There's No Magic Pill for Happiness

Here’s the thing about feeling tired, achy, lethargic, low energy, apathetic, depressed, heavy, static. There is no medicine for that shit. There’s no miracle drug. There is no cure-all solution. Feeling good is consistent daily work.

Doctors prescribe bandaids. The reality is, if we truly want to feel better, it’s going to take a lot more than swallowing a pill every day. We’re going to have to sweat, push and use every grain of willpower in our cells. Because the immediate effort? Produces sustainable results.

For most of my life I’ve had to fight to get out of bed in the morning. My body is physically working against me in every possible way. I’m drained, I’m debilitated, I’m barely hanging on. For some of us it’s a struggle to function normally. We have depressive tendencies. We’re sick in some way. We have diabetes, an overactive thyroid, an autoimmune disease. We have chemical imbalances. We’re overweight. We have food allergies. We have vitamin deficiencies. We feel like shit all the time.This is what I’ve learned about wellness. Most of us want to blame a condition, a disadvantage or a handicap for our frailty. The truth is, we’re in control. We just have to work really fucking hard to stay on our game. Feeling good is a privilege. Unless you’re naturally happy and energetic all the time (and when is this ever the case), you’ve got to wake up, show up, and put in the work.

Some of us might have to work a little harder than others. So what? Ask yourself how bad you want to feel good. If it’s worth it to you, you’ll throw out the excuses.Wake up early every day, no exceptions. Shower and get dressed, even when you don’t have formal plans. Leave the house and go somewhere public. Talk to strangers. Force yourself to smile. Get outside, soak in sunlight. Drink ten glasses of water daily. Sweat your face off. Run, hit the gym, kayak, find someone to teach you something new. Learn about what you’re putting in your body and how it affects your mood, energy levels and overall wellbeing. Choose whole, natural foods. Cut down on processed crap. Meditate. Visualize. Get into some woo woo shit. Do yoga. Listen to loud music. Jump around. Do things that perk you up.

These aren’t casual suggestions. These are efforts you should be making every single day to be your best self. To inspire enthusiasm and energy. To function at full capacity, not at half mast. This is your life. Your wellbeing is at stake.