Do you feel overwhelmed by the endless demands and expectations of life? Do you spend too much time and energy worrying about things you can’t control?
2024 is supposed to be a time of unprecedented material advancement and prosperity. Yet, according to a recent survey by the Independent Press Standards Organisation, the majority of people around the world are unhappy, anxious, and pessimistic about the future. The mental health of the global population is gravely poor, and it is fueled by fears of inflation, poverty, corruption, unemployment, crime, and climate change.
Do you want to live a happier, more fulfilling, and more meaningful life in 2024?
If you answered yes to these questions, you must stop caring what everyone thinks. Instead, embrace the reality and complexity of life and focus on the things that truly matter to you.
Learn how to deal with your problems, not by avoiding them, but by facing them and learning from them.
I’ll show you how to do that in this blog post with four key concepts and lessons.”:
1. Limit Your Cares to What’s Important
You have a limited number of things to care about, so use them wisely. You care too much about everything, so you are stressed, anxious, and bald at 29. You should care only about the things that are important, meaningful, and within your reach. For example, you should care about your health, relationships, or purpose. What other people think of you, from the car you drive to the house you live in. How many likes you get on social media, whether you have the latest iPhone or why you do not have children yet, is nobody’s cup of tea.
Limiting energy around trivial matters frees ability to overcome challenges central to purpose.
2. Pursue Happiness Through Problem-Solving
Happiness is not a destination but a process. You can’t achieve happiness by chasing more money, fame, or success because that would only make you want more and never satisfy you. There is a disclaimer: I am not Jeff Bezos; do not take my advice. If your happiness depends on external factors, you might want to reconsider. Instead, you should achieve happiness by solving your problems and progressing in the things that matter to you.
Happiness is not something that you have but something that you do:
- Feeling content or satisfied.
- Being an agent of your own happiness.
- Emphasizing inner enrichment over material satisfaction.
- Maintaining a positive outlook on the future
3. Take Responsibility for Your Life
You are responsible for everything that happens in your life, even if it’s not your fault. You can’t blame others, circumstances, or fate for your problems because that would only make you powerless, resentful, or passive. Instead, you should take responsibility.
In 2016, my 73-year-old father and 16-year-old brother were attacked with sulfuric acid. My dad went blind in one eye, and my little brother experienced 3rd-degree burns on over 50% of his body surface. We accepted our fate, took action, and made informed decisions. Today, 23-year-old Andy plays amateur soccer in Massachusetts and my 80 yr. Old father walks about like a former Rolling Stone.
4. Embrace Your Mortality and Live with Purpose
At some point, you are going to die. Yet, acknowledging this truth isn’t meant to evoke fear but rather to inspire a life of purpose. Christ teaches us to embrace our mortality, using it as a reminder to live authentically and meaningfully: love, compassion, faith, and serving others. Embracing our mortality becomes a call to live in alignment with Jesus’ teachings. I recommend finding purpose in Christ here on earth and securing your afterlife.
Tsooboi – Rallying Call
My friend, we sell ourselves short when worry weighs down each day. This year will pass soon – how do you wish to look back on 2024?
I urge you – to care deeply this year about what matters most. Seek wonder. Nurture neglected dreams. Choose passion. You ask how? Just take the next step.
Tonight, a choice awaits: Will you regret another year of drudgery in the future or smile at joyful change? Who will you become if you start living intentionally now?
What do you think?
- Is the current model of maximizing GDP and other statistical measures sufficient to fuel human happiness and well-being? Why or why not?
- Do you think society misplaces value on wealth and material comforts versus relationships, purpose, and peace of mind? Where does the imbalance originate?
- How do we raise current and future generations differently to value joy over judgment, experiences over merely competition and acknowledgment?
- How do fear and uncertainty surrounding global risks, like climate change, inflation, etc., impact societal psychology in driving dysfunctional coping through overconsumption?
- Have communities embracing moderation and simplicity maintained higher average happiness levels despite lower GDP traditionally?
- What leadership examples exist of balancing economic priorities and policymaking while enabling fulfillment, equity and sustainability that should be replicated widely?