All that counts in life is intention

Without a doubt, chocolate is one of the most loved sweet treats in the world. While not everyone may be partial to the sweet, melting, gooey confection, the fact that we like it so much is not just a coincidence. There are psychological reasons why it is something that tickles the taste buds of so many of us.

1. Sugar

Our love for sugary things is something that helped us survive since humans started walking the earth. Food with a high sugar content provided you with more energy. Riper fruits are ‘better’ because they contain more sugar. Since sugary stuff used to depend on the season a lot, it was a rare® treat than it is nowadays…

Love is patient,

love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud. 

It does not dishonor others,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

Fr. John Hardon, SJ:

One of the deepest mysteries of life is that of happiness.

I am not exactly referring to happiness in the next life in heaven with God, but here on earth among men. How is it that what everyone is looking for, so few seem to find? And how is it that what all the wise men of history have been teaching, so few seem to have learned? It cannot be that people’s desire for happiness is not strong enough. It is on examination the strongest impulse of human nature. Nor can it be that God does not want us to be happy already this side of heaven. He does not want us to be sad.

It must only be either because people do not understand what true happiness is or are not willing to pay the price to achieve it. These must be the reasons. Given the fact of man’s universal hunger for happiness and God’s goodness – not to say justice – towards His noblest visible creation, the absence of happiness in so many people can only be due to ignorance or failure to take the proper means. You might ask: why go into this huge subject? Why not deal with something more specific? And besides, what has all of this to do with the spiritual life?

The subject of happiness is not huge at all. It is very specific. In fact, it is as particular as each one of us in the world of our own personality. It is the one aspect of the spiritual life that we cannot pass over at the risk of talking about holiness without ever arriving there. If I were to coin a homely definition of sanctity, I would say that it is the achievement of true happiness. The saints are the only really happy people on earth.

The logical division of our title is to ask “What is true happiness?” and to find out “How do you get it?”

[…]  True happiness has three characteristics that are never absent, but always in greater or lesser measure together. True happiness is spiritual. It is generous and it is always related to God. In order, then, to be really and not spuriously happy we have to work for happiness in these three ways: in the spirit, the practice of generosity, and in relationship to God. At this point we turn from asking what true happiness is to how we can achieve it…

Let your peace of mind comes first in your priority. Cut off go of everything that makes you unable to peacefully sleep at night. Your best friend of 10 years who betrayed you, that mistake you can’t forgive yourself for, that anxiety of being perfect, that unstable relationship where you have been wondering for years where you stand. Whether it be a person or a situation, let it go.

Everyone does not need to be your friend. As people are great influences in your life, learn to keep the balance between “you don’t have to be liked by everyone” and “you can’t live by yourself and only yourself.” The famous “Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind,” is a fallacious mentality. Those who matter SHOULD mind, if they don’t, then why are you still with them?

The key is choice. You know better than anyone what is good for you and what is not.  The people, the movies you watch, the music you listen to, the food you eat. The way you live your life is your choice, even if sometimes it doesn’t seem that way due to external factors but my dear, that’s just life. There are some things you can’t control, but your reaction to everything? that we can control.

Go do the things that you want and get out of things that is bothering you. Swipe left to things that are good for you, swipe right to things that are not. If for some reason, you’re staying because it’s something you need, there is always a way out, find it. Do something about it.

Only open your doors to things that are healthy for you. Right from the start, you know when something is. The signs are there, you just have to look.You are not stupid, you’re just emotional. 

bleakfantasies, writing prompt #64: write 5-10 things you can do to better your mental health.