Why Are So Many People Unhappy?

This is such an amazing age, and we have so much to be grateful for.

Technology has come so far so fast that we now have things available to us that 50 years ago would have seemed like the pipedream of a science fiction writer.

Because of that, shouldn’t we be walking around in a state of ecstatic happiness?

And shouldn’t this entire series that I’ve been writing on Happiness be second nature to everyone reading it?

Yet, most people are thoroughly unhappy. They take for granted everything we have available to us, and show no sense of gratitude or humility for it.

In the above video, comedian Louis CK, appearing on Conan O’Brien’s show a few months ago, put everything in perspective with his rant, “Everything is Amazing, Nobody is Happy.” He hit the nail on the head.

Indeed, if we live our lives in awe and reverence, and appreciate the amazing quality of life, there is no way that we could ever be unhappy.

These are the days of miracle and wonder, as Paul Simon sang in his song, The Boy in the Bubble:

These are the days of miracle and wonder,
This is the long distance call,
The way the camera follows us in slo-mo
The way we look to us all o-yeah,
The way we look to a distant constellation
That’s dying in a corner of the sky,
These are the days of miracle and wonder.

Granted, the technological changes in the last 20 – 30 years have made life move at a faster pace. But that of and by itself shouldn’t create unhappiness.

All we need to do to deal with it is to center ourselves, stay calm, and just be more self-aware. In other words, if we live a Low Density Lifestyle, there would be no problem whatsoever.

Happiness would then be automatic.

And then we could say that everything is amazing and everybody is happy.

Stress and the Teenage Years

Are You Stressed?

So, are you stressed? Are you able to relax and experience stress relief? Do you have time to play? Do you sleep well? These are some essential questions, because if you’re overly stressed, not able to relax, not taking the time to play, and not managing stress well, you’re also most probably not sleeping well.

And if you’re stressed and not sleeping well, you know what that means? You’re living life in the fast lane, the lane in which you’re burning your candle at both ends and the candle is just about flamed out. You know what you call this: that’s right, that’s living the High Density Lifestyle, a lifestyle that is not conducive to healthy living and health and wellness.

So where do I start when talking about stress?

Teenagers and Stress

How about this? I’ll tell you that if you’re stressed out when you’re younger, you’re setting yourself up for a High Density Lifestyle adult life. Habits that we learn when we’re younger follow us into adulthood.

And getting stressed out when you’re younger is a nasty habit that if you don’t change, will affect you adversely when you’re an adult, because you’ll have a harder time managing stress and experiencing stress relief.

Teenage Stress and Heart Disease

A recent study found that teenage stress can lead to physical problems in adulthood and put adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that a greater frequency of stress in teens was associated with higher levels of an inflammatory marker called C-reactive protein, or CRP. CRP has been identified as an indicator for the later development of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

When you’re a teen, there are a lot of stressors that come at you, and most teens are ill-equipped to deal with them. And just think, if you’re ill-equipped to deal with them when you’re younger, then the adverse reactions your body has to stress will follow you all the way to when you’re grown-up.

Peter Panning It

Now you can take the Peter Pan approach to growing up, and basically refuse to grow up, but, and I hate to be the one to deliver the bad news, until science develops a cure for growing up, it ain’t gonna happen.

What researchers found was that daily interpersonal stress experienced during the high school years was associated with elevated levels of inflammation, as measured by higher levels of CRP, even among normal, healthy teens.

“Our findings are consistent with the emerging body of evidence that points to the link between stress and increased inflammation, which places individuals at risk for the later development of cardiovascular disease and could have a significant impact upon long-term physical health during adulthood,” was the summary of the research.

Develop Self-Awareness

So the bottom line is, getting immersed in living a High Density Lifestyle can start in your younger years and follow you along when you become an adult.

This is no way to live, so the best bet, if you’re not a teen anymore, is to develop the self-awareness of what stress is doing to you, so that you can be better at stress management and get yourself onto a Low Density Lifestyle.

And that’s when you really start living. The good news is that healthy living will be a beneficial byproduct of this.

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