{"id":149187,"date":"2019-06-15T16:05:36","date_gmt":"2019-06-15T23:05:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=149187"},"modified":"2019-06-15T16:09:56","modified_gmt":"2019-06-15T23:09:56","slug":"happiness-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/15\/happiness-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Happiness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is happiness? Is happiness important? <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Currently my thought about ‘happiness’ is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happiness is the body communicating to your mind that you’re physically\/physiologically strong and powerful.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore– to become “happier” simply means to become stronger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, I am happy when I am lifting weights at the gym. I feel calm, relaxed, zen<\/a>, stoic<\/a>, and strong. I feel ‘happier’ when I witness myself become stronger. There are few things which are satisfying as achieving a new “1 rep max” in your deadlift<\/a> or any of your lifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Happiness as an artist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I think ‘happiness’ in art is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The joy of being enraptured in the zen-zone\/flow of active creation.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I also feel that we are happiest as artists while<\/em> we are creating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And we feel ‘happier’ as artists when we witness and see ourselves evolving, changing, and becoming both stronger and more supple\/simple in our artistic vision\/output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What next?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It seems on a base level, the first goal is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Become ‘happy’.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Then the next goal is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyday strive to become ‘happier’.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Happiness isn’t base pleasure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Let us not get suckered into thinking that happiness is owning fancy stuff, having a lot of money, earning more money, or indulging in more sexual-food-drink-drug-alcohol pleasures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The closest thing to happiness is the Greek (Aristotle) notion of ‘eudaemonia’– happiness as “human\/creative flourishing”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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First, become physically stronger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The first goal: become physically stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start powerlifting<\/a> at the gym (both ladies and men, and it doesn’t matter your age). Deadlifts<\/a>, squats, chinups, dumbbell press are my favorites. Stick to the simple ‘1 rep max’ style training. Strive to increase your maximum weight by 5 pounds a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To supplement your muscular and physical strength growth, eat a lot of meat (beef, chicken, pork, fish, etc) and lots of eggs (yes, eat the yolks too). It seems that protein is the only essential thing we need to grow our muscles and become physically stronger. It seems that plant proteins work (soy, etc), but it seems evident that meat is a more supreme nutrient source to optimize muscular strength growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Second, become an artist-philosopher<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What I’ve gathered so far is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The apex we can reach as an individual is a hybrid of both artist and philosopher. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The artist-philosopher<\/a> as an individual who is extremely productive in their creative output, while also thinking deeply on the significance of the artwork they create. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Third, never stop experimenting.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It seems the only way to live life is to become ‘happier’ (indefinitely, until you die). This means to avoid boredom, avoid lack of challenge, and to avoid ennui. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means to never stop experimenting with your life, to never stop evolving, to always set more difficult challenges for yourself, and to always have fun<\/a> (like a child<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BE BOLD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ERIC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Philosophy by KIM<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Dictate your meaning and purpose in your life with ZEN OF ERIC<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Philosophical Essays<\/h2>\n\n\n\n