Wow, only one month remains until the long-awaited year of 2020. This semester has passed by so fast, and I find that ridiculous. Anyway…
Well, before I picked through ambiguous journal entries, I was convinced that this month had ended before it had begun. Wrong. I had almost no recollection of anything I read. But I shall present you the basic outline of November that I pieced together.
I had a “blah” beginning, so to say, but November is kind of a “blah” month. I am fond of fall, but the season unravels far too quickly, giving to the fringes of winter (which I hate). Being honest, though, who likes leafless trees and conflicted temperatures? I kind of dislike winter, but at least it leads to the hope of snow. November only seeks to drive one mad. Okay, I am being a little dramatic. I would rather this than summer. But, yes, the beginning felt kind of like the weather. A little bit changed, especially the time (the time changed was very significant). And, most importantly, being here at MSA did not feel as surreal as it once did. I have sunken into some kind of comfortable routine, which I like. And I feared that I would resort to a disheveled disaster, but I am more organized than ever. I fear the organization; I have arranged some salt packets into rows.
Although the beginning did not prove itself to be spectacular, I liked November. The uncertainties that clung to me during October flaked off, kind of like the dead and dying leaves, I guess 😕 . I hate feeling trapped in a relentless storm of confusion.
I read a good book that restored my opinion of Michael Crichton.
I could not go outside as much because of sad weather.
I developed an addiction to tea. I guess it curbs my coffee addiction somewhat.
And I have begun to listen to way too much music.
But, all of this aside, I liked November’s philosophies. One in particular stood out to me, and I only recently found a name for it due to a positive psychology article. Recently, I have realized just how crucial a role gratitude plays. I have been a lot happier this year, and part of that is because of gratitude. For quite some time, I lived with potent pessimism, letting each day roll over me like an intolerable steamroller of cycling routine-doom. I did, however, possess an appreciation for the “little moments” in life, which I called smiles and friendliness and the savory bits of existence (like tacos). But now, I have more gratitude toward what I have because, after all, I have so much. A few constants remain such as stress and nerves and negativity, but a nice environment and such help retain some balance. Now, I would rather spend my days in a coffee place with a corgi wearing a sombrero, surrounded by everything I love, but my environment is comfortable and without toxicity. To summarize this hefty paragraph, having more gratitude has helped me so much. I no longer wake up every morning to face the steamroller of routine, but I wake to see what the day presents. Although I am often tired and cynical, abiding by this mindset has changed my quality of living. That sounds so “whatever” (hah), but I love looking up into the sky and feeling full (this is a metaphorical statement).
I hope that you all find gratitude in your daily life. It is not easy and you can not simply “choose” happiness, but feelings of contentment lie in reach; I hope all of you can hold on to such feelings. Life can feel incredibly cruel and then mundane at times, but the color is there, I promise. Persevere so that you may someday persevere more easily, and never shred the good in you.
Wednesday’s Fun Fact:
November is the official month-long holiday of the valiant sport known as leaf-crunching.
Leaf crunching as a sport haha! I too, want to live in a coffee shop with a corgi that wears a sombrero. This month is suppose to be all like: It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But I’m not feeling that lately. Still, I have found small bits of happiness in this month as you have.