You can choose your stress. You can also choose your life.
Good evening.
This is my 8th day of posting on note. I'm just barely sliding in.
Today, for the first time in a while, I lounged around until about 11:00 AM,
then I slowly got up, did the laundry, and spent the time just zoning out.
When I don't have the motivation, I just don't do it.
I think, 'It's just not today,' and I spend my time taking it easy.
I've learned that this is the least stressful way to live.
But I did the laundry, went to Pilates,
and went to put air in my bicycle tires.
I have no stress at all.
Compared to when I was a full-time employee, I felt stressed about something all the time,
and even after I changed jobs and was able to take time off,
I was always venting in my group of work friends.
It seems that was actually quite 'bad' for me.
Starting in 2025, I decided, 'I will stop speaking ill of others,'
and I kept a certain distance from my former work friends.
I still go to gatherings, but I don't actively speak ill of anyone.
It doesn't matter anymore, and even if we can't have entirely positive conversations,
it's enough just to be there and laugh together.
When I was able to successfully remove the 'bad' from within myself,
I felt like the world changed all at once.
'I was letting unnecessary things take up my time.'
That's what I realized.
Working wasn't the bad thing,
venting that 'bad' energy was the 'bad' thing.
Contrary to my desire to look upward,
I was making excuses like, 'I can't get by without complaining,' while talking to people.
That was pretty stupid—no, I was doing something foolish.
Since I quit my job and started thinking about various things on my own,
I've found myself liking many positive posts on Threads,
and I was happy, thinking, 'Alright, this is a good trend!'
I love my former work friends, but
I didn't want to be the kind of person who vents 'bad' energy.
I cut ties with what I considered bad and protected myself.
I realized once again that
I am the only one who can save myself.
I am the one who changes myself,
and I am the one who saves myself.
It's not about not relying on others,
but ultimately, taking care of yourself is the most important thing.
Among the things that cause stress, there is necessary stress.
Stress that I think is necessary for me right now, things I should do, or things I should dive into.
I believe that judgment can only be made by someone who has experienced it.
While you can still afford to fail, do the things you might fail at.
This failure is an experience,
and that success is also an experience.
'No success without failure'—that is exactly right.
Things that have been said for a long time are truly correct.
Learning from the ancients is profound.
Since I didn't do anything productive today,
I'll do what I want tomorrow and make it a fruitful day.