Doing Somethings

In which John does something, and then starts to think about doing something vs. doing nothing.
Harry Potter and the Sacred Text: www.harrypottersacredtext.com/
I also have a podcast. It's called The Anthropocene Reviewed. Maybe someday we will do live shows to benefit Partners in Health. I'll try to make it something worth doing. www.wnycstudios.org/shows/ant...
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Listen to The Anthropocene Reviewed at www.theanthropocenereviewed.org
Listen to Dear Hank and John at www.dearhankandjohn.org

[@vlogbrothers]

Is the beard a passive choice or an active one? Love, Hank

[@adammorrell9553]

First

[@q1w2e3621]

Depends how trimmed it is.

[@skylerwitherspoon]

+

[@xaviersharma707]

Depends, if he's too lazy to cut it then passive, if he chose to grow it then its active

[@potvinbo]

regardless.... beards are usually a good choice

[@jadedtoday]

"They say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day." -Winnie the Pooh

[@MattPalka]

I am having very Christopher Robin feels thinking about this video. Doing nothing can be a cultivating choice.

[@MattPalka]

@@chillindylan99 I read a book in college called The Tao of Pooh. Winnie the Pooh truly exemplifies Taoism.

[@LianDyogi]

This hits the heart of this video exactly

[@bobrashley5936]

As somebody who deals with mental illness myself I really felt encouraged by this entry.

[@keegan9935]

Wow I needed to hear this. Choosing to do "nothing" is still a choice.

[@jliller]

"If you chose not to decide you still have made a choice." -Rush

[@Rebel.Corporate]

As a 20 year old college student unexpectedly and momentarily ripped from his course of study, I find myself at home with nothing to do for a foreseeable very long time. The stagnation has been eating at my soul at this, the time of my life where I should be doing the most somethings as opposed to me right now doing the bare minimum somethings. I will eventually return to my degree, but I feel like what I do between now and then sets a precedent for my mindset going back into it, and my entire life thereafter. I feel like I was supposed to see this video today, and I thank you John for making it.

[@unknown199817]

I'm also in the same boat I feel you

[@Rebel.Corporate]

@@unknown199817 What somethings are you doing to keep yourself occupied if you don't mind me asking? I've been catching up on reading, and taking my gym life a bit more seriously.

[@unknown199817]

@@Rebel.Corporate I've been cooking, listening to podcasts, catching up with friends, playing ukulele, writing and focusing on my health

[@marybronaugh]

“Thank you for doing this something with me” A.K.A. “I LOVE YOU, HANK”

[@jjc5475]

Hot Sorry. My mind.

[@toobusytocreateaname]

Mary Aiming +

[@DblDg1252]

I feel like the video description could be shortened to "In which John does something, then continues to be John"

[@HarleenDhunda]

yes

[@SanderBK]

@@HarleenDhunda I feel the need to inform you about the thumbs up-button

[@imaginationlord]

This is what I needed to hear. I'm currently in my Easter break at uni and am struggling with doing anything during the day (I work better at night). This is the motivation I needed to actually do something during the day, even if it's something that seems pointless, because it is better than doing nothing. Also, it's worth saying that doing nothing can be a something if it's a conscious and necessary choice to do nothing for a while.

[@alanaschwartz6059]

dont feel bad about being a night owl!! enjoy your vacation and sleep in! -from a former insomniac uni student

[@dgblitwin]

I've been struggling with that "doing nothing" for the past few years. My health hasn't been great for a while now, and doing without intention has felt like the only way to go on many occasions. It's always helpful to be reminded all options are doing something, just different somethings. Thanks for that.

[@rishikachutani2508]

John and Hank, thank you for doing this something for us :)

[@vlogbrothers]

It really still feels like we're doing it WITH you, which is what makes it so fun. So thank YOU! -John

[@kathrynenosker203]

Such an intriguing take on something I think we all take for granted: choices.

[@martinturner4622]

I struggle with the idea of "doing nothing" because I'm just playing a video game rather than seeing it as choosing to play the game. For me I found that actively being aware of my sleeping pattern and intentionally getting up at around 7am helps elevate that pressure "to do something". When I've chosen to get up early and do so I've accomplished something and therefore my next moves feel like decisions rather than default. Thank you for bringing some insight on this!

[@TheCatNeverLeft]

I don't have a strong concept of doing nothing. If I'm consuming media, that's an active choice that I'm doing. Sometimes it's unproductive, but often it's specifically to inform me, or to entertain me and keep my mood up so I might be more productive in the future. Often I'll say "I'm annoyed because I didn't do anything productive today" or "I got less done than I wanted to", but I never really say I "Did nothing"... Even when I just wake up and people ask me how my day has been I'll tell them how my sleep was and what I did upon just waking up, often spilling into the future and talking about what my plans for that day are! I think this is because of the way I answer the question "How are you?". When asked that question, I give essentially a full recap of my day, or I give a quick summary of my mood and then a few highlights from the day that brought that mood about. I am never "Okay" or "Fine", I'm "Doing well thanks! Today's been full of fun things to talk about!" or "I'm pretty meh, nothing's really been happening so I've spent most of the day watching videos / not working on new music like I should be." There is no passive voice to my life, it's all very active and very consciously deliberated upon.

[@ninjaesther]

This really hit home with me, I’ve been bed bound from illness the past 4 days and I’ve been thinking a lot about the time I spend and where I choose to spend it. I’ve now got a long list of things I want to do and foods I want to eat (being online and not being able to eat is pretty torturous). Thanks John.

[@manyasharma8256]

Get well soon

[@TheAunrue]

I love when John reminds me of something I have been secretly thinking in the back of my mind for years, and he reminds me that we are all humans trying to connect with one another behind the wall of the strange consciousness we have been given.

[@vanessanelson3502]

annnnd thank you....gardening brings much delight - while "weeding" one of my beds, I the first asparagus spear of the season said hello! I hope the somthings you give your garden bring you joy this growing season!

[@inder11111]

What I have seen, and experienced, but often struggle to execute is that it feels much natural and easy to do "something" when you are doing it beyond satisfying your instant pleasures, often with a company of people with a similar "something". It helps you go beyond your thoughts, anxiety, and self, and puts you into sort of a primal, cooperating, and auto-productive mode, where you don't have to struggle to "do" but in fact look forward to it. Message being - be beyond yourself. And thank you for reading till here

[@bootybunkerspelunker]

Hobbies are important, I think that it helps people find their emotional level and brings about a productive and happier society on the whole.

[@andreacarter5143]

Hobbies are important as long as they remain a joy and don't become a burden. I have been learning French for a couple of years. It's a hobby and it's fun. But if I haven't done any practice for a few days I start to feel bad and that I am letting myself down. I have to remind myself often that I choose to do it because I want to and not because I must, and it's ok to not do it if I don't want to.

[@xxxxOS]

It's ashame most people can barely afford to survive never mind have hobbies.

[@andreacarter5143]

@@xxxxOS Globally that's certainly true for many people. In my white, middle-class community it's easy to think everyone is just like me. Thanks for helping put things in perspective. Very privileged to have a wide range of choices available to me.

[@xxxxOS]

Andrea Carter Being mindful of our privilege can only be a good thing. If it was up to people like ourselves inequality wouldn't exist to the extent it does today I'm sure. 👍

[@bootybunkerspelunker]

@@xxxxOS I respectfully disagree. Global poverty is dropping as Africa and Asia are successful in growing their economies through industrial methods. www.theglobalist.com/global-poverty-inequality-hunger-charts/ ourworldindata.org/extreme-poverty So while it does suck that some people still need to actively fight to survive, the majority of people can probably pick up a hobby of some sort, without dropping dead from lack of funds.

[@kenyathompson1909]

I feel like this is a video I need to watch each time I wake up in the morning. Thank you for the reminder :)

[@shyfroglet]

Occasionally I remember that John and Hank are HPATST fans and that knowledge improves my life

[@juststeveschannel]

Except, of course, when the best advice is "Don't just do something, stand there."

[@nickpease1597]

Thank you so much for this something, John. You have really helped me a lot.

[@AmyWantsAFairytale]

HARRY POTTER AND THE SACRED TEXT IS THE BEST PODCAST IN THE UNIVERSE! I am so glad you recorded with them

[@zettagotbored9341]

This is such a mood. I had been feeling really, really depressed lately and I could tell because I was either doing minimum school work or sleeping. I told my roommate at one point that I needed a hobby, knowing full well it would help feel better mentally. She looked at the small library I have in our dorm and suggested reading. I binged a few chapters of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and have felt significantly better over the past days. It's amazing how taking the active choice rather than the passive choice can change everything.

[@santiagorodriguez243]

Beautifully said. In 2018 I proclaimed 2019 to be an action year. Gotta do somethings haha

[@Momspirationirl]

kenpachi zaraki yes! I did this too! I finally had the guts to put myself out there and start my channel for real.

[@frejajacobsen4670]

As always I feel as if John somehow knows exactly what is going on in my life. This video describes the reason why I haven't been in School for a month... I didn't even get why myself?! Thanks John

[@angelamariehessenius411]

I think it's really helpful to remember that doing "nothing" as we tend to think of it is a choice, and also to acknowledge the difference between active and passive choices. One thing this video made me think of is that I am often strongly compelled to be doing something. I make myself busy, I prioritize having exciting adventures or going out to be social or doing something that feels productive at the expense of taking time to simply read a book or walk or just be in stillness. I think passive choices to do nothing, like scrolling through social media, make me feel empty afterwards and like I've just "wasted time." What I need to do more is make active, conscious choices to do nothing, to find stillness that is restorative and restful and fills me back up (since doing things is usually fun in the moment and does fill me up but can easily make me feel depleted when I don't build in enough time to recover). I want to do more of the kind of nothing that is sitting in the sunshine staring at the world around me, or paying attention to my own breath, or even watching KZbin videos because I'm choosing to, not scrolling through Facebook because I feel like there's nothing better to do.

[@Brookerdoo]

Boy I needed this video. Thank you for such gem and for sharing part of that poem!

[@tambiclark3197]

These two always put out a video that I need at the moment. Thank you for encouraging me for many years.

[@deliat7478]

Wow, as I’m actively doing nothing (listening to podcasts and watching KZbin), I stumbled upon this video wherein you’ve helped me realize that doing nothing will not halt the inevitable something that must be done (that I will, in fact, take a test tomorrow, weather I study for it or not). Thank you for the revaluation, and thank you (and Hank) for the both entertaining and uplifting somethings that I’ve been consuming (the /Delete This/ Twitter and podcast and y’all’s videos), because they have sincerely made my day. I was having a pretty bad day (and week for that matter) before the podcast and videos helped me genuinely laugh for the first time in too long. Y’all are truly amazing! So thank you for a final time, and I’m gonna study for that test and kick it’s butt tomorrow.

[@DianaMcManaman]

This is something I really needed to hear now, in the 2020 COVID times. I’ve been feeling like I’m doing a lot of nothings lately, and I think I need to start considering them as “somethings.”

[@JadeDRail]

I love how casually you mentioned taking a medication for a mental illness, thank you for helping to normalize taking medications for mental illness.

[@alexislord9972]

My favorite line from Rush is "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." Excellent video John!

[@TrippLilley]

Came here to say this.

[@ejd52]

Excellent topic & well described. I do enjoy your blogs - both of you. Thank you.

[@elisecode2212]

it's like john mulaney says: "it's so much easier not to do things than to do them. and so much more fun!"

[@firstnamelastname8697]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHzEmp2iidhlhNU

[@Momspirationirl]

Yes! I’m currently making a video about tips to live a healthier lifestyle when your a busy parent and I just find it a bit funny that I make myself more busy by making this video than if I were to not make the content. But I want to help other mamas (because new moms and even people that don’t have kids yet, come to me all the time to see how I do it, so I can’t think of a better way to show them how I make my lifestyle work.

[@Hydrantchan]

John, my friend, how dare you just casually drop that "for the last 12 years" on me like that! The sudden realization and awareness of the passage of time just about knocked me out, whoa! I've been following you two since your earliest days, before even the first project for awesome, through all the ups and downs; catching up with some of the channels I follow (you guys among them) is one of my ways of choosing to "do nothing" while I wind down from a long day at work. And honestly, I'm glad to be here.

[@sk8tie]

This makes me feel really good. I just today finished my thesis and am officially graduating, and I felt very overwhelmed with the amount of nothing that I have on my hands. But knowing that hanging out in my lazyboy and reading a book IS something, is really helpful for my anxious brain that's screaming DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE!!!!

[@andersonneil2293]

Rest is productive! And congratulations

[@HarleenDhunda]

this was such a beautiful video, especially the ending of what you said to hank

[@piapolzin1852]

So so true. Its like this "no answer is still an answer" :) Maybe we should try to avoid to think that we're doing nothing becuase we're always doing something and this sound way more positive :D

[@thesoftestblanket4244]

Honestly john this video is exactly what i needed. Your wisdom is always so applicable.

[@Sparkspsps]

This was super helpful for me and something that I needed to hear. I always find myself going to spend hours on the computer and playing video games, never finding the motivation to do something I'd much rather be doing, like filming or sketching. I think changing my way of thinking to what is presented in this video might help me process my days just a little better.

[@JustMeJH]

This is very thought provoking, and it provides me a simple framework for analyzing some difficult choices that I’ve gotten blocked on. Thank you.

[@strwbrryFish]

I’m a senior in my last semester of college, and over the past couple years I’ve had to learn to make the active decision to do nothing. I get so busy on so many projects and assignments, and DECIDING to do nothing, free of consequence and guilt, is so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid burnout

[@HeliaNaderi]

I started a shitty day and this video’s notification alone brightened it up! Thanks John! You might not have the slightest idea but your videos kinda brought me back to life! I owe you a whole lot!

[@ejatmosfera3078]

whoa, you literally juat described my day. I woke up, I had the longest monday and didnt get home around 12:30am, and i just could not go to school. My body just shut down when I woke up at 5. Then throughout the day i felt like i was doing nothing, but it was an active choice for me to have a small down time, so I dont go completely haywire. And medication is a struggle that I know too well. But thanks for the reminder and glad im not the only one that goes through this. much love dude

[@mckayahpugh6554]

This really helps me reframe and start to know what to do about the habit I fall into during the summer when school is out and I have a hard time motivating myself to do something other than lay in my bed. Thanks!

[@captainclueless7596]

Thank you for always being so honest about how you feel. You help me so much, and this video couldn't have come at a better time.

[@ShivaniSingh-dl3pe]

Thank you for actively choosing to make these videos for us!

[@stackels97]

This is everything I needed today!! Once again, you put the thoughts and feelings that are so often too hard to explain into a succinct and understandable monologue. Thanks John!

[@rebeccaweir6362]

I totally needed to hear this. On my worse mental health days, it's harder to actively choose which something I do, and it doesn't feel like a choice. Thanks, John, for the reminder that I can choose. I struggled with this more and more as I acquired adult responsibilities. I definitely feel encouraged to do better :D

[@TheNicestAshley]

How are your four minute videos always packed with so much wisdom?

[@FiMilton]

I’m trying to be better at doing something too. It’s easy to feel like things aren’t worth doing because they don’t have large measurable effects but doing lots of little things really adds up and makes a difference!

[@philiptouw3623]

I really liked how excited John looked in the thumbnail! Also this video really provided some good motivation! There's lots of good perspective there!

[@Clockworkcityofpain]

I watched this as april 17th began, my 24th birthday, a birthday I welcome with a renewed sense of "I'm running out of time". Now, this isn't exactly true, all statistics point that I'm probably gonna live well after my 60s and probably die of a heart attack or a stroke or cancer if I don't give up smoking again. However, for the last 6 or 7 years my mental health has been on a gradual but always present decline, one that didn't induced the "I'm running out of time" feeling, but it certainly enhances it. This is a very well timed video for me when all I've been thinking about these past few days is that I have to do *something* with my life since I'm running out of time. Turns out I am doing something: I am choosing to continue living despite -and maybe because of- time will run out for all of us. Maybe everyone feels or has felt this way, but manages to continue living, doing something, thus giving me hope that I'll find my something or somethings too

[@2_Gay_Rats_Kissing]

My housemate has been really toying and trying to get the rest of us to do this. They call it "Living with Intention" and i have actually found it to be incredibly helpful for myself while I battle through college exams as someone who deals with mental illness on a daily basis. The idea is that in every thing you do, like john was talking about, you do it intentionally, as a way to avoid the default nothingness. it also helps me from falling down the youtube hole, something i'm incredibly prone to, because if i'm watching youtube, i have an intended purpose to watching youtube. it might be to catch up on the videos for today, or relax by watching some old Jenna Marbles. But this saves me from finding my way to those scary corners that aren't healthy for me to be in. (unless I intend to go there). Idk, its something I've been dealing with a lot for exams and this video reminded me of it.

[@cassandee1303]

Glad I chose to watch this video, John. Always leaving me in quiet, happy, contemplation. Whereas Hank gets me curious and energized sometimes, John is the perfect counterweight to leave me in a calm contemplation at my place in the world.

[@actingsingsdances]

I was at the Harry Potter and the Sacred Text live show that you were a part of John and it was amazing! Thank you for being there too! I honestly struggle every day to do Something. I really appreciate you talking about this topic.

[@ilsehugsbeatles]

There's an art installation in Amsterdam on a railway bridge that I pass quite often that reads: "DOE IETS" (by Serge Verheugen), meaning "DO SOMETHING" and I really love that daily reminder to take action in order to achieve things we care about :) Thanks for this reminder as well

[@Snaily]

1:56 I love gardening, no matter how weird others my age think it is. There's an inexplicable joy of nurturing this tiny green thing from a seed to a stem to a full plant that I just can't get enough of. Plus, I've got an aloe vera from my mother who died 2 years ago that I've got to keep alive because I consider it to be the last live remnant of her. Sure, I have her dragons, sure her ashes are shared with myself and my siblings, but they're memories; Vera is alive, and in some way I can't explain, that comforts me.

[@jarrodbrecht7002]

Are you removing the aloe pups and replanting them, it will ensure your mothers aloe lives on indefinitely? Plus Aloe has so many health benefits, and you'd prolly rather take cuttings from the new Aloe plants than your moms.

[@Snaily]

Every time the pot starts to get a little crowded, I take all the pups out and replant them. In fact, in January, I pulled out the 7 pups that had grown throughout Britain's warmest ever summer. My ‘favourite' is the original plant, but I accept that some day it's time will come. For me, the pups just aren't the same.

[@jarrodbrecht7002]

@@Snaily I live in S. Florida so aloe grows here like weeds. Love the stuff for lotions and smoothies.

[@amandaaaa31]

I know I’ll be coming back to this one again, thanks for sharing this, John!

[@untappedinkwell]

Thanks John. I'm really glad to have this community be one of my somethings.

[@notyrpapa]

I really appreciated this video. John, you really know how to write something inspirational and motivating; and how to deliver it meaningfully, so that it connects and triggers action. Thank you.

[@Bella-yq3yt]

Yes. Just, yes.

[@chloemclevie1512]

thank you, John. you have no idea how much I needed to hear this right now! x

[@abbyambrose9403]

Wow. I've actually been talking about this with my counselor the last few weeks, that it feels like I'm not doing anything when I just "default" back to watching TV or youtube, but actually I'm making a choice not to do anything else. Additionally, it's still doing something, it just doesn't feel like doing something, or in my brain not doing something productive, like I want to feel like I'm doing all the time. Thanks for your thoughts on the subject! Very helpful to know other people feel like this too.

[@Wordsnwood]

How dare you challenge me in such a kind and thoughtful manner. ;-)

[@maddykae4415]

Inspiring words as always, John. I think a lot of people need to hear this right now.

[@PineappleNoot]

I can completely relate to the belief that by taking time off and relaxing, I am doing nothing. It is easy to get stuck into a negative mindset of feeling unproductive, and wanting to constantly do things to help combat potential feelings. But seeing these 'nothing' activities as active choice changes the view. Thank you John! I haven't thought of it like that before.

[@leurahome]

hey John, This was great, amazing job. You have thought deeply, made it relatable and delivered it in a way that felt natural and digestible, really a great job all around. I think Ze would be proud.

[@Thomas-er8xg]

It’s the second week of school holidays for me, and that was a useful thing to see. Thank you.

[@Carina5707]

I wrote this little blurb this week, and I feel like posting it here today. I'm learning to do more somethings because every little something adds a bit of something to me. Cheers x "When you’re a child and you get lost, your guardian will find you. When you’re a teen, you get lost on purpose, and find others. But when you’re an adult, you get lost. Over and over and over. But now, you find yourself."

[@ellisondonihue612]

I've spent most of my life struggling with making any decision. Not in the sense that I don't know what to do, but in the sense of always weighing the pros and cons of every decision. Sure, it helped in some cases, but it never allowed me to spend time doing things I want to be doing or be spontaneous. I've started inching my way out of this, at least for the small decisions like watching Game of Thrones because it makes me happy rather than doing the thing I know I should be doing. And I am feeling better. You seem to be doing a little better too, John- it's good to see.

[@brookelawrence6740]

honestly these videos are such good preparation for the bulk of 2020

[@Toby-yk2pi]

Hey from Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿!

[@isabelsong21]

This is something I've been struggling a lot with lately because when I have too many things to do, for some reason my mind thinks that the answer is to not do anything at all?? Of course, that only makes the problem worse, but in the moment it feels better to avoid it all and/or pretend they don't exist. Between being in my last semester at UC Berkeley, working 2 part-time jobs, and job applications for after I graduate, there's just so much on my plate that I just feel constantly overwhelmed instead of motivated. But looking at doing nothing as also a decision in itself is somewhat a more helpful way to frame it for me. Thanks, John.

[@joox1184]

I feel this way often when I look at my day and realise that I could have done something, but that I didn't even consider the things I could have done. However I've gotten better at recognizing it I advance at times. Still, turning this realization into practice is difficult in such an intangible way that it's hard to create the habit of consciously choosing what to do on a given day. Thanks for the video, John.

[@Katiecooks77]

I’m having to do a lot of somethings that I hate doing right now even though they are for the ultimate benefit for me and my family. Thanks for the reminder about passive choices. It’s very helpful!

[@AyoooMikey]

Thanks for your honesty and as always the awesome content. Take care

[@JessicaBiilor]

I just put the quote ‘choosing which somethings to do’ in my calendar because that shit speaks to me and feels important. Thanks John.

[@maggiekollar4635]

Thank you so much for this video. I've needed it for the past 3 months.

[@sayaleet3527]

I am grateful for this something that you do, John and Hank!

[@graham8443]

Hank and John are modern philosophers of our time. I appreciate you both for sharing your thoughts every week.

[@stephenkellett7836]

Gardening & yard work feel purifying to me. The physical activity, the smell of air/dirt/vegetation, the knowledge that it's just me & my surroundings -- it feels cleansing in a holistic sense. My body feels better, even though it might be sore. My mind feels clear. My soul feels refreshed. I'm no hippie or anything of the sort, but gardening just does me right. It's not a waste of time when I choose to do it.

[@ellap6828]

I struggle with this a lot. A quote I often come back to is from my impatient, callous, father (who wasn't the greatest but did the best he could), in a moment of sage wisdom that he didn't even realize. While playing cribbage with me, annoyed at having to wait for me to pick my cards to put down, he snapped, "Do SOMETHING, even if its wrong!" And though he clearly just meant it to be about shortening a card game so that he could get back to watching the news, it stuck with me. Often times I'm faced with indecision and remind myself that doing something, even if its wrong, is usually preferable than letting opportunities by. So I do something, even if its wrong.

[@susumnasen4783]

Can I just say that I'm really excited for the anthropocene live podcast! It's one of the best podcasts to listen to, thanks John for taking the efforts to make it every month.

[@JanuarieTimewalker13]

I’ve done so many somethings today, I can’t wait to do nothing, which, in fact, is still something-it’s just a better something . Love your videos!!

[@RowanMolloyPlus]

Really needed this John. Thank you.

[@77Kopaka]

"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice" --Rush

[@starryburst863]

The fact that this video appears as I struggle to choose between unwise passive choices and active choices that are better for me, is uncanny, yet nonetheless, extremely helpful.

[@shannonlinder5053]

I feel like this all the time I just wasn't sure how to put it. This helped, thank you John

[@devonlejman1694]

It was great to see you talk with Casper and Vanessa at the live show! (Not to be creepy, but I was sitting two rows behind you and watched you take this recording.)

[@beeveearr]

Thank you John, this is exactly what I needed to hear right now

[@WhereWhoMe]

Thank you both for doing this something. It has and probably will continue to bring me a lot of joy and laughter. :P

[@tayloreh]

Lovely thoughtful video... Even things I love to do (like write music) can become joyless excercises when I don't actively get back to basics... and either choose it, or not, again. 9/10 I choose it again, but still, choosing is empowerment. Any undercurrent of obligation or 'because' tends to be a slippery slope away from childlike wonder and joy.

[@JanelChristensen]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I spent way too much time on Twitter last week, essentially doing nothing, but that meant there were a bunch of somethings that didn't get done. Nothing essential, but just a bunch of little things that would make my life a bit easier or more pleasant. I'm taking a break from Twitter this week, and it feels really nice to do something besides looking at the endless scroll on my phone.

[@grose6904]

i think what's been paralysing me recently is a strong awareness that every choice is a choice - so sometimes i'll be so aware of all of the somethings that i could be doing, that i spend most of my time "choosing" to... agonise over which something to do. it's unfortunate but i'm finding the way out slowly and surely: generally, the best solution is to pick "something", on whatever criteria, for whatever reason, because doing anything is better than spending all my time choosing between them. i don't know if this comment makes sense. but it's been on my mind a lot and i think this video is well timed.

[@matsnyder4501]

I think about this all the time. As a young adult I worked part-time for years, and shift work at that. Even if I was working full-time hours I would have many days of emptiness which I did not share with my close friends. Passively doing nothing became a problem. I ended up making two template schedules for my days off, just to help me to make choices that I benefited from and add structure once I became used to the luxury of structure-less days and could see it as the problem it had become. I found both rest-intentioned days and productive-intentioned days benefited greatly from loose structural support.

[@youngstown8941]

John, I also suffer from mental illness. Now that spring´s in full swing, I commit to physically exhaust myself on a run on every second day I feel like "doing nothing" on the Internet (which is basically daily). I find that doing all I can physically while doing nothing mentally makes me have a lot of supressed thoughts and feelings. This is an extremely important vent for my mind, allwoing me to actually *want* to do things with my days. I can recommend this approach to anyone who feels their daily slump into passive entertainment is exhausting and dissatisfying.

[@jessherselfable]

John Green, videos like this are why I wear your face on my body nearly every day.

[@JFurse96]

What I really like about VlogBrothers is that I thoroughly enjoy books and poetry, but I’ve never enjoyed actually sitting down and reading. Things like Audible and podcasts (and just finding the right novel) have helped me find ways to enjoy it, but VlogBros is probably the best one. I love KZbin, I’m a visual thinker, and watching these videos is like getting some quick but thought-provoking reading in, and I’m really grateful for that. DFTBA