“What’s love got to do with it” asked Tina Turner many years ago. The answer: everything!
Love should be a part of every single thing we do or think. But so often it simply is not, and we struggle on more hating our jobs then loving them, more putting up with our places where we live than loving them, more tolerating friends (and sometimes family!) than loving them. But that’s not the way we should live.
Maybe it’s time to sit down and analyse our lives to make them more sustainable. If we can do it for products we can do it for ourselves! We too can recycle, reuse and repurpose many parts of our existence.
Let’s start with our jobs. Is it the job itself, the boss, the office or factory or our colleagues that we don’t like? If it’s simply the job, sorry, you have to put up or shut up. If it’s the boss, then it’s time to confront and try to change the relationship. If it’s the office or your colleagues, think carefully about what you want then try to put it right. 2019 is a year for positive change. And it has to start with you!
Next what about where we live? Jakarta is indeed a difficult place to love, with its pollution and its traffic jams, the lack of planning and the excess of politics, but rather than hating it, why not concentrate on the things we love: great restaurants, malls with amazing shopping, astonishing golf courses, the best spas anywhere and genuinely nice people (well most of them!). There are now good international concerts, and music, and stand up comedy and you can get Netfix and Youtube (but the online censorship is a bit draconian) and most houses and apartments are now of a seriously good standard.
Lastly friends. Well first of all get off your phone and look at people in the face!
That’s what friends are for (as the other song goes!). A friend is NOT a “like” on Facebook or a WA conversation, its someone we sit down with for a coffee, a meal or a glass of wine. Give people time, conversation, and actually listen to them and you may be surprised just how nice most people are. There is a world of difference between a virtual friend and a real one, so put down the phone, put away the laptop and get talking.
As for romance? Well if you love your job, love your city, and love your friends then finding real love will be a lot easier, because you may just be a nicer person!
