[this article was originally written for Puttylike] During my regular comedy talk about anxiety there’s an important moment: the first time I mention my experience of suicidality. A hush usually falls on the room, in sharp contrast to the earlier laughter. After a few seconds, I puncture the tension with a simple acknowledgement: “Cheery, this […]
Tag: happiness
Making Good Choices
[this article was originally written for Puttylike] Making good choices is hard. In fact, there’s only one thing I hate more than not having any choice, and that’s having to make one at all. I feel trapped when I have too few options, and overwhelmed when I have too many. Why are choices so difficult?
How to Be Happy By Understanding Instrumental Values
[this article was originally written for Puttylike] You could make a strong argument that the universe is poorly designed. Don’t get me wrong, I doubt I could do a better job. But, due to what appears to be a mistake in the grand universal design, nothing is purely, unequivocally good. There’s always a trade-off. Sometimes […]
What I’m Doing in July 2018
[post status: a brief life update] When Walking on Custard came out in 2015 (aside: I cannot believe that was three years ago! What on EARTH is happening to the flow of time?!), I needed some sort of online home. I considered all kinds of wild, imaginative ideas, like interactive websites which would act as companions to the […]
Being an Adult Child (in a Good Way)
[This post was originally written for puttylike.com] I never really grew out of childishness. It’s just so fun. Children get to be curious, silly, and playful. And there’s something delightfully mindful about the capacity they have to get absorbed in an activity for hours on end. Naturally, we can’t remain entirely childlike forever, but I’ve […]
Have Fun, For Fun’s Sake!
[This relatively sensible post was originally written for puttylike.com] I often feel pressure, like questions are burnt into my brain by endless repetition: Am I contributing to the world right now? Am I making enough money? Am I deepening myself, learning new skills and growing as a person? You might think that achieving any of […]
Do More Things You Enjoy
[SUPER QUICK POST] Today, some Incredibly Obvious Advice Which I Always Forget. You know those things you enjoy doing? (Perhaps you don’t. For me, modern life often turns into a kind of repetitive drudgery where days blend into one another. Even so, there’s usually something at some point lately which brought some joy. It’s useful […]
Jiggling an Imaginary Rope Helps You Re-Evaluate Your Life
[Warning: contains mild physics.] Imagine a short piece of rope. We’ll call him Ropert. Let’s imagine that Ropert represents our lives.
The One Answer to All Our Problems
I want the answer. The one, single answer which will solve all my problems.
My Life Is Not Worth Living
Minds May Say… When things go wrong, my life is not worth living… If I don’t get a degree, my life is not worth living. If I don’t have a partner, my life is not worth living. If I fail at work, my life is not worth living. If I spend an evening alone while […]