From Letters to Likes: A Life in Transit

While I lived, life around me lived its own, completely unpredictable life.

I was born in one country and woke up in another – without even getting out of bed! The state collapsed faster than my plans to buy a new refrigerator. So, I outlived the country I was born in, though it was much more expansive than I was.

And then, from an invisible corner, the Internet leaped out. I remember when letters used to walk through the mail – now they fly at the speed of light through wires! In the past, only fish swam in nets, but now we all swim there (and keep diving deeper). Social networks appeared – and it turned out I had more friends than I thought, and it is even harder to count enemies!

Then artificial intelligence came along – now even computers pretend to be smarter than me. Though I suspect they’re not pretending at all. That’s evolution for you: from “Do you have anything to eat?” to “Do you have anything to comment on?”

And what about tomorrow? Even the day after tomorrow doesn’t know that.

A-Rules: Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Comparing yourself to others can sometimes bring joy or consolation when you discover that you excel in something. However, more often it leads to disappointment and frustration. There will always be those who have achieved more, who are richer, more attractive, or luckier than you, who are less sick and whose lives seem to be going better. Unfair? Possibly. But the world is full of injustice, regardless of whether we want it or not.

Every person is unique. It’s better to find yourself and your path in life, understand your nature, and realize your own potential. In other words, maximize what you can achieve without looking at the achievements or shortcomings of others. For some, the path to greatness or accomplishment lies through music or politics, while another may find happiness in the work of a rural teacher or running their own restaurant. Of course, everyone can compare themselves to themselves: to who they were yesterday, a year or ten years ago, or to who they see themselves in fifteen years, or to their ideal “Self”. This can turn out to be a useful exercise. At the same time, such comparisons also have certain drawbacks, because a person is constantly changing and is never exactly who they were before.

My workshops at the Uzbek-Japan Innovation Center of Youth

Conducted two training workshops (“Teamwork and Leadership Skills” and “Effective Negotiation”) at the Uzbek-Japan Innovation Center of Youth in Tashkent. It’s nice to receive such a good feedback: