Optimism – Low Entropy

Alexandra Dadivas (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

Perfectionism is the belief that it is possible to achieve perfection and the need to be perfect at all times. Academic validation often goes hand in hand with perfection, leading to a very toxic mindset that many students fall into. As one of these students, I can tell you that it is almost impossible to dig yourself out of it. However, I can also tell you my story and how my thinking has changed over time when failure does inevitably occur.

Failure is a part of life. Everyone, including perfectionists, know this, even if it is at the very back of our minds. But people sometimes have very different definitions of failure. Some people think of it as scoring below fifty percent. Others believe that it is not trying at all. For many perfectionists, to fail is to not achieve your goal or meet your standard. The issue is that our standards can be ridiculously high. For me, my goal for myself every single time I had a test at school was to get 95 or higher. When I did reach this goal, I rarely jumped in excitement but was simply satisfied that it reached my expectation. In the times that I did not get my desired mark, it ate away at my person. You could have done better. It isn’t good enough. You aren’t good enough. This was my problem, as it is for many. I allowed my academics to determine my self-worth. My thinking was, “If I’m not a winner, doesn’t that mean that I am a loser?” More often than not, I found myself catastrophizing these “failures” of mine. I began overthinking to the point where I actually convinced myself that this one test mark would cause the rest of my life to go downhill. Sounds ridiculous and overdramatic, right? Well, you’re correct, but in the moment, it always threw me into a state of absolute panic, and the fear in my chest would not go away for days at a time.

I am terrified to fail – I have been for most of my life. For a while, I thought that this was normal, but as I grew older and encountered more people, I discovered that there are so many different ways that humans respond to defeat. For example, I have met a handful of people who think little to nothing of failure at all. If they do not reach their goal, or if they score below 50% on a test, they simply brush it off and say they will try harder next time or that it just wasn’t meant to be. At first, this confused me. How could they be so carefree and yet so sure of themselves at the same time? After mulling it over for a while (specifically years), it’s led me to conclude that perhaps failure is only as tragic as one believes it to be. Depending on your mindset, failure could be devastating and calamitous, or it could be a small obstacle that requires no second thought.

Now, I am not saying that by randomly deciding to be an extreme optimist, all your life problems will magically disappear. That would only happen in a perfect world. In an imperfect world like this one, a change like this comes with mandatory time, effort, and determination. I have been working on myself and my reaction to failure for over a year now, and there are still times when I feel I have gotten nowhere with my progress. Where I have high standards and freak out when those standards are not met. However, there are also times when I encounter failure and I’m… okay with it. I’ve learned to pick out my mistakes and use them to get better, instead of allowing them to degrade me.

One’s failures do not equate to one’s worth as a person. It took me a second to realize that, but once I did, I was able to healthily start my progress to having a proactive mindset. I now am more open to trying new things without the fear of being disappointed in myself, and am on the road to accepting failure just as easily as I would success.

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Hi! My name is Alexandra Dadivas and I’m going into Grade 11 with the goal of being in healthcare sciences. Avid reader of young adult fiction!

Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Amara Camacho shares five ideas to boost the positivity of our home environments and, in turn, ourselves.

When it comes to boosting one’s mood, we often forget how great an influence our home environment is on our overall being. We keep relying on outside sources to make us happier but fail to consider that it begins right at home, where we start our day from and, essentially, end it.

If there’s one thing that I’ve gained from spending the majority of my time at home as a result of the pandemic, it’s that small changes can make the greatest difference. Here are five tips that can make your home environment a positive influence, and even a mood booster.

Increase natural light and sunlight at home.

Do you ever notice how much happier we get when it’s summertime, the day’s longer and the sun is peeking in through our windows? Natural light at home increases productivity, encourages higher levels of energy, is a source of vitamin D and generally helps to improve your mood. One way of increasing natural light is by simply opening up your curtains, blinds or screens, and allowing the sunlight to enter your space. However, this may not always be an option, or the weather forecast may not be to our liking, which would require us to turn to other sources. There are options to install light bulbs that emit natural-looking light or make small purchases of sun lamps that mimic sunlight.

Declutter and recycle.

The environment you surround yourself with at home, like your room, the living room or even the kitchen, are major influences on the state of your overall being. By decluttering and recycling, you’re not only creating a cleaner space, you’re also disposing and clearing out the clutter that is no longer serving a purpose for you. This act will allow you to rejuvenate, cleanse and have a sense of starting over. It will give you the opportunity to detach yourself from materialistic attachments that might be holding you back from growing or discovering new things. Additionally, recycling these possessions by donating them to thrift stores or those in need will also be a great chance to contribute and help the less fortunate. What’s important to remember is that decluttering doesn’t mean being a minimalist. It’s taking away things that are cluttering your space, making you sad, irritable, lazy and anything but motivated.

Create designated “focus” spaces.

Now that you’ve decluttered, you’re probably wondering what to do with your new (or old) space. Creating focus spaces is vital in maintaining a balanced lifestyle, which then also nurtures a balanced mood. If you work in the same space you sleep, like in your bedroom, it mentally confuses you. It might make you less productive and feel less motivated to get out of bed. It’s important to have a division between home life and work life, especially at a time like this, where so much work has become remote. Designated spaces at home for work, rest and play minimize distractions and temptations to partake in irrelevant activities, while keeping you focused and positively influencing your mood.

Satisfy your five senses.

What’s more fun than decorating your own home? Sometimes, indulging in a fun and no-rule activity like decorating can actually make you feel better and brighter. If you spend most of your time in one space, it would be a great relief if you loved it too – like the things you smell, see, feel, consume and hear! Make your home, especially your bedroom, appealing to you, because if you like your environment, you’ll be more content. Have your walls painted in a colour that calms you, adjust the smell by buying scented candles,and play the music that you love. The adjustments are all up to you, but satisfying your five senses will boost your mood when you’re at home and even as you leave it to begin your day.

Share your goals and intentions with the people you live with.

It’s great to follow these tips and I’m sure it will help immensely to boost your mood. However, if those you live with do not support or create a similar space as you, it can be challenging for any of these approaches to serve their purpose. It might even be more challenging, the more people who live with you. Have a conversation and start small. Talk about what’s good and what needs improvement. Share your goals and intentions, because what you think might be beneficial for you might also be beneficial for someone else. It’s always important to consult those you live with so that you can reach an ultimate solution that benefits everyone.

Your environment is crucial to your overall being. By starting at home and following these simple tips, you can make the greatest impact on boosting your mood!

Sources:

https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-your-personal-environment-impact-your-wellbeing

https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-you-can-create-healing-environment-home

https://sustainability.ncsu.edu/blog/changeyourstate/benefits-of-natural-light/

How do you shape your environment to improve your mood? Share your interior design tips with our community on our social network platform, or on any of our social media channels!

Tag: Optimism

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