Oliver Burkeman’s latest Guardian column:
I have a proposal to make: 2026 should be the year that you spend more time doing what you want. The new year should be the moment we commit to dedicating more of our finite hours on the planet to things we genuinely, deeply enjoy doing – to the activities that seize our interest, and that make us feel vibrantly alive. This should be the year you stop trying so hard to turn yourself into a better person, and focus instead on actually leading a more absorbing life.
Naturally, I anticipate certain objections to this suggestion.
My inner pragmatist is cheering! Doing what you want really does work … provided you’ve spent time learning to discern what is actually better, actually worse. Why wouldn’t you want to exercise what little control you have over your circumstances on making them a bit better? Better for you (if you have a solid understanding of “better”, or at least are determined to build one) will naturally result in better for everyone.
Burkeman continually reminds me that we’re basically OK, and that most of our troubles arise from thinking that we aren’t, that something about us needs to be fixed. I suppose I first heard this from the Buddhists. I’m not sure I need to hear it again, I’ve pretty much internalized it. But still I love hearing it, especially in this soothing westernized form, sort of like spiritual comfort food.