Sunday scribbles #22: Multifandom videos, an unknown pleasure of mine.

In the past I have been a huge fan of multifandom videos on YouTube. For those of you who aren't familiar with these kinds of videos, I will do my best to explain them in as few words as possible. They are videos with a compilation of emotional scenes from movies or series, where the spoken word often isn't cut out. Instead, they are emphasized with a suiting track, often being either orchestral music with a lot of string instruments, or an emotional sad song. So in short: compilations with a shitload of emotions. When opening YouTube earlier this week on my television, I got a suggestion of a Spiderman compilation to watch "We might fall". Spoiler alert: it was focused around the scene where Peter Parker, aka Spiderman, his girlfriend Gwen died because of a huge fall inside a clock tower. In the tower our good friend Spidey was fighting the Green Goblin, whilst Gwen was also present at the scene. At one point she is holding onto one of Spideys webs, at a height where most people wouldn't dare look down. During the specific scene he is holding all the gears in place, while fending of his enemy. The inevitable happens and the gears break down. This pushes back the Green Goblin, but it also breaks the string holding his beloved girlfriend. The scene displays this so well, and as she starts to fall down, he quickly acts to save her. He jumps down, trying to reach her with one of his webs, but this came too late. While they are looking at each other, he finally reaches her with his web and stops the fall, only to hear the breaking sound of her head just hitting the ground floor. He was too late to save her, and thanks to Andrew Garfield his acting talents, you could really feel his pain. Watching this video threw me back to my old days where I loved watching sad multifandom videos. No idea why, but I loved being moved by those videos, and experiencing a glimpse of their deep emotions. All sad scenes are based on love, unfortunately the lack or loss of it. Whilst sad emotions are very strong and we prefer not experiencing them too often, they are one of the best making us feel human. Now, in the phase I am right now in my life, I don't want to talk about sad videos on YouTube which can easily make you cry or feel down, no. I want to share something about a new kind of videos I encountered through this: multifandom videos about heroes, war and sacrifice.

I was watching the video "War | Multifandom by MedeRecord when I got behind my computer and starting writing this blog. I assume many of you haven't seen it, so I strongly advise you to do. Yes, it's always stacked with emotions, but I drew hell of some power from that one. A bit strange to say these days, but there's something empowering about people preparing for war. I know there's a large Hollywood factor which goes into these scenes, but that doesn't take away that seeing other people, be it fictional characters, preparing for battle, can't empower you to gear up and get ready to achieve your goals. Luckily for me, a lot of scenes of my favorite movies are included in the video: King Arthur, Gladiator, Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, Vikings, The Last Samurai and even Troy. The person who made this can't not be of my age. YouTube being YouTube continued with playing Multifandom videos about going to battle, heroes doing their things and people just fighting the fight of their lives. So I thought it suiting that I write something about this, hoping to do what those videos and acting performances do to me: get you off your ass and help you seize your moment!

When trying to achieve something, there's a common fire in all of us. The big difference is the size of that fire. People who are laser focused on their goals, have already fueled their fire enough to burn bright, but despite the inferno which already exist in them they keep adding fuel, and that's the most important part. Consistency is key, so know you need to gear up for battle every single day, not just once or twice. It's important to keep our fire alive, even in moments where everything doesn't look so bright. Once it's out, it can be pretty hard to ignite. Take the example of me writing this blog right now. I was watching those videos I have just discussed, and was feeling very motivated, man I could've screamed at the top of my lungs. I was feeling a fire burn inside myself, which is good only if you use that momentum. Don't mistake a burning feeling with a lit fire. It takes action to actually fuel your inner fire and keep it alive. This is something I am noticing every time I am busy continuing on my goals and trying to be a better version than yesterday. In the past I would have often been stuck watching those videos all night and just 'feeling motivated'. "Hey I watched some crazy Captain America shit on YouTube, don't you fight me now huh!". Now I'm not like that anymore. Don't get me wrong, there are still moments where I am lazy, but I tend to limit those as much as possible, and to specific times. It's not a must in life to be productive all the time and constantly trying to achieve goals, but please remember that everyone has a fight. Yes, this includes you. Now I see you thinking: "I don't have a fight, I'm fine. My life is going okay, I'm safe and sound. Life's giving me lemons. Well, it that is the case then you are already making lemonades from it, and your goal is to keep doing so. It may sound exaggerated, but continuing to support the life you are loving, is also a fight. Don't down talk stuff like that, it's more important than you would think." For me right now, at this exact moment, this is improving myself in various fields, but as I've said: it can be anything. All I am asking you is to lace up every day, and be ready for it. It sounds cliché but you are indeed stronger than you think.

There's a short example I wish to give about one of my friends. One of my friends isn't too happy about the place he's at right now. He's in his thirties and he feels as if he has achieved nothing. "I'm not where I should have been right now. People around me are getting married, having kids or enjoying a career they have started making a decade ago. I'm quite the loser, aren't it?". My friend didn't have the best habits. For as long as he can remember he has been smoking weeds every day, way too often. He has been drinking energy drinks in amounts my own heart wouldn't even allow. He's also been smoking cigarettes as soon as he wakes up and working out isn't something his body recognizes. Hearing this you would probably think: "Man, not the kind of guy I would like to be around". Well I can fairly say he only has bad habits, because his character is one which is loved by many, and I know that by a fact. If there is one thing that his habits haven't affected, it's his heart of pure gold. Now, what does this sidestory have to do with the main plot of these Sunday scribbles? Well, half a year ago he started to turn his life around. He didn't want to feel as if he was stuck in the same place for the past twenty years. So he tackled his problems. The first thing on his list was to quit smoking weed. Two days ago I asked him how it was going with that, to which he replied it has been six months now. Cheers, going good! He also mentioned that he is cutting down on smoking regular cigarettes, and that the next bad habit to tackle are the energy drinks he consumes. Being the happy fella he is, I was surprised to notice he isn't proud enough yet. It's okay to keep your feet on the ground, but I do believe you need to own your accomplishments and be proud of what you have already achieved. He may not be in the spot where he would like to have been in his life, but he is exactly at the spot where he has to be. If after roughly one third or half of your life, you get the vision of wanting to control your own life and you put your money where your mouth is, I reckon you're doing a pretty good job. You still have a lot of time left, and if one can tackle problems like that, habits which you have had for most of your life, there's only respect I can show for you. I've seen people struggle with addictions, and to be able to battle them, will probably one of the hardest things to do. So if you are, as my friend is, battling addictions, and feel like you aren't good enough because you haven't fully concurred them yet, try to emphasize on the victories you have already achieved, because they are there. If in the exceptional case of no victories being there yet, then re-read the past words because you will have to gear up for battle ;-)

The mind is a special thing. When you put your mind to it, you can do anything. Get focused on what it is you want, and gear up.

We are warriors. It's in our nature to fight for what we want, and create the life we love.