my pattern is one of discover new thing → get really,
really into new thing → want to make a lifestyle out of new thing → (optional) try to find social connection through new thing → become demoralized → start becoming ashamed of new thing and shying away from it.
and the longer i can keep myself psychologically floating in that middle ground, the happier i can stay, for a while… and maybe the more likely i end up forming an attachment to it that persists.
deliberately premeditated life changes – the new year's resolution sort – are harder to instantiate, but i think that's pretty normal.
my current lifestyle goal is to build language learning into my life: to learn dutch, and to get my japanese good enough that i can consume untranslated media without much issue. for the former i've been using a kinda shitty srs app that i honestly wouldn't recommend; for the latter, i've been alternating between (re-)replaying ffx (a game that's burned into my heart) and watching cardcaptor sakura with japanese subtitles (to contextualize the tetris game). oh, and
reading children's books during my work lunch break.
although… while it's not too hard to chase either of these individually, fitting them both into my daily life is proving to be rather tough… somedays it feels like i'm studying up until i go to bed, and that this habit can only last as long as my energy reserves hold out.