
I have been thinking about further tips that have helped me. I have felt like my happiness set point has moved lower over time (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Well-being_contributing_factors).
I have tried the following interventions stabilizing sleep, exercise (focus on cardio and stretching), cognitive behavioral therapy (which backfired spectacularly), religious texts, pgarmaceuticals, and platitude/mantra meditation.
Some insights that may help:
- daily short religious text study is helpful. It has diminishing returns, so set a timer if you spend longer than 15 mins.
- negative thoughts and experiences envelop like a blanket and affect every fiber of your personality. Attempting to do the opposite with platitudes is hard work (almost like flexing your abs before lifting something heavy), but doing so with thoughtful platitudes can make a positive self fulfilling prophesy.
- platitudes used in this manner are most effective if used with purpose: what do you want right now that is difficult? Now I believe these platitudes that strengthen me because I want x!
Good luck, I genuinely hope you feel better.
Well, something that the Mormons have is they tried out communism. They called it the law of consecration. They had some fun times with trying to handle being productive and redistribution and poligamous. They ultimately concluded that they weren’t ready for it yet so they went back to default capitalism with tithing and poor/fast offerings.
Tl;dr: Mormons believe in a kind of communism in heaven, and they go hungry for 2 meals (24 hrs) to remember to give generously to the poor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_consecration?wprov=sfla1