Mobilizing (The Pursuit of Happiness)

This is all the product of the past month and a half or so, spending time with new people, thinking differently:

• I will actively pursue happiness.
• I CAN do whatever I set my mind to do.
  
• Whatever I find that makes me happy (and is ethical) I will do.
  
• I will consider new ways of finding happiness.
• My happiness is a product of my own determination to be happy
• My circumstances WILL NOT dictate my deeper happiness
• So far as I can change my circumstances, I will use them to drive my happiness
• Circumstances which are not under my control are not relevant.
• My happiness will not depend on the decisions of those around me.
• I can change myself
• ... requiring help from time to time
  

Related conclusions:

• Not pursuing happiness results in the oppression of one's own spirit
• People don't survive long without hope
  
• Advising people is utterly useless if they never implement your recommendations
• People who cannot execute a decision are passively deciding to give up their own happiness/success/welfare

I'm implementing these (new) ideas.

First off, I mean to make time to relax. I've found (at a friend's bachelor's party) that responsible/moderate consumption of alcohol is (at least for the time being) a highly effective way of freeing myself, if even for a moment, from a few burdens. I'll watch movies/TV with my full attention, not thinking about work/programming/stress* at the same time.

As soon as I get my school work in order, I'll be spending more time with my wife and several friends -- they are more important to my sanity than I originally understood, and being as cerebral as I am, I tend to isolate myself. That will have to change.

And a few other things. As I recall them, I'll update this post.

There's more to this, on 'higher' levels, relating to social and philosophical observations. It's rather interconnected though, so explanation is somewhat complicated. I've found it hard to express some of the relationships between these ideas (hope, happiness, motivation, etc) for some time now. Hopefully I'll finally write these succinctly soon.

I'm in flux at the moment. Things are getting interesting ;)