So, nowadays anxiety seems to be more and more prevalent. In fact, many studies show that this is the case and that the incidences of people claiming that they are unhappy with their life is increasing. Many effects of this are well documented and obvious across the glaring opioid crisis and increasing suicide rates. In fact, the life expectancy rate in the US has declined for 3 straight years for the first time in over a century because of a surge of overdose deaths and suicides. Clearly there must be something or many things that has brought us to this situation.
I'm not in any way coming on to this blog as if I have it all figured out and have the answers to this problem. In fact I'm talking from a point of self motivation to try and do as I say - Maybe it helps... You are possibly reading this because you are on the same place as I am; fighting to beat your worst enemy that just happens to reside in between your ears.
After many years of having YouTube as my main source of entertainment and alternative media. I've seen a pattern that is starting to come up on many videos. Even though these mental health issues date throughout history, it has become more obvious to me that it is my generation that is escaping to YouTube for answers. I was possibly part of the first generation of teenagers that used YouTube as their main form of entertainment, and not that long ago I've been posed with the questions that many people around me are also going through. These are questions about oneself and what path to take in life, particularly one that is meaningful and worth having.
Influential voices such as Jordan Peterson have really exploded and resounded across the internet giving a little pathway for understanding to many young men and women about how to go about life. He's a clinical psychologist that has dedicated most of his career to understanding behavioral development in teenagers and societies. One of the main themes he speaks about, is that many young adults have a sense of the world being larger than oneself and wanting to help it become better than what they left it. However, they make the mistake of losing focus on their own development as an individual. Sometimes responsibility lies on the small things... on the details. This might be something as simple as making your bed every morning, but eventually creating enough self awareness of your actions that it will sharpen every other aspect in your life.
Taking this theme as the basis of which I will try and find what will bring me happiness and help me build a meaningful life, I've come to some conclusions. It's detrimental to stop thinking. Stop thinking about the future, the past, and things you don't have control over. I'm sure you've heard many times, by philosophers and even some physicists that there will never be anything other than what there is right now... today, this hour, this minute, this second. And focusing on anything other than today is a waste of time. Sure, it is natural and needed to have goals to achieve, something that will drive you forward. But those goals should have a direct relationship with the things that you do right now. Don't runaway from responsibility - and frankly, sometimes it may seem scary because you are looking at it as a whole. By focusing on the steps that you have to take today, it reduces the complexity of that goal or responsibility. By dissecting that whole into smaller actions usually takes that overwhelming feeling away.
And if, after focusing on the things that you do in the present moment you realize that you are unhappy with many of those things; then, you should really start taking action to change that. And I'm not going to sit here and pretend that every single person will be able to live a life that they find meaningful and happy. Because life is not meant to be like that, the universe does not owe us anything. However, there will be many of us that with the right approach will be able to find that you are content with every single morning you wake up.
I know that the brain is an evolutionary neurological result to better adapt and survive to different conditions. Therefore I know that there are many ways to trick your brain into being more productive with the things that matter to you. The main one that I've been able to identify for myself, is to take action. Action will always take away my attention from the things that are not there yet, and on to the things that I have in front of me. That's one of the reasons that I enjoy physical and mental activity so much. Whether that is rolling in jiujitsu, lifting weights, traveling, or reading an amazing book, they take my mind away from all the unimportant things that I have no control over, and make me really sumerge myself with the present.
If I'm able to find myself a habit where I maximize the amount of time that I live in the present and minimize the amount of time that I find myself dangling in my head about objectively unimportant things, then I know that my day to day will feel meaningful. I want to fill my life with learning new things about the world, learning new skills, and developing all of those that bring me joy. Even tough I'm not there yet, I know where I want to be because I've experienced it. And instead of thinking about where I see myself in 5 or 10 years, I will change the things right now that will directly affect my present.
Once again, take action! Find a way to build a daily life that keeps you busy on the things that you enjoy doing. I know it won't be easy for the majority of people, but maybe some of you are positioned in a way that is open to that possibility and others might have to start working to get to that position. But, regardless of where you are, you can always find the time to do more things sumerge yourself in the present; and if you don't have one yet, find one. There must be something that you've always thought that you would enjoy learning - go ahead and Google how to do that, buy yourself the needed items, commit yourself to that project - but do something.
I for one, I'm finding that I enjoy making videos and I plan to do more of this. I already have scheduled a few more trips to places I've never visited, and plans to spend time with people that I care for.
I wish you the best of luck on building a daily life that won't allow you to think about things you have no control over.
Cheers,
Ernesto