10 Reasons Why Anime Nerds are Highly Satisfied in Life
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Ever wonder why so many adults find those weird Japanese cartoons appealing? It's not just you. "Normal" adults in Japan think it's weird, too.
However, anime otaku (people who are totally obsessed with something – in this case – anime) tend to be highly satisfied in life, and I think it has a lot to do with these 10 reasons:
1. They're immersed in vivid colors regularly
Many anime shows have distinctive art styles that incorporate colors in beautiful and vibrant ways. Being exposed to all of these colors regularly can positively impact your mood, or maybe even help you pay attention to the vibrant colors around you in your daily life.
True, not all anime have bright, vibrant colors. Some anime are meant to be dark and depressing. But regardless of what exactly the color scheme of a show is, you can count of the fact that it will suck you into whatever world of colors its artists chose to rely on.
2. They learn new things often
While there are Chinese and Korean anime-like shows, a typical anime is Japanese. Anime fans come from all corners of the globe, so for anyone not Japanese, anime can actually be rather educational.
You learn a little bit about Japanese culture regardless of what anime you are watching, and if you watch the subbed versions of anime (the version in Japanese with English subtitles), you can also learn phrases and single words in Japanese.
3. They exercise their imaginations
You kind of have to have an imagination to get into anime in the first place. Most shows feature really crazy concepts and alternate universes that you just can't view realistically.
For example, some of the most popular anime right now includes Naruto Shippuden, which features a light-hearted ninja teen who uses the life energy from the giant fox demon living inside of him to become stronger. Another very popular show is Attack on Titan (or Shingeki no Kyojin), which features a group of people trying to survive the giant, naked cannibals that come into town and try to eat everyone. You know, stuff like that.
Anime nerds are used to jumping into highly fictionalized shows and use their imaginations much more regularly than your average person. As a result, they're generally much more creative and open minded than others.
4. They explore meaningful concepts regularly
Despite the rather unrealistic nature of most anime, many shows teach viewers a lesson or explore at least one major thematic issue central to human existence. For example, Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood explores the themes of kinship, death and corruption. Sword Art Online explores how we construct our perceptions of reality and what makes one reality the true one.
5. They really value friendship
Of the core concepts discussed in anime, friendship is often one of them. Many shows place emphasis on how rare a truly good friend is, and this makes many anime nerds really appreciate the good friends they have.
6. They always have the perfect cure for a bad day
I think just about everyone has had a terrible day at some point. One of those days when you don't feel like dealing with anyone or anything.
Anime is perfect for those kinds of days. Regardless of what you feel like watching, there's bound to be an anime to fit the way you feel. Anime has many genres, some of which are more lighthearted, sci-fi, or serious than others. You can easily find something to inspire you with hope, or something to cater to your bad mood.
7. They know that nothing is impossible
One of the best parts about watching anime is how often a show can surprise you. Sometimes for the better; sometimes for worse. But if anime nerds know one thing, it's that anything is possible.
8. They can easily make new friends
Not only is it pretty easy for anime nerds to be open to making new friends (see point #5), but the community of anime fanatics is actually quite large, even in the U.S. alone. This makes it really easy to find new people you have a lot in common with.
9. They're comfortable with being "weird"
Unless you also watch anime, you probably think anime nerds are a little bit weird.
That's okay, we kind of understand because very few of us were born watching anime. Most of us also thought it was weird at one point or another so, in a way, we can sympathize with you.
Anime nerds are used to being called weird and many of us are actually much more comfortable with ourselves because of it.
10. They get to cosplay
One final reason that anime nerds are highly satisfied in life is cosplay. Cosplaying is when you dress up like a character from an anime, comic book, movie or even a TV show. It's kind of like dressing up for Halloween, except whenever you feel like it.
Cosplaying can lead to greater life satisfaction because it's typically done with other, like-minded people at large conventions. Not only does this facilitate a sense of togetherness and community, but it's also just a ton of fun.
Featured photo credit: Guilhem Vellut via flickr.com
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Royale Scuderi
A creative strategist, consultant and writer who specializes in cultivating human potential for happiness, health and fulfillment. Read full profile
Creating a vision for your life might seem like a frivolous, fantastical waste of time, but it's not: creating a compelling vision of the life you want is actually one of the most effective strategies for achieving the life of your dreams. Perhaps the best way to look at the concept of a life vision is as a compass to help guide you to take the best actions and make the right choices that help propel you toward your best life.
Why You Need a Vision
Experts and life success stories support the idea that with a vision in mind, you are more likely to succeed far beyond what you could otherwise achieve without a clear vision. Think of crafting your life vision as mapping a path to your personal and professional dreams. Life satisfaction and personal happiness are within reach. The harsh reality is that if you don't develop your own vision, you'll allow other people and circumstances to direct the course of your life.
How to Create Your Life Vision
Don't expect a clear and well-defined vision overnight—envisioning your life and determining the course you will follow requires time, and reflection. You need to cultivate vision and perspective, and you also need to apply logic and planning for the practical application of your vision. Your best vision blossoms from your dreams, hopes, and aspirations. It will resonate with your values and ideals, and will generate energy and enthusiasm to help strengthen your commitment to explore the possibilities of your life.
The question sounds deceptively simple, but it's often the most difficult to answer. Allowing yourself to explore your deepest desires can be very frightening. You may also not think you have the time to consider something as fanciful as what you want out of life, but it's important to remind yourself that a life of fulfillment does not usually happen by chance, but by design.
It's helpful to ask some thought-provoking questions to help you discover the possibilities of what you want out of life. Consider every aspect of your life, personal and professional, tangible and intangible. Contemplate all the important areas, family and friends, career and success, health and quality of life, spiritual connection and personal growth, and don't forget about fun and enjoyment.
Some tips to guide you:
Remember to ask why you want certain things
Think about what you want, not on what you don't want.
Give yourself permission to dream.
Be creative. Consider ideas that you never thought possible.
Focus on your wishes, not what others expect of you.
Some questions to start your exploration:
What really matters to you in life? Not what should matter, what does matter.
What would you like to have more of in your life?
Set aside money for a moment; what do you want in your career?
What are your secret passions and dreams?
What would bring more joy and happiness into your life?
What do you want your relationships to be like?
What qualities would you like to develop?
What are your values? What issues do you care about?
What are your talents? What's special about you?
What would you most like to accomplish?
What would legacy would you like to leave behind?
It may be helpful to write your thoughts down in a journal or creative vision board if you're the creative type. Add your own questions, and ask others what they want out of life. Relax and make this exercise fun. You may want to set your answers aside for a while and come back to them later to see if any have changed or if you have anything to add.
What Would Your Best Life Look Like?
Describe your ideal life in detail. Allow yourself to dream and imagine, and create a vivid picture. If you can't visualize a picture, focus on how your best life would feel. If you find it difficult to envision your life 20 or 30 years from now, start with five years—even a few years into the future will give you a place to start. What you see may surprise you. Set aside preconceived notions. This is your chance to dream and fantasize.
A few prompts to get you started:
What will you have accomplished already?
How will you feel about yourself?
What kind of people are in your life? How do you feel about them?
What does your ideal day look like?
Where are you? Where do you live? Think specifics, what city, state, or country, type of community, house or an apartment, style and atmosphere.
What would you be doing?
Are you with another person, a group of people, or are you by yourself?
How are you dressed?
What's your state of mind? Happy or sad? Contented or frustrated?
What does your physical body look like? How do you feel about that?
Does your best life make you smile and make your heart sing? If it doesn't, dig deeper, dream bigger.
It's important to focus on the result, or at least a way-point in your life. Don't think about the process for getting there yet—that's the next step. Give yourself permission to revisit this vision every day, even if only for a few minutes. Keep your vision alive and in the front of your mind.
Plan Backwards
It may sound counter-intuitive to plan backwards rather than forwards, but when you're planning your life from the end result, it's often more useful to consider the last step and work your way back to the first. This is actually a valuable and practical strategy for making your vision a reality.
What's the last thing that would've had to happen to achieve your best life?
What's the most important choice you would've had to make?
What would you have needed to learn along the way?
What important actions would you have had to take?
What beliefs would you have needed to change?
What habits or behaviors would you have had to cultivate?
What type of support would you have had to enlist?
How long will it have taken you to realize your best life?
What steps or milestones would you have needed to reach along the way?
Now it's time to think about your first step, and the next step after that. Ponder the gap between where you are now and where you want to be in the future. It may seem impossible, but it's quite achievable if you take it step-by-step.
It's important to revisit this vision from time to time. Don't be surprised if your answers to the questions, your technicolor vision, and the resulting plans change. That can actually be a very good thing; as you change in unforeseeable ways, the best life you envision will change as well. For now, it's important to use the process, create your vision, and take the first step towards making that vision a reality.
Featured photo credit: Matt Noble via unsplash.com
A creative strategist, consultant and writer who specializes in cultivating human potential for happiness, health and fulfillment.
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