Tag: mindfulness

Having ‘Main Character Energy’ in 2025 and Beyond

“As we enter the new year of 2025, this mindset offers a guide to prioritizing experiences and hobbies that bring both joy and excitement as we aim to lead more fulfilling lives.”

In this age of social media and the constant pressure to prioritize self-expression, the concept of having “main character energy” has recently captured the imagination of popular culture. This recent internet-born slang expression reflects the central idea of viewing your life as a narrative where you’re the protagonist, who is taking charge of your story, and embracing a sense of adventure, purpose, and individuality in what you choose to do in your free time. As we enter the new year of 2025, this mindset offers a guide to prioritizing experiences and hobbies that bring both joy and excitement as we aim to lead more fulfilling lives.

What exactly does it mean to have “main character energy”? At its core, “main character energy” is about seeing yourself as the center of your life, with complete control over what you do, where you go, and who you spend your time with. At its essence, it’s about celebrating authenticity, confidence, and self-awareness. Popular culture has fueled this idea, emphasizing the need to live boldly and create new memories through having unique experiences, both individually and with others in your life.

The concept also ties into the broader cultural shift toward mindfulness and self-care. Being the “main character” doesn’t mean being self-absorbed or ignoring others. Rather, it’s about finding as much meaning as possible in your daily life and curating experiences that reflect your passions and interests. It’s also about stepping out of your comfort zone to challenge yourself with new activities and experiences. Instead of falling into an endless and mundane routine throughout the year, having “main character energy” means starting a new hobby, embarking on a trip to a new place, or learning a skill you’ve been curious about.

Living with “main character energy” is less about the aesthetics of a lifestyle and more about harnessing your mindset and actions. It’s about taking ownership of your narrative and injecting it with moments that make life feel both cinematic and memorable. Here’s how you can channel this energy in 2025:

First, prioritize your experiences over material things. In 2025, we should focus more on trading material possessions for memorable experiences. Whether it’s traveling to a new city or country, trying a new restaurant down the street, taking a salsa dance class, or learning a new language, stepping out of your comfort zone can create unforgettable memories and help you grow as a person.

Additionally, rediscover those hobbies that ignite your creativity or start new ones. Painting, writing, coding, gardening, hiking, or even starting a book club can make your life feel more vibrant and less routine. When you invest in your passions, your life gains greater depth, and you become more connected to your overall story.

Main character moments aren’t reserved for those grand adventures that may occur just once a year or a few times each year. They’re also about making the most of the mundane in our daily lives. Romantic or memorable moments can exist in small, everyday joys, no matter how routine they seem. Sipping coffee in the morning, walking through a park, listening to the birds chirping, or watching a sunset can feel magical when you slow down and savor the moment instead of rushing to the next task.

If you’re a fan of cinema or books, you’ll notice protagonists in movies and novels take leaps of faith and so should you. Apply for that dream job, take a sabbatical to travel the world, confess your feelings to someone you love, or start a side hustle or passion project and see it grow. Bold moves in your life create turning points in your personal story.

Engaging in “main character” activities in your life means intentionally seeking out joy, adventure, and self-expression instead of waiting for them to find you, which rarely happens. It’s about taking a solo trip and feeling the thrill of independence, creating a music playlist that feels like the soundtrack to your life, or hosting a themed dinner party with friends who share your interests and passions. These moments don’t just fill your time or break up your routine; they also enrich your narrative.

In 2025 and beyond, prioritizing “main character energy” means embracing life with a renewed sense of wonder and enthusiasm. It’s about creating the biggest story worth telling: the one of a life, filled with curiosity, courage, and connection. When you step into the role of the main character, you’re not just living life like everyone else is. You are choosing instead to make it truly your own with your own interests, passions, and joys at the forefront, thriving as a result and making the most of the limited time we have on this planet. The best part of embracing the “main character” energy in your own life? The pen is always in your hands to write your own story as you see fit.

Control What You Can Control

“Instead of trying to change things that we cannot control, it is best to focus solely on things that we can control and hope that we can make a positive impact on the people around us and the wider world through this kind of ‘ripple effect.’”

There is only so much that we have control over in our lives. We are constantly being influenced and affected by factors outside of our control for which we may not even have any awareness of. There are events that take place each day of our lives that can change our trajectory without us even knowing. We try to make sense of the lack of control we have but it does no good to constantly be wishing things were different if you were to have control where none exists. Instead of trying to change things that we cannot control, it is best to focus solely on things that we can control and hope that we can make a positive impact on the people around us and the wider world through this kind of ‘ripple effect.’

Life is unpredictable each day, filled with uncertainties and unknowns that can provoke anxiety, frustration, and stress within us. From work pressures to global events, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by circumstances that appear beyond our control or influence. In this chaotic and ever-changing world, I believe it’s important to adopt the mindset of “control what you can control” to foster both resilience and personal fulfillment. By focusing on what is within our reach, we gain clarity on what is most important, reduce stress, and strengthen both our mental and physical health, preparing us to navigate the complexities of life.

It’s natural to feel compelled to try to control everything or as much as we can in life, especially in a world that rewards constant achievement and control over one’s surroundings. However, trying to control things that lie outside our influence can lead to a never-ending cycle of frustration and disappointment. Conversely, focusing on what we can control allows us to feel grounded and empowered, fostering inner peace despite external turbulences.

By narrowing our focus on what we have control over, we can manage our energies better and put it toward actions that genuinely make a difference in our lives and for those around us. Concentrating on our own responses, attitudes, and habits lets us sidestep the paralyzing effect of factors beyond our control. This approach is about freeing us from wasting energy on things that simply cannot be changed. Adopting this mindset is not about giving up or avoiding the ills around us but about creating a more productive and healthy approach to life’s challenges.

It’s a fair question to ask at this point in what do we have control over? It is more than you would think based on this list below of what we can control in our life.

  1. Our Attitudes and Perspectives

How we perceive situations has a profound effect on how we experience them. While we may not control the events, we do have control over how we interpret and react to them. Developing a positive or growth-oriented mindset allows us to find lessons, strength, or motivation even in difficult situations. When we focus on what can be gained or learned from the events, setbacks become opportunities for growth rather than new sources of despair.

  1. Our Reactions and Behaviors

Our reactions are among the most tangible aspects we can control in life. Although emotions often arise involuntarily without much forethought, we can practice responding to situations in ways that align with our values. Choosing how to react, rather than allowing automatic responses to take over, is a skill that can be developed with focusing on mindfulness. This life skill enables us to handle our challenges more constructively, turning potential stressors into manageable experiences.

  1. Our Habits and Choices

The habits and routines we cultivate each day play a significant role in our quality of life. We control what we eat, what we drink, how much sleep we get, and how we manage our free time. Positive routines, such as regular exercise, limiting social media content, focusing on healthy eating, and setting aside time for relaxation, create a foundation for resilience and better health. When we invest in these areas of life, we build a stronger buffer against the impact of unexpected difficulties and changes.

  1. Our Goals and Efforts

While outcomes that happen to us or that which affect us are not always within our control, our efforts are in our control. Setting personal goals and consistently working toward them provides us with a sense of purpose and direction. Focusing on the quality of our work, rather than obsessing over the potential results, ensures that our self-worth remains stable regardless of external factors. This effort-oriented mindset helps us feel accomplished and satisfied even in unpredictable and changing environments.

Understanding what lies beyond our control is essential in practicing acceptance and letting go of what is beyond our grasp. These examples include:

  1. Other People’s Actions, Behaviors, and Opinions

Attempting to control how others think, feel, behave, or act is an exhausting and fruitless endeavor. People are influenced by their own experiences, beliefs, and emotions, which we cannot change. Rather than trying to shape others’ opinions or actions, focusing on tolerance, self-respect, and authenticity allows us to establish genuine connections without feeling responsible for people’s behaviors.

  1. External Circumstances and Events

Natural events, market trends, or political shifts are all examples of uncontrollable circumstances that happen to all of us. While we can adapt to these realities and prepare for them to some extent, we cannot dictate or know when they will occur or what the outcome(s) will be. Learning to accept and know that the world will continue to evolve with or without our influence is liberating; it relieves the pressure of feeling responsible for the many forces beyond our own reach.

  1. What Happened In The Past and What Will Happen In The Future

The past is unchangeable as we cannot go back to change anything about it and the future remains uncertain at best. While reflecting on our past experiences can provide insight and comfort to us; dwelling on past mistakes or obsessing over potential future scenarios drains our energy that could be used in the present to improve our daily lives. Embracing the present moment enables us to shape our future without being paralyzed by what it may be or what you think it could be.

When we focus on controlling what is within our reach, we naturally turn inward to cultivate resilience especially when times are tough. Investing in our mental and physical health creates a solid foundation that allows us to weather the storms of life, even those we cannot control at all.

Practicing mindfulness and self-care helps us stay present and reduces anxiety about both the present and future. Activities such as meditation, journaling, painting, or simply spending time in nature help to cultivate a calmer mind. Regular acts of self-care, such as setting boundaries, prioritizing rest, and engaging in hobbies helps nurture a strong mental state. When our minds are balanced, we’re better equipped to face challenges with a clear, calm perspective.

Physical health also supports mental resilience, making daily exercise, balanced nutrition, and sufficient rest, vital components of handling stress and anxiety. Physical exercise releases endorphins, boosts our mood, and reduces out stress. When our bodies are well-nourished and strong from exertion, we can face life’s uncertainties and changes with more stamina and energy.

We can always control who we spend time within our personal lives. Building meaningful connections with others we care about creates a network of support, which is especially important when facing various challenges. We cannot control how others act, but we can control the energy we put into cultivating positive relationships. Trusted friends, family, or networking groups offer encouragement, perspective, and comfort during tough times.

Developing a growth mindset will serve you well throughout life especially in being able to exert more control in areas of professional and personal development. It is key to have an openness to learning from every situation, which helps us adapt and thrive both in the workplace and at home. Life rarely goes exactly as planned, but those who can adapt to those changes we cannot control maintain resilience and will be better off as a result. Investing time in learning new skills, embracing change as much as possible, and nurturing a lifelong curiosity and inquisitiveness empowers each of us to see life’s challenges as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Adopting this philosophy of “control what you can control” is not easy to do but it does empower us to live more peaceful, healthy, and balanced lives. By focusing on what we truly have influence or control over such as our attitudes, learning, reactions, habits, and health builds resilience and clarity. Accepting that certain aspects of life are beyond our control frees us from futile worry and frustration as a result. In this way, we prepare ourselves to not only withstand life’s uncertainties but to thrive amid them, cultivating inner strength and well-being. In the end, it is not about being able to control life itself; rather it is about becoming the best stewards of ourselves as we navigate the beautiful, unpredictable, and uncertain journey that is life itself.

Finding Your Personal Sanctuary in Modern Life

“With how hectic and chaotic modern life can be, it’s more important now than ever to find your own sanctuary where you can be at peace.”

With how hectic and chaotic modern life can be, it’s more important now than ever to find your own sanctuary where you can be at peace. It’s a place that you only know ideally but if not, it is a quiet place where you can be at ease. We all deal with a lot of stressors each day and it is key to find your own sanctuary where you can be yourself, be by yourself, and enjoy being at peace. It is increasingly hard to do these days when there are so many distractions, commitments, or other things to take care of in our day-to-day lives.

Still though, for one’s own mental health, it is more important now than ever to find your own place, secluded in nature or just somewhere you can call your own, public or private, where you can be free to relax and enjoy some peace. Each person’s sanctuary will look differently from another person’s, but it must be a place where you can rest easy, relax fully, and away from work, chores, or other commitments. You should be focused on this place being good for not only your mind and your body but your soul. It is a place that you can choose to be by yourself but also that you can let other people enjoy as well should you choose to.

When I think of these places of sanctuary, it can vary in terms of setting and background. I have always loved being near the sea or the ocean. It calms me down, lets me focus, or just lets me relax and be at ease. I can leave my earthly troubles for a while and just focus on the birds, the sound of the waves, and the sand beneath my feet. I can also think more clearly when I’m just looking at the water crashing down on the beach or to be watching a seal, dolphin, or birds in the distance. There’s something relaxing about a natural setting like the ocean that may not take my problems away but where I can take a break from them instead and realize also how insignificant and temporary they are. I also love to go in the ocean, to walk on the sand, or to play a sport there a bit like volleyball or some football.

If it’s not the ocean, I have discussed the beauty of a walk in the woods or a hiking trek through the mountains to ease one’s stress and provide some clarity through life’s stressors. If you have a park or a mountain, or even just some nature nearby, a place of sanctuary can be found there as well in nature. Being able to camp or to hike or just to walk in nature, preferably by yourself in a deserted area for a while can do a lot of good for mind, body, and soul.

A sanctuary is one that you decide for yourself, and it can range from a mountain pass, a walk through the flat woods, a serene beach by an ocean or the sea, or a local park at sunset where you’re the only one there. You can let people into your own sanctuary, or you can keep it private as it should be up to you. I do believe that we all need our own sanctuary away from people now and then.

It does not mean I am recommending being a social recluse, but we do need a place where we can rest, relax, and recharge to face our challenges again, whatever they may be. We need that alone time to ourselves in a public or private setting where we can truly think freely, feel different emotions, and let us get in touch with nature.

Now, if you have not decided on what your sanctuary is yet, do not be discouraged. You have time to figure out a place in the world where you like to go and is quiet for you to be free in. There are a lot of places to choose from but the key thing to keep in mind is that it is quiet, solitary, and where you can do some reflection. If you cannot find your sanctuary to call your own, it’s important to find a private room, a private garden, or just a private setting in general, where you can be by yourself for a while to give yourself time to relax and reflect amid your days of hustle and bustle.

Your own sanctuary is what you make of it. You must decide how it looks, where it is, and how often you go there. The main thing to take away from having a sanctuary is that wherever or whatever it is, you can call it your own and it is quiet enough where it provides some solitude and peace. Others can join you there, but they don’t have to if you don’t want them to. Make sure your sanctuary is never disturbed and that is always welcoming regardless of whatever may be going on in your life, both good and bad. A sanctuary is where we find true peace in this world, and I hope you’ll find your own one day.

Mind Your Surroundings

In an era of nearly unlimited distractions, the best way to make yourself stand out is to mind your surroundings. Ironically, this should not be that hard to do yet so many people struggle today with keeping their eyes and ears clear of distractions. One of the main reasons for this phenomenon is the fact that technology has rendered us with the ability to avert the need to use our eyes actively in sizing up our environment by focusing instead on flashy advertisements, fluorescent smartphones, and glittering video board. Our eyes are being constantly assaulted by so many visual cues from inanimate objects that we have an increasing amount of trouble focusing on what’s real and what’s in front of us. Not only are our eyes being affected by this distracted kind of living but our ears as well. If you want to see the extent of this, go to any street corner, subway / bus stop, or any public park, instead of listening to nature with the sound of birds chirping and leaves falling, we instead close ourselves off from the natural world with our earphones, headphones, and even earplugs.

Now I’m as guilty as listening to loud music through my earphones and also focusing on my smartphone or a cheesy advertisement as much as the next person, however, I try to be as self-aware as possible in limiting the amount of time I devote my eyesight to screens and my hearing to artificial sounds. What I worry about and what I would encourage you, dear reader, to do is to know the time(s) and the place(s) to put the distractions away for good and to focus on the world around you. You may not think it is important now until something unfortunate or unseemly happens to you because you were not in touch with the immediate environment. Anything can happen in a split second and if you are not prepared for that to occur, especially in public, you may end up regretting your decision to look at your phone or to listen to music when you should have put the ear-pods away. ‘Mind your surroundings’ is a simple wish I have for everyone especially when you are not at home or in a private domicile. When you are in an unfamiliar environment, you have to be much more aware of your surroundings than you would otherwise because it could even mean the difference between life and death.

Unfortunately, it’s become well documented especially in recent years with the rise of mobile technology how a few folks have met an early end to their lives because they simply were not paying enough attention to their environment. These terrible accidents and freak of nature incidents could be avoided if people put down their phones, their headphones, and their smart watches to listen and look carefully at where they were going. Unless you have an important call, are lost in an unfamiliar area, or have to look at you watch for the time, it can wait. Minding your surroundings is especially true in public places. You need to be watching out for where you are going, or it could cost you. This is especially true when you are not familiar with the local environment or may not speak the language if you are traveling to a new country. Being able to hear the sound of cars / buses going by, of what pedestrians are doing or saying, and to orient yourself to find out which neighborhood or part of town you’re in, this is absolutely critical to do, and you do not need modern technology in order to do this.

While it’s definitely true that most people have good intentions, this is not always the case. Do not let yourself become an easy target especially when it would only take a few precautionary steps to keep yourself aware of your environment. Multiple people have died from texting while driving, looking at their smartphone as they crossed a busy intersection, or have fallen off a cliff from a ‘selfie’ gone wrong. While we live in an era of technological abundance, let us not also live in a time that is bereft of common sense. You owe it not only to yourself but to your friends and your family to make wise decisions in terms of managing your interactions with the immediate environment. The steps you can take are quite simple, but they take serious discipline which may not be easy.

A few tips that I personally think would make a big difference involve some measure of personal responsibility but are really not that strenuous in terms of total effort. Sitting yourself in a restaurant facing the entrance and exit of a restaurant is key if something unfortunate were to happen or if you would like to have a good idea of what’s going on throughout the place, especially if you’re seated further into the room than right by the entrance. I find this tip to be really underrated when you are with close friends or family members who you want to look out for when they are sitting across from you and facing away from the entrance and/or exit.

Another tip of mine is to put your phone on airplane mode or simply turn it off when you are on the go. If you are walking for a little while, driving in a car (all the time!), or are involved in an activity, which requires serious concentration, you should not tempt yourself to be on your phone, smartwatch, etc. because it may lead to deadly consequences if you are not careful. A public service campaign that I fully support is titled, “It can wait”, which shows how 99% of texts or phone calls can wait a half an hour or even more when you’re busy doing other actions such as driving. Having the discipline to use a hands-free method or to contact the person(s) before you operate a vehicle or other machinery is common sense and saves lives.

Above all, the advice of ‘mind your surroundings’ is also appropriate in terms of being able to assess your environment quickly and accurately. You cannot do this if you are listening to music, texting, or have your eyes peeled to the ground. Maintain your awareness, be vigilant, and be sure to maintain eye contact that is dead ahead. You may not think that these tips are important now, but you do not want to regret being distracted if it comes to backfiring on you in the future. Whether you are at a movie theater, the beach, in your car, hiking a mountain, kayaking in the lake, you need to be able to be aware of who and what is around you at all times. If you’re lying in bed or relaxing on the couch, then I would say it’s not bad to let your guard down. However, in public, especially when you’re traveling to a new area, city, country, etc., you need to put the distractions away, mind your surroundings, and pay careful attention to what is going on around you. Unfortunately, this needs to be said in today’s world where every minute, our senses are absorbed all of the time especially in urban environments.

Nobody’s perfect but you really have to adapt yourself to the various locales that you put yourself into. A seasoned traveler, explorer, or observer can tell you that being aware and mindful is a key trait to have that will keep you moving forward. Please do your best to follow some of the tips I have laid out and some of the cautions that I have listed. Keep the texting, calling, and Tweeting to a minimum when you’re on the go and you should be fine. Always mind your surroundings to the best of your ability.