3 Minute Monday
Hi friend,
One of the easiest ways to work out how to improve your mood is a technique called inversion.
Working out what makes someone happy seems like a complex, mammoth task.
But making a happy person depressed seems much simpler.
So let’s say you want to make a happy person miserable, what would you do?
You’d probably mess with their wake cycle.
Ensure they weren’t getting regular sleep, weren’t getting enough of it and were probably napping during the day.
Then you’d mess up their nutrition, feed them poor quality, processed foods high in sugar.
You’d make sure they weren’t hydrated.
Ensure they didn’t get any sunlight exposure or go outside.
Maybe they’d stay in bed all day.
You’d ensure they didn’t exercise so no feel good chemicals were released post-workout.
You’d remove any contact with friends, family or people who they connect with and are there for them.
Then you’d probably make them spend too much time on their phone.
Keep them scrolling through anxiety-inducing social media feeds and comparing themselves to others online.
They wouldn’t be connected to a job which made them feel valued and like they were creatively contributing to something they care about.
That’s a pretty good start. I reckon we’ve made quite a miserable person there.
So…
If that’s how you make a happy person depressed, it has to be true that the converse would make a depressed person feel better.
Better. Not necessarily perfect, but certainly better.
The point I’m trying to make is that far more of your mood is under your control than you might think.
If you’re suffering with low mood and haven’t got all the bases above covered, then is it any surprise?
Without inculcating the foundations to avoid misery, you’re just playing life on Hard Mode.
The really insidious thing about depression is that the actions which make you feel worse are precisely what depression encourages you to do; further worsening your mood.
It’s like a self-fulfilling, self-perpetuating prophecy.
But that being said, a huge chunk of your mood is still under your control.
By believing that your actions impact your mood, the locus of control falls back into your domain of competence.
Not only CAN your actions impact the way you feel, but knowing that fact helps to make you feel more in control of your mood.
Which in turn improves your compliance to doing the things which make you feel better.
Your life should be lived by design, not default.
MODERN WISDOM
I do a podcast which has had 18 million+ downloads. You should subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This week’s upcoming episodes:
Monday.
Lauren Johnson – the ex-Performance Psychology Coach for the New York Yankees reveals the mindset secrets of elite athletes. Total underground hero. Bomb after bomb after bomb on this.
Thursday.
Jim O’Shaughnessy – my favourite InvestorPhilosopherKing joins me to explain how we can survive The Great Reshuffle. Book recommendations, thought experiments & more. Sick episode.
Saturday.
Peter Crone – The Mind Architect explains how to understand and reprogram your subconscious. “Life is only as difficult as you are limited”.
THINGS I’VE LEARNED
1.
“Simplicity is the end result of long, hard work, not the starting point.” — Frederick Maitland
2.
My audience is incredibly weird.
Honestly, I’ve been thinking this more and more recently.
The people who like Modern Wisdom are superbly odd.
Radically moderate.
Extreme realists.
Fundamentalist-level sensible.
Which is a huge outlier online.
Most of the internet is essentially filled with people slinging their own faeces at each other while they morally grandstand and misrepresent everyone else’s views.
And then there’s the Modern Wisdom community.
I get endless DMs and comments from people openly admitting to changing their minds on a topic.
I observe peaceful, well natured interactions from balanced, curious individuals in the comment sections of my videos.
People are thankful for having their viewpoints challenged because it helps them question their own assumptions and gets them closer to the truth.
I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve or attract you, but I’m incredibly glad you’re here.
The Squad is strong.
3.
“Wisdom is understanding that you don’t have to hold your happiness for ransom until some future time when your desires get gratified.” — Sam Harris
LIFE HACK
Online Therapy Is Legit.
I’ve been a huge proponent of therapy for years.
You don’t need to be in the middle of a catastrophe to benefit from working with a therapist.
It’s mad that most people don’t think twice about finding a Personal Trainer to get them in shape.
But haven’t found a therapist to sort out the most complex organ we have – our minds.
All of us are carrying baggage which slows us down.
Unquestioned assumptions about ourselves and the world.
Talking to a trained professional helps.
BetterHelp is cheaper, more convenient and quicker than traditional offline counselling with far more services available.
They match you with your own counsellor and then you connect with them online.
You can text, voice call or video call your therapist.
And you can change therapist whenever you want.
I’m proud to be partnered with BetterHelp. They’ve been improving the lives of tons of MW listeners which makes me very happy.
Plus you get a 10% discount on your first month.
See if BetterHelp could be a good fit for you by taking their quiz.
*As a BetterHelp affiliate, I may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided. But I’d do this even if they weren’t a partner. Therapy is great for you.
Big love,
Chris x
Listen to me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Say hi on Twitter or Instagram.
PS
200k Subs is nearly here. Another Q&A?
