January
New Beginnings. That’s what January means to many of us. Time to make new resolutions, new goals, firm up our values, get our life on a more positive track. Or so we hope. Later we wobble off the track again, break the resolutions, forget the new goals and values. Revert to old ways.
Old habits die hard. I read somewhere in a book that oft repeated actions or negative thoughts form neural pathways in the brain, particularly when we are young and the brain is still a developing and plastic organ. This is why addiction is such a difficult thing to overcome. No matter how many New Years come along to aid us . . .
I’m addicted to surfing the net and YouTube videos. I used to be addicted to reading (yes, even ‘good’ things like reading can be an addiction - take workaholism or addiction to sport), but now YouTube has supplanted my reading addiction. I’m also addicted to smoking - although I have it reasonably controlled, in that I binge smoke for two days every fortnight - approximately 20 cigs - rather than smoke every day. I find it surprising easy to pick it up and put it down again, with the help of my vape. Sometimes, I best path is that of compromise, of whittling on the edges of our addictions rather than trying to give them up completely.
And so this New Year I would wish for more kindness to myself, more tolerance for my faults and shortcomings, more patience with my lack of resolution. If I watch too many YouTube videos let me pick up a good book and read it for half an hour. If I eat too many sweets or biscuits today let me go for a long walk with the dog tomorrow.
My novel, Blink, and I’m gone . . . , although available on line since end of September last year, has now officially had its launch party at the Alice Cross, along with my new collection of poetry. Let me congratulate myself for work well done, and New Beginnings . . .
תגובות