Merge branch 'my-wilting-mind' into 'main'

merging post My Wilting Mind

See merge request ahmza/blog!14

content/posts/my-wilting-mind/index.md

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+---
+title: My Wilting Mind
+date: 2024-06-03T15:48:31+01:00
+author: "ahmza"
+draft: false
+weight: 
+
+
+tags: ["lifestyle", "mental health"]
+description: "What happens when you stop challenging your mind ?"
+canonicalURL: "https://blog.ahmza.com/Page%28/posts/my-wilting-brain%29"
+
+cover:
+    image: "webp/posts/my-wilting-brain/feature-anim.webp" # image path/url
+    alt: "Wilting Brain" # alt text
+    caption: "<text>" # display caption under cover
+    relative: false # when using page bundles set this to true
+---
+
+## **Introduction**
+
+What happens when we stop challenging our minds? While some people might enjoy
+the tranquility boredom, I strive to strike a balance. I appreciate quiet time
+to think and process my thoughts, but I also need challenges to exercise my
+brain. Without these challenges I notice a decline in my cognitive abilities,
+affecting my problem-solving skills, memory and attention span. I become less
+creative and less inclined to develop new ideas. My desire for new knowledge
+wanes, and I start to feel too comfortable with what I already know. This
+stagnation also impacts my self-perception, leading to a negative view of
+myself and struggles with my identity.
+
+## **The Problem**
+
+In April, I started a new job after being let go from Twitch. I was eager to
+face new challenges in a different industry—broadcasting—where I could expand
+my skill set and apply my existing knowledge. However, once I began, I felt a
+sense of emptiness. During training, I realized the job description was
+inaccurate, and there was limited room for technical growth. I went from
+managing 50,000 bare metal servers and 4,000 network devices worldwide,
+ensuring the network and services ran reliably, to opening tickets and sending
+emails while other teams fixed the issues. The contrast was stark and
+disheartening.
+
+## **Initial Feelings**
+
+A flood of emotions ensued. For context, I had just returned from South Korea,
+spent a day at home with my family, and then moved to an Airbnb in London to
+start my new job. I needed to find a permanent place to stay, all within two
+weeks. The rapid changes left me struggling to understand my feelings, like
+being lost in a river with strong currents, unable to find direction. Realizing
+I had no control over these changes added to my torment.
+
+## **Balancing Emotions**
+
+Balancing emotions is a skill that takes time and effort to learn. In our busy
+lives, learning to manage—not control—our feelings often falls to second
+priority. We have "more important" things to focus on, such as work, family, and
+relationships. However, our emotions play a significant role in everything we do.
+
+### Self Awareness
+Recognising our emotions and being aware of how we feel helps us to make
+conscious choices about how we respond.
+
+### Dual-Processing
+Humans use two processing systems:
+- **System 1 (Emotional)**: Fast, automatic and unconscious processing of emotional cues
+    - Intuition
+    - Emotional Response to stimuli
+    - Habitual behaviour
+- **System 2 (Rational)**: Slow, controlled and conscious processing of logical information
+    - Deliberate
+    - Logical
+    - Critical Thinking
+
+Leveraging both systems simultaneously reduces cognitive bias, with each system
+feeding into the other.
+
+### Emotional Regulation
+Once we acknowledge and accept our emotions we can begin to regulate how we
+feel. We can then refocus our perspective to find a more balanced response
+
+> **Note:**
+>
+> Reactions and Responses are different:
+> - Reaction: System 1, Emotional, Impulsive
+> - Response: System 2, Logical, Thought out
+
+### Coping Mechanisms
+We can combat overwhelming negative emotions using coping mechanisms such as
+mindfulness or humor. These help us find a sense of equilibrium.
+
+## **Pushing Through**
+
+Talking to people about my situation helped me process and better understand my
+feelings as well as get another opinion. I Identified the parts of my life I
+have control over and put a plan in place to make changes. In my case, taking
+control meant applying for new jobs and keeping myself busy outside of work.
+This practice gave me hope and the push I needed to keep going.
+
+## Continuous Learning
+
+Lifelong learning is crucial for maintaining mental agility and personal
+satisfaction. There are numerous ways to continue learning, some example that I
+do: online courses, reading books, and engaging in new hobbies. This commitment
+to continuous learning helps keep the mind sharp and opens up new opportunities.
+
+## The Connection Between Mental and Physical Health
+
+Maintaining mental health is deeply connected to physical health. Regular
+physical exercise can greatly improve cognitive function and emotional
+well-being. For bonus points adopt healthy diet and adequate sleep. note to
+self: work harder on this part :|
+
+## Building Resilience
+
+Building resilience is essential for coping with setbacks and challenges.
+Developing resilience skills and adopting a growth mindset can help view
+challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. This perspective
+is vital for personal and professional development. There are many aspects that
+make up resiliency, I have listed some of them that are important to me.
+
+### Build Strong Relationships
+- Seek Support: Maintain strong connections with family and friends.
+- Engage in Community: Participate in community activities or join support groups to build a network of support.
+### Improve Emotional intelligence
+- Self-Awareness: Recognize and understand your emotions.
+- Emotional Regulation: Learn techniques to manage and respond to emotions effectively.
+### Set Realistic Goals
+- Small Steps: Break larger goals into smaller, manageable steps.
+- Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small.
+### Develop Problem-Solving Skills
+- Analytical Thinking: Approach problems methodically, considering various solutions and their potential outcomes.
+- Adaptability: Be flexible and open to changing your approach if necessary.
+### Self-Confidence
+- Self-Efficacy: Believe in your ability to overcome challenges and succeed.
+- Past Successes: Reflect on past successes and how you overcame obstacles.
+### Develop a Sense of Purpose
+- Meaningful Activities: Engage in activities that align with your values and give your life meaning.
+- Volunteer Work: Participate in volunteer work to help others and build a sense of community and purpose.
+
+## Social Connections and Support Systems
+
+Strong social connections and a reliable support system are critical for
+getting through difficult times. Engaging in a community or groups can help
+build new relationships and provide necessary support as well as give you a
+sense of belonging.
+
+## Setting and Achieving Goals
+
+Setting personal and career goals is important for maintaining motivation
+and direction. Creating actionable plans to achieve these goals and making sure
+to celebrate small wins along the way. This will keep the momentum going and 
+provide a sense of accomplishment.
+
+## Mindfulness and Self-Reflection
+
+Incorporating mindfulness practices can help manage stress and enhance
+self-awareness. Regular self-reflection is crucial for assessing personal
+growth, understanding emotions better, and making informed decisions about
+future actions. Some practices that I use are:
+- Journaling
+- Exercise
+- Writing blog posts here and there
+- Sitting alone, just me and my thoughts
+
+## Professional Development
+
+Continuously working to improve your professional skills is important, even if
+the current job does not provide the necessary challenges. Networking within and
+outside the industry can help explore new opportunities and stay updated with
+industry trends. As well as this try to find chellenge, find areas that you lack
+experience or would like to improve on. For me this happened to be confidence
+in hosting large meatings and taking charge. Although I was not challenging my
+mind with technical problems I was still challenging myself to improve.
+
+Sometimes it's all about perspective.
+
+## Finding Purpose and Meaning
+
+Finding purpose and meaning in life give us motivation and satisfaction.
+Taking part in activities that contribute to the greater good, such as
+volunteering, can provide fulfillment and a sense of purpose.
+
+One community I found to be very beneficial for me was joining the local hackspace.
+The hackspace is new and still spinning up as I write this post. I was there,
+I helped put parts of the space together, I left my mark on the space with work
+I could be proud of. Volunteering gave me the feeling of contributing to
+something bigger than myself. A space that people will use for-hopefully-years
+I was able to help build. That is something I can be proud of.
+
+## **Conclusion**
+
+Life's challenges can be daunting, but they also offer opportunities for growth.
+By balancing our emotions and taking advantage of both emotional and rational
+thinking, we can navigate these challenges more effectively. Recognizing and
+regulating our emotions, while also employing coping mechanisms, can help us
+maintain a sense of balance and well-being. As I continue to seek new
+opportunities and keep myself engaged, I remind myself of the importance of
+challenging my mind and staying proactive in managing my life.
+
+We are the captains of our ship and where we sail is our story. Take control
+and become a little bit better everyday. Society asks a lot of us but we need to
+take a step back sometimes and simply admire everything we have achieved and how
+far we have left to go. I am 22 (as of writing this post) and I have a lifetime
+ahead of me, this part of my life is simply the pebble thrown into the lake, I
+am excited to see what the ripples look like.