I’ve been back in Beijing for two weeks, and all I’ve been doing is enjoying the little things.
No, it’s not because I’m in Beijing that I’m enjoying these things—it’s because I’ve slightly changed my thinking recently.
Our minds are powerful and how we think affects our health and well-being.
There’s a lot of scientific research being done in this field. Take this research study, for example. The researchers concluded that “optimism is associated with a reduced incidence of CHD [coronary heart disease] and total mortality” while “cynical hostility [is] associated with an increased risk of total mortality and cancer-related mortality.” You should read into it because it’s pretty interesting stuff!
Anyways, for the past few months, I’ve been trying to turn my perspective around concerning a few things. When things don’t go my way, I think about what I am grateful for; when difficult situations arise, I look at them from another point of view. It’s not as easy as pie, obviously, but the more you do it, the easier and more natural it gets.
I’ve realized how important it is to enjoy the little things, like taking the exact same selfie with your grandparents in the exact same position (see my last Beijing blog post), or munching on some Big Wave honey-flavoured chips (my favourite junk food in China). When it comes down to enjoying life, the little things matter.
(Of course, keep chasing the big things like going after that dream job, saving up for that well-deserved vacation trip, or buying that new car—I’m all about dreaming big too—but I’ve realized how much difference appreciating the little things can make.)
In the end, it’s enjoying your everyday life that will make you not go crazy. That’s how I’ve made it work for myself, and I thought this would be something interesting you could think about.
Wait, Dina, why are you back in Beijing?
I’m back for another co-op term at Origins Technology! Psst, if you on the lookout for a great air purifier or air quality monitor, make sure to check out their website! It’s been updated and looks dandy.
So hello again, Beijing! I’ve missed you! I love being back but it honestly feels a little bit surreal. I was in China for seven months last year for exchange and co-op, and then I returned to Canada for one term of school. It feels like I’m back home. It’s funny because when I went back to Vancouver (my real home) five months ago, it also felt surreal—like wow, I’ve lived here all my life but now I can’t believe I actually live here. It’s hard to explain the feeling.
Anyways, greetings Beijing! I feel very welcomed back. Maybe this time I’ll actually take some Mandarin lessons, haha. Okay, for real this time.
So how’s Beijing so far?
I want to share with you a few of the moments I’ve enjoyed so far back in Beijing. I have a week off work because of the Spring Festival in China, so I’ve mostly been spending time with family and going to some fun places around Beijing. All of my Beijing friends have gone back to their own hometowns for the break so I’ll be seeing them later! By the way, I just started using Instagram so follow me!
