[NonIndigenous]

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

I posted this thread because 2015 has not been a very good year for many reasons, and that the time spent at home was *not* spent on anything productive or enjoyable.

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

Usually when little kids, at least, think of a break away from school, they look forward to having fun for a while (during Christmas break or summer break) before going back to the business of school and testing and homework. The "break" for me didn't feel like a break because the house I'm staying at is boring for the while (because of several family issues, and poverty due to a recently elected governor in my state that makes poor decisions, these are problems that started at the beginning of 2015).

I don't want to sound demeaning here... but don't compare yourself to "little kids". You're just harming yourself doing that. Adult life is different. Sometimes holiday routines are similar, especially for adults with kids who want to spend their holidays together... but it's not something to compare yourself to anymore. It's over... which doesn't mean that you can't enjoy your holidays. The theory behind truly enjoying a good holiday, is to get working for the rest of the time when you're not on holiday. That way, you can appreciate holidays. Otherwise, holidays seem like any other time of the year, nothing special at all.

The other thing... about your problems at home. Although my family rarely had money problems, our relationships were worse than shit a lot of the time. Home didn't feel like a "home". I learned to block it out eventually, but it took years for me to grow the thick skin I needed to do that. To this day, I am more likely to sit down with my laptop in the mall, or at McDonalds and do my work, than go back home at the end of the day, even if I'm living alone. It's just become a habit.

You need to learn how to confine all that "background noise" of a chaotic family home, to the back of your mind. Don't let it run your life. Pick something to focus on, and do it. Buy yourself a good pair of noise-isolating headphones, put some music on, and do your thing.

Last thing: don't blame it on your governor. Avoid blaming things on other people. The only way you can change your own life, is if you take responsibility for it... not blaming it on the governor. It's a bad habit. You blame the governor. Other people blame their parents. Other people blame their kids, or partners. And some blame black people, some blame immigrants, some blame white people. It's all bullshit. Don't do it. I think this is probably the most important advice I've got. Don't blame others. Doing so... you voluntarily give up any control you have by taking the attitude "I can't do anything about it, because it's other people's fault". It's defeatist. Fuck those "other people". Don't even think about them. They're a distraction.


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