First things first, anyone who says they’re happy is a filthy liar. And anyone who would have the nerve to tell you how to be happy should be publicly shamed on Twitter. That said, here’s a video called “Instructions For A Happy Life.”
Here’s why it’s good:
- It acknowledges that happiness “as a constant state” is bullshit and whatever it is we call happiness is “a chemical reward for hard work.” Happiness is earned and ephemeral.
- It acknowledges that there are no absolute truths in life, and that we shouldn’t trust anyone who says there is.
- Many of the “instructions” include the acceptance that everything sucks most of the time.
- It ends by telling you to “ignore all previous instructions,” itself a tacit acknowledgement that what works for some doesn’t work others.
Really, though, it’s a short, simple video with straightforward narration, a pleasant narrator, and a complete lack of preciousness. Also, its advice is achievable and actionable, totally devoid of shit like, “Stop caring about what other people think.”
Spend more money on whiskey and mattresses, it says. Don’t obsess over diets; just eat less and move more. Don’t pretend to like things everyone else likes. Or to hate things everyone else hates. And floss. Flossing is important.
Does adhering to these points guarantee a satisfying existence? Maybe. For some. But, hey, they make a lot more sense than someone blowing their paycheck on some “cure-all” Goop shit.