Sort Your Lives Out

I like to maintain an active social life, as you know, and am frustrated as hell that it’s more and more difficult to drag people out to enjoy themselves.

What’s the point of living in the capital if you don’t want to take advantage of what’s available? Go and live in the bloody suburbs, that’s what they’re there for. At least it’ll give the rest of us more space to move.

I don’t understand it, most of my friends hate their day jobs as much as I do, but ask them to come out for a beer and a boogie and they look on with absolute horror. “But what if I’m tired in the morning?” they boo hoo. So what? You might be tired but at least you won’t be miserable, and that’s the bit that will do you harm.

I was having a long conversation with a clinical psychologist who is writing a book about caring. In part it’s about caring for other people, but also spends a lot of time exploring self-care. It explores the concept that preserving your mental health will insure your physical being, and a lot of sickness is merely a symptom of depression.

I’m aware that if I did nothing but work, watch TV and go to bed, I’d kill myself. Because, really, what’s the point? This has turned me into a going out pest. I’m continually texting and mailing out events of interest, but if you’re planning this route then believe me, an extremely thick skin is required.

It’s not like they have anything better to do, they’re “too tired” or they “can’t be bothered”. Not one of them makes the connection that they feel that way because they deny themselves stimulation. Doing something that makes you feel good is more beneficial to your psyche than a decent night’s sleep. If you “can’t be bothered” it’s because your brain has stagnated into a state of apathy, and if you don’t break out of the depression it will eventually consume you.

The clinical psychologist thinks my desire for stimulation is greater as a creative. I think there could be some mileage there, but most of my friends have artistic leanings too. So come on people, shake yourselves up, do something NEW. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.