a week since my last, rather dismal, post. I made the choice to lock the comments* because I was a bit worried that what I was experiencing would go away in a couple of days. I’d be embarrassed if I raised a fuss just to wake up feeling better thanks to a good nights’ sleep.

And it’s true. I did wake up feeling better the next day. But only because I received a bunch of messages from friends far and wide who have gone through, or are still going through, much the same pattern of thought. There were some gems of advice throughout, and I thought I’d share those that made the most sense to me.

Exercise: The one with the most immediate effect. Lou and I have taken to run-walking around the river every single day for an hour or so. It’s amazing how unfit I’ve become, and how much better it makes you feel to just get out from the confines of the house and get the blood pumping. Sitting is, scientifically, a big contributor to health issues. And since I’ve sat on my butt for most of the last four to five years, I think it’s time I changed that. We’re starting slow with the walks, but I’ll be joining a social soccer club as soon as I can; I’ve missed teamsports a lot since quitting my old club to better focus on my studies.

Perspective: Given how tiny my world view has become in the last few months, being reminded of the facts of my situation was important. I’ve just finished one of the hardest things anyone can ever do in their lives (as attested by several highly-respected professors). I have years–hopefully too many years–of work ahead of me. Why rush towards it? Of course, there are plenty of answers to that question. None of them are personal, but rather situational. Sure, it sucks to live in a room of your sort-of-in-laws’ place for six month and go completely stir crazy; it sucks having the question of money hanging over your head so you can’t go out and enjoy yourself with friends; it sucks being in the application cycle and not hearing back from employers. But. There’s nothing implicitly wrong with me by not having a job. And that’s a fact**.

Focus: I still need to maintain other obligations, such as applying for jobs, but the suggestion that I have one single project I can keep at the forefront of my activities each day is a solid one. A novella was one such project, and I think it’s a good one. I’ve also got a radio play that I’ve been chipping away at, off and on, for the last three months or so. I think I’ll finish the latter before starting the former.

So be healthy, be a bit easier on yourself, and keep busy. Not bad tenets to live by.

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*Because, y’know, there’s definitely no other way to contact me besides the comments field on my blog. Derp.

**<adopt early-90s white guy rap pose here>