Picking Up The Pieces & Pierogi

in Reflections3 months ago

It's National Pierogi Day!

And I don't have a real way to celebrate- I'm cutting back on spending. After blowing $400 last week on food, games and clothes, I'm reassessing. Only one of those was entirely necessary, the turtleneck sweaters. If these temperatures continue to plummet and I'm expected in the office, something's got to give.

Funnily enough, our gray-white housecat's name is Pierogi, so with him sleeping quietly behind me, I could make this daily observance all about him.

I was battling some tough inner thoughts today, and I sought guidance on it from a reliable source. I was surprised to read, there was a lot of wisdom to be had.

Face Your Fears Day

I'm really facing some other emotions but in order to face them, I'll share a slice.

I feel positively cheated. I was holding a cryptocurrency that I sold near all time lows because of my involvement with an informal working group around the project. I ran into so many obstacles trying to promote and market the token, that I forgot about time in the markets and actual trading. Now, the token is retesting all time highs, it’s up almost 10,000% YTD, and I have maybe $100 worth of the token, at today’s prices. I used to have about $500 at one point- the lows. Could you tell how much I might have in profit if I held? Can you help me with advice that helps me not look at the past with such regret, and think of those people with animosity? How would you advise someone who feels so disenchanted for putting himself out there, receiving nothing for it, while forgetting what he could have done for himself, if he chose to avoid the swaths of gnats flying about?

Now, aside from realizing I might be $50,000 from listening to cronies, I was told some other important advice. Here's a few points in a list, to leave out all the swearing and crying I did.

  1. Reframe the regret.
  2. Let go of animosity towards others.
  3. Take steps to move forward.
  4. Stay optimistic.

It's true, I only did what I thought was best at the time. Hindsight is perfect, and it's impossible to see in the future. I still want to leave those guys some heated words, but I'm past it. I would've liked to see myself in a better position for my work, if I'm honest.

Regret did teach an important lesson. There's emotional and practical sides to investing, which may not necessarily mean I need to work salaried hours without the compensation for these random projects. And, more importantly, I have to shift my focus to what I can still gain. The upside is still unlimited.

If resentment hurt others, I might be satisfied I left a mark on them, but truthfully harboring any grudges towards misguided people only hurts myself. It's something a bigger person would do- and I'm trying.

Focusing on my own growth and strengths, I was right. I was positive that the project would return to new all-time highs, it's in a state where it can't be compromised by a single actor, and it's generated enough of a buzz to be a mainstay. A lot of projects spawned in 2023 are doing well, for that matter.

One thing I need to remind myself, even about my loved ones is this. I am not obligated to carry others' burdens. I was giving money out, introducing people to platforms, spending all night making Powerpoint presentations for people who had to take trips- and I didn't need to do that.

I had more takeaways from this sage advisor, but going through it, I feel like I need to eat something. I felt a lot of different things today, and doing so on an empty stomach won't help.