2023: This is How You Ru(i)n It

Dear X, I know that it’s 2023 in 14 days.

You had no need to mention that 23 times in your letter and one more time in your postscript. I do not know you nor do I intend to; you shall remain as X.

The reason why I feel compelled to reply your letter escapes me. If you have asked me for a guide on how to run 2023, I can only assume you really have no direction. I am only an eccentric writer who has gained two minutes of fame, and you, an equally temporarily obsessed fan. However, I will, indeed help you.

One, put yourself last. When you are caught between keeping your sanity and making sure you maintain a good impression, please choose the latter. Remember that ultimately, only what people think of you matters. So, make yourself as uncomfortable as you can, and wear clothes you don’t like because you know other people do.

In 2023, when you feel yourself slipping and falling to your lowest, keep smiling and giving and giving until there’s nothing left to give. Let yourself go to the point where there is nothing left within you to let go of. Please, neglect and actively avoid anything that makes you happy even when that thing is clear and possible. Rather, work for others and spend yourself till there’s nothing left.

While you are at it, please ignore your soul in the coming year. When it screams, do not listen to it. When it forces you to hear at the point where it’s about to tear, pretend that you are not there. Because after all, your soul doesn’t matter, now, does it? It has nothing to do with you, it isn’t part of you, now, is it? So, keep it dark. Do not feed your soul and ensure you keep taking from it. Do your best to forget that a soul left empty for a year is no longer empty but dead. Look outside, I know you see that tree, the one with no leaves. When you look at it, do you see bare or do you see dead?

Remember that you are perfect. So when the people you love tell you that you have hurt them and how you have hurt them, laugh. And remind them, and yourself that you are perfect. Do not apologize or work on yourself for being less sensitive or demeaning or self-absorbed. You can’t let that happen as you will remember that you are somewhere close to god on the scale of perfection.

In that same vein, please beat yourself up every chance you get. Remember that you are perfect? Exactly. Leave no room for mistakes. You may forgive others realizing that they are only human but you must never forgive yourself. Let every error you commit in 2023 define you. Carry your past around on your head until it starts to topple into your present and you can’t see the future.

When you make a mistake, two good punches to yourself and a lifetime of remembering it are what you should reward yourself with. Type it, draw it, paint it and paste it on your wall, tattoo it on your heart. Remind yourself every morning because of this one incident just what sort of a person you are. Let the meaning of the word “person” fly over your head. Remember to forget that you are only human.

Be evil. Destroy everything and everyone you come across next year. You know that kindness and love can’t possibly be what holds the world together, now, can it? It has to be hate. So, laugh at people and make them feel less of themselves. Do not find ways to uplift the ones you love and remind them just why you love them. Make sure they always have reason to assume that maybe they aren’t all that important to you after all. To reiterate, you must never forget to leave room for assumptions, and of course, destruction, in your relationships.

Speaking of relationships, please ignore those that empower you or remind you just how worthy and deserving you are of love. Rather, go for those that make you question your worth. When (s)he carries red flags, take it. Embrace it, stick each one at strategic points on your body, preferably beneath your nose, just so you can’t see it. Do it and create a bleeding masterpiece of yourself.

Do not act like a doormat. Rather, be one. Allow everyone that doesn’t deserve you to step all over you. After all, all those who love you and show it in their actions can’t possibly truly love you. After all, they always seek your happiness and ask how you are doing and seek to make your day better, you know that they must hate you. There are no two meanings to caring about someone.

Lastly, forget that you are not what anyone says you are. Please remember that nothing else defines you better than the people who don’t know you. You must remember that you are not a work of art with a unique purpose. You must forget to love yourself.

Feed yourself with your own hate and watch it come out as differently-shaped demons when the lights are off. With your own hands, you are capable of doing, with 2023, whatever you want, this guide will help you. Really, you’ve got this.

Happy new year in advance, honey. Go for gold.

PS: Please do not reply this letter until it’s time for a new guide. I find that I quite enjoyed writing this one. Till next year.

~Lieme.

Hi, it’s Lieme here again. 2023 is almost here; this letter from a writer to her fan tells you what (not) to do in the coming year. If you liked this post, please like, share, and comment. You can also check out other posts here.