May 26, 2026
after coming to the conclusion that the fall off was inevitable, i think the natural next question is “what’s next?”. perhaps for the sake of avoiding nihilism, i’d like to think that there is some sort of state of peace or satisfaction that comes after the fall off.
after all we can’t just be miserable forever right?
in a quest to find out how to navigate the fast approaching the uncertainty of the future and my fall off, i turned to the guidebook: social media. while this is certainly an unhealthy behavior, i would like to imagine that many of you reading this might have similar experiences.
thankfully, i’ve managed to muster enough critical thinking to avoid falling into the pitfalls of truly destructive trends like “bone-smashing” and whatever else the manosphere is pitching. from the mainstream, especially as concerns over loneliness and social decay heighten, i found a multitude of “solutions” to ensure a fruitful post-grad life. read more books, get into running, drink less, drink more and countless other, sometimes contradictory, platitudes.
while i am sure that some of these can be effective, i feel that they all fall short of addressing the root causes of my own anxieties of the coming future. in “the fall off” i came to the conclusion that the real problem was internal, that the real fall off was allowing one’s self to shrink into the “mold of adulthood” so to speak. but our self perception is constantly evolving and changes to the self are often difficult to perceive, making it difficult to simply stop.
its’s not realistic, and likely not possible, to simply meditate on our self perception for months and emerge enlightened and freed from the shackles of our fall off.
the climb to the top of the tallest mountain requires overcoming fear and building mental fortitude, but it also quite literally requires putting one foot in front of the other. this (convenient) phrasing illustrates where i think i have found the most progress in my own journey these past few months.
making “cosmetic” changes to my daily routines has helped me overcome my fear of my decline, but undoubtedly so because these changes have been motivated by reflection as well.
in going through the journey that led me to write the fall off, i came to the point of “what’s next?”, and what i have found to be the answer is “whatever you want it to be”. in overcoming the fall off we must embrace, and believe in, our freedom and our ability to create the futures that we want for ourselves.
while i know that my battle to overcome my anxieties is far from over (maybe it is never meant to end), i want to close this writing with a sample of the principles and habits i’ve found useful so far, and hopefully they can be of some help for you too.
wear your beliefs and passions proudly, they are the thing that make us unique and in a time where everyone seems afraid to deviate from the norm, they are what make us individuals take chances to talk to new people, even if it might seem daunting or embarrassing. small moments like asking people i overhear at cafes about their work or making a new friend at the gym with a conversation between sets reminds me of the beauty of humanity and our ability to foster connections.
invest time in finding things you actually are interested in. i have found that i would much rather be the man who reads one book a month but finds himself eager to flip the page than the one who reads 100 in the same time but never truly felt drawn by any of them.
perhaps most importantly, make time for the people you care about. in the midst of a time in which the world often seems to be burning down, letting life slow down to get coffee with a friend i haven’t met in years is a reminder that there are still good things left fighting for.