If you are anything like perfectionist me, you can sometimes have a hard time being spontaneous. My goal in 2020 is to inject a little bit of chaos into my life. It’s all about balance, right? As much as I need organization and planning, I also need a bit of meaninglessness and spontaneity.
Doing things a little differently and getting out of my comfort zone will help me grow in all directions. I think your phone can be an excellent tool for changing things up in your life. There is an endless amount of new information on it, and exposing yourself to some of that permits discovery. Listening to a new podcast or genre of music can be refreshing, as can following new accounts on Instagram or Twitter.
Other ways of adding a little bit of chaos to your life come in larger packages. For example, if you have room, take a class for the hell of it. Maybe you can find a class that fulfills a gen ed, or just take a class that doesn’t fulfill any requirements at all for the sake of pure, personal interest. Exposing yourself to the different academic worlds may lend you some joy and expand your own academic bubble.
It is a little ironic to give tips and tricks to add a little bit of chaos to your 2020, so, if chaos is something you’d like, try these or don’t. It’s that type of devil-may-care attitude that, I think, can forge a path that’ll lead you on a chaotic journey.
Whatever it is you want out of your 2020, don’t let the ‘resolution’ stigma discourage you. Resolutions are just guidelines to get you thinking about goals outside of the immediate academic, professional or social blinders with which we all operate. Think of something that would lighten your load a little or of something that would give you joy. Taking a ride through the more chaotic world as a chronic perfectionist may lend me some relief and a smile or two. It’s that simple. Don’t make it complicated.