So, finally, Christmas is over. Was there any particular mood or feeling to benefit from? Not really. Was there a Christmas miracle? Nope. Overall, it was kind of “meh,” but I’ll give it a solid 3 out of 5. I would blame the snow, or rather, the lack of it. Over the past year, being at my parents’ house has also led to some revelations. There are always things happening here, and they’re usually not good in nature, but I found myself observing more than usual. I tend to do that anyway, but this time, I stayed in the moment, listened, and didn’t distance myself from the arguments. I have to say, it’s really interesting to just watch and listen.

My family members were debating over something, and what struck me was how forcefully both of them were pushing their own version of the story. I mean, we’ve all done that at some point, right? Some people do it every day, trying to prove they’re right. So, I just listened. I could understand both of their perspectives. The beliefs they hold and the way they see the world, are shaped by their childhood experiences and the journeys they’ve been through. Years ago, I was trying to figure out if the beliefs I was raised with were truly my own. And often, they’re not. Some of our beliefs form from the need to break away from old patterns, while others get passed down without question.

I mean, there are great people with solid values and beliefs, but for me, it’s been about figuring out whether holding onto those things is still serving me. It’s okay to change our minds. We might discover, over time, that certain beliefs no longer support who we are or what we want to become. And it’s okay to let go of something in order to build something new.

So, the arguing went on. Once one topic was settled, another one popped up. It was almost comical at times. But it was eye-opening to see where they were coming from—and also surprising to see how they viewed me. They were buzzed, and people tend to speak more truthfully when they’re in that state. I really like the saying: “Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there is absolutely no point.” For me, I really do not see any point to argue with somebody.We all carry our own truth.

But there were moments during the argument where it would have been nice to find some common ground. Not a compromise, though. My yoga teacher once said that compromising means both people give up a piece of themselves, and in the end, no one is truly happy. What’s better is finding an agreement that works for both. For example, if I like a blue room and someone else likes a red one, we don’t mix the paint to make purple. Instead, we might discover that a yellow room could work for both of us.

Anyway, when the arguing finally stopped, one person went to take their blood pressure bill, and the other went home. It’s bizarre how much we let ourselves be affected by something so trivial. It really made me reflect on how much I let other people’s moods, demands, and projections affect me. It’s like we carry all this emotional baggage with us without realizing it.

So, yes, I’m observing—both my surroundings and myself at the same time. I’ve always admired people who can stay reserved. I tend to love talking, and sometimes I can’t stop myself! So maybe it’s time for me to let others talk more, and put myself in the listening position.

I’ve also spent countless hours chatting with ChatGPT, which has been kind enough to help me with some code and scripts for my website. It’s been a challenge trying to describe what’s wrong or why the code isn’t working. The biggest issue has been removing the background from a video I wanted to feature on the site. I decided to buy a ready-made video, even though I could have created it myself. But, of course, I still had to remove the background, clean up the butterfly frame by frame, and turn a 31-second video into a 5-second GIF. It’s not perfect, I have bigger demands on the quality, but I finally got it done. You should see a butterfly fly if you open my website!

I really like new technology as long as it works. But I must admit, I prefer simple things as they are more bulletproof.

Now, my next challenge is finding a picture that truly captures pure emotion. I thought I could use one from my own collection, but I couldn’t find any photo that really showed a good laugh—the kind that makes you pee your pants. Probably not something you can capture in a photo, but still, a picture carries energy. Even when I found some smiling photos, they made me ask myself, “How happy was I, really?” So, the goal is to find something that genuinely shows joy. Not fake or forced, but real, deep happiness. I’m still looking.

On top of that, I’ve got a work project coming up in early January. It’s good, but I feel kind of limited by the framework of the project. There are a lot of expected things, and not much room to break free and get creative. So, it’s not as exciting as the event on January 24th, which is super important to me. It feels like a challenge to myself, to see what I can pull off, but also an opportunity to express myself for others to experience. I don’t have any restrictions, except for the limited items in the warehouse.LOL So, we’ll see what happens!