#53 There's better thing than ecstasy
Hey, can we just say? We’re glad to have had you as a reader this year! The pandemic has been such a difficult and often lonely time, but writing has helped us connect each other, and that means a lot.
On our last Salmon Mentai edition, we shared the rest of unanswered questions from our readers when we opened QnA session. You can read it back here in case you missed it.
Meiska is re-inviting her former colleague at work, Gerry. Because this time, our guest is given space to write their thoughts. In case you want to recall how I introduced Gerry in 2020, click here. Meiska believed Gerry chose different career paths, that makes him a whole lot different person now. As someone our age, Gerry is unbelievably hard-working. That’s why getting his (well, melancholic and deep) thoughts featured here is kind of an honor! He is still analyzing, collecting data, and working for social media, which makes him experienced much more than before! His theme today is;
“What are the things that makes you enthusiastic and lively?”
Do not miss our publication by clicking the button below to subscribe! We hope you enjoy!
Meiska
As someone who is moody, it’s pretty simple to make me feel enthusiastic towards things. Which means, it’s also easy to shift myself from “enthusiast” to “mood swing” mode lol. Mostly because of my workloads, tasks, and people too. Luckily, because of the past year coping with the stay at home days, I kind of get to avoid myself frequently from things that will create uncomfortable situation. Now I can also stop myself to think of things I can’t control, and focus with what I can instead.
I will write things that make me lively, which are the basic things in life. But of course there are deep and fundamental things inside me that makes me feel lively too! Here you go,
Food
Sometimes my friends are confused because I always browse Grab to look for foods I want to eat the next day haha! They couldn’t help it but to follow me to order the same food (basically because I ask them to join me lol!). But it’s true, I get excited when it comes to trying out trending foods, especially when they are really good! It’s fun too when people order foods that I recommend, and like them!
Quality time
This always makes me hard to sleep because I get too excited. Does this happen to you too when you’re overly excited? It feels like when you go for a school trip with your classmates, and you promise your chairmate to sit next to you in bus! Quality time is my second highest love language. I can’t hardly wait to cherish and gather with people I love to be around with!
Productive
When I complete my tasks at work very well. Meaning I solved the issue by negotiating the almost impossible solution, getting all administrative papers done, as well as approvals in time. Going home never have been so satisfying, right?
Elsa
I actually explained it briefly in the last Salmon Mentai edition. What keeps me going, what makes me enthusiastic and lively, is aligned with the Ted Talks video from Emily below. There are four things: belonging, purpose, transcendence, and storytelling.
Belonging
Are you a typical person who doesn’t really belong to your family? I am, much or less. Hence, I found my belonging in my best friends.
Purpose
I have my purpose when I listen to people’s struggle. If they come to me and tell their stories, I feel like there’s use of my existence in the world.
Transcendence
This is my favorite part because finally I know that there’s a term for my strange moment, it’s a transcendence!
“Transcendent states are those rare moments when you're lifted above the hustle and bustle of daily life, your sense of self fades away, and you feel connected to a higher reality.”
I always have it with certain songs and walk alone, or to be in the back seat of Gojek (it’s an Indonesian ‘Uber’ but using motorbike) and have a quiet moment with myself.
Storytelling
I started to know the power of storytelling after watching Michelle Obama documentary movie in Netflix. Somehow, being able to talk about our biggest fear and shame to others could lead to self-acceptance. That’s what story telling does.
Gerry
“What you need is an attitude of gratitude” — My mom
This key message always closes every time I have a convo with my mother.
It was last year, and I was living like a dog to build up all the things, especially in matters of work, taking care of education, pursuing odd jobs, in order to get a decent life. I'm desperately trying to fill in the gaps left. I was sometimes burning out quickly, and whenever I had a call with my mom, I was pretty vocal that this was not the life I wanted to be living, which inevitably prompted her to chirp a reminder me to have “an attitude of gratitude. "
A few months later, in 2021, I'm now aware that my life in 2020 is still very fortunate when compared to other people. I work like a dog but I still find a slice of what I love, which is football. There are still many other people who work who don't even find their point of being happy. Far from the philosophical concept of Japanese society, Ikigai. It's worth noting that if you want to get improvement, it's how badly you need the power of enthusiasm that led to our change of fortune. I decided to leave my Ikigai point during a difficult year, and to find new challenges, which sometimes make my life feel like a roller coaster.
It is rare to find the moment to do something that we are good at, we are needed by the world, we do what we like and we get material rewards from it. But my advice is that when we do something, look for points that you like, so that when we do it we still really have the heart to get it done well.
Finally, I am actually very passionate and talented when I 'sleep'. Even though sleep is a verb, but I haven't seen anyone sleeping who gets paid. Hopefully in the future there will be that type of work.
So what are the things that make you enthusiast and lively? Tell us by writing the comment below! We’d love to hear your stories too!
“Life is a lively process of becoming” — Douglas McArthur
