Ready to Welcome a New Cycle

I made the posts I needed and wanted to make before starting a new cycle, completed and/or fixed previous ones too. Now looking forward to many months more of making content and taking it further!

I’m Not Nice Anymore

I’ll still be kind, in my own way, but I swear that if another person mistakes that with weakness and naivety and tries to take advantage of me, I’ll give them what they had coming until they wish they never met me. I’ll be their karma for this and more in their past. I'd suggest you steer clear of me if that's your intent. You're safe if not.

Needless Suffering is Needless

I had a tough past, and my present isn’t exactly all rainbows and sunshine either. I don’t bring it up often because I don’t want my work to revolve around that. Not because I’m hiding it and pretending otherwise. And I know that there are people who have it waaay worse so I can count myself fortunate. But sometimes it is as though others assume I’ve been having it easy and make it harder for me. Or there are just too many inconsiderate people around that would not give a damn regardless. I really wish people would stop getting in the way, for no good reason, of those who are helping themselves or even others. And even if someone’s having it easy, how justified is it really to disrupt that? It’s like people are miserable and wish others would be too. For me, personally, I’ve been working towards having a life I can enjoy and be content with. It allows me to be a better version of myself. And apparently, that’s an insult to those who neglect their well-being for the sake of slaving or hustling away (or for whatever misery they subject themselves to). Meanwhile, I wish we could all relax (at least a little) and do meaningful work that fulfills us.

What a Mixed Bag

I’ve learned from being overly planned and from being overly laidback. Neither I would recommend if you’re anything like me. One can be suffocating, stressful, and infuriating while the other can make me lose touch with all that matters and that gets me going. Yet, at the moment, I’m leaning more towards being planned and, while I believe I’m giving myself enough leeway and flexibility, life can still be quite surprising - for better or for worse! But I’m optimistic I’ll be able to handle what’s thrown at me next. If not on my own, with the priceless support that I have. Not knowing what might happen can be paralyzing if you expect to have everything under control, but I’m aiming to just make the most of however much is in my hands. And fingers crossed that things won’t get too hectic and/or alarming, so I can keep it together as I take it in strides. I’m still somewhat in preparation for bigger and better things, but don’t want to fully close myself off to great opportunities either. It’s unbelievable the amount of totally unexpected things that have happened in the past few years. Literally unbelievable. But that just goes to show again how amazing life can be when you let it.

It's a Cruel, Crude Place So Bring Back Magic!

I‘m finally at the point where I can start bringing back as much magic as I possibly can. It’s one of my missions for this year. I don’t know about you and what keeps you as your most artistic self, but for me, it’s magic. How I can perceive and interpret it, anyway. Shimmer, glitter, and other glowy and shiny things abound. Some nostalgia and dreaminess, too.

I aim and hope to be able to get in a different character every month and take at least a couple of photos of it. Maybe perform a little while in it if time and energy let me. So they will all be inspired by songs that are special to me. And I’ll try to play with colors and their meanings too!

 It’s a challenging series that’ll allow me expression, engaging in art forms I enjoy, while paying tribute to works I’ve loved. If you’d like to set an artistic challenge for yourself this year, you can take this as a sign to go too! With what suits you. It can take you out of stagnation and propel you forward if you’re having trouble staying on track.

In this case, to prelude this year’s cycle, I went with songs from some of my all-time-favorite films. Which range from being an “undeniable masterpiece” to “how can you even watch this” (but I don’t care - if I like it, I like it and that’s it). They do move and fuel what I’d consider magical within, which then pour out to all around.

The songs are:
. The Greatest Showman - A Million Dreams
. La La Land - Audition
. Jem & The Holograms - I’m Still Here

This character is sort of a mashup of all this plus me!
“I close my eyes and I can see a world that’s waiting up for me. / So bring on the rebels, the ripples from pebbles, the painters and poets and plays. / There is a story written in the stars, that makes it worth it just to bear these scars.”

[More snaps and clips coming later!]

Maturity is Alluring

Maturity (not to be mistaken for cynicism, defeatism, or plain boringness), among much else, has a certain appeal to many - but especially to those who are themselves mature or striving for maturity. Speaking mainly of character, which encompasses the mental, emotional, and spiritual realms, here's a quick list of a few (in no particular order) of the traits that make it so:

1. Once a level of trust has been built, communication is open and clear.
2. After many lived experiences, many observations have been made and lessons have been learned.
3. Less likely to be impressed by trivial and vapid things.
4. Heightened ability to look past illusions.
5. Able to form their own opinions, revise their beliefs, and consider views and gathered input.
6. Have proved themselves to themselves, not as interested in proving themselves to others.
7. Can laugh at the absurdity that is taken too seriously.
8. Has seen enough to not miss the forest for the trees.
9. Smoothly handles what could have others stressed or even panicking.
10. Takes failure and rejection with relative ease.
11. Ambitions and aspirations go beyond worldly rewards.
12. Appreciates the simple and small - yet meaningful - things once taken for granted.
13. Solves issues and/or gets along with family and friends they may have had minor differences with.
14. Realizes we're in a game and that the rules are questionable.
15. Possesses an immense and intricate universe within.
16. A grasp on their likes and dislikes, until/unless they shift again.
17. The wittiness and cleverness that comes with wisdom and not just intelligence.
18. A long history of chances they've taken, where they led, and how they turned out.
19. Values and forges deep connections and lasting relationships.
20. Commitment, at least to what's right for them and after careful evaluation, is not taken as a suffocating cage to desperately escape from and it is instead stabilizing.

These are some of the ones that stand out for me the most. But you can surely think of more!

Pisces' Basics

♓ PISCES

Transit Date: Late February.
Concluding Winter.

Position: 12th.
Element: Water.
Quality: Mutable.

Symbolized by: The Fish.
Typically Associated with: Spirituality, dreams, art. 

At Best: Mystical and soothing.
At Worst: Withdrawn and fleeting.

For context and more of relevance, please read about The Zodiac.

Go and Be where You're Loved

Some may say or assume that going and being where you're loved is a conceited thing to do, that you're just looking to stroke your ego and make it bigger, but I promise you that going and being where you're loved will make you a better person than haters (overt or covert) ever will. Because love (the true kind) isn't about boot licking and butt kissing, it won't be a praiser of traits and an enabler of behaviors that you're better off without. Nor will it, if it can be helped, pass on trauma and try to disguise it as "tough love". And it won't necessarily make you passive, either. Because while you might no longer be motivated by the vices that you are while in a hostile and combative environment, you can still be motivated by virtues that will take you further and higher. And you'll sleep better.

Deal with haters when you must in your endeavors, but worry not about allowing love in your life.

Valentine Celebration

In February, we celebrate Valentine!

Spread the love.
Love others, love yourself.
Care and consideration go a long way.
If you're lonely, do not fret.
You can still pamper yourself.

Personal Development: 5 Traits to Stand Out

Many can get by and even get far with only one or two of these traits. But the more you have (and the higher they are), the better. These are traits that can help you excel and maintain your position in demanding situations. They are also traits that you can, on certain occasions, lean on when falling short in other aspects.

• Reliability

This means no lies, no false promises, no faking for convenience, but showing up as someone who can be counted on and being so. In this same vein, no flaking if you can help it. Drop excuses. This might mean that you will have to get it together and become stable enough to be firm and supportive. Avoid offering more than you can or will deliver. People tend to appreciate being told just how much they can expect from you rather than be left hanging for something that never came, even if it's not as exciting. 

• Accountability
Guilt, shame, ego and all that it comes from it can get in the way of being accountable for yourself - of recognizing, admitting, correcting, and compensating for your mistakes and shortcomings, as well as your wrongdoings. Ironically, it is often assumed that this will cause you to lose respect but, in front of respectable people, it is quite the opposite. Because they can already see how you're failing and they're waiting to see if you'll see it too and do something about it or not. And being in denial after it is brought to your attention will make it even worse. Furthermore, accountability puts you on a path of constant improvement that pushes you forward.

• Trustworthiness
What are your values and principles? Have you thoroughly revised them to properly form the beliefs that you're guided by? Do you believe in honesty, sincerity, genuineness, and authenticity but at the same time know that things aren't always black and white and certain circumstances require you to reason beyond them in order to do what's right? Can you abide by what you've sworn or are you tempted to betray? How able are you to say no when you should?

• Craftmanship
Of course, competency matters too. You must strive to do your job well and continue to take it to the next level. Although it is important to have virtues outside of this, you're likely to be forgiven much if what you do is done so well that it's worth it. It is not that you can't ever take it easy or be simple about it, but that you have and meet high-quality standards when you ought to. What these are depends on the purpose of what you do, so they may or may not be as evident and wildly differ. Tend to minute but significant details even when they're overlooked.

• Solidarity

Some may call it naivety, but it is essential for coexistence and existence in general. If you're only looking out for yourself, throwing others under the bus to get ahead, being no more than a leech whenever you can, not only will you be unlikeable (despite however you may try to mask it) but you'll also literally be a disease to the world or whatever environment you're in. And it's sad, but practicing solidarity isn't even as hard as others would attempt to convince you of. You can extend a hand in small ways, here and there, every now and then, and that's already working miracles. Be discerning and don't let others take advantage of you, but continue to assist.

Take a moment to reflect. What is lacking in you that could use some work? What can you work on personally developing now?