The entire point of Stoicism and of Buddhism was that people tend to become unhappy even if EVERY SINGLE THING is perfect around them. These schools of philosphy are meant to demonstrate how at the deepest level, your internal world is the final judge of how the events of life are experienced by you.
Just spent a few hours self reflecting and thinking about my future, I then started writing down what I think would be my ideal, realistic future in which I would be happiest. I often struggle with finding purpose in my life, as I’m still young and haven’t figured out what I want to do yet. After writing down where I want to live, what my house looks like, what kind of job I have, the natural environment around my house, basically imagining a calm lifestyle that I wish I had right now. And I found that after writing it down and reading through it, I felt much more complete and the happiest I had been in days, I think this is because I’ve been lacking purpose for awhile. Thanks for the video
This is what I found for me. I’m living a life w no goals really, just breezing thru. It makes my life feel kinda empty at time because I feel like there is nothing really to show my progression other than my thought process
@@vincivedivicilextalionas4036 Don't do that. If you want to leave your wife and start fresh, do it the honorable way. Don't just disappear, then you're just running away
Blue Print: 1. Recognize divided Self 2. Change your mind / Be less pessimistic - Meditation - CBT - SSRI's 3. Change External Conditions - Lowering environmental noise - Commuting less - Getting into institutions that allow the exercising of choice - Make progress towards reducing shame 4. Find a flow activity - Painting, gardening, skating etc - whatever you enjoy forgetting/losing time in Love, Virtue and Meaning are part two, which will be discussed in a future video.
Before I strive for happiness, I always say to myself that happiness is a passing emotion and is transient. Because when that feeling of happiness disappears, I don't get disappointed, instead, I look forward to another day in which I experience it once more.
Happiness is the exhaust fume of joyous life. It's the moment of connection with the Here and Now you feel when something goes perfectly right, but seemingly - it's not because of one's volition. It's touching, it never lasts, it can't be forced. It's the nature of Tao - the more you seek it, the less likely you are to find it.
To me the most happiest moments are those when i can enjoy now. When I don't have to worry about stuff and that I don't have to specially wait for or get ready for. The idea behind those goals is very cliché, and it's meant to give to the most average person some goals to look forward to. But since the average person isn't the brightest mind, than it's no wonder why these people will do almost everything in their power to over-blow the whole situation. All the way from spending thousands and thousands of dollars for something that at it's best will be interesting for an hour or so, all the way to making the biggest drama about it. It's easy to forget what you already have, and to just want more and more. But if you can't appreciate the current moment, than you lost something very valuable. Money can't buy you happiness, it can only mask the current moment and corrupt you.
Some extra thought: Does happiness also depend on the amount of attention one gives to the world around them? Can you be happy while seeing and knowing all the injustices happening in the world? And isn't it morally reprehensible for one to choose to be ignorant of the things happening around them in order to achieve happiness?
This is an interesting question. Obviously it would be difficult for one to achieve happiness whilst knowing that they surrounded by a world that suffers, at the same time it makes no sense to be completely ignorant of the evils just beyond your wall should you choose to just ignore them. My personal view on the situation (you can disagree if you want) is that, and as cliche as this sounds, you have to have a balance. As sad as it sounds there are people out there suffering for no inherent reason but at the same time even those people have things to be grateful about, just like you and me. I think that there would be no good in the world if there was no evil so at the end of the day you need to be aware of the bad things going on to appreciate the good as well
Playing devil’s advocate: Is it any less morally reprehensible to notice an injustice and not do anything about it? Ignoring whether or not action is possible in a given circumstance, does it make any sense to notice problems which make you feel worse than you did prior to noticing them, and not take any action on the issue? I think we have to identify the endgame of noticing issues around us, as well as realize that action in every circumstance is impossible. To fix a given issue (which would logically result in improved lives for those who were affected by it) is to fulfill one’s moral responsibility, but to notice the issue, not take action, and kill any chance at personal happiness is both counterproductive and morally reprehensible. After all, are those people affected by said issue any more human/ deserving of happiness than we are? Are we not all part of the society we are trying to improve? To be happy with what you have and to help where you can is to improve at least one life in the world (your own) without acting at the expense of others.
@@josiahbrown5582 I must say, it is pretty easy to ignore problems in the world until they get out of hand. I'd say only if they affected my life in a drastic way I'd care to look into it. Then again it truly depend son if you're capable of doing something and making a change. It completely depends on a person's mental state, physical state, and social state on if they are capable of helping others in a situation. Definitely need more people out there fighting for a sense of humanity. Very few people care about the big picture and it's sad, but still understandable. I hope you understand where I'm coming from, cya.
This is one of the channels that gave me the courage to start my RU-vid channel 3 months ago about self development. Now I have 262 subs and almost > 97 hours of watch time. I know it’s not comparable with others but I’m still proud I started because I’ve been learning so many lessons that I couldn’t have learned without getting started in the 1st place.
I've watched a bunch of your videos and I still can't tell if your academic background is in philosophy or psychology, but I really enjoy the way you seamlessly integrate them both.
Plot twist: His academic background is actually chemistry. Philosophy is just his past time activity. (My actual guess: He is probably a phisosopher, judging by the other videos)
its my b day. and im a little down...so thank you 🙏🏽 EDIT: The day kept getting better throughout, Thank you for all the wishes, it was a day of reflection :)
Thank you for sharing this, I have practiced meditation for a very long time tho inconsistent I can vouch that it does allow freedom of anxious thoughts, amazing video as always
This is literally the teachings of Epicurus; that the three conditions which effect happiness are freedom, relationships, and the fulfilment of basic necessities for survival
I think I’m happy inside, but somehow miserable on the outside. Like a glowing ball is hidden deep in me , but most times I don’t feel it but can feel that it’s there. Weird.
With regards to the contradiction between authenticity and self improvement, i do not think it exists, since authenticity is essentially to be viewed as the individual being the highest version of themselves. Based on the process of individuation, authenticity is the path towards meaning, and if you need drugs to induce meaning in your life, it means you cannot truly be living authentically, and therefore, you are not all you could be.
Would love to see a full video on meditation and/or Buddhist psychology. It may interest you that the CIIS (formerly the American institute of Asian studies, where Alan Watts worked) has a Master's course called 'East-West Psychology' that attempts to bridge the gap between Western psychology and Hindu and Buddhist approaches to the mind.
I love every single one of your videos man. Especially this one, I really needed to hear a lot of what you said and it came at the perfect time! Thank you v v much :)
You know what is funny? I discovered that what makes me happy is to stop thinking about myself. I think that being self aware is troubling at times, too many thoughts run in your head about anything you do. So i started to stop thinking about those thoughts, let them come and go (thanks to meditation and lockdowns). I realized that life is like a Jazz jam session, you gotta improvise at times!
I've had good luck with 6 micrograms of LSD twice a week. 100 micros is for tripping and 6 is for unplugging the serotonin machine and turning it back on
@@thesquee1838 I got an airplane vodka and dumped out half, then put 4 weak tabs in. Pretty close to 90 micros per tab. With an eyedropper and about 20 drops per mL, it's easy
Do what you want, as long as it's ok. That's the way I see it. Life is like a game and there are alot of games to play, but you have to choose the game (or games depending on what kind of player you are) you want to play and try to get your highest score.
What humans seek is fulfilment not happiness because happiness is short term during the moment whereas fulfilment is your logical achievement that you have accomplished
H = S + C + V S = set state of happiness (base level) - Meditation - CBT, talk therapy - SSRIs (for some) C = conditions - Commuting - Reducing environmental noise - Engage in activities/institutions with high autonomy - Work towards reducing shame V = voluntary activites - Activities that involve flow (high difficulty, high match to ability) - Enable progress principle (enjoy for enjoyment's sake) - E.g. sports, conversation, creative pursuits, gardening etc love, virtue, meaning
I just did what I enjoyed or want to do and keep my anxiety at the back of my mind, but still knowing that it is correct about things, and using that and my logic to live life as I wanted to. Anyways lads stay safe in quarantine.
Ok I cant be the only one who metaphorically spit out my drink when I saw cbt as the number 2 solution. You almost gave me whiplash before explaining that you meant cognitive behavioral therapy.
We have a power to belive meaning we can have a statement any statment and make it as if it is true and through this power we can be happy simply by deefininig certine tasks to happy to be that for lack of a better term the good emotion and even more we can see the ways of which by defing that will give us a max happiness and from there we would have created objectivity again it is time to realise that any philosophy we have doesnt give us an absloute truth of wich we havnt defined to know and it is time to use our abiltiy of belife and use it to the best of our abilties
I think things which are often too overlooked in trying to be happy is basic things, like exercise and taking care of yourself. Our body is a fairly primitive machine and if provided with the things it has historically depended on to live best such as exercise and interaction with fellow people, then it will put you in a happy state.
I recently decided to schedule a pysch eval. It's been idk 12 years since I was forced to do one. Now I'm not, I already know the answer (to only a slight degree) but a true second opinion is always appreciated. On CBT, I saw an episode where they said "you don't like yourself now, why do you care what you are like on antu-depressants" and truth be told that's 100%. My case anyway
Love your work. Thanks for the videos. But have you considered turning the levels up on your microphone or increasing it in post? It’s difficult for me to hear even on the highest volume (sorry for being deaf lmao)
i added a career that combined multiple passions of mine, and subtracted romantic/sexual relationships never been happier ^_^ p.s. i feel like meditation is greatly underrated
ah I felt happy at one point but it was something that was never constant, but maybe it's my fault for easily letting them go. Maybe I should've been more upfront about how I felt but that also lead disappointment most of the time .. What a fun existence lol.. Maybe my happiness should've came from within than finding external things to fill my void.. Oh well you live & you learn
Would have been fun to have Montaigne's perspective on this. "In practice thousands of little women in their villages have lived more gentle, more equable and more constant lives than [Cicero]." To Montaigne, overcomplicating happiness is how one finds unhappiness :)
Well I feel like the lack of happiness is a major contributor to me not being able to actually pursue what I want to do. I always start doing something and stick with it for like two weeks but then it just fades away like any of the other things I’ve tried in my life. I could imagine that I can’t stick to anything because it doesn’t make me feel any happier than doing nothing would. And I always come back to my bed and RU-vid.
You should explain this to your doctor, I have ADHD and can recognize a lot of these thoughts and behaviours in myself. There are people who can help you out, you are not a broken person.
@@bigballsmcgee8681 first of all, thank you for your kind words. I talked about it with my doctor and he prescribed me a therapist appointment, which I’m guessing I’ll have to wait for quite a long time (I live in Germany). Regardless, I’ve noticed that I always have my ups and downs, and I guess I’m in quite an up right now, maybe even my best up yet, cause I’m slowly starting to feel joy in doing the things I want to do. It feels very good. I’m guessing I’ll get into a down again eventually, but if I know I’m going to come out of it a bit happier than I was before, I think I’ll be able to deal with it. Maybe my experience can do something good for anyone who reads this. It truly does get better.
1.There's no formula for happiness regardless of how far close science gets to trying to define one 2. Purpose of life isn't to be or not to be happy. Life just is.
There is a fourth solution, although we are far from it. The Hedonistic Imperative is a book and a website by David Pearce. It is a fantastic prospect, and I would recommend checking it out.
