be a blessing in disguise, as within no time, I could feel myself getting a little stronger and lifting slightly heavier. From the progress I was making, I got an idea. I started inculcating this belief in my daily life as well. If I wanted to get more organized, I started small by cleaning the house just once a week. I wanted to improve my networking skills, so I started by meeting one professional a month. This made me brave enough to try new things without feeling anxious or nervous.

2) Progress Responsibly and Steadily: We often find success in a new habit we develop and become zealous and excited to quickly take it to the next level. Once I had noticed myself gaining a little bit of muscle, I overestimated my strength and began lifting weight that was a lot heavier. Initially, my excitement produced a lot of energy and I was able to manage and lift the heavy weight, but soon enough the excitement died off. I got tired easily and went back to lifting lighter. Seeing myself go backwards, I experienced that familiar feeling of disappointment once more. To recoup, I began lifting light again. Except this time, I progressed at a slow, yet steady rate. This made me feel both comfortable and proud, as I was still progressing. I decided to incorporate this into my plan to develop a solid work ethic: I started with adding just one additional task a month. This way I had enough time to become efficient in my existing list of tasks and kept my stress levels under control by increasing my responsibilities in a steady and stable manner.

3) Set Up SMART Goals: SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound. Like the acronym suggests, the goals must be specific, achievable and must include a time frame in which you can work on them. In my workout routine, I regularly set up fitness goals that I want to achieve. All of these goals have a clear number and timeline attached to them. My most recent goal is to be able to run 12 km under one hour by January 31, 2021. I can always gauge my performance relative to the timeline in this goal, to see if I am on track. If need be, it is also easy to adjust these numbers and timelines. By incorporating such a setup into my daily life, I find it easier to prioritize and manage time.

How has fitness improved your daily life, and what lessons have you learned while working out? Head over to our comments section or drop in on a Low Entropy meetup to let us know!

Pandemic Life, Inside and Out

Posted on by dev_team

In his exploration of contrasting experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Mike Vaness shows how gratitude can be gleaned from others’ perspectives.

The alarm comes to life, and your eyes reluctantly open. The room slowly comes into focus as you slam your hand down on the snooze button. The bright red pixelated time stares back at you: 6:30 a.m. You know you need to get up. You should start your morning, but lately it has been getting harder and harder to push yourself out of bed. You don’t really want to face the world. Perhaps your hesitation comes from the colder weather and dark mornings, making the warm bed much more appealing than anywhere else. More likely, it’s your growing concern about going out during a pandemic. You don’t want to leave this bubble of safety and comfort, but you also want to keep your job, so you don’t really have a choice. Your partner is still fast asleep: they work from home now, so they always get to sleep a bit longer. Jealousy bubbles inside you, but you swallow it down as you step away from your partner and start your automatic morning routines and rituals. Your partner arises for a sleepy goodbye, and for yet another day you step out to brave this strange world. You look back as the door clicks shut, already yearning for the warm reassurance and safety of home. They’re so lucky.

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The alarm goes off like a siren, and though you are awake, you keep your eyes tightly shut. Your partner dawdles for a few minutes before finally slinking out of bed to prepare for their day, but you remain still, cozily embraced by the thick duvet . . . you don’t really want to face yet another day of the same things, within the same walls . . . 

With a start, you awaken for the second time – when did you fall back asleep? Your partner is about to leave for the day. You pull yourself together to see them out. Not only will you miss their company, but this ritualistic goodbye is one of the more reliable methods for getting you out of bed. Motivation has become a scarce commodity, and you don’t foresee any new stimuli helping you through your day anytime soon. You shut the door behind your partner and turn to the same walls, the same furniture, the same decor you have seen day after day. You are growing increasingly weary of this monotony: the same computer screen and the same desk in your makeshift living room office. The bitter taste of envy coats your tongue as you think about your partner’s day. They can leave the house and go out into the bright, wide world. You yearn for the fresh air and freedom, the company and companionship of colleagues and clients – anything that could break this mind-numbing routine. They’re so lucky.

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Which of these scenarios speaks more to you? In conversations with my friends and family, I’ve found that our households have become all too familiar with this break in perspectives between partners – while one’s routine has remained mostly consistent, the pandemic has completely changed the other’s daily life. Even if your routine is familiar, with your work and commute fully operational, now it feels like maintaining this life places you in harm’s way. If you have either lost your job or transitioned to working from home, sheltering from COVID-19 feels, by now, like being trapped in a cage. Each situation comes with pros and cons, but no matter which day you are experiencing, the alternative always seems more appealing. The pandemic has put everyone into uniquely challenging positions; we have to deal with whatever hand we have been dealt. 

Businesses need to work harder than ever to stay open. In many cases, working from home is not possible. We’ve heard of “front line workers”: employees who are required to still go out into the world with the added challenge of keeping themselves, their colleagues, and their clients safe. The added responsibility can be anywhere from concerning to downright scary, as you are reliant on the public to do their duty and meet these same responsibilities. It can be hard to trust strangers, when you witness people disregarding the directions from our leading health professionals as soon as you walk outside or turn on the news. Going to work with the public makes me feel like I’m taking unnecessary risks, and there have been times I wished for a harsher lockdown so that I could find a safe haven at home.

Meanwhile, my partner was laid off when their office permanently shut down. The sudden loss of your environment outside the home can really affect your mental wellbeing – your home may be comfortable, but soon the lack of company and outside stimuli becomes boring and depressing. At the same time, the news is full of fear, so the outside world has become so unfamiliar and dangerous that even going out for exercise and basic essentials seems like too much of a risk. What is your motivation for the day? You are trapped inside a comfortable cage, and the walls that you found relaxing, comforting, and safe are now the source of your malaise. Working from home, there is no longer any separation between your place of rest and a place of work. It’s even harder to disconnect from the workday, often leading to longer work hours and added stress.  

Please remember that we are all getting through this pandemic together. While everyone’s situation is different, it’s as they say: the grass is always greener on the other side. There are always good things to find and appreciate, no matter where you find yourself in life. Your work may be riskier than your home, but at least you are able to get outside and interact with people. If you are at home, you have gained safety and security. No matter what you are going through, there are others who are going through the same, so don’t be afraid to reach out to friends or loved ones. We are all in this together.

How do you remind yourself to look at the bright side of life? Bring your life lessons and stories to a Low Entropy meeting, or share your insight in the comments section – and definitely stay safe and healthy out there!