Well, after a lot of thought I ripped the band-aid off and did the unthinkable.
I cancelled my subscription to the WWE Network. While it was a good deal with all the wrestling content I could want, including the current live pay-per views, it wasn’t worth it.
I’ve been watching wrestling for about nine years, but the past few I’ve just been watching out of obligation. Sure there are still some good things, like AJ Styles and The New Day, but not enough to justify spending my time and money on it.
But now I’ll have an extra ten bucks a month to spend on something else worthwhile.
Now dear reader, my decision to cancel my WWE Network subscription is relevant to more than just wrestling nerds like me. The principle of why I did it can apply to everybody in the new year.
WWE was something I’ve been used to watching. It was a habit. Yet as the years went on I was watching it out of obligation instead of pleasure. It had become boring. It’s silly to waste my time on something I no longer enjoy watching, so I cut it out.
This also applies to more serious things in life such as the activities you do, the jobs you work and the company you keep. If you start doing something out of obligation and don’t get any enjoyment or passion out of it, you should cut it off.
You shouldn’t do an activity if you’re not getting some fulfilment out of it, whether it be pleasure or an accomplishment of a goal. If this is the case, cut it off (however, I don’t recommend using this logic to justify not going to the gym).
While sometimes it is necessary to work a job that you may not enjoy due to money issues, the goal should always be to end up in a profession that gives you satisfaction.
I’ve been working at Speedway for two years in addition to my work at the Clarion. I have to deal with a lot of annoying stuff at Speedway, like ignorant customers that treat you like a lesser person because of your occupation, and supply issues between the store and corporate, which means we never have enough of what people want in stock.
However, the job itself is easy and I’ve been fortunate enough to use all the money I make there to pay for my education at Sinclair. That alone makes it worthwhile.
In my eyes, a job should be a stepping stone to something better, no matter how small the improvement. Maybe working at Speedway will lead you to one of those huge truck stop gas stations.
But if you don’t see a light at the end of that tunnel, cut that job off.
Lastly, and maybe more importantly, is the company you keep. The people you surround yourself with have an effect on you, and influence how you feel. Some of them can be toxic, and have a negative influence on you.
An example of toxic friendship is when the person just wants to use you. Perhaps they just want you for your connections to others, or they’re taking advantage of the things you have. Be aware of this, and contemplate cutting these people off.
Another example are those friends that are never happy. Something is always going wrong in their lives and they look to you for help. Usually the story ends well, with them getting the help they need and things go back to normal.
Yet sometimes they have a situation out of their control and there’s nothing more you can do. Other times they refuse to get the help they need for it no matter how many times you tell them. Worse yet, they sometimes take out their frustrations on you.
You then end up becoming a therapist for these people and it takes away from both of your mental health.
While there is a grey area here, if you’ve gone through all your options and the person isn’t willing to take action to get better, cut them off.
So as the new year begins, it may be worthwhile to reevaluate the many aspects of your life and make sure everything you do is fulfilling and beneficial.
Henry Wolski
Executive Editor