Tag: selfdevelopment

What does it mean to leave a lasting legacy?

Posted on by andrew

Faizah Latif (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

 

“To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Every individual should strive towards creating a meaningful life in the hopes of leaving behind a lasting legacy, as this is the sign of a life well-lived. To make a mark in a positive way for others is an accomplishment. Since every individual develops their unique personality, skills, and lifestyle, the manner in which someone leaves behind a legacy can look different for each person. The important factor is to embody your true authentic self in the work that you do. Which special qualities and quirks do you embrace about yourself? 

Self development is the process of discovering your talents and experimenting with different hobbies in order to achieve greater heights. In the process, you learn the areas in which you excel and you are constantly in the pursuit of finding your true potential. Life is not meant to be lived in a stagnant state, and the more we are willing to place ourselves out of our comfort zones, the more we truly begin to live. There are many ways to contribute towards self development, and it depends on you and where your interests lie. This can range from community work, writing, cooking, sports, meditation, journalling, reading, or travelling to name a few. In the process of self development, one is always trying to find ways to better themselves and to keep learning and growing. You would not find someone passionate about self development that is comfortable in the state that they are in, because they are on a mission to continuously improve themselves.

The beautiful thing about creating your own lasting legacy is that you can select traits that you admire from your loved ones that you look up to and infuse them into your own life. In embodying different traits and still enmeshing your own personality, you are developing your own personalized life journey that can inspire others. Our loved ones that have passed have shared with us their gems as they left a lasting legacy, and it is up to us to discover those gems and their meaning. My maternal grandfather passed away two months ago, and he left behind the beautiful trait of generosity, as he was always giving to others in need and was fair to everyone. After his passing, this is a trait that I am trying to embody in my own life. Besides those in our lives that have passed away, we can also be inspired by role models that have shaped our lives in a positive way. By examining their positive traits, we are cultivating a healthy habit of focusing on the good in others, while simultaneously challenging ourselves to adopt those specific traits into our own lives.

Another area to implement and focus on when it comes to a lasting legacy is to share your life story with others. Whether this is through writing, speaking, or community involvement, finding a way to share what you’ve learned in life leaves a huge impact in the world. We are all composed of various struggles in our journeys that have made us stronger. In turn, we can give back to others and share the lessons we’ve learned so that others can benefit, and the community can be stronger together. Perhaps there is a trip that changed your perspective in life, as travelling derives many benefits in terms of growth. Or, you have gone through a challenge in your life that you did not think you could surmount, and you found the light at the end of the tunnel. Individuals are greatly inspired by those that have fallen down but had the courage to come back up even stronger than before. 

Essentially, creating a lasting legacy involves the ability to truly live life to its fullest and experience all the ups and downs that come our way. A lasting memory of someone is preserved in the way that they carry themselves and handle the hurdles they are presented with. If life were easy, we wouldn’t grow or have anything to learn from. Further, we would not have anything to educate others on. The final question is: how do you plan to leave a lasting legacy?

—

Faizah is an aspiring social worker, currently in the process of completing her Master in Social Work (MSW) degree. She enjoys self development and advocating for important causes in the community. Writing is one of Faizah’s passions, and she is honoured to share her writing on the Low Entropy platform in the hopes of providing inspiration.

Start Small

Posted on by andrew

Eri Ikezawa (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

 

Picture this: A blank wall with nothing adorning it but a single painting. 

 

At first glance, it just looks like there’s nothing except a forest in the frame. There are billowing trees, with trunks as wide as they are tall and branches stretching lazily with their viridescent leaves. It is an expanse of greens and browns, earthy tones suiting the imagery perfectly, the complementary offset to the clinically white wall surrounding it. 

 

But once you amplify your focus, zooming into the details, you’ll see so much more. The small critters crawling stealthily up the aged bark of the statuesque trees. The rivulets from a recent rain shower trickling down the leaves, little drops stubbornly remaining as it waits for the sun to appear once more. The beady eyes of avian predators on their unsuspecting insectoid prey, flashing menacingly. 

 

And once you look even more closely, you’ll see how the steel frame of the painting has decolored with time, promises of rust emerging slowly. You might notice how the painting is hanging a little crookedly, as if someone touched it with careless hands or an aimless mind—details all overlooked in the hodgepodge hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

 

But by that same token, if you only look at all the miniscule details, you might become so blinded by each individual feature that the beauty of the bigger picture is completely lost to you. Instead, you might become fixated on removing the age stains from the painting or begin observing small imperfections on the canvas that would’ve otherwise gone unnoticed.

 

You begin to lose the ability to simply enjoy a piece of art for what it’s worth, just basking in the pleasure of experiencing and being present with what is in front of you.   

 

Life is much like this. 

 

If we only look at the bigger picture, constantly fast-forwarding to the future, daydreaming of what could be, we would miss all the features and peaks, textures and streaks, every microscopic detail of each stroke contributing to the finished “painting” of our lives. We would be splattering paint all over an empty canvas, aimlessly hoping the finished product will resemble our hopes and dreams. 

 

Sometimes, we simply must start off small—take time to luxuriate in the present and set short term goals so that we don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of all we hope to achieve and become. 

 

I remember the days where I’d always set such an intense magnifying glass on what I wanted or hoped my future would be like to the point where I was utterly crippled by the cumbersome weight of my own expectations. This complete inability to take a step back to relish in my small victories and gradually climb towards my aspirations was completely counterintuitive—instead of feeling driven or motivated, I was paralyzed. I was static, motionless and immobile.

This inability to remain in the present, I’d later realize, was a huge catalyst for my anxiety. 

 

Now, whenever I feel overwhelmed—perhaps because work is hectic or taking on new responsibilities as a pet owner or having a disagreement with a friend—I stop. I voluntarily stop, take deep breaths to tether myself back to stable ground before I resume facing the task at hand. Whenever I see myself being drawn into the violent tempest of anxiety, driven by worry about my future, again, I voluntarily stop. 

 

But in this day and age, it can be extremely difficult to hit the pause button—especially in a world where being exhausted from “the grind” is heralded as something to feel triumphant about and being lost in hordes of busy bodies in a crowd is a mere symptom of current society. As such, when I used to hear suggestions of trying meditation, taking deep breaths, or electing to take a nap, I would perceive them as either a waste of time or guilty indulgence. I would have to remind myself in these vulnerable moments when I question whether I am allowed to rest or allowed to take a moment, that in order to flourish in any aspect of my life, I have to start at the most basic stepping stone—taking care of myself in body, mind and spirit. 

 

I found what helped most was the inclusion of therapy in my repertoire of self-care activities. It has helped me make peace and cope with my anxiety diagnosis, permitting me to rewire my brain to more productively approach situations that would’ve caused undue stress in the past. It has helped me to stop undermining my struggles or pain, assisting me in recognizing that even if someone may have it worse than I do, it doesn’t negate my feelings.  

 

And it has been instrumental in allowing me to acknowledge that taking time for myself—taking care of myself—is okay. So now, by rebuilding the connotations of what resting or stopping means—peeling away the associations of laziness from it—I haven’t been seeing past the forest for the trees. 

 

In fact, I think I can now appreciate the holistic picture and the individual features; I see the forest, but I am not ignoring the trees smattering the canvas either.  I have begun to recognize that, as most things in life, neither extreme is beneficial to me. 

 

Now, when I stand in front of the painting I mentioned at the start, I start small. Once I am comfortable with the foundation of my future aspirations, then I gradually build towards the broader picture. If I ever feel overstimulated and laden with intrusive thoughts, then I stop again to get my bearings once more. 

 

Progress to self-development isn’t a linear process, so my advice when you start feeling stressed and distressed is to just start small. 

 

—

 

My name is Eri Ikezawa and I have an extended minor in psychology and a major in linguistics. I’m still on the path to quelling questions about myself and the direction I want to head in, but in the meantime, I have always wanted to find a way to help others and contribute to a community dedicated to personal development and self-love.

Stay-at-Home Schooling

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While educational institutions adapted their curriculums to a pandemic reality, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Jihu Lee took some valuable lessons from isolation itself.

 

The world of education during the coronavirus pandemic has shifted impressively to compensate for the loss of conventional learning opportunities. My younger sister, Brooklyn, spent fourth grade fully online. Not surprisingly, there is a growing concern about the impact of increased screen time on the neurological progress of youth around Brooklyn’s age who are still climbing the peak of their developmental stage. My parents themselves have been stressed over Brooklyn’s lengthened time spent on her computer. Meanwhile, I experienced my first year of college online in my home state of Utah. No matter what demographic of students we belong in, I believe we can collectively agree that a pandemic-restricted environment is not conducive to learning. I would like to offer my insight on education during COVID-19 from the standpoint of a college student. 

 

After graduating high school in 2019, I took a gap year to work and travel. By March 2020, our lives detoured in an unexpected direction when COVID-19 began accelerating in the United States. Even still, most of us, if not all, were under the impression that the pandemic would be over by the end of summer 2020. Evidently, that has not been the case. When USC began sending mixed messages regarding plans for a “return” to campus, our unease soared while our hopes and expectations faltered. I tried to keep myself excited about meeting my professors and taking classes that caught my interest. 

 

Now, as I write this, it is June 2021. It is incredibly challenging to accurately put into words what this year had brought for me. As a first-year college student, I was looking forward to taking flight from under my parents’ roof and experience my independence away from home. I wanted to meet a highly diverse student body and share stories with those vastly different from me. So many “should have”s and “could have”s. I have also felt ashamed of the feeling that I was victimizing myself, which fanned the flames of my doubts regarding my level of productivity. But through it all, I learned to regulate my emotions and discipline to feel my best, even if that meant finding a new version of myself to be comfortable with. 

 

This was not the college experience anyone would ever aspire to have, but the growth that took place in me is immeasurable. One particular idea became especially clear: education is far more than sitting in our academic classes. Spending an uncomfortable amount of time by myself has induced four main points of development: 

 

  1. The mortifying ordeal of knowing yourself and its rewards: To improve as a person, we need to know what we lack. Whether that means seeking help to resolve unprocessed trauma or trying to reconnect with our parents, we have to undergo the rite of painful discomfort to bloom again. There is nothing like a pandemic that would force me to be alone more than usual, and it has made me look into who I am, what I need and what I want to change. 

 

  1. Boosting self-discipline and becoming your own cheerleader: The person who is responsible for sending that email or finishing that assignment now instead of three hours later is me. Moreover, when our accomplishments go unnoticed, we reserve the right to acknowledge them and feel proud of ourselves. After all, external noise comes in all forms– validation, disapproval, underestimation – but I have the power to consistently root for myself. 

 

  1. Perspective: I struggle with holding space for my own feelings because I don’t consider them as important as others’ situations around the world. But the knowledge that others “have it worse” should allow us to heighten awareness and empathy rather than invalidate our own experiences. The pandemic has taught me that kindness towards myself not only strengthens me, but also makes me a better empath! We don’t rise by bringing down others, and I seem to have learned that bringing ourselves down doesn’t uplift others the way we think it does either.

 

  1. Realizing how capable you are: Whether you powered through an entire day with your energy at 100% or finished one assignment because of a raging headache, your worth and abilities never wavered and never will. The perfect human condition may not exist, but we don’t need it to prove to ourselves that we are strong. If you fall, it’s okay to crawl for a bit of the way, as long as you rise again. 

 

This is what education was for me during COVID-19. Of course, academics are highly important to me, but there is significant value in what school doesn’t teach us that we can learn for ourselves. My take on education during COVID-19 is less about how to make academics worthwhile on Zoom, but what else we were able to learn about ourselves during such an uncertain period of our lives. We do not have to feel obligated to find a silver lining in every painful lesson of our lives, but I truly believe that we deserve to give ourselves credit where it is more than due.

 

What have you learned during this trying time? Let us know in the comments below or on any of our social media channels!

Never Give Up

Posted on by andrew

In one magic moment, near some orange trees by the Caspian Sea, Simin Ghaffari – now in Low Entropy’s work experience program – discovered a source of resilience and gratitude within the horrifying violence of war.

 

When I was 24 years old, my country, Iran, was war-torn. My father was an army officer, and my fiancé was killed after he delivered a speech in his class. We had a lot of difficult times with money, work, etc. I was so broken inside and so deeply depressed that I had no hope at all. At that young age, I had suddenly become responsible for taking care of my mother and my six siblings. 

 

Wherever I looked, people were suffering from the war and trying to bring about a revolution, especially the people from the south and west of Iran. All of these people took refuge in the rest of Iran and Afghanistan. Iran had become a refugee state, especially to the north, by the Caspian Sea.

 

In that same area, I had my little cottage, which had a garden filled with orange trees. A day before Nowruz – the first day of the spring season – began, I went to my cottage with all my family members. Would you believe it . . . our decision to leave that day allowed us to just narrowly escape missile and suicide bomb attacks.

 

I had a long walk by the Caspian Sea and was crying to myself. I was angry at the blue sky and nature. I couldn’t see people suffering and the weather changing into a beautiful spring at the same time. I found myself standing in my yard, tired of my life and constantly wondering how much more I could handle, when I noticed that the gardener hadn’t cleaned the yard at all. He also hadn’t cleaned a portion of the building where the wall and house were partially broken.

 

Amidst the debris, I saw a plant with tiny flowers smiling brightly at the sunshine. The flower knew how to grow up in that messy, cement-laden area. The flower rose to greet the sunshine and it seemed like it had grown almost a meter from the last time I had seen it.

 

At that moment, I realized something: if this little plant could fight for its life, then why should I not do the same with mine? I felt ashamed of myself. I felt ashamed to consider myself weak, to be displeased with nature and, above all, to be angry at God’s will. Soon afterward, I started to clean the area. Once it was done, I touched the plant and I exclaimed magic in my native Farsi language:

 

“Mojezeh!”

 

So what’s the moral of the story – never give up. The plant taught me that lesson by fighting all odds and coming out victorious. I went home and encouraged everyone to stand up and clean when my mother started cooking. I let strangers come inside to use our washroom and water and shared food among us.

 

Since that day, I promised myself that, no matter how hard life became, I wouldn’t give up.

 

Every spring since then, I renew myself and try being one with nature. I have become a minimalist and actively promote peace. I also devote a lot of my time to nature photography. Above all, I am thankful for what I learned that day. I now understand the creator more and am thankful for the message I received that day.

 

Since then, whenever there have been many ups and downs in my life, I don’t get flustered, and I don’t ever give up.

 

Connect with Simin and others at Low Entropy’s community site, any of our social media channels, or simply leave some positive vibes in the comment section below!

Jump

Posted on by andrew

Plunging through the troposphere, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Nicole Riglietti found a perfect metaphor for the eye-opening act of turning your dreams into action.

 

I keep putting immense pressure on myself. Pressure to grow up. To make realistic choices in life. To have one foot in a life full of security and the other foot pursuing my passions. To walk the safe road in life or walk the one less travelled, carving out my own path, with hard-work, grit and honesty. Is there a balance? Someone once told me not to take life too seriously. How can I not, when the choices we make in life lead us to either greatness or emptiness?

 

I constantly keep taking jobs that lead me further away from the yearning desires within me. Jobs where I fearfully sell my soul for a paycheck instead of feed my soul with pure joy, honouring myself. I say, screw the fear. I’m tired of giving in to the fear of established, long-lasting security. To be honest, I don’t even think that really exists. Fear does. Fear is an innate human instinct, it’s part of the human experience. It can protect us. It hinders us. Fear allows the roaring courage within us to rise and face that which we cannot see. 

 

I went skydiving. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, to experience in my life. I craved the thrilling adventure that would ignite the adrenaline of life itself, sending shock waves through my very existence. Of course, I was nervous and terrified as each moment inched closer and closer to the drop. I was a crockpot of emotions, my heart pounding outside of myself, and I’m proud to say the excitement of it all won the battle over the fear. It was time to get on the plane and I’m thinking to myself, Okay . . . Okay, this is happening. I can do this. Take off. I’m safe on the plane, with all my gear on, and the door slides open, and people begin to jump out, except from my point of view it didn’t look like jumping, it looked like people were being sucked out of the plane. In a blink of an eye, one by one they were gone, leaving clear blue skies in my eyeline, with a loud whistling sound of air pressure rushing into the cabin and dulling my senses. My turn. I scooted my butt to the edge of the plane’s open door, my legs and feet dangling off the side into nothingness. I stretched my arms to either side, gripping the frame of the plane, holding on for dear life with my shaky, sweaty palms. There’s no sense in this. Why would anyone do this?! Those panicked thoughts raced through my mind with great speed, like Usain Bolt running the 100 metres in the Olympics. My tandem skydiver literally peeled my hands from the frame and crossed my arms over my chest, and we were off, plunging, free falling into the sky, sinking fast as gravity yanked me down with its strong hold, slicing me through the clouds. Those 20-30 seconds of free-falling were the most terrifying thrill, I didn’t even know what was happening. Once the parachute went up, jolting us to a soar, I was able to breathe and appreciate the beauty of creation below and all around me. The mountains to my side, the glistening Pacific ahead of me outlining the surrounding land below, the city stretched out as if it were all Lego formed together by a child’s imagination. I was floating among the clouds, beaming, soaring, smiling, flying with the birds. I was breathing, living, excited to be alive and just taking everything in. 

 

I guess what I’m beginning to realize is, in life the active choice to follow your dreams and pursue your passions is like jumping out of an airplane. It’s utterly terrifying. It’s illuminating excitement. It’s sheer panic and trembling fear. It’s free-falling and liberating. 

 

I could find a secure career, a good-paying, stable job because it’s time to grow up and be an actual adult, only to find that I hate it and myself, becoming miserable at best with the nine-to-five routine, as my soul is craving something else, whispering to me, hoping one day I’ll actually listen. I’d rather have the courage to actively pursue my dreams, follow my heart and turn those dreams into a reality. The dreaming all day, every day at an unfulfilling job makes me unhappy, to say the least. Taking the initial steps fills my insides with fear and crippling anxiety, and then I slowly fall into it and find my way. At the end of the day, at the end of my life, I want to look back and see how I had the courage to try – that I had the courage to be who I am, and most importantly, the courage to be true to who I am. 

 

Head on over to a Low Entropy meeting, or mosey on over to the comments section or any of our social media accounts to let us know about a time you pushed through your fears to witness the beauty on the other side.

Like Onions and the Moon

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Armed with an arsenal of metaphors, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Nicole Riglietti waxes poetic on the nature of change and how essential it is to the human experience.

 

Change is a constant in our lives. As the moon moves through its monthly phases, so do humans; it’s inevitable. We struggle, we strive, we fail and we survive. We rely on change to help us grow, move forward and evolve. 

 

Sometimes it hits us like a fastball, curved in the wind and aimed right at our face, in a game we didn’t even know we were playing. At times we call on change to help us catapult our lives into a new direction, onto the next adventure that we spent countless hours preparing for with steadfast focus and determination. Then there are times when we long for change. For something. Anything, to fill the gruelling void of our existence. We resist change and we fight it, we even welcome it, celebrating its arrival like an old friend we haven’t seen in years. Change can be a quick fleeting moment, a flash of insight that ignites the spark within, making it impossible to look back. It comes in many waves and forms. 

 

As humans we are all onions, made up of layers through experience, boundaries and moral codes. And as change moves through us, it adds new layers. Its lifeforce lives within each choice we make, no matter how large and grandiose or how trivial and small. Change is a power that’s neither good nor bad, right nor wrong; it just is. And it waits for no one. Change can keep us grounded and humble, or it can shake us to our core, flipping our world upside down, leaving us floating amidst the carnage of a shipwreck, helpless, dazed and mostly confused. Then there’s change, laughing at us, leaving us breathless, gasping for air, paralyzed from the waist down, unable to move, let alone take a step forward. And, yet, we do. Because we are resilient people who rise up and carry on, finding our new paths, discovering our new sense of normalcy. And we adapt, as best as we can. It’s our reactions to events and circumstances that allow us to either keep moving on or pause, take a step back and re-evaluate. 

 

When we surrender to change, giving up control and truly allowing life to unfold, it can lead us to a whirlwind of beauty, of endless opportunities, of new friendships that could last a lifetime. We become elated with a euphoric sense of pride, vigour and astonishment, dancing with the stars, shining our brightest and realizing that, this whole time, we were epic, fearless warriors, defeating all obstacles and defying all odds, standing tall as a tree with its roots entangled in the ground from the murky marsh it was born in. When change occurs, we must embrace our grievances, honour our wins and accept what we cannot understand. 

 

As we adapt and evolve with time, we add another layer to the onion, with a fresh new subtle outlook on life. Until the next time, we smile and welcome change back around.

 

We can all agree that humans, like ogres, have layers. How has change added layers to your life? Let us know in the comments below, or share your experiences with our community in a Low Entropy group session.

The Career Box

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Sometimes convincing yourself to stop holding you back can be more difficult than overcoming external obstacles. After making a big career commitment at a young age, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Janki Patel was able to look back and realize that it’s okay to make decisions that are right for you now, regardless of what you thought in the past.

 

I was 17 when I made the decision to pursue a career in childcare. At the time, I thought it was the perfect choice for a person like me – a person whose top qualities involve being empathetic, patient, and caring. I was sure of my decision, but people around me expected better. It wasn’t perceived as a ‘notable’ profession, and I was referred to as a babysitter or nanny. I was constantly told that the career pays very little, is highly stressful, and not suitable as a long-term option. Despite the negativity tossed towards me, I started my three-year certification program with a positive attitude. 

 

Throughout those three years, as many students do, I experienced several breakdowns. One of them involved nearly dropping out of college because I doubted myself. I doubted my ability to be a successful educator. I dreaded most of my internships, and toward the end of the program, I felt like I had put myself in a box: a box where each side was sealed tightly, and as much as I wanted to get out, I couldn’t bring myself to. This was a choice I made, so I felt too guilty to complain. 

 

Nevertheless, I completed the program and spent several years working at a preschool. I surprisingly fell in love with the job, but I didn’t know how I would feel about it on a long-term basis. I enjoyed planning and implementing activities for my group, consoling a child whose crayon broke, or gathering the group for story time. I don’t think there is anything more rewarding than being able to view the world from a child’s perspective. I don’t think I was a terrible educator. I doubted myself as a student in training, but I was confident once I gained work experience. Even then, as each year passed, I became more restless and that empty feeling inside of me revisited. 

 

Fast forward to last year, when the unwelcome pandemic hit and boy, did it hit hard. It was mid-July when I got the call to start transitioning back to work. I immediately felt anxious, and I knew exactly why. No, it was not because of the virus. It was because I wanted to finally let go. I wanted to rip that box open and give myself another chance. I wanted to tell my 17-year-old self that she would not be a failure if she didn’t know what she wanted to do, that being lost is a part of the process and that, since she robbed herself of it before, she’ll deal with it now. 

 

Eventually, I left my childcare job. I still love working with children and could even see myself going back to it later in life, but for now, I want to explore. I was abnormally exhausted at the end of my workday and, at rare times, I didn’t look forward to the next. It takes a lot of energy to work with a group of young children, and I lacked some of it as time passed. I constantly pondered other possible jobs I could try that would, most importantly, allow me to pursue my love for writing. 

 

In December 2020, I graduated with another degree in education. As I reflect back on my professional career, I don’t regret any of it at all. I will always take it as a learning curve and be grateful that I had the opportunity to grow mentally, emotionally and physically. While some teenagers are encouraged to take their time, explore their options and then work toward a career goal, I simply thought I didn’t have that option. The truth was, I didn’t need somebody to tell me, I just needed to accept that fact myself. 

 

I think, as individuals, we get sucked into this whirlpool of academic and professional chaos – the type of chaos that begins the moment a child goes through their first day of school. From there, say goodbye to your personal growth and identity. It’s all about what you can and cannot do, alongside constant improvement. Don’t get me wrong, these things are great, and usually necessary to thrive in a fast-paced society . . . but at what cost?

 

I decided to break free from this whirlpool. At first, I felt ashamed to start exploring new career options and start afresh, mostly because I’d thought I had everything figured out and there I was, at 23 years old, breaking away from six years of education and work. I’m in a much better place now, mentally, emotionally and physically. I feel like I have room to breathe after years of believing I only had one option: to stay contained in the box I created for myself. I accepted that it is okay to start over and pick a pace that matches my needs. There is no race I need to win, and there is no finish line in this career journey.

 

Choosing a career is not a joke and should not be taken lightly, but it’s also important to understand that life goes beyond a position and paycheck. It took me some time to accept this fact, but the moment I did, I felt a sense of relief – a feeling I had not experienced since I was 17. And this time, I plan to keep it alive. 

 

Have you ever decided to steer your life in a whole new direction? Would you like to? Tell us about it in a Low Entropy meet-up, or simply pop down to the comments section and leave us a note!

There and Back Again: On the Road to Change

Posted on by andrew

Andrew Woods, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

 

Please note that this article contains brief references to substance use.

 

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”
― Terry Pratchett

 

From the day-in, day-out perspective, it’s difficult to discern where and when change occurs. Can there possibly be such a thing as change, as we maneuver through the minutiae of our daily lives?

 

Between grocery shopping, our studies, our household chores, our jobs, our family duties … between paying bills and scrolling through politically motivated Facebook memes … where does “change” fit in?

 

And yet, I look back 10 years (or more) and it becomes overwhelmingly obvious that so much has changed. It becomes almost alarming to observe the changes that I’ve undergone. 

 

I was what the nurses called “a frequent flyer.” I wasn’t the only one who had earned that honour, though. Many of “us” had become accustomed to cycling in and out of those hospital wards. I spent Christmases and birthdays there, walking aimlessly up and down the halls, staring blankly out the locked windows overlooking the grounds, chain smoking cigarettes out front with the other patients.

 

After every hospital discharge, I’d keep to the straight and narrow for a couple months, but I’d always find myself back where I started – flushing my prescribed meds and looking to score my drugs of choice.

 

And then I’d end up right back on the ward. 

 

That was my life, in a nutshell, for a good 10 years or so. And oddly enough, I was comfortable with it. After all, I had discovered an identity in that lifestyle. I had taken on various labels: bipolar, mentally ill, obsessive-compulsive, drug seeker, troubled youth … and I began to wear those labels with a sense of misaligned pride. I was caught in a landslide, grasping for anything that would yield some stability. And as a young adult, having a sense of identity offered a bit of steadiness, even when everything else was precariously unbalanced. Predictably, the more I attached to that sense of self, however distorted it was, the more complete I felt. 

 

I was told, early on in my recovery, that change is the only constant in life. Everything else is impermanent and variable … our jobs, our homes, our friends, our family … it’s all either coming or going. But what can absolutely be guaranteed is our own personal evolution. 

The unfortunate reality is, change is difficult. And often we put up a lot of resistance to it. 

Some of us, like myself, have had to hit rock bottom before deciding to embrace change.

 

I had to do something … different.

 

I didn’t really see any other alternative … I didn’t want to risk uncovering what was beneath rock bottom.

 

I went all in. Change or no change.

 

Exercise.

Diet.

Meditation.

Breathwork.

Social supports.

Therapy.

 

Taking on the challenge of modifying my every conditioned thought and behaviour was no easy task. In fact, it was an impossible task. I didn’t realize that true change would need to come from within, that it was a slow, painful process, and that I was in it for the long haul. Maybe that’s why change is so very difficult for us – because the journey to lasting change follows a steep and rocky road, and everyone falls down along the way. 

 

I certainly admit to falling down along this journey. Not just once … but many times I’ve fallen.  And perhaps in falling down I learned life’s most valuable lesson – always get back up.

 

Nowadays, my sense of identity has expanded beyond what I could’ve previously imagined. Not in an egoic, full-of-myself kind of way. But in a way that is conducive to healing, and living a better, more fulfilling life. There have been many lessons learned over the past several years, and admittedly … I learned some of those the hard way.

 

I emphasize, however, that embracing self-growth, and the journey along our own self-evolution … it isn’t some kind of chore like doing the dishes or folding laundry.

 

No, witnessing the myriad of ways in which we, as individuals, flourish through all of life’s challenges is by far the most rewarding experience available to us.

 

In fact, that is why we’re here.

 

That’s it.

 

To evolve, to grow, to nurture and thrive.

 

And it isn’t about moving from point A to point B, as if life is a roadmap with a destination marked in red ink.

 

Instead, I think our journeys through life often lead us right back to where we started, to a world that is strangely familiar, and relatively unchanged.

 

And we realize that it was never about changing the world.

 

It was about changing ourselves.

 

The Fearless Art of Changing Your Life

Posted on by andrew

They are common notions, that life-changing experiences occur rarely and require drastic measures. Not so, posits Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Daniel Wilkens. Daniel proposes that, at any time, we are surrounded by a myriad of life-altering, low-barrier opportunities, just waiting to make us into the best versions of ourselves.

 

Sometimes change is forced upon us. Sometimes it’s for the better, but not always. Often we struggle to accept change and have to find ways to deal with new realities. But if we are feeling like we’re spinning our wheels and not getting anywhere, we don’t have to wait for changes to happen and hope they are positive. We can initiate change ourselves, sometimes with very little effort.

 

A number of years ago, I was given the opportunity through work to volunteer at the local high school track for the Relay for Life cancer fundraiser. They were looking for a photographer and, being handy with a camera, I volunteered my services. I was to photograph the event and present them with a digital record of their efforts – no big deal. I didn’t even blink at giving four or five hours to a good cause. I’m so glad I did! 

 

My first year was a real eye-opener. It was one of the biggest events in the town, with multiple teams, dozens of volunteers and hundreds of spectators, donators and well-wishers. There were people present who were cancer survivors themselves. Participants were thrilled that someone was there to take pictures of their accomplishments. Most ended up laughing, posing, being silly and getting family members together for group shots.

 

Did volunteering that one afternoon change my life? Absolutely! I met town council members, business people, entertainers and other photographers. Because of it I got offers to shoot weddings, engagements and sporting competitions. I cemented great friendships. People still recognize me from my time there. I went on to volunteer in this capacity for another seven years.

 

The point is, changing things up doesn’t have to involve a big, scary, complicated commitment. It can be simple and rewarding. Seeking personal growth is not just admirable, it’s essential. And the best part is, you can do it anytime!

 

Think about that – you can change your life at any time. I know so many people who are stuck in ruts. They go to the same job, hang out with the same people, listen to the same music, eat the same food, drive the same route to work – and then wonder why they are bored, listless, uninspired and unhappy. If you don’t like your current circumstance – change it! You can reshape your life in a couple of hours if that’s what you want to do.

 

I’m not suggesting you quit your job, run away and go live off the grid. I am saying that making personal adjustments is quicker and less intimidating than most people realize or are led to believe. Little changes can lead to huge results without jeopardizing your stability. 

 

Everything you know, everyone you meet and everything you do has the potential to change your life. Everything connects to everything else. People come and go (and come back) throughout your life. Never pass up a chance to help someone out for no reason. It’s not just exercising human decency. A junior staff member you help with a minor problem now can resurface as your supervisor at another company years down the road. You will have a built-in good relationship with that person because you once took a few minutes out of your day. Is *that* creating change for yourself? Of course.

 

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” the old saying goes. Personally, I think it’s a good healthy chunk of both. I’m addicted to lifelong learning. You can take online courses on absolutely any topic that exists. Those courses are often reasonably priced and in-depth. For as little as the price of a fast food lunch you can learn Photoshop, how to perform card tricks (fool your friends!), how to cook with white wine and so on. Any knowledge you acquire gives you more tools in your life-changing arsenal. Knowledge gives new layers, new perspectives and new outlooks. A spontaneous remark to an acquaintance about a course you’re taking could spin your life in a whole new direction.

 

Being proactive, interacting with people and searching out new experiences are the best ways I know to make lifelong changes. You may not always know how those changes will manifest – but they’ll happen. Granted, this was all easier a year ago, when you could join a gym, join a theatre group, go on a bus trip, attend a craft workshop, take guitar lessons, get a part time job at the cafe downtown, etc. Hopefully those opportunities will return in some form. And even though we are at this crazy time in our history, it’s still possible to meet new people and make new connections.

 

Network, network, network. Expanding your circle will always pay off. Learn new things, make new friends, believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to change your life for the better.

 

What would you like to do to make your life better? Share your ideas live with others in a Low Entropy meet-up, or simply jot a few words in the comments below!

Conscious community

Posted on by andrew

We live in an era where life is dynamic and speedy. We are always caught up in our day-to-day life and are unconsciously doing one thing after another. We never take a moment to evaluate our unconscious behavior patterns, and as a result,  we end up surrounding ourselves with people who may be self-centered. When we surround ourselves with people who only care about themselves, we end up being like them. We start losing values like empathy, compassion and understanding. It also causes us to feel lost and unsatisfied. When we spend our time with those people, it may work out for a bit, but in the extended run, it starts to exhaust us mentally and emotionally.

 

However, we all have the ability to improve our lives by making certain changes. One of these changes is being conscious. In simple terms, consciousness is self-awareness: awareness of our thoughts, feelings and actions. We must train our minds to be conscious, and to achieve that we must practice being present and spend time with people who are mindful and self-aware. We should seek out those who  feel committed to a sense of personal purpose and growth – a growth that not only causes us to feel fulfilled, but also makes the world a better place to be in.

 

It is pivotal to surround ourselves with conscious people because we are the byproduct of those with whom we invest our time and energy. When conscious individuals

connect with one another with the intention of growth, it can positively transform their outlook

on life through mutual motivation and support.

This becomes a growth journey, and the participants can gain

knowledge they could not have gained individually. Growth can be scary, and even triggering at times: your circle should be sensitive to this, and committed to motivating, upholding and hearing each other. This small change can  significantly help us build an optimistic perspective in life.

 

Low Entropy provides an excellent platform to connect with

positive, like-minded people. It brings people together with the goal of personal development in safe spaces, where we practice mental, emotional and personal awareness,  without judgement. In a conscious community, we can find the courage to be radically honest with ourselves: all parts of our story are truly accepted and welcomed.

 

Another thoughtful service offered by Low Entropy called One on One Compassion Connection allows us to practice unconditional love, kindness, and compassion between two individuals. It enables us to be more present, which breaks our dysfunctional pattern of unconsciousness. It is a harmonious, safe place for us to rewire our brain and truly accept all parts of ourselves.

 

When everyone feels safe enough to share parts of themselves that are difficult to reveal, we gain strength and empathy. We enable ourselves to stretch our hearts to understand and love unconditionally. We start evolving into people who are happier and healthier, and through this  practice, love will start to show up in our lives and relationship in ways we would have never imagined before.  

 

Author: Jaspreet Kaur

Puppy Love: A Study of the Unconditional

Posted on by andrew

Like true best friends, dogs are not just great companions – they also help us learn lessons that make us better versions of ourselves. Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Niklas Chiang introduces us to his own trusty canine pal, and recalls how she guided him to one of those revelations.

 

What is unconditional love? If you asked me anytime before today, I wouldn’t be able to answer you. Growing up in an immigrant household, I felt like love was conditional. I had to work to earn my parent’s love. If I misbehaved or didn’t get the mark I was supposed to get, then I was scolded. If the opposite happened, then I got praised, and sometimes, a gift. That was my view of love, and it lingers to this day. I believe, and still do to an extent, that there are conditions behind being loved by someone. I struggle to truly feel unconditional love, but despite these challenges, I’ve begun to understand what it means to give and receive unconditional love. When did this start to change? When my family got a second dog. I never knew this, but dogs, my dog and dogs I see on the streets, are incredible teachers. Let me explain.

 

I was walking to the SkyTrain station in downtown Vancouver late at night because I just got off work. As I waited for the light to turn green to cross the street, I looked to the other side of the road. I saw a man, who appeared to be living in poverty, walking with his dog. I watched their interaction. Whenever the dog needed to sniff, the man would patiently wait until the dog was finished. When it was time to go, the dog followed him. Watching this was amazing because it reminded me that both the man and his dog loved each other, no matter the circumstances. Although we have many prejudices, they do not seem to exist for dogs. The dog accepted his owner and loved him for who he was without judging his wealth, or lack of it. This is no different from loving our partners, families or friends. No matter the circumstances we find ourselves facing, we love each other unconditionally. We embrace the negative qualities and celebrate the positive ones. I’m not saying this comes naturally, but having seen how happy the dog was with his owner makes me believe it’s worth the effort. 

 

When I finally got home, it was late at night. I quietly opened the door to try and not make a sound. I began untying my shoe laces when I heard some scratches on our sliding door. I looked up to see my dog. She had woken up from her sleep to say hello to me. As tired as I was, I went to see her. She became ecstatic. She couldn’t stop walking circles around me. As I was petting her, it dawned on me that this wasn’t the first time she’d done this. Whenever I’d return home, she would always get up from her sleep to greet me. In turn, I would always pause and pet her. For her, as long as she can see that I am home, she will be by my side. Even when I do work, she lies near me, observes me for a bit, and then sleeps. If I move, she moves with me. While some of us like to hear “I love you,” a dog doesn’t have that ability. They express love differently. They could give you their favourite toy, or ask you to play with them, but my dog, she shows her love by following me constantly. That is important because it highlights how we can express unconditional love differently. We will not all have the same ways to express ourselves. Sometimes we see it, and sometimes we don’t. 

 

So I ask myself: what is unconditional love? The most obvious and direct answer is love that has no conditions, but it goes beyond this. Dogs have taught me that we should love someone with no prejudice. They highlight how love is both visible and invisible. I use their lessons to think back about my life. Did I really have conditioned love? Yes, absolutely. Was there unconditional love too? Yes, absolutely. Without my family, I wouldn’t have the food to eat, nor the education I got. Even though I’m not the greatest son, and have had my highs and lows, they accepted me for that and continued to provide. Without my parents, I wouldn’t be here today. To them, I say, “Thank you.” 

Who do you love, no strings attached – four-legged or otherwise? Let us know in the comments or at a Low Entropy event.

Love Yourself Like You Love Yourself

Posted on by andrew

During this time of year, the world reverberates with proclamations of love for families, friends and partners, but Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Satkar BK reminds us that we also need to love ourselves with that same energy. 

 

Every February, I can’t help but see all the love in the air. Whether it be watching rom-coms or marriage proposal videos on YouTube, I find myself drawn to the idea of love during the most romantic month of the year. It’s easy to imagine a lot of us being attracted to the idea of love. We, humans, are social creatures by nature, and love is another way for us to be connected. Although science may say love is purely a chemical reaction to help us reproduce as a species, anyone who has ever been in love will tell you that it is so much more. Love can be the greatest feeling in the world, or one of the most terrifying, sometimes at the same time. The feeling of love has fueled incredible things throughout history, from the story of The Iliad to the invention of medical gloves. When we have someone we care for so deeply, we can seemingly accomplish anything. 

 

This leads me to the topic for today’s blog. What would happen if we loved ourselves like we love the ones around us? What if we surprised ourselves with flowers? What if we stayed up late to watch our favorite shows? What if we helped ourselves through our toughest times without any hesitation? It’s remarkable to think of the many things we could do at a drop of a hat for our parents, friends and loved ones, in contrast to how difficult it may be to give ourselves even one compliment. I could tell my partner how her smile could outshine a supernova, but I cringe when I stare too long into a mirror. I could shower my cat with all the affection she can handle, but I struggle with patting myself on the back. What I’ve discovered is the love that I feel for others is so much stronger than the love I allow for myself. 

 

The reason I and many others struggle with treating ourselves the same way we treat others is because we see ourselves for our mistakes and imperfections, and see others for the best versions of themselves. We accept that no one is perfect, but expect perfection from ourselves. This Valentine’s Day, why don’t we take the challenge to love ourselves like we love others. To see ourselves as amazing in the way that others do, and to look past the little problems that exist only to us. This is a difficult concept that I haven’t come close to mastering, but it’s one that is incredibly important. We have an infinite amount of love to give throughout our lives and it would be a shame if we could not give some of that love to ourselves. Even if it’s just a little bit, I ask every single person who reads this to take just a moment, look at all the wonderful things you’ve done in your life, look towards the wonderful things you will continue to do and say, “I love you.” 

 

Loving yourself can be challenging. We all need help in one way or another. Low Entropy is dedicated to helping you . . . yes, you! . . . appreciate how wonderful you truly are: keep an eye on some of the programs we offer and start by telling us what you love about yourself this Valentine’s Day.

Our Only Duty

Posted on by vwideski

He wasn’t out of the woods yet, but that didn’t keep him from seeing the forest for the trees. Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Salem Ziani takes us back a year to Bosnia-Herzegovina with a series of vignettes from a trying time and a difficult place, right on the cusp of the COVID-19 outbreak.

March 2020, somewhere in the heart of a forest in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We’re getting ready to cross the last border and finally reach the European Union, and realize a kind of dream. The wait is too long. Despite a somewhat familiar atmosphere – reminds me of home – my chest is tight; I am overcome with fear. 3:26 a.m. The smuggler arrives and tells us that no one is going to cross today. Maybe never. “Beginning of the lockdown,” he said.

Everything had tipped over: courage and hope left me, and fear immediately took hold of my whole body. From now on, the only concern was surviving.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

The city takes on an air of war. Finding myself in the middle and with nowhere to go, I feel jealous of those people who have homes and families during this lockdown, and a little upset with those who complain about nothing.

Confused between memories and regrets, I remember all the beautiful things that I left. I regret most terribly my ingratitude for the joys I once had. It’s a lesson to love what you have, so that you’re not left loving something already lost.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

This same city that was once friendly and full of good atmosphere is now apocalyptic; I find myself surrounded by fear and angst.

It is under a bridge that we found a makeshift shelter with some homeless people. We share our food, received from humanitarian associations, and we discuss the pandemic and the tragedies of life to become familiar with each other.

Another lesson learned here, of humanism: help your neighbours.

“No man is tired of receiving what is useful. But it is useful to act according to nature. Do not then be tired of receiving what is useful by doing it to others.”

– Marcus Aurelius, Meditations (translated by George Long)

§§§§§§§§§§§§§

Unpleasant news about us was circulating, so we were forced to leave the city and go to a small village where we were hosted by a monk who told us, “It doesn’t matter who you are, God does not abandon anybody.”

Fifth day, we are awakened by our friend’s screams. The pandemic has just taken the life of his mother. Is there anything more painful than attending your mother’s funeral and saying your last goodbye by video call? We were all scared and extremely sad. We all cried.

The lesson is compassion.

“Now, when you recognize that all beings are equal in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them. Through accustoming your mind to this sense of universal altruism, you develop a feeling of responsibility for others: the wish to help them actively overcome their problems. Nor is this wish selective; it applies equally to all.”

– Tenzin Gyatso; The Fourteenth Dalai Lama, “Compassion and the Individual”

§§§§§§§§§§§§§

All discussion revolves around the pandemic: when will it end? When will the lockdown end? Are we going to get back to normal life? Undoubtedly, there are people who have other questions – people who face the pandemic on the front line, people who have lost loved ones, who have lost their businesses or their jobs. Mine were, “Will I survive? Will I ever go home and see my family again?” All of this had dragged me into a depression.

COVID-19 has brought us all to our knees; we have all been confronted with fear, anger and anxiety.

But we must have the wisdom to get the best out of it all. We must know that, no matter our situation, there is always worse. Our only duty is gratitude and, above all, patience. That’s what helped me find the will to overcome this ordeal.

With time, empathy and patience, we can overcome everything. Everyone will learn from this uncommon period in our lives. 

Will this situation bring us to a better world, full of love, compassion and mutual aid or, per contra, a world worse than the existing one, full of individualism, greed and hatred? From my side, I am optimistic that the human being is able to accomplish wonderful things, as he has demonstrated time and time again. The glow of light is approaching, and each of us will find their right path toward dreams and hope.

Tell us your stories of when you found your strength. Leave a memory in the comments section, or let us know in person at a Low Entropy meet up.

Practicing Self-Compassion to Improve Mental Health: My Personal Experience

Posted on by vwideski

Low Entropy Volunteer Writer Vivien Hannos discusses how being kind to herself creates opportunities for personal growth and improved mental health.

It was 1980, on Valentine’s Day, when I was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic. I was only five years old. It was a life-altering diagnosis and the end of my childhood innocence. I had to learn how to administer my own shots of insulin and deal with both high and low blood sugar difficulties.

Low blood sugar reactions happen when there is not enough sugar in the bloodstream due to an excess of insulin. They cause me to become confused and shaky, and it is a life-threatening situation if I do not consume juice or sugar immediately. High blood sugar, on the other hand, is equally bad and, over time, can require limb amputation or result in kidney issues or blindness. 

My parents, at the time of diagnosis, thought that I needed to do a sport so that I would not lose my limbs to diabetic complications. My dad signed me up to learn to skate at Kerrisdale Arena, and that is where my love of skating started. It wasn’t long before I was wrapped up heavily in the competitive figure skating way of life. I practiced for hours and fell many times in my attempts to land new jumps so I could compete at a high level of skating.

Figure skating, being a subjective sport, relies on judges to determine the rankings of the competitors. I believe that over time, as a result of my disordered thinking of being judged continuously and my desperation to try to advance my ranking, I often examined myself in my attempts to fix my faults and gain a competitive edge. Unfortunately, all I accomplished was learning how to be too self-critical. For example, judges would look at how you behaved, what you wore, your facial expressions and how your body looked, and these were all factors in how one would place in rankings. I dwelt on my negative attributes daily and gave myself constant self-criticism.

According to Dr. Aaron T. Beck, the creator of cognitive behavioral therapy, depression can be caused by negative thinking. Therefore, spending a lot of time in a state of negative self-reflection as I did, can and did lead to an altered mood.

To make matters worse, severe depression, if left untreated, can cause a shift into psychosis, which leaves a person unable to tell what is real and not real while in that state. 

This is exactly what happened to me. I got sick with psychosis in 2006 after suffering unknowingly with depression for many years. At the time, leading up to the diagnosis and after already completing my university degree in communications, I was in a school that was training me for medical transcription and under a lot of stress, which put further strain on my brain.

This mental illness devastated me because of many factors. Not only was I humiliated to have a mental illness because of the stigma around mental health issues, but I also felt unlovable and rejected by society.

Psychosis is a serious mental illness, but is treatable with proper medication, which can bring the individual back into reality. As long as the medication is taken at an appropriate dosage, the state of being disconnected from society can be rectified. However, all you hear in the news are stories of people who are violent with mental illness. This is actually quite rare, but stigma remains.

I was brought under the careful watch of a psychiatrist, and with medication and talk therapy (cognitive behavioural therapy), I was told and shown that I was actually very hard on myself. This was the turning point.

I needed to change, and changing is very hard to do. It takes practice. I started to look at myself as imperfect beauty: I am beautiful because of the flaws that I have, not ugly because of my flaws. After retraining my brain to think in this manner by writing in my journal daily, I found that relationships were easier to maintain, and my confidence in myself grew.

I also found that allowing myself to make mistakes frequently, without judging myself, helped as well. It wasn’t long before I noticed that my mood was improving. My mood was further helped with an antidepressant, but the real benefit is from the positive self-compassion I have now.

Have you experienced your own journey toward self-compassion and kindness? Share your stories in the comments, or check out Low Entropy’s services for opportunities to spread positivity to others in a virtual meeting.

When Good Things Happen to Bad Habits

Posted on by dev_team

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.