Happiness

Suffering

What Is Causing Your Existential Crisis?

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, August 11 2021

Humans have advanced cognitive abilities that allow them to think about themselves and the world around them.  That gives them greater survival capabilities, but it also allows them to wallow in despair.  The question is, what causes the latter to occur?  In other words, why are you questioning your existence?

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Happiness

People See What They Want to See

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, June 30 2021

This post is intentionally luring you in as the seeming beginning of a rant about how the world is one way but people refuse to accept it.  On the contrary, however, seeing what you want to see is actually one of the keys to life and the secrets to happiness and success.  To use it as a derogatory comment is pretty ironic in the grand scheme of thi...

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Suffering

The Stock Market of Life: It Has Its Ups and Downs but Trends Upwards

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, June 16 2021

Life is getting more grim, right?  Climate change, fascism, a global pandemic, social unrest, terrorism, potential wars of the cold, nuclear, and civil kind, flattening of lifespans and homeownership levels…it seems like every day there is a reason to be pessimistic.  But of course that’s absolutely absurd to think that’s an objective assessment....

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Suffering

Believing What’s True vs. What Benefits You

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, May 26 2021

This seems like it should be the shortest blog post ever: “Should you believe what’s true or what benefits you?  What’s true, of course!  What a stupid question!” Okay, well what if someone just had the greatest failure or disaster of their lives and the truth is that their life will never be the same again?  What if their dog, friend, or family me...

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Meaning

Can Money Buy Meaning in Life?

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, February 10 2021

Everyone asks about whether money can buy happiness, and research says that happiness increases with income up to a certain point (~$75,000/year is where monetary increases no longer reduce stress; ~$200,000/year is where there's no further impact on emotional state).  In a related question, people might ask whether money can buy meaning in life....

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Happiness

Why It's Difficult to Figure Out What Will Make You Happy

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, January 27 2021

Ahhh, happiness.  It's what people think the whole point of life is.  But happiness seems to be so evasive.  You don't always know what will make you happy, and even if you do then it seems so fleeting.  What is going on here?  Can you truly live happily ever after?  Can you buy happiness?  What even is happiness, and can you define it?  Once you d...

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Happiness

Don't FIND Happiness...CHOOSE Happiness

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, December 30 2020

A lot of people this time of year will be asking, "How do I find happiness?"  That's what people are really looking for: more happiness and fulfillment in their lives.  They're looking outside themselves and trying to find what will make them happy.  In doing so, they're missing a key part of the happiness formula where they can choose to make thei...

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Truth

Don't Confuse the Goal, Morals, and Happiness in Your Search for Meaning

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, September 16 2020

In my 30 years of studying psychology, philosophy, religion, and how the world works, one thing always bothered me: every system that exists to give you a comprehensive view of how life works or how you should live always lays it all out as one complete package without explaining how the concepts relate to each other.  For example, if you believe t...

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Emotions

Self-Loathing Is Never the Answer—Seek to Have a Positive Impact Instead

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, June 17 2020

There are plenty of times when you might feel so bad about the world that you might want to blame and hate someone for it.  There are plenty of things to be angry or sad about in the world if you look for them.  When it comes to broad issues without a specific perpetrator, though, you might begin to blame yourself as if you had some part in it.  Ma...

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The Meaning of Life

5 Incorrect Conclusions About the Meaning of Life

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, June 3 2020

Because the meaning of life has been asked by billions of people, dozens and dozens of conclusions have been drawn about what it is for them and for society. While meaning is personal and unique to each individual, many people have come to conclusions about what the meaning of life is for all humans or all life on Earth. The Meaning of Life: A guid...

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