We All Have a Little Louis C.K. In Us

When did I become so pessimistic?? I suppose part of it is being a Capricorn. I was brushing up on Zodiac traits the other day and came across a list of Capricorn 'dislikes'. It read "everything, at some point". Damn.

I won't lie and say that I'm the most upbeat person in the entire world, although I am also not the most negative person either. But there's something about being only a month away from my last day of high school - ever - and putting life into perspective.

Thoughts are really powerful. So powerful, in fact, that they can easily shape who we are externally and lead us to make certain actions and decisions. I've noticed that a lot of the time my thoughts gear towards the negative bits of life instead of the positive bits. There's always going to be something to complain about. But at the same time, there's also always going to be something to be happy about or grateful for.

There are two big other things that make me pessimistic besides being a Capricorn. Society and society.

First off, society is tough right now. There's so much in the world to be angry or stressed about. I'm always thinking about Syria and climate change and inequality and immigration and President Trump and the Dakota access pipeline, overwhelming myself with problems that I cannot immediately change, especially being 18 with no money of my own. Sometimes I need to take a step back and realize that there is time for me to get out there and that there are already educated, like-minded people out there working on it. For now, all I can do is spread the word and raise money.

Second, society romanticizes a lot of things. We all have a little Louis C.K. in us. There's this image of the misunderstood teen that we all kind of like for some reason. We romanticize negativity all the time, telling ourselves that complaining is not only funny but somehow charming. It's not really, though, not if you do it all the time. Not if there's virtually no reason for it.

I'm trying to see the best in people. At the end of the day, I can't be mad at somebody for being who they are. They are who they are based on years and years of experiences and lessons and conversations. Who am I to criticize others, especially when they're 18 too and also have no idea what they're doing or where they're going? Life is already hard enough without creating more of your own problems.

Anyway, be less Nick and more Jess.

  

A playlist for bitterness: 

1. Katchi (feat. Leon Bridges) by Nick Waterhouse
2. Everybody Likes Something Good by Ify Jerry Crusade
3. I'm Going Home by Bob Hocko, Swamprats
4. Bluish by Animal Collective
5. Sex Tourists by French Kicks
6. 4 cheveux dans le vent by Bain Didonc
7. Tequila by The Champs

That's all for now.

K