Just watched The Social Dilemma – now I’m itching to watch a documentary about the redemptive power of blogs and the IndieWeb movement and community =)
Anyhow, it’s great that this documentary is creating more conversation around the topic of humane technology. I share the optimism expressed by the various interviewees towards the end of the film.
We can figure this out.
“After 73 days of self-paced learning, I’ve become a firm believer that learning, or more importantly, knowledge, should never be a privilege, it is a right.
While we should all work towards a particular goal in our career (in my case, to become a doctor and find ways to improve our public healthcare systems), my insight from taking these courses has made me realise that we should not limit ourselves to just our career-centric fields alone.
Because we are the sum of what we learn, in school, at work and in life.”
The quote is from this interesting article about a girl who took 100 online courses during 73 days of COVID lockdown. Oddly inspiring!
Life isn’t a routine practised to death. Be curious, like a child. Wonder why things are. See things as if for the first time. Ask the stupidest questions.
And shed that serious, hardened adult mask.
Let’s go PLAY!
“There’s no such thing as stress; there are only people thinking stressful thoughts.”
– Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Took some photos for Larry and his family this morning, while they were going about their morning routine. He’s going into surgery this Friday. He wrote about his story here.
“Chad deeply valued his privacy, and I wasn’t privy to the details of his illness. After his family released their statement, I realized that he was living with his illness the entire time I knew him. Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering. He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art. Day after day, year after year. That was who he was. He was an epic firework display. I will tell stories about being there for some of the brilliant sparks till the end of my days.”
– Ryan Coogler on Chadwick Boseman
1. Most of our problems are imaginary problems.
2. It would be nice to enjoy, for once, being here, rather than always wanting to be somewhere better and doing something more interesting.
3. What we have now is what we used to want.
4. Just because other people are doing A, doesn’t mean I need to start doing A.
5. There are no real obligations in this world.
6. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity.
7. Perfectionism is more toxic than you imagine. Watch yourself and notice how often you’re being a perfectionist without even realising it. And see how it chips away at your happiness.
8. Read everything but don’t be afraid to give up anything that turns out awful or mediocre.
9. Writing is the medium of learning (not the other way around).
10. Find opportunities to be kind. Every day.
Bonus thought: Practise what you believe as much as you can, but always be kind to yourself when you can’t.
Be grateful for life today. LIVE, LIVE, LIVE! Live with passion! (Go chase your curiosities, go tumble down rabbit holes of your own choosing!) Live with joy! Be unabashedly in love with this fleeting life! And finally, live with peace and acceptance, knowing that everything is part of this human experience that we’re meant to have.
May you be less afraid today to taste the goodness of life.
After all, afraid or not, this is all gonna end one day.
We might as well make the most of it.
If we love others first, we will not have to spend time worrying if they like us.
Because it doesn’t matter. We already love them anyway.
“When you take the time to draw on your listening-imagination, you will begin to hear this gentle voice at the heart of your life. It is deeper and surer than all the other voices of disappointment, unease, self-criticism and bleakness. All holiness is about learning to hear the voice of your own soul. It is always there and the more deeply you learn to listen, the greater surprises and discoveries that will unfold. To enter into the gentleness of your own soul changes the tone and quality of your life. Your life is no longer consumed by hunger for the next event, experience or achievement. You learn to come down from the treadmill and walk on the earth. You gain a new respect for yourself and others and you learn to see how wonderfully precious this one life is. You begin to see through the enchanting veils of illusion that you had taken for reality. You no longer squander yourself on things and situations that deplete your essence. You know now that your true source is not outside you. Your soul is your true source and a new energy and passion awakens in you.”
— John O’Donohue
Again and again, I go back to John O’Donohue. He clears out the cobwebs in my soul.