Dear greenshade,

Most of us get bogged down by negativity – work pressure, home pressure, commute pressure, difficulty in finding trust worthy people, intrinsic lack of motivation. So hence the cynicism and weariness to suck it up.

Or as the others called it – being the grumpy grown up.

So in order to be the “un-grumpy” grown-up, my advice is three-fold:-

1) Pursue something fun on the side that you enjoyed as a younger person. Maybe your secret love is music, writing, bike rides, photography etc without performance pressure. Have some variety in experience for the time you don’t have your work-place around you.

2) Regarding movies, songs, speeches – I can suggest the following :

A) speeches – listen to the Rocky Balboa speech which he gives to his son.

B) Movies like October Sky, Shawshank Redemption, The Motorcycle diaries, Bhag Milkha Bhag (Indian movie), The Great Debators, The Lady, Peaceful Warrior, Limitless, this movie about a guy who can travel in time (not the time travellers wife, another movie) etc inspire me often.

3) Most importantly, understand what drives you.

Do you settle into routine and just get stuck in a mundane life going through the motions? We only get one life and the days pass by so quickly. That’s why being brow beaten about life is a waste – everyone will die eventually, why be “kinda dying from within” already? Even if every day is the same, it can be beautiful by altering ones perception of whatever we have in our life.

I hope this helps a bit.

Regards,
Nina