Happy New Year 2023
Dear world,
The time is (at the time of writing—almost) 2023-01-01 00:00 UTC, so Happy New Year!
New Year's Resolution Theme
There is a video by CGP Grey that instead of setting up hard goals and/or resolutions, oftentimes it is smarter to set up themes instead. The idea of a theme is to dedicate more effort in the year to steer one's life towards a certain direction, instead beating oneself up over some arbitrary KPIs. The change need not be overnight, or even be a “net positive” by the end of the year, even arresting a downwards spiral in one aspect of life is already considered good enough for fulfilling a theme. The important part is the effort being put into making positive incremental changes.
Most importantly, a theme allows some flexibility in defining what it means to you, as your needs and wants change, and as you get to know yourself better, throughout the year.
For instance, if your theme is “healthy living,” you might start off a little bit gung-ho by signing up for a gym, etc. However, as time progresses on, you might realize that healthy eating and commuting by bicycle might actually be more fun and effective, and you stuck with your life's new direction. You did not commit yourself to a stupid KPI such as “go to the gym x times per month,” but you still steered your life in a positive direction.
Year 2022 in Review
So my theme for 2022 was “bigger brain”. I started off by buying a bunch of books that I never got to read. I continued being a lazy slob that never actually does anything productive.
However it was God's providence that led me to discover that there are various alternative philosophies to atheistic/materialistic Epicurean hedonism (that I've been holding on to for seven years) that are just as reasonable and intellectually tenable. I started off reading into stoicism, and in a business trip in Seattle, I was having my “St. Augustine moment,” when something called me that there is a Bible in this hotel room, and that I should take it up and read.
Sure enough, I found a Gideon Bible in a drawer, and the preface told me to find a church community. The nearest church to my apartment was a Catholic parish church, and I attended Mass the next available Sunday. I didn't regret the decision—rather, I feel home. With the help of my pastor and the community in r/Catholicism, I started to look into what the Catholic faith is all about, and I find it immensely satisfying.
Fecisti nos ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te.
You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
Joining the Catholic Church was probably the best thing to happen to me both intellectually and spiritually, and I got confirmed into the Church on December 4, 2022, taking the name Augustine. (So I guess, the theme of “bigger brain” still holds up.)
Theme for 2023
Since I just got laid off, I'm going to return to my home country to take a break for a while. My theme would be Simpler Lifestyle. Let's see how it goes.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!