... is a waste of time and effort. It is ultimately depressing, as perfection turns out to be ever just out of reach. I have long rejected perfectionism (if ever I espoused it), considering a much better approach to life be a philosophy of continual improvement - the upward spiral. It is also one where taking a downward step, by accident or design, is not the end of the world. Take the knocks, stand up again, and keep going. If you are guided by a never-to-be-satisfied drive for perfection, you might find the knocks too hard to bear.
Out consumerist lifestyle is very much to blame for the rising tide of clinical depression across the developed world. We are being sold a dream wherever we look; TV and radio ads, billboards, glossy magazines, banners of websites. And over time, our inability to match up to the lifestyle shown to us in the adverts we're exposed to reduces our sense of self-worth.
Rather than being ourselves, we aim for a target that is unattainable. Perfection. Our personal self-image - how we try to project ourselves to others - is a good example. We are told (women in particular) that perfection is just one trip to the shops away. Young consumers are easy prey; as we age and our external appearance starts to diverge from that which the billboards promote as perfection, we can more readily see the fallacy of that illusion.
We are damaging ourselves. We are damaging our planet (see yesterday's post!). We need to dial back expectations so they match our reality, rather than trying to move our reality in line with society's expectations of us. To quote Jacek Koba, "happiness is an expectation-to-reality ratio of 1:1".
Turning into an unwashed slob who rises at midday to eat junk food is not the answer to those who reject perfectionism.
The answer is constant improvement - and the starting point is knowing where you really want to be - and not where society says you should strive to be. Conscious constant improvement.
Social media is full of vacuous influencers touting their perfect lifestyles as something to aim for. All you need is to buy this, this and this - and you have joined their club. It is clearly not so - we see it - and yet so many of us buy into it.
My approach to constant improvement is based on getting better at life with each passing year. More meaningful output. Starting with the health and fitness: my daily exercise routine is not intended to turn me into Mr Physique. It is, however, intended to prolong my active life by strengthening core muscles, in particular in the spine, ensuring I don't spend my last years bent double as my father was. This does not come easily; daily plank and stretching exercise help keep those muscles strong and my backbone flexible. The aim is not to be able to show off by doing a zillion press-ups in public, the aim is merely to know that I am still strong enough to do sets of 15 to 20 proper ones at a time.
A strong body is a useful base for my consciousness, which moves across the face of the planet, mindful of my carbon footprint. Getting those qualia experiences is important to me. I have no great need to travel; all those bucket lists on social media (e.g. 'How Many Of These 60 Cities Have You Visited?') leave me saying - "not interested". I really don't care. And I won't scroll down to see who has ticked off more.
I have become more focused and self-disciplined over the past year. A daily to-do list on paper (not on the laptop!) is key; I am also taking more notes of ideas as they come, though not nearly enough. Still, I know I will never write the Great Polish Novel (in English), but maintaining this blog will do (nagging question to myself - "is it improving though?"). Fewer posts on the blog last year compared to 2021, but as happened in 2014 when it kicked off the first time in Ukraine, I find that much of my online time is again spent battling Kremlin disinformation.
Attaining a peaceful state of mind is important, being materially comfortable (yet seeking not luxury) a good point to stop chasing the materialist dream. I have enough, for which I am grateful. In the New Year - and well beyond! - I hope to improve. To share more.
This time last year:
Grabów, Krasnowola and Jeziorki Północne
1929-1939; 2008-2018?
Track works between W-wa Okęcie and W-wa Dawidy
This time nine years ago:
The benefits of extending the human lifespan
This time 12 years ago:
New Year's stocktaking
This time last 13 years ago:
A walk in the wild winter woods
This time 14 years ago:
Now that's what I call winter vol. 12
This time 15 years ago:
When the day starts getting longer
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