Posted on by tjh3347

Start trying the things you want to do.

This can be extremely difficult, to abandon all you know and start a brand new journey down an unfamiliar road. You may be alone, or isolated on your beliefs and desires compared to your family and friends. However my friends, we have one commonality; we will be going down this road together.

I have always been fascinated by content creation and sharing my experiences. Since I was incredibly young, I have watched YouTube for over a year’s worth of content. This has started to mess with me, my progress in my life and my happiness. It is one thing to watch others being happy, but what about your own?

So, I am starting to make content on the internet, just small stuff here and there to make myself a bit happier. Due to my addiction, I have decided to take a 30-day detox from the site. Though I have discussed this on the blog before, I was a lot less committed and disciplined to follow through, this time I am.

Even if, doing your favourite thing takes up a bit of your time, you can structure your day. It is difficult to have a change of schedule, but you will be more motivated to complete your mundane tasks, so you can focus on the bigger, exciting hobbies that you love.

Most people would tell you it’s easy; just get started. I know it is difficult. Once you get going, you will be in a flow state, being able to accomplish more than you thought.

So, let’s do it.

Posted on by tjh3347

Follow your curiosity

When we were younger, we were told be teachers and family that we should stay curious and wonder about the world. My Primary School’s motto was to “look up at the stars, stay curious” showing that this idea has been in my life for a long time.

The reason that I am writing about this now, is because of a problem that I, and a lot of other people, fall into. We stop being curious.

Think about it, once we have settled into a career, or a line of study, we tend to delay the possibility of looking into other subjects. We become content with our way of living, because it works. This is usually provides the average amount of success and happiness, but at the cost of our awe and wonder of the world. The costs outweigh the benefits in this case.

This lack can have detrimental consequences on the future of ourselves. If you are unfortunate to be whisked out of your current comfort zone, the question of your next move is unanswerable. If you have a degree that everyone else has, never stretching outside of it to uncover something else, you are not going to find any success in anything else. Ultimately, if the entire human race follows the same method, not only do we come across like robots, but the absence of creativity and abundance of the mundane is apparent. We will not progress as a species without curiosity.

If you have got a topic that you want to learn more about, then look into it. Pursue your ideas, give into creativity and curiosity. The whole world will thank you for it.

Posted on by tjh3347

Living With Intention

Just a few moments ago I watched a YouTube video by Andrew Kirby, explaining to the audience how passive viewing, compared to active viewing is affecting your life.

How you do one thing is how you do everything. If you fill up every single day with something, forgetting to allow your mind and body to take a breather, you are going to be overwhelmed and unhappy. You may be thinking more is better, but it can be quite the opposite.

It all comes down to how you are doing it.

If you are passive in the actions you pursue, such as YouTube videos and work, then you are likely to live an unfulfilling, underachieving passive life. I have lived this way all my life, and now have come to the realisation that this is true. It is scary that I have not noticed this before now. Every moment , I would fill my day with something, without realising it was all wasted.

The only view that I ever accounted for in my mind, were those who agreed with me. This does not just mean politically, but in all aspects of life. It is like my life has been an algorithm, and only things that appeal to me are the ones I engage in. Even as I write this, I realise that past experiences, where I have acted with only my thoughts and beliefs in mind, were wrong. Friendships lost because I had not seen their point of view. Kirby was right, this can lead to a passive life.

But, I want to live with intention from now. If I am going to relax, I am going to intend to relax, and not let it happen because it is something to fill the time. No longer will I put off goals for the future, because I cannot be bothered to pursue something now. If I want something, I am going to be more intentional with how I act with it.

I thought I would share this thought, because it really has opened my eyes. I hope it does the same for you.

Posted on by tjh3347

Money Mistakes!

Today, I thought upof this idea, and compiled it into a Youtube video, but I think it is important to write about it on my blog as well.

Being an 18 year old man, I have not had the biggest encounters with money issues in my life. Usually I can make purchases with little to no repercussions within my life. But, as I learn more about the world, what makes it work, and what doesn’t.

So, here are my top 5 money saving and buying tips!

#1: Only buy things you actually want.

This sounds simple, but it is quite difficult to perfect. Throughout our lives, we are constantly bombarded with items the world thinks we need, but not actually what we want. Commercials are really good at persuading you into buying their product. I came close to purchasing the new iPad Air, thinking I needed it for who knows what. However, upon reflection, I am made to think that I needed it.

How? Our brains are wired to think new is good. This joyful period only lasts so long, until the motivation to buy something new depletes for that object, arising for the next product down the road.

The rule is slightly incorrect. What you want and need are two ends of a spectrum. When buying something new, you should aim for the middle of the two. That is when you should buy.

#2: Check that you can afford it.

In my life, when I want to buy something, I will rush into it and commit, before looking to see if I can afford it in the long term. With the Pandemic still highly present, I am still furloughed from my job; I am not earning the same as I used to. So when buying something, you need to look at your overall financial plan, see where you can cut down on expenditure in order to afford the new item, or don’t purchase it. No item will help you if it completely drains your account dry. Unless, it is a Pokémon card, then buy it.

#3: Save more than you spend.

It’s self explanatory. Either do the 5050 method of saving ( save half, spend half), but bills and living costs can make this impossible. Regardless, if you are aiming to spend your disposable income, assess how this money could be better spent, i.e saving for your children, or for an Emergency Fund. Money is not the be-all-end-all, but I would rather be a millionaire than penniless.

#4: Emergency Fund

Don’t spend all your money so you have nothing to fall back on if the time comes, and you need to pay for unexpected costs. Life is random and complex, you never know when you might need to spend your savings to save something, or someone precious to you.

Also, it’s good in case of job loss.

#5 Treat yourself.

I think this is one thing websites miss out on. It is okay to treat yourself once in a while. When the opportunity arises, and you can afford to spend a little money on yourself, why not? Our lives are too short to constantly work with no play; humans need it to satisfy our inner child. Whether this is buying a games console, or booking a holiday, you are allowed to do it.

What have I learned? When making big purchases, make sure you want it! Money is not unlimited, you have to be wise with your money, to help make your life better and happier.

But, do remember to look after yourself; treat yourself!

Posted on by tjh3347

Giving into temptation

This is an issue i have spoken about before on this blog, but yesterday, I almost dug right back into this pithole of buying, and I wanted to tell you all about it.

So, I was online, looking at some products online. Let me be frank with you, these products were not the typical £8-10 purchases, they were big, up to £900. Technology that I did not require, nor need to improve my life. I think every once in a while, we all get obsessed with having something new. In the current climate we are in, it is almost a given that new is very exciting.

There I was, on the brink of buying something, thinking it would make me happy. But, as I looked around, at my bank account and my beliefs, I began to realise that I didn’t need this product. Apple products, laptops and phones all come under the same usability, though some are faster than others. They provide the same purpose, but just a little difference. If you could sit me down, and tell me the difference between the iPad and the iPhone, besides the Apple Pencil and bigger screen and speed, I would be impressed.

Don’t get me wrong, these products are useful if you require them to be. But not everyone needs these items, they just want them. I think this is a key factor in our society; the divide between wants and desires. You may think that you need sometime, such as a new phone so you can watch TikToks at faster speed, but really you just desire it for a different purpose; maybe for image or self identifying worth.

Your purchases and products should not define you as a person, rather they should help accentuate your worth, but not be the worth. Whether you have the latest iPhone, or a Nokia brick, these products are not a definition of YOU. Our actions help dictate the direction of our growth, but ultimately what makes you you is what you do with your time.

That’s a currency you should spend wisely.

Posted on by tjh3347

Results come from hard work.

When I was younger, there was always this one boy; Callum, who was faster than me. We would race almost everyday, and he would always beat me. I would finish the rate, thinking that I was not good enough, or I do not have any talents I want. One simple lie was installed into my brain.

Some people are just born talented, you will probably never beat him.

This seems to be an idea that is installed in modern day society. There is a gap, between the highly talented and the rest of us. I’m here to tell you today that this gap doesn’t exist; not in the way that it is interpreted.

People can be bored with tendencies to be better at something. People can born with the body type to put on muscle, some are born with a runner’s body. Where people go wrong is just after this realisation, the creation of impossibility.

Just because you don’t have this attribute, does not mean your dreams are possible. Not everyone in the world with these characteristics are going to pursue what you are pursuing. It also does not make them an automatic professional, it may just mean they can put in less effort. You will just have to put more in, which can eventually lead to overtaking these people.

Results are a by-product of our activities. Getting up earlier in the morning can eventually lead to a higher level of awareness. Running every morning will eventually lead to a higher level of endurance and speed. Athletes are not born athletes. They are individuals who have committed their every being to be in this sport; spending countless hours training, being disciplined about their passions. They don’t see the impossible to be impossible. You can only complain if your mind, body and soul are perfected. Otherwise, there is something to improve on.

This mantra will be something I take forward with me, I hope you do too.

Posted on by tjh3347

Entitlement

I’ve always had this idea in my head, that if you do something nice for another person, the good karma could be reciprocated in some other form. For example, I was at the shops one day; buying some chocolate to eat on the way back to school. My card got declined, and I was panicking because there was a queue that was beginning to form. Unexpectedly, the man behind me decided he was going to pay for my stuff as well as his. I was shocked, I had never experienced this level of generosity in my life with the general public. This man didn’t know me, but he still decided to help me.

Once I had thanked the man, I left and composed myself outside. The man walked up to me and said “Just one thing mate, pass it on”. That was the moment I realised his message; do nice things without expecting a result.

These days, it can feel as though the whole world is incredibly selfish. If you ask how many donate to charity, the numbers are far lower than expected. So when I witness this man being astonishingly nice, I want to pay it forward.

That’s what I did, paying for somebody else’s shopping and donating to charity. Though this was a big deal for me, I do not see this as an achievement. We should all be giving to one another. It seems as though the concept of “one world” to share has been lost. Let’s try to fix that.

Today, I would like each of you to do one good thing for somebody else. It can be small or big, but you mustn’t expect a reward from doing it. Just being kind out of the kindness in your heart should be enough.

Take care 🙂

Posted on by tjh3347

Maybe cut down on your screen time

With the whole world being stuck at home once again, it may seem natural to spend every waking moment online, to pass the time away that you would usually be doing with others.

Now don’t get me wrong, like the average Joe, I love using my phone and the internet. It is a brilliant source of entertainment, communication and pleasure. However, for every positive there has to be a negative. With the internet, it is the biggest form of distraction there is.

It has been said many times before me. Websites have been designed to be engaging and addictive. The reason tiktok is so popular is because of its endless scrolling feature. It is impossible to reach the end of it, there is no end. Facebook and YouTube are the same, you could spend hours watching videos and browsing, without realising it is night and you haven’t eaten all day. That anecdote may seem farfetched, but it does happen; to me as well.

You may be wondering “Get off my phone? That is so easy anyone can do it!”. To those who make that statement, I ask you whether you have tried a detox from it? To an outsider, anything seems possible. Once you have committed to staying off it for a while, it will become how apparent the difficulties it entails.

Books are still a thing, and probably hold more knowledge than any single video does. Perhaps you could try it instead of indulging in a Minecraft video. I should state, I am being hypocritical on purpose. I believe throughout all our lives, we should take responsibility and be accountable for our own actions; myself included.

So, let us try to get our screen time down by 10%.

Posted on by tjh3347

Remember to Live

I wanted to tell all of you about the meaning of this phrase in a bit more detail, mainly what it means to me.

For the majority of my childhood, i have felt as though I have wasted my time. I preferred being inside, couped up in my bedroom online; not talking to anyone, only listening to others. By no means was it was because of a tough childhood, I just wanted to escape from reality. So I would spend, every moment of my day, watching what others had created, not realising how fast has passed me by. One minute I’m 13, watching YouTube on my Mum’s computer, now I’m 18 and I am doing that in my room. When I reflect on the timeline here, what has truly changed within me?

There is one thing, I have learned to love myself.

It’s like Marmite, you either love it or hate it; same with the phrase above. I am slowly learning how my time spent on irrelevant topics has consumed my life. I’ve probably spent more time online, than I have speaking to my parents, and that isn’t right. I should clarify, when I say online, I mean being isolated, just viewing, not communicating with others.

But, I have learned to appreciate myself just that bit more. I realise now that I should not do this to myself, and instead start pursuing something where I actively speak to others. There is a quote, that I always try to remember. “It’s good to remember death, but what is more important is remember to Live”.

I think that is something we should all account for in our lives. Remember to live, and not let life live without you in it. Disengagement is easy, but it is the worst place to be.

Live ❤

Posted on by tjh3347

Cry.

Hey reader! Hope you’re doing well.

I wanted to remind you that it is okay to express your emotions. There has been times in my life, where I have been unaware of my true feelings. They had been suppressed, covered up by my subconscious. But there is a way to unlock these every once in a while.

This is to cry.

Well it can be, but it is any way for any person to release their emotions in a safe way. Crying is something many people find effective, and something I had forgotten about.

It may just be me, but there is conditioned response to stop myself from crying. I’ve never really done it as I was embarrassed to, I was quite the cryer when I was younger due to some personal issues.

So I was embarrassed? Who cares? The important thing is I’ve recognised this, understanding my mentality. I don’t have to act so manly or grown up. Even adults cry.

It’s good, even if you’re not crying about the issue, it exposes your subconscious. Maybe you’ll find out something important about yourself through it.

So please, don’t hide your emotions, they are apart of you.