Are you guilty of falling into these "Pleasure Traps?"
The world has normalized many habits that are actually quite harmful. Read on to find out if you're making these mistakes too.
Hello dear reader
Welcome to another edition of Be Your Best Friend with Anangsha - the weekly newsletter that makes sure to never follow on a “trend” just because the rest of the world is doing the same.
This week, let’s talk about a few dangerous habits that millennials and Gen-Zs have normalized, but are actually quite harmful - or “Pleasure Traps,” as I like to call them.
1. “I hate Mondays.”
Do you? Or do you hate your job so much that you dread the start of the work-week right from Sunday afternoon?
Some reasons why so many people hate Mondays are:
A sign of job dissatisfaction.
The extra hours of sleep you caught up on during the weekend can disrupt the body clock by as much as 45 minutes, making you feel lethargic all day long on Monday.
A lack of work-life balance.
The problem is not Monday. The problem can be rooted in numerous layers of your life, and your hate for Monday could just be a symptom of a greater problem.
2. “Work’s pretty hectic. I slept only two hours last night.”
The world has convinced us that working hard all the time is healthy. And how easily people — especially millennials and Gen-Zs — are willing to believe it.
Research suggests that regardless of our reasons for working long hours, overwork doesn’t result in more output. It can lead to several mental health issues like impaired sleep, stress, depression, and anxiety.
If your ambition drives you to work all the time, define a maximum. An “I’ll try to earn as much money as I can” mindset might not be sustainable. Instead, have a specific goal, and once that’s achieved, you can take the rest of the time to yourself.
3. “I need some retail therapy right now.”
Retail therapy is the act of buying things you don’t necessarily need to relieve yourself of stress or sadness. This has become the norm among young people today, leading to a culture rooted in consumerism (a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts).
If you’re upset, try embracing your sadness. Understanding the core issue and working on it might be a better solution than distracting yourself by shopping.
So, what can we do?
The so-called role models you have might actually be setting the wrong kind of goals for you. If your world has led you to believe that hating Mondays, working too hard, and shopping to relieve stress are normal, maybe it’s time to take a step back and reassess your beliefs.
Falling into these Pleasure Traps once in a while is okay as long as you don’t let it become the norm.
Going overboard with a habit is never a good idea.
In the end, the trick is to seek balance in whatever you do.
With that in mind, read on for some cool stuff I created this week, a kickass book recommendation, and some closing words to make you smile.
Videos of the week
This week’s videos are centered around online writing and making money.
Video One: Vocal Media Can be a Good Medium Alternative Only If You Do THIS | Tips for New Writers on Vocal
What is Vocal.Media? How can beginner writers earn money by writing stories on Vocal? Is it really a good alternative to Medium.com?
All these questions are answered in this video.
If you're a writer from India, you can definitely join Vocal.Media. They use Stripe Standard account for payment. That is available in all the countries where Stripe is present in beta mode, including India.
Watch the video here:
Video Two: Medium doesn't pay Indian writers. Here's why you should still write on Medium.
No matter what shortcut you apply or what loophole you try to exploit, the Medium partner program doesn't let writers from India, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, or many other Asian, African, or South American countries earn money from their writing.
But if you are serious about being a writer, you should still continue writing on Medium.
Why?
It helps you build an online resume or a collection of articles for free.
Your work gets exposed to the 60 million users Medium has.
You can use your Medium profile as the launchpad for your freelance writing career.
Watch the video to know more about these in detail.
Aside from these, I also made two short videos. You can watch them here:
If You're Missing Your Ex, Here's Some Advice | #Shorts | Money vs Love(38 seconds)
The Best Advice Someone Has Ever Given Me (13 seconds)
Book recommendation of the week
You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero
Genre: Self-help/Non-fiction
This book changed my life.
But then again, what else can you expect from a book that has the words “How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” on the cover and the clear reminder “Love yourself” at the end of every chapter?
The author does a brilliant job of addressing all the fears a person might have and deconstructs them in a way that gives you this feeling of immense power. She reminds us that no matter how bad the situation is, love and belief in our self and our skills can help us overcome just about anything.
“You are loved. Massively. Ferociously. Unconditionally. The Universe is totally freaking out about how awesome you are. It’s got you wrapped in a warm gorilla hug of adoration. It wants to give you everything you desire. It wants you to be happy. It wants you to see what it sees in you.”
What this book taught me
This book taught me to stop making excuses and start making plans. It helped me realize that no matter how hard I convince myself, I’ll never be one hundred percent ready, but that doesn’t mean I can’t give my best in whatever I do.
Change can happen today if I will it. Change can begin with my mindset.
Stories I recently wrote
If your life is a movie, would you be the main character?
I spent many sleepless nights pondering this question.
So much, that I narrated all my thoughts into this piece written straight from the heart: 5 Traits You’ll Have If You Are The Main Character of Your Life
Aside from that, I started a series where I share grammar tips and lessons in writing English better, which would be especially helpful to non-native English speakers. Here are the articles I’ve published so far:
Also, check out my series called Grammar Tidbits with Anangsha. If you don’t want to miss the next one, make sure you follow me on Medium and keep an eye out for the latest stories on Freelancer’s Hub.
Before we conclude, I’d love to tell you that no matter where you are on your journey of self-acceptance, you’re loved.
Here’s a virtual hug for you.
Note that I create this newsletter for you every week with lots of love. If you’d like to support me, here’s a link you can use to buy me a book.
If you found this letter useful, don’t forget to forward this to a friend or ask them to sign up for my newsletter. It’s free, and you know me, I only send valuable content.
That’s all from my end today. I’ll see you again next week. Till then, stay strong. Keep smiling and be awesome.
With love,
Anangsha.