Don't Lose Hope Now!

Hello, I'm Makoto Naegi! Welcome to my positivity blog! Together we'll venture into the unknown future with hearts full of hope! (icon credit to @rantoreo)

[mailkotonaegi]

Hello everyone,

Take some time out of your day today to switch up the background of your life. Sitting in your room or house, for hours on end, stagnating in your thoughts will rot your perspective on life. There’s more out there to experience than four corners, some floorboards, and a ceiling. 

And yeah, I know there are times when even the thought of throwing the covers off of yourself in the morning is an offense to your entire state of being, but it’s especially important, on these days in particular, to escape your dry-wall prison. The longer and longer you allow yourself to vegetate, the further and further down despair will drag you. 

This isn’t a negotiation. You need enrichment, and you need to nurture your senses with more than several painted walls. A diet isn’t had on rice alone; trees, flowers, animals, other people, the smell of a freshly cut lawn or farmer’s market, the sounds of cars driving by and water trickling down rocks, you need all of it for a balanced psyche or your mind will shrivel, and then you’ll feel as  claustrophobic on the inside as you do the outside. 

So take care of yourself; I know you can, because I believe in you.

Sincerely,

Makoto

[mailkotonaegi]

Hello again everyone,

It’s pertinent that every once in a while, you treat yourself to something you like. It doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive, in fact it could be as small as a cup of your favorite coffee, or a cute t-shirt, or a key-chain or sticker. Life is short and quick, so you’re gonna wanna pack as much enjoyment into it as you can! 

I find that small, regular surprises to yourself help you smile on the inside, bright and beautiful, like a solar warmth emanating from within. And by regular surprises, I mean at least weekly, and if you’re on a budget, that’s okay! Treat yourself instead with a trip to the park, or go window shopping, or take some time out of your day for a long bath or binge on a book! The more you do these kinds of things, the more agency you’ll have over your own sense of contentment. 

Y’know, people like to suck all of the joy out of the word responsibility, and while yes, with great power comes great responsibility, with great responsibility also comes great power! So don’t try to take on the former without recognizing the latter! Don’t encumber yourself with responsibility and then neglect to exercise your right to act! You have the strength and passion within yourself to paint your world, so grab your favorite colors and splash the canvas with them! 

I have no doubt you’ll create a world you love to live in! I believe in you!

Sincerely,

Makoto

[mailkotonaegi]

Hello everybody,

Today I want to talk about good and bad sacrifices.

There are things in life that require us to sacrifice of ourselves; these can be goals, relationships, jobs, or what have you, and for the most part, these ends are honorable and justify the time and effort (i.e. good sacrifices) you sink into them, primarily because at the end of the day, the energy you expend attaining them returns to you in some profitable or meaningful way.

However, these ends cannot be met, and in some cases probably shouldn’t be met at all, if they require you to sacrifice your health and happiness. Meals shouldn’t be compromised; rearranged? Perhaps, but never left out. Sleep shouldn’t be compromised; scheduled differently? Probably, but never overlooked. Exercise shouldn’t be compromised; easier or faster? Maybe, but never ignored. Peace of mind shouldn’t be compromised; meditated upon? Yes, I would strongly suggest so, and never, for any reason, should it be sacrificed in whole, because forgoing self care hurts you in the long run, even if you manage to achieve what you sought out to accomplish or maintain in the first place. But honestly? Realistically? The less you take care of yourself, the less you’re able to take care of other things.

Here’s the bottom line; your struggle for goals, relationships, jobs, or what have you is meant to improve your life, and the point at which striving for these things begins doing more harm than good, is the point at which you need to stop making sacrifices for them, or at the very least re-prioritize what can and can’t be let go of. 

And please, never ever ever deny yourself basic needs as a form of punishment. It will not help you grow, it will not make you a better person, and it will not rectify whatever problem you’ve gotten yourself stuck in. The only way to heal is to allow yourself to heal, and the only way to become a better person is to act like one. Starving and exhausting yourself are completely contradictory to improvement, so don’t do them. Yes, it might be hard to curb a habit if you’ve already formed it, but nothing worth doing is easy, and in the end, the best sacrifice to make is letting go of those destructive habits.

So go out there and make the best sacrifices for yourself! I believe in you!

Sincerely,

Makoto

[mailkotonaegi]

Hello everyone,

If you would allow, I would like to take a moment of your time to discuss something near and dear to my heart. 

Depression is a very real, and very devastating struggle that many of us encounter at some point in our lives. Fighting this illness is like being at war with yourself; you go through periods of triumph and defeat, and occasionally it’s all you can do to remain in a gridlock with the enemy. Sometimes you gain ground, and sometimes... you lose it. 

I want to remind you today that relapses are, firstly, very common, and secondly, not a sign of failure of weakness. The fact that you’ve waged this war for so long, that you’ve made it to this point without backing down or throwing up the white flag, is a testament to the vast reserve of determination you have in your heart to keep on living, to keep on growing and experiencing and changing. 

So please, if you’re fighting a battle today, whether it’s your first or your fiftieth, whether it’s the toughest one to date or a minor scrimmage in the grand scheme of things, please, dig in your heels and retaliate. Not just for me, and not just for friends or family. Fight for you, because you are worth it! Of course there are those who love you and care for you and want you here with them because you are someone in their lives they will never be able to replace. And if that gives you strength, then by all means, cling to it! But if you can’t find the will to live for others, then it is okay to live for yourself! It’s not selfish to want to survive and be happy! 

Your depression is not who you are, and who you are is not defined by illness; rather, this illness is trying desperately to rob you of yourself. So fight! Because you are a worthy prize! Fight! Because your life is worth living! 

Remember, you are strong; losing a battle isn’t the same as losing the war! As long as you draw breath, as long as you’re walking on this earth, you’re winning, even if it’s a slow victory. 

Stay strong. I believe in you.

Sincerely,

Makoto

[mailkotonaegi]

Hello again everyone,

Today I want to touch on a topic that’s not always the easiest to deal with. 

Rejection: it’s an inevitability in life, be it from an employer, a school, a crush, or what have you. There will be times when someone says to you “no, I don’t want you,” or “no, you’re not good enough.” This is not a reflection of you or your worth, and it’s important to separate who you are from the opinions others form about you. This isn’t to say you should ignore opportunities for self-improvement, but ruminating on why a door was closed on you, spiraling into a black hole of self pity and overly-critical self evaluation, will serve to do nothing except cement you in place.

Instead, learn to take these rejections in stride. It’s okay to sit down and have your cry, but afterwards you must get up and dust yourself off. Yeah, maybe one opportunity is lost, and maybe this one person doesn’t think you’re a good fit, but understand that there are thousands more opportunities out there and billions more people to meet! The only thing standing between you and these potential connections is yourself! This means that your future is in your own hands! It’s a liberating mindset, to know that the world is yours to claim if only you would run to it! You have the power, and you have the talent, so draw upon whatever inner strength you can and go capture the world for yourself! I believe in you!

Sincerely,

~Makoto

[mailkotonaegi]

Good Morning!

It’s time to start the day, and if you’re anything like me, managing all of the tasks you need to accomplish can be a difficult endeavor. Heck, even summoning the momentum to finish just one item on your agenda can feel insurmountable, and that’s okay! Some days are just rough like that. When I find myself saddled with a busy schedule like this, especially on low energy days, I like to start out with a good breakfast (most important) and then jot down a quick list of the chores/homework/errands and etc. needing to get done in order of increasing difficulty. 

Start with the easiest of these tasks first, and then once you’re finished with it, you get the privilege of making a deliciously satisfying mark across that bullet point. Not only does it feel great to know you’ve put one of your obligations behind you, but it also grants you inertia to continue on with the next task. As the sun rises and falls, you’ll notice your list getting smaller and smaller, and you’ll start feeling freer and freer. There’s just something about a list; it dresses your efforts in something tangible and gratifying that would otherwise be constrained to the vague and ambiguous nature of your imagination. 

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t always the best at making lists. I’m extremely scatterbrained, and it took a while to train my mind to function this way, but it’s made life extremely less stressful and sectioned off my days into bite-sized pieces that are much more palatable than the whole turkey that was presented to me when I woke up. Kind of a silly analogy but, eh, you get the point. 

Some minor notes, if you can, open some curtains, play some instrumental music, and hey, if it’s accommodating enough, go sit outside! I find that environment plays a key role in productivity, and having a bright, clean, open space helps banish feelings of stress and anxiety that might inhibit your activity. Also, if you have problems focusing on one job for extended periods of time, switch to another job when there’s dead space in the first. Just turned on the washing machine? Okay time to write your paper or vacuum the living room. Ding! Laundry’s done? Okay, back to laundry it is! 

Trust me, it helps.

Ultimately, it’s okay to only accomplish one thing on your list. It’s much better than accomplishing nothing! And it still lessens the load no matter how you look at it. Failure isn’t failure forever, and there’s always tomorrow to finish what you didn’t get done today. Never lose sight of that! Have hope for the future! Because I believe in you and your ability to tackle any obstacle that comes your way!

Sincerely,

~Makoto

[mailkotonaegi]

Hello again everyone!

It’s my first real post on this blog, and I think Valentine’s Day is a pretty good day for a maiden voyage, wouldn’t you agree? Due to the nature of the holiday, I would like to take this time and encourage you to embrace the love in your life, whether it be for a partner, friend, family member, or even yourself! 

When asked what love is, many people are quick to imagine an overwhelming feeling, an imposing emotion so oceanic that you can’t help but be swept under, and while love does involve a certain level of passion, it’s less serendipitous than most would have you believe. 

Contrarily, love is something that you build alongside the person who enriches your life. It’s a testament to the bond forged between two souls, a beautiful temple crafted from kind words, thoughtful gifts, and time spent together. And much like a temple, love needs upkeep. For instance, on this wonderful holiday my friends and I find joy in sending each other cards with messages inside describing just how much their companionship means to us. Perhaps you’d like to join in and send letters of your own! Alternatively, a Valentine’s celebration for you may be lavishing a loved one with presents, sending a friendly text message, carving out time for a joint activity, or simply calling your special someone just to let them know you were thinking of them. 

The method of showing love is open to whatever creativity you bring to the table! And regardless of what you end up doing, no matter how big or how small, you’ll find happiness beginning to ripple from the inside out like a pebble skipped across a still pond. And whatever love you decide to send out into the world just know, it will return to you tenfold, because loving someone is one of the greatest happinesses of all.

What a wonderful gift! To inspire happiness and be inspired in kind. I hope you find yourself using your gift today friend.

Sincerely,

~Makoto

P.S. As my friends and I can attest, the best kind of self-love to practice is buying all the holiday candy for half-price on February 15th! Happy Valentine’s Day! :)

[mailkotonaegi]

Hello!

Hello everyone! Makoto Naegi here! It’s nice to meet you! Welcome to the little positivity blog that I’ve created. My goal for this space is to bring you daily musings, meditations, and encouraging words to nourish the happiness in your heart and help it grow. I was inspired to start my blog by these other wonderful people who share a similar vision:

@hajimailhinata @komailda @chiaki-nanamail @gundhamail @ishiyama-kiyopeko @mahiru-mail

I hate to ask, but is there anyway I could get a shout-out? It would be much appreciated! And also, thank you for all the time and love you put into making people’s lives a little better each day! 

Bye for now!

~Makoto