The secret to being happy is… being busy.

I think I spend too much time trying to gauge my own happiness. And as a result, by questioning it as often as I do, it makes me feel worse instead of better.

‍

The act of assessing something like your own happiness requires you to break yourself down and look at yourself like a word problem in math class. But when doing this you essentially assume that there is a problem to be fixed, and you look at your own feelings like there is something to be solved.

‍

So by this logic, I could be making my own problems worse for myself by creating this scenario that I’m not already happy.

‍

Constantly feeding into the thoughts in your brain eventually will make them real. And that goes for any types of thoughts.

‍

Whether you think you’re a piece of shit, the greatest person in the world, or just average; your thoughts create your reality and shape the way you see the world.

‍

The more you judge, the more you separate yourself. You’ll feel good for an instant, because you feel good about yourself, thinking you’re better than someone. Later, you’re going to feel lonely. Then, you see negativity everywhere. The world just reflects your own feelings back at you.

- Naval Ravikant

‍

So by essentially controlling your thoughts, you control your perspective. And in turn you can control how the world sees you.

‍

Not to get all woo woo on everyone, but I think that’s essentially the theory of manifestation. Technically, it’s:

‍

“A practice in which you are expected to think about what you want, make it crystal clear for yourself, and have the guts to repeatedly ask for it, in whatever format you see fit. If it's completely ethical or in your best interest to get it, you will most likely receive it.”

‍

I’ve never really been into manifesting. I’ve talked to many people who do, and they give me some outlandish and unconvincing reasoning as to how it’s happened for them in their real lives. But I’ve also known successful people who believe in it and they have done very well for themselves.

‍

So do I believe in it?

‍

I don’t know, probably not. I don’t think there’s a magical energy out there that will give you what you want just because you think about it all the time.

‍

Unless it is real, and I’m just shooting myself in the foot.

‍

But I think the basic principles of it are still valuable.

‍

You become the things you think about.

‍

Not really a shocker when you put it like that. If you think you suck and you will never amount to anything, then you will live your life through the lens of those principles you hold for yourself.

‍

But if you think you can start a company and make millions of dollars, and have the balls to try, then you at least have a better shot when lined up with the other guy over there who can’t even get out of bed in the morning.

‍

By believing in yourself, you can then start to actually do things for yourself and take care of yourself, because you actually care about yourself.

‍

If you don’t believe you are something, then why would anyone else?

‍

Before you know it, in a year’s time you may find you’re already doing way better than your previous self because you’re simply just doing more stuff to make you better, instead of sitting around monitoring your happiness levels all of the time.

‍

Us humans are a lot like sharks. When we both stop moving we suffocate and die.

‍

People thrive off of momentum and the longer you do things, and even better hard things, the easier they become and the better you get at them.

‍

Around nine months ago I decided that I would dedicate myself to actually trying to do freelancing and go out into the world and find clients and slowly build my empire.

‍

For the first six months I faced rejections, and even when I had some people interested they would eventually ghost me. I was super discouraged and even gave up for a few months.

‍

But then I decided to start trying again. And what do you know, I started getting more clients and it all is starting to fall in place a little bit. But I’m still nowhere near where I would like to be.

‍

And now, while technically unemployed, but employed to myself, I’m pretty busy now. And it feels good to be busy.

‍

I embrace it now though because it makes me feel good to be busy, because I’m working for myself and saves me from sitting at home all day questioning how I feel.

‍

There are still times of stress and discomfort but it’s much easier now.

‍

So I say all of that to say, if you want to feel better, you just have to get up and do something. Make a decision. Keep doing that thing, get better at it, and do other things along the way, eventually you’ll get somewhere.

‍

When you’re busy doing something you’re interested in, you don’t have time to think about if you’re happy or not. It’s not even a thought that crosses your mind. Because why would it?

‍

It doesn’t have to be for monetary gain. It can be working out, joining a pottery studio, a running club, go sit at a coffee shop and respond to your emails for a few hours. I don’t know whatever you’re into. You figure it out, and that’s the fun part.

‍

Just don’t join a fringe reddit or facebook community or something like that, those people need a hug. Don’t do murder either, or rob a bank. You get the point.

‍

Pretend like your life is the one they decide to make a movie on in 20 years. Would the protagonist decide to be a negative Nancy and be sad all the time?

‍

No. They would get up and go save the world and be a total badass. Do you think Paul Atreides was ever sad and mopey every day? Of course he was, his whole family was murdered.

‍

But you know what? He decided to go out and save the fucking world because he’s the main character and decided to be a total badass.

‍

Sorry, I just watched Dune: Part 2 and it was really good, you should go watch it.

‍

If you take anything from this blog, it should honestly be to go see Dune: Part 2. Main character vibes all over that movie.