The Paradox Within Ourselves
Does contradictions and complexities signal growth?; SKZ Noeasy (again); Thinking Strategically; Best PR example on apologising to the public; Merdeka Day.
Friends of The Far Insights,
As a person who works in a fast-paced environment, I hate being rushed. But I am always in a rush to do something, regardless of work. I have ambitions that require a lot of sacrifices, but sometimes I drop everything, pretend I am a cat who lives for food and nap times. I find this paradoxical.
Am I a walking contradiction?
Having dualities and complexities makes one human, right?
It is the layers we struggle with, the layers we try to cultivate or peel so we can one day shed into the skin we are most comfortable with.
One paradox that is in a tug of war between each other is (1) my journalism mind vs (2) my poetry, metaphorical imaginative mind.
Analyzing what has become of this newsletter, as of today, I noticed a pattern, a dominant voice. The voice sounds a lot like an authoritative, media-tone voice. Persuasive, with the backings of facts and proof linked. Did I like this voice? Perhaps, is it about liking (1) the results, or (2) the process? I knew for sure I loved the process.
I am still figuring out, is this a place for me to wrestle my thoughts; to gain and build relationships with readers; to see what I’m leaning towards most; to hone and breed my voice without (or perhaps with) the bounds of journalism and SEO and social media-spheres?
I want to see where all of this is taking me, and enjoy every bit of the process more than obsessing about the outcome.
Writing is a journey of uncovering and contradictions
The thing about writing is that I may have idea A, but the moment I write more and more about it, uncovering notions at an in-depth level, results becomes idea F. Idea F and idea A can vary greatly from each other.
The spirals, natural,
The outcome unexpected,
and the discovery process in writing, I treasure.
-a sudden poem I made up to describe how much I love the journey of writing LOL
But if I forced idea A to be idea A, I am not honoring my growth in writing, in uncovering clear, valuable insights amidst complexities and paradoxes.
Newsletters are intimate in the sense there is a greater truth to the complex insides of my brain: what’s the pressing matter now, my current ruminations, my obsessions, my unspoken thoughts lingering from years of childhood and adolescence, my lens in film & tv. And in turn, the deal of The Far Insights was that they must always present valuable insight(s) to you.
However, all of these layers of complexities, these paradoxes, these dualities, they made me wonder..
Do complexities exist because of the mashup between past and new experiences?
Every single day we are exposing ourselves to new forms of interactions, consumptions, and experiences..
Or do complexities exist largely due to our evolution through the changes and pain we tread along with every day?
Every minute passing by that exposes us to new things, are minutes adding new layers to us.
If today I decided to slow down and drop everything, tomorrow I change my mind to rush to meet goals. Does that make me a hypocrite? I think not.
I think complexities are a sign that we are embracing our natural growth, and changes that we welcome into our everyday life.
There must be a correlation between complexities and progress
If you found yourself different from who you are last month, contradicting what you preached yesterday, that doesn’t mean you’re a hypocrite.
It just means you are evolving, you are growing. That you are ‘a work in progress’.
And progress can mean going fast; or slowing down, at appropriate times of your life. You know best, your level of energy; the amount of commitments you’re taking; and your capacity to deal with pressure.
Progress can also mean saying goodbye to your high-paying corporate job to living in the countryside amidst sea turtles and the endless opportunity to surf every evening. Progress can too mean ending a decade’s old friendship for your sanity.
You know better what is appropriate for you now. And you know best when to change your mind—even if it is tomorrow! & even if that sudden change made you think of yourself as an imposter, a ‘walking contradiction’.
Regardless of whatever paradoxes you are dealing with,
The goal is that it should fit in your growth, your complex, authentic today self.
Say YES to positive changes, and YES to growth that screams authenticity.
Because if I am not surprising myself every week, not exploring my different writing voices, always staying on the head’s side of the coin forever, what am I doing here? Some insights on the tail’s side of the coin are worth exploring too.
So is this week’s issue representing my authentic writing voice? Yes, it is. Was last week’s authentic too? Yes, it was, last week, in the tone of my obsessed-fan voice.
…All the various stages of life have affected me in one way or another, molding the various writing voices coming naturally to me today.
Authenticity, complexity, and paradox..
must be long-lost cousins because they share similar DNAs.
What are those polar opposites sides of you, a walking contradiction that you are coming to terms with?
Current obsession
Seungmin’s growth – his confidence & his dance skills have improved tremendously since SKZ’s participation in Kingdom
Tokyo café playlist. Improved my concentration greatly. & reminds me of Coffee Bean in Midvalley.
BRB time to buy some slime to clean the car!
I found a lost childhood song..
Only 2010s kids know how much simplicity and joy the nostalgia this song brings.
Do not read the comments, they will make you teary.
Serious things
Today’s newsletter is inspired by this particular tweet:
You tell me! To have long walks every morning is the ultimate dream.
Apology accepted - I think this is a PR job well done in Crisis Management and ‘apologizing to the public’.
Thinking strategically will only surface after you’ve started doing something. It won’t come before you start. Starting is a jumbled up process. So start!
@thefarinsights’ follow-up thoughts from last week’s issue on ‘Why Every Team Needs All-rounders & Multi-dimensional Members Like Han Jisung of Stray Kids’:
Recently finished
#NOEASY comeback week has gotten me occupied with only SKZ’s comeback shows, music shows, and their social media promotions for the whole week. I have no idea how many fancams have I watched. But I loved Changbin’s look in Inkigayo; Bang Chan playing Cham Cham Cham with a crane camera; former MC Hyunjin & MC Lee Know’s intro in Show Music Core; and Felix’s Suicide Squad hair & Tik Tok uploads.
Out of all, Weekly Idol’s episode caught me cracking so much.
From Kitty City
Happy Merdeka Day, Malaysia. P/s: when I chose Tuesday to be my newsletter day, I didn’t expect there would be so many public holidays on Tuesdays!
& that’s it from me this week folks! Have a good week ahead!
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