Keep the car running.

I've now told you everything about me. In order to keep the blog going I realised I needed a new subject. There were many options, from birdwatching (until I realised I have no knowledge of or interest in birds, of the feathered variety at least, and I'm visually impaired, so not much of a watcher) to train spotting (until I realised I have no knowledge of or interest in trains and I'm visually impaired, so not much of a spotter).

I've settled on becoming an unlicensed, unqualified and probably unhelpful psychologist. Give life advice, ask you to think about yourselves, that sort of thing. Be mindful, life advice from an unemployed 24-year-old with no wife or kids and living at home with his parents doesn't come around very often. So firstly, you're welcome and secondly, ignore most of it.

I've also decided that the titles to my posts will be either song names or lyrics. (I realise my last blog was neither but would you rather there was a theme from now onwards or not? Exactly. So shut up!) (And if you're that pedantic, in my new role as an amateur psychologist I'd encourage you to get out more.) Anyway, "Keep the car running."

Being in my position, feeling as though my life is stood still (well the blog still has to be a little bit about me!), I often feel like an observer of, rather than a participator in, life. A fly on the wall of sorts. My sort being better looking than the average fly but much less mobile. (I realise that is the third time in three posts I have referred to my appearance. You know, I didn't realise how good looking I am until I became severely visually impaired. Funny that.)

One thing I observe in a lot of people is that they live their lives as though they are driving on a motorway. Cruise control, full speed, not seeing what is around them. It's easy to fall into routine in life, but sometimes we need to pull over onto the hard shoulder, get out the car and look around, appreciate what we have and ask ourselves, "Am I happy?" If the answer is yes, appreciate life all the more and if the answer is no, make a change, get back in the car and change direction. I think (and this is my blog, so what I think is factually correct) there are two things important in life: being happy and not hurting others. If the first doesn't impede the second (and if it does, you're a bit of a psychopath, which I can say because I'm a psychologist remember!) then you should do everything you can to be happy. 

Happiness depends on many things, and different things for different people. For me it's my family, my friends, my independence, exercise, the sun, getting cured of MS, falling in love, marrying, having children, getting a job. I can't control all of these things immediately, but the things we can control we must. Happiness is everything.

(IMPORTANT: When you get out of the car, remember to keep the car running. In this analogy of life, switching off the engine is equivalent to jumping off a bridge. Don't do that!))

Maybe if I'd pulled over after about a fortnight of university and asked myself, "Am I happy?", I'd have realised I have very little interest in maths and maybe even changed to a creative writing course, thereby doing us all a favour as I'd have half a clue about how to write a blog! Or maybe I'd have switched to medicine, realised I have MS much quicker than I did and found a cure by now. (I'm clever like that!) All I'm suggesting is try it. Either you'll realise there is a change you can make that will make you happier, or you'll realise your life is brilliant and appreciate that a little more.

So there, that was my first foray into psychology. I know you're all probably thinking one of two things. Either, "Wow, I bet he was really baked when he wrote that.", but sadly you'd be wrong. Cannabis is not something I can get for medicinal purposes and my days of illegal drug taking ended at university, probably stood outside of Sankeys or Warehouse Project at about 0600, wide eyed and in love with everybody. Or, you're thinking, "He clearly doesn't know what psychology is.", and with that I am in total agreement!

MS update: I still have MS.

Disclaimer:  If you take heed of my advice and realise you are not happy, and decide to leave your job/partner etc and then your life is ruined, you end up jobless, homeless and with a heroin addiction then I take no responsibility. I told you to ignore my advice right at the start! If on the other hand, you realise how happy you are, I take full credit.