Happiness Pursuit: Destination Addiction Secrets

 The Pursuit of Happiness:  Beware of Destination Addiction

  First of all, your happiness is never guaranteed. Never was, and never will be.

 Even our founding fathers were smart enough to understand that too many people suffer from a condition known as "destination addiction" (DA), which is why you are only granted the right to pursue it.

 Having it, and keeping it, is entirely up to you.

 So what is "Destination Addiction"?

In the simplest terms, it means that you subscribe to the belief that your happiness, and I mean real happiness, lies just around the next corner. When you get the next job; when you meet the next short-term goal; when your divorce comes through; in the next prescription; or with the next new love affair.

 Notice in the last two examples that I have touched on the root cause that applies to nearly half of those affected by DA: Placing responsibility for their own happiness on someone else's shoulders, in this case the doctor who is happy to charge you for chasing the uncatchable, and the boyfriend or girlfriend who shouldn't be asked to bear an extra weight that is destined by design to fail.

 Sadly, the core fault that causes far too many divorces can also be traced back to a partner who simply refused to acknowledge the individual's responsibility of providing their own personal happiness. Naturally, they found over time that their life partner had neither the interest, nor the resources, to provide it for them.

  "Happiness Depends Upon Ourselves"

- Aristotle

So, are you ready for the simple truth?

 It's rather ironic, actually. The truth of personal happiness, this thing that so many people will spend an entire lifetime searching for but never find, while others seem to be born with it, is this:  You Had It All Along.

   You already have it, but environmental influences have trained you to ignore it and to start a lifelong quest to hunt for it. A rather expensive and personally exhaustive quest; but don't worry, there's a pill for that, too.

  You can call these influences society in general, peer pressure, commercialism, television advertising, specialized marketing (or Madison avenue, if that one actually applies anymore), retailers, or any of a hundred reasons (excuses?) that the AD victim can offer to define the path that led them to becoming hopelessly addicted to the BBD*.

*Sorry, this may be a bit "old school" for today's readers, but in my youth AD was called chasing ghosts and the destinations were referred to as the Bigger, Better Deal (or, the BBD as in "he's addicted to the BBD").  Kinda rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

 The real reason that so many people seem to be born into their own happiness, regardless of personal wealth or societal standings, is because they fully grasp, at a young age, the concept of personal happiness being the individual's responsibility.

 You can credit this to good parenting if you like, and in many cases you would be right, but the truth is that some people just get it. It clicks for them, and no further explanation is required.

 Like water rolling off a duck's back, they just seem able to repel troubles and remain happy.

 I have seen this first hand over many years.  This rollercoaster of a life has found me homeless more than once, and one of the most valuable memories that have endured is of genuinely happy families that literally had nothing material to offer, but were willing to share none the less.

 In some cases all they had to offer was a hug. And in my case, at that time, it was enough.

 I have also known some extremely wealthy families, and found only one that I can recall who was really happy, but to be perfectly honest she was what most would call totally clueless.

  She was blissful, if you get my drift.

  It's easy to hide personal misery under new vehicles and a lot of alcohol, but a lack of personal fulfillment is one of those things that simply won't stay hidden for long. 

 Either you have it or you don't, but you definitely can't buy it. Many have tried, and all have failed.

 In case you missed the answer, here it is again:  BE.

  Stop chasing happiness. Just Be.  Yes: it really is that simple.  No one can sell it to you, though many are going to offer.
 Car dealers, drug manufacturers (and their licensed drug dealers, aka your local doctor), home builders, cosmetics retailers, and dozens of others who are staking millions on your ignorance will continue to promise to sell you some happy. Be smarter. Learn to see through the smoke & mirrors, and choose to be happy.

 Step off the treadmill, even for a minute, and try becoming less hamster and more human. A responsible human who is willing to accept full responsibility for the thoughts that are coming from your own mind.

 Because what you think, you become: Happiness included.

Whether you believe that you can, or you believe that you can't: You are never wrong.      ≈ JB

 Happiness is a gift that that you give to yourself. Happiness is a gift that cannot be taken away from you, though again, some are going to try. 

 In a society that is peppered with so many truly miserable people, seeing someone who appears to have found actual happiness has a way of plucking a lot of people's nerves. Even a few friends may even try to sabotage your apparent self-satisfaction, albeit unconsciously.

 Misery, after all, really does enjoy company. This too is just more smokescreen, so don't fall for it.

 Understand them and the motivations behind their negative actions, and you will manage to hold firmly to your newfound happiness as a sailor holds his compass through rough seas.

 Learn to be more present, to live in the NOW.  Let the past be, stop worrying about the future, and be right here, right now. Then, be happy. Right here, and right now.

 It has always been nothing more than a simple choice, so Choose Happy.  Get it? Got it? Good.

 ≈ namaste

2015   J.B. Stran     § Copyright HealthySelfCures.com

Evolution of Medical Theory: Coconut Oil and Saturated Fats

The Jury is Out: Forget everything you were told about Saturated Fats

  You may have heard that the AMA is beginning a complete reversal of the traditional practice of arbitrarily removing juvenile tonsils as a solution to persistent throat infections.
 This is due to the fact that doctors are finally ready to admit that the medical community of the last few generations didn't fully understand the actual, and as it turns out quite vital function of this organ.

 Similarly, many doctors and nutritionists of the 20th century were claiming that anyone who expects to live a longer, healthier lifestyle must eliminate all saturated fats from their diet at once. This tune has begun to change recently, based primarily on further research and some new evidence.

 Similar to the completely unjustified generalizations that were laid upon many gentle family pets of the Pitbull breed, all forms of saturated fats have been demonized in the public eye based on the discovery that a few certain fats were unhealthy.
 These researchers failed to mention (or notice at the time) that there are just as many forms of saturated fats that are not only healthy, but in some cases vital to your overall nutritional health.

  Like most rumors, this one about fats was based in truth, and then exaggerated to sound like you were getting the whole story. So, here's the rest of the story...
  It is true that many saturated fats, such as those found in meat and cheese for example, are mostly made up of Long Chain Triglycerides (LCTs), which need to be broken down in the intestines before your body can use them for fuel. In other words, you are forced to store these fat cells in your body while waiting for this lengthy process to complete itself.

 Conversely, a previously maligned source of healthy fats that is being spotlighted lately is Coconut Oil, which is comprised primarily of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). These fats are metabolized quickly and rarely stored in the body as fat cells.
 The MCTs are a source of many helpful health benefits, including actually losing weight instead of gaining, just the opposite of the earlier fears.

 Fortunately, we are now beginning to understand that the saturated fats found in coconut oil, contrary to popular belief, are actually very beneficial to your nutrition.
 This is due in part to the discovery that the Tokelauan and Kitavan peoples of the South Pacific, who consume large quantities of coconut oil, are among the healthiest peoples on Earth.
 This evidence has sparked a renewed interest among nutritionists in the benefits of coconut oil.

 A Brazilian study found that women who consumed 30 milliliters of coconut oil daily for 12 weeks saw a reduction in their waist circumference and Body Mass Index, compared to a similar group who consumed equal amounts of soybean oil, which contains LCTs, and did not see similar benefits.
The results of this study were published in Lipids in 2009.

 Add in such bonuses as anti-viral properties, antifungal, and the fact that the MCTs can deter and even reverse the effects of Alzheimers Disease, and you can see why coconut oil is seen by health conscious consumers as the new natural must-have item today.

 Oh, and did i mention that it's actually very tasty?
While I've never been a big fan of coconut, in the form of a spread similar to butter, coconut oil is one of the exceptions to the old saying that anything good for you must taste bad.

 You should consider adding a spoonful of coconut oil to your daily diet immediately, in any way that you can.  A few friends are mixing it into their favorite recipes in place of margarine, and others simply eat it plain as a booster to their daily vitamin regime.

    § Copyright HealthySelfCures.com   §  JB Stran