4-PART COMMUNIQUE:
HEALTHIEST THINGS I KNOW
FOR THE HAPPIESTNESS OF YOUR HEART, THE #1 WAYS I KNOW ARE: LOVE & OPTIMISM/POSITIVITY.
Ever since about a decade or less ago, when I saw a pair of bunnies on Youtube.com that were somewhat bemusingly named “Healthiness” & “Happiness,” I have been fascinated by these two threads of well-being; I covered the overall best way I know to attain healthiness of the body in my last issuance of this 4-part communique; today’s block will focus on happiness, of of-course the spiritual/emotional heart rather than the cardio-heart.
I really believe in Love – I believe it is probably the single best thing for your personal well-being.
Living in Love will provide you with the best Life, which is best for your body, your spiritual-heart, your cognition, & your soul.
But I am going to focus on Positivity/Optimism, here.
Because there’s one very important belief I have found, since being a teenager: Things are what you make them; for the largest part & with what you do with them. Life is then a collection of all the things we have made it, along with the things we cannot control. This says we should go with the ‘hot hand’ – whoever is radiating that eudaimonic attitude & self-actualized being at this very moment;
But for each of our own responsibilities, over our own Lives, Optimism & Positivity will help us make the most of, & appreciate the most in, Life.
I feel this does the most or nearly the most for making us happiest.
What is Positivity?
Positivity is a way of seeing people & things: you see the best things in each of them; this helps you get the most out of them, & nurture them.
Optimism is a way of approaching things: it is where you believe that “I can do this,” for everything you actually can accomplish.
(I have said it is best to have a “Tempered Optimism,” having spread a belief in Optimism & Positivity for around 10 years or so in popular English philosophy forums: not “I can fly,” but more an unlimitedness – stemming from our I-believe unlimited human potential – tempered by the confidence we have in our abilities based on experience, & based on the content we have planned to execute, or perform: for example, the goodness of our manuscript’s story, should inspire a good deal of confidence in our performance of it.)
Those are the definitions.
How I Learned Positivity
Flash back half my Life, amid the turmoils of depression, at 17 years young:
I chose Positivity over some much more unsavory options, to help get thru a depression from a break up of a long high school relationship with a girl –
&, I can say 15 years later:
Not much has served me better, than choosing to be Positive.
Why Is It So Good?
Well, when you start looking for how good things COULD be, you will find ways that actually get you there – to the ‘place’ where things actually ARE good.
Doesn’t Being Positive Mean Being Fake – I Don’t Want To Be Fake!
If you tell this to a depressed person, some will say “It’s fake, I don’t want to be fake.”
As important as ‘being true,’ ‘having integrity’ can be, if you are severely depressed something is more important than being integrous: being alive.
If you have to answer the very hard question, Would I rather be dead, or a little bit “fake,” but alive, & honestly actually having good times again, maybe even helping others – just by correcting something actually worse: being excessively negative, & by choosing to be Positive/Optimistic?, I hope you choose Life over endless rule-following or perfectionism.
When considering taking on Positivity/Optimism into your own Life, or presenting it to someone else, consider a fruit-bearing tree, transplanted to your yard, takes root – it will grow fine, just like other trees.
. . . Likewise transplanting a belief in Positivity, a supremely healthy thing, into your beliefs, whatever they may be, will itself grow still, & will bear much & great fruit for you – for the rest of your life.
So, if you are depressed, even tho you might have to force it at-first, it becomes natural & produces much happiness & personal growth for you.
* * *
For the rest of us, Optimism & Positivity will help you make the most of your Life’s opportunities, & get the most out of everything that comes into your Life.
Positivity & Optimism also do wonders for your Lovelife & social-life – think of socialitic graciousness, as well as virile displays of power-doing, for example.
* * *
I will close with a couple helpful, inspiring quotes:
One time, A Wisewoman in my Life said to me, “Life is a feast full of starving fools;
Dig in.”
The Bible says similar: “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.” – Proverbs 15:15.
Eat Up – Life is a Feast =)
Thank You.
Joe Valentyn
P.S. For my part, I cured my depression, mostly thru choosing & making into a natural attitude, being Positivity; but there were a few other things I am going to break from the natural course of this 4-part communique on & share, because they helped me & I hope others heal their hearts/emotions from depression:
Love – Live in Love; if you have just come off a romantic relationship, this may in fact come last, rather than first, but as you may’ve guessed, it is still hugely important. ‘Love is the answer;’ it is the guiding force of Man; Live In Love for maximal fruits in Life.
People – Be Around People – not always to share deeply your problems, fears, & the like, tho that too. But just feeling connected & knowing People do live in happiness, even if they have been thru breakups, losing loved ones, & other vicissitudes is hugely helpful. They can provide some things you may not, if they are a trusted friend, parent, or the like. Push Yourself To Be Around People.
Time – looking back, severe depression seems crazy – it no longer makes any sense to consider killing yourself, etc: *That is why Giving Stuff Time will help you see things clearly – after all, “hindsight is 20/20.”*
Change – Change Your Routines – A rut is what I call it when we get into a habit of doing stuff which is draining, deleterious, or otherwise less than desirable. Change It Up: Do a new, good habit where you used to do a sagging, bad habit. Change Your Routine. You could try new things: go for walks in Nature, go to shows, start to write, watch comedy, reconnect with old friends, vary your experiences in some way that gives you more of what you need/want, while also swapping out a non-great routine. Changing Your Routines from draining or deleterious ones to nurturing, nourishing ones will have a doubly-good effect: in with the good, out with the bad. This may be exactly what you need.
The most important way to heal emotionally, I would still say is Positivity/Optimism. When you start to believe you can do so much, you will light like a flame on paper – & this – Optimism/Positivity – is almost-necessary to most fully self-actualize. Positivity presents things in their best light – gives you the best thing about them – & lets you get the most out of them. Purely from a functional standpoint, both are ‘fly,’ haha.
– Joe
P.P.S. I would also briefly add regular, vigorous, or as vigorous as you safely can, exercise & also probiotic cultured foods like kefir or sauerkraut, particularly ones where the probiotic bacteria number in the trillions, not millions or billions, if you can, may help quite a bit.
Sodium deficiency also has been said to be able to cause depression – so you could consider getting the test recommended, or just add a moderate amount more Himalayan or sea salt to taste & see what that does for you.
Thank You.
The previous part, on the healthiest thing I know to attain physical health, is at http://joevalentyn.org/press/2015/06/11/healthiest-things-i-know-part-one/