Happy

  Many of us feel we need stuff to make us happy. The truth is it is when you don't want stuff you are happiest. So why do we continually want more stuff? It's a bit of an enigma. Those old Chinese guys talked about that a great deal. Kung Fu knew all the answers to that. It all has to do with Qi. That is the central power in your body, the energy source you might say. At least that is my understanding of that. You don't need anything else, just Qi. 

  Here in the west we tend to think more in religious terms about that power. Our strength is in belief. The goal is the same, to obtain peace of mind. You don't need anything outside of yourself to feel happy and content. But our physical needs get in the way a great deal. We need to eat, have a safe place to live and tools to facilitate all of that. That's why we all have a job of some kind. What is it they say, find a job you enjoy and you will never work a day in your life. I had one of those but I still had to get out of bed and go to work, and it was work. Our hobbies are generally what we would like to do if we didn't have to earn a living. But we have to work to afford our hobbies. Personally I would say I don't have any hobbies just a wide variety of interests. A regular jack of all trades, that's what I am.

  In recent years the focus has shifted to mental health. We hear about that all the time. There should be no stigma attached to seeking mental health services. It's perfectly normal to be abnormal. Isn't that the message? There is no such thing as normal anymore, it's whatever you want it to be. Others, to be inclusive, must accept and support that. But just what upsets our mental balance? We want things. That is the usual reason anyway. We want people to like us, we want a bigger home, we want a new car, we want to be respected and recognized. The things we want create unrest. We confuse our wants with our needs. 

  That is the mental health crisis being faced today. The blurring of the line between fact and fiction. Facts are cold hard things, unchanging, resolute and inflexible. Facts are not the basis of science, as many seem to believe, science changes frequently and is frequently just plain wrong. The fact of the matter is this, it is up to you. There are no pills, no support groups, no organizations, clubs or mystics that can give you peace of mind. That is all on you! Maturity is the acceptance of fact. It isn't the changing of the facts, the rewriting of history, staging a protest or a revolution. Your mental well being is dependent upon maturity. What we called in the old days, growing up.

 "The American Psychological Association defines emotional maturity as “a high and appropriate level of emotional control and expression.” Emotional immaturity, on the other hand, is “a tendency to express emotions without restraint or disproportionately to the situation.” It was listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Note that it WAS listed, it no longer is. It's all perfectly normal now. No need to grow up, be a neighborhood organizer or community activist instead. The science has changed but the fact remains, you still need to grow up. You have to learn to accept the answer, No. Do not listen to the ones trying to sell the product. They are the ones that will profit, not you. They are selling the stuff that creates your anxiety in the first place. The mature individual creates that stress for themselves.