{"id":202415,"date":"2020-01-14T10:10:49","date_gmt":"2020-01-14T18:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=202415"},"modified":"2020-01-14T12:57:26","modified_gmt":"2020-01-14T20:57:26","slug":"im-maximally-happy-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/14\/im-maximally-happy-now-what\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m Maximally Happy, Now What?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Never stop augmenting your physical and mental strength:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Happy walking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Mexico
Mexico City, 2020 #cindyproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The other day Cindy and I took a beautiful stroll from Roma Norte (Mexico City) to Polanco (the ritzy part of town), had nice conversations, had good coffee, looked around, had a nice dinner (Rosetta in Roma Norte), and we ended the day with some nice street tacos (suadero) with my infamous ‘egg snack’ for dessert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought to myself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow, I am at a maximal 10\/10 happiness.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But the question comes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now what I am maximally happy, now what? What do I do with my life, and continue to pursue? To keep maximizing my happiness? To strive to become an 11\/10 happiness? Or strive to become an 12\/10 happiness? <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Or to increase my capacity for happiness? So to increase my happiness “ability” from 10, to a maximum of 12? Therefore I could transform my happiness from a 10\/10, to a 12\/12?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is happiness an indicator of?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Mexico
Mexico City, 2020 #ericproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My thought:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happiness is a physiological indicator of physical health, mental health, and feelings of power and well-being.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Then comes my thought:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is then the purpose of my life to maintain this 10\/10 happiness indefinitely? Or something else?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Thank god for sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I slept around 10pm, and wokeup today at around noon. It was one of the best sleeps in my recent memory; it felt like a “mini death”. Deep sleep. Calm. Refreshing. 12 hours of necessary strength re-augmentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now I have this full day ahead of me. The question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What should I do with my time, physiological energy, and human metabolism?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

When am I the happiest?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"selfie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“Every day is equal to every other day.” – Heraclitus<\/a> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It seems I am happiest when after a great night of insanely bodily and physiological recover from sleep, a day where I am NOT interrupted; a day where I can focus on my own creative, philosophical, or artistic aims<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Via Negativa x Via Positiva<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thus perhaps happiness is both “via negativa” (cut out distractions, irritants, and bullshit) and “via positiva” (figuring out how TO USE your time and to express your creative force).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, my via positiva is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Walking<\/li>
  2. Thinking<\/li>
  3. Lifting weights<\/li>
  4. Conversing with Cindy and friends\/family<\/li>
  5. Talking with strangers<\/li>
  6. Challenging my own thoughts<\/li>
  7. Writing\/blogging<\/li>
  8. Making photos\/reviewing photos<\/li>
  9. Shooting videos\/re-watching my videos<\/li>
  10. Layout\/publishing (making books and ebooks)<\/li>
  11. Drinking coffee<\/li>
  12. Exploring<\/li>
  13. Watching films<\/li>
  14. Reading books<\/li>
  15. Teaching\/sharing ideas<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Over-power, overflowing power<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"selfie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    If happiness is simply an indicator of physiological health and creative flourishing, then perhaps happiness isn’t the end-goal in itself. The goal is to become MORE physiologically healthy\/strong, and the goal is to become MORE creatively fruitful, prolific, and epic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What does this mean? Some thoughts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. There is a maximum in which you cannot become more un-distracted. I believe distraction is a binary: either you ARE distracted or NOT distracted. Thus, to remain NON-DISTRACTED is optimal (indefinitely)<\/strong>.<\/li>
    2. Once you have the mental and physical state of NOT being distracted, then it means to continue to venture DEEPER into the black sea of knowledge, to continue to enlighten and elevate your mind.<\/li>
    3. Also, in order to become MORE mentally powerful, you need a stronger vessel (your body). Therefore the goal is to continue building your muscular\/skeletal\/sinew strength. How can you maintain great thoughts without a great body?<\/em> Also, if you want to continue to become MORE WISE, you must also become MORE PHYSICALLY STRONG!<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Conclusion:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Never stop augmenting your physical and mental-artistic strength!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

      Philosophy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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

      \n\n\n\n

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