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Sometimes you might feel like Japan isn't as fun as it once was
which is perfectly understandable as it happens to me every few
months. Perhaps this is because I surround myself with Japan this
and Japan that, that I become very used to it and don\'t get the
chance to go to Japan because well, work. It feels like a giant
tease and my brain says "stawp!!" over and over again. But, is that
the case for everyone?
I'm not a weeb, I'm not too much of an otaku either. I'm actually
just interested in Japan as a hobby and the hobby of learning more
about the world. I like anime, jpop, and the cool history
behind Japan but sometimes the infatuation just leaves and perhaps
that's the case with you sometimes. If it hasn't happened
yet, you haven't been a part of the J-community long enough. So how
do you fix this if it does happen?
Here are 5 different ways that I know how to rekindle that love
#1. Take a break with no deadline
The first thing you should do is take a break with no actual
deadline. Deadlines are stressful and the whole time you know
there's a deadline, the more stress you will be about said thing.
It doesn't work too well when you try to overcome a psychological
barrier. So take a break from everything that is Japanese
including Anime, JPop and well, everything that remotely reminds
you of Japan.
It's kind of like you're running on empty but now need to refill
your tease-o-meter.
#2. Explore different things!
If all you've been doing is watch anime, I've got news for you...
Japan's culture is maybe 2% anime at most, there's a whole 98%
other things to explore! And believe me, a good chunk of it is just
as good. Go on YouTube and experience virtual tours in VR or
in HD / 4K, 8K etc... When I got into the J-Culture in 2005, 240p
was common for everything. HD wasn't a thing yet on Youtube and the
idea of walking around in VR Japan was only something I was day
dreaming about at the time. There was very little information about
Japan and the Japanese language on the internet too. You had to pay
to learn more about it! Now there's Jappleng and other sites and
apps... So there's a lot to explore and it's available for you for
free!
#3. Make new Friends, explore things
together
Jappleng is designed to find new friends in the J-community. Simply
add them as a friend, talk to them, join the chat, use the forums,
use the comment system, use J-Spot social, create clubs, use the
J-blog system, use the chat etc etc etc... There are so many ways
to interact with others using only Jappleng and even if it's not
through Jappleng that's okay as well. Exploring new things with
other people is a fantastic idea! Just don't meet random
people you find on the internet.
#4. Explore yourself
Why are you interested in Japan? Who are you? Why are you here?
What are your goals in life? Figuring out yourself is a great way
to rekindle any lost love for anything. Meditation is perfectly
acceptable in any religion and non-religion. Don't worry, this
isn't voodoo or demonic arts, this is just a normal part of life
where you relax yourself and either think of nothing or do some
self-reflection. Learn to meditate, learn to take time to explore
yourself however way you see fit. There are many articles and
videos online to help you achieve this.
#5. Get rid of outside stress
Sometimes you might be over-stressed, and perhaps J-stuff is your
outlet for stress relief. That's fine, but psychologically this
will probably burn you out eventually. If you live a happy
stress-free life, you won't have to feel like J-stuff is a chore or
that it's no longer that interesting. Exploring yourself (#4)
can also be very helpful to getting rid of stress. If you
don't have a ritual, get in the habit of having one even if it's
just taking 10 minutes in your morning to clear your mind and drink
tea or coffee. A good morning is the path for a good day.
BONUS TIP:
Combining these tips in a creative manner can help a lot! For
instance, if you combine #5 by creating a morning ritual for
drinking Japanese tea with folding origami (#2 explore new things),
then you get to work on two things at once!
BONUS TIP #2:
Get into the habit of a good sleep schedule. Without adequtae rest
and without waking up naturally, you're harming what could be a
good night's sleep. A good bed helps but a good habit is even
better!
While I'm certain there are other ways to go about rekindling your
love for the J-culture, these are what I found out helps me the
most. They aren't just things that help with J-culture but
also with other facets of life.