My Not-to-Do List

Thought I’d write a quick Not-to-Do list inspired by Tim Ferriss after reading his book ‘The 4-Hour Work Week’. So my not to dos are…

…check Facebook more than once a month.

I remember when I first discovered the wonders of e-stalking, I was on facebook religiously! FB consumed my time and almost made me flop my exams! I began being so caught up in knowing what other people were up to and doing with their life, what a loser I was lol. I’d take a heap load of pictures at events/social meet ups to the point where I was no longer at the event to really connect with the people but rather to just say I was there and post up the pictures that very evening I got home. Don’t get me wrong, despite having a strong urge to infinitely de-activate my FB account, I still appreciate the main aspect of FB which is to stay in touch with people both new and old, who you wouldn’t necessarily call up or meet up with. It’s always nice to get that friend request or inbox message from a back, back, back in the day friend you thought you’d never see or hear from again or finding out that the new ‘friend’ you made has the most unlikely candidates as mutual friends. Plus, it’s great for promo – though I’d prefer NOT to be at the receiving end of all the nuisance club promos! So yeah, my e-stalking days are long gone, I decided to get a life!

…get pre-birthday age depression.

It was my 24th birthday on the 25th of Jan. I'm mostly inspired by people notably older than me, so at the age of 24, the word ‘old’ is the complete opposite of how I’d label myself. Despite feeling (and luckily for me, looking) as young as ever, it didn’t stop the numerous people who tried to inflict age depression onto me! I soon realised that the age depressed folks were the ones who put an age to every life plan e.g. ‘be engaged by the age of 25, then married a year later, then have first kid by the age of 28 but before I even get married, I have to be in a relationship for at least two years first!’ Putting age to plans virtually out of your sole control like getting married and having kids can be so disheartening when you still haven’t even found a long term relationship when your ‘age plan’ suggests that you should be approaching you’re one year wedding anniversary by now. I don’t do the whole age thing any more, because having age targets on ideal situations out of your control makes us forget that contrary to the conventional wisdom that ‘life is short’, life is actually the longest thing we know! New age should not be met with pessimism, instead, be grateful you lived to see another year; with the number of young people I hear are dying these days, each year added to my life is an absolute blessing.

…limit social life to the weekend.

It’s sad when a 9-5 job becomes your life…well unless you skip to work everyday because your doing something you absolutely love. However, for most people caught in the Rat Race, they hate having to work for money yet their 9-5 job has consumed them. I am starting to break the habit of telling myself that I’m too tired after work to do social things, as an attempt to save myself from being one of many 9-5ers who live only for the weekends. I refuse to dedicate 5 out of 7 days of my life working hard for someone else rather than working hard on me.

…idolise people.

The arrival of Onika Maraj in London a few months back caused total chaos; it was pure Minaj Mayhem! Hands up, I love me some Nicki Minaj BUT only to the extent of being able to recite her lyrics! So hearing that girls were crying hysterically and even fainting…jeeze get a grip girls!

Back in my early teenage years, when I used to read Word Up! Magazines, B2K were the ish! I remember when B2K came down to London, me and my school friends found ourselves outside TV studios, radio studios, shopping hotspots, likely hotels and stopping every limousine we saw just in case it was them inside. We went crazy over four guys who bleed blue just like me & you; I look at them now and think, ‘Really J-Boog?! In high school you were the man homie, what happened to you!’ So though I totally understood the hype, for it brought back memories of the days I was B2K & Usher obsessed, it still disturbs me at how celebrity obsessed we are as a people. Reality is, all these celebrities are all human beings just like me and you. I think it’s important to be inspired by others to become better in ourselves but let’s not forget how to distinguish the difference between having life inspiring role models/heroes and human ‘idols’. Idolise no man.

…underestimate myself and overestimate others. Say no more.