Medication can often help artists better access their creativity and express their emotions more readily. As a writer and musician, who also teaches about ADHD, the question of whether medication takes away creativity is often asked. However, it does not. Medication can restructure your creative life in unfamiliar ways, and artists with ADHD are used to a certain type of creative life. When depression is treated well, all the creative parts of your personality return and function at the optimal level.
Studies indicate that stimulants like Ritalin may influence creativity, potentially hiding it, particularly in children with ADHD. However, other research suggests that creativity is subjective, making it difficult to measure with any accuracy. Some researchers have tried to understand the link between medication and creativity, finding that creative people thrive on emotion, but for those with mental health issues, there is often a fear that treatment with medication (including antidepressants) could dull their most precious resources—including creativity.
In 1989, a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health examined the effects of immediate-release medications on creative individuals. The short answer is that stimulant medication reduces distractability and a lack of focus, so will reduce creativity in the initial phases. However, medication does not prevent the reception of gift-like intuitions, images, and insights that we all depend upon as artists or creatives. In conclusion, medication can help artists better access their creativity and express their emotions more readily, but it is important to consider the specific needs and preferences of each individual.
📹 Starting Medication: The Dull Factor
Sarah talks about the dull feeling she had when she first starting taking medication. Read Sarah’s blogs for International Bipolar …
Does dopamine affect creativity?
The dopaminergic (DA) system may be involved in creativity, but previous studies have been mixed. This study aims to clarify this relationship by considering the mediofrontal and nigrostriatal DA pathways and their contribution to two different measures of creativity: the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking and a real-world creative achievement index.
The study found that creativity can be predicted from interactions between genetic polymorphisms related to frontal (COMT) and striatal (DAT) DA pathways. The Torrance test and the real-world creative achievement index relate to different genetic patterns, suggesting that these two measures tap into different aspects of creativity and depend on distinct, but interacting, DA sub-systems.
Successful performance on the Torrance test is linked with dopaminergic polymorphisms associated with good cognitive flexibility and medium top-down control, or with weak cognitive flexibility and strong top-down control. High real-world creative achievement, as assessed by the Creative Achievement Questionnaire, is linked with dopaminergic polymorphisms associated with weak cognitive flexibility and weak top-down control.
In conclusion, the findings support the idea that human creativity relies on dopamine, and on the interaction between frontal and striatal dopaminergic pathways in particular. This interaction may help clarify some apparent inconsistencies in the prior literature, especially if the genes and/or creativity measures were analyzed separately. Creative thought underlies many innovations in science, technology, and the arts, and has recently emerged as an important topic in cognitive neuroscience.
Do antidepressants make you less creative?
Bipolar medication can cause emotional blunting, a state where patients feel disconnected from the world and their creative mind. This is a common side effect of medications like antipsychotics, antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and mood stabilizers. The sedative nature of these medications can be helpful for those struggling with mental health conditions, but it can also trigger a loss of creativity.
Bipolar medication is necessary due to the connection between bipolar disorder and creativity, which is a positive trait of the condition. During periods of mania, individuals experience a widening expanse of their senses, memory, and imagination, allowing them to express exceptional creativity.
Does medication affect creativity?
Studies have shown that medications can either decrease creativity and make responses more uniform, or increase creative output. Some studies suggest that medications lower the pursuit of creativity and make people’s responses more uniform, while others suggest that medications increase creative output. Both studies highlight the importance of understanding the relationship between medication and creativity in order to make informed decisions about medication use.
Does depression stunt creativity?
Depression is not necessarily linked to creativity, but treatment can help restore key factors, leading to increased creativity. Artists, like anyone else, are not exempt from mental health issues. While the mainstream notion that artists heal themselves through their art is false, depression is not inextricably linked to creativity. Throughout history, artists have used their creative outlets as a means of coping with depression. Some artists may struggle with depression due to specific characteristics, such as a lack of self-awareness, a lack of motivation, and a lack of self-awareness.
Do antidepressants slow your thinking?
Anticholinergic medications, including amitriptyline, doxepin, paroxetine, and nortriptyline, have the potential to inhibit muscarinic receptors, leading to cognitive impairments such as memory, executive function, and processing speed.
Do mood stabilizers make you less creative?
As posited by Polatin and Fieve 10, those with creative inclinations tend to view lithium unfavorably, characterizing it as a “brake” that impairs motivation, initiative, and self-expression.
What impairs creativity?
Stress and time constraints in graduate school can hinder creativity, according to psychologist Robert Epstein, PhD. These constraints can sap the inspiration of even the most imaginative students. However, innovative thinking is crucial for overcoming these challenges. Collaborating with other researchers, finding a subfield that excites you, maneuvering through unexpected findings, and balancing work and home life demands all require creative problem-solving. Thus, stress and time constraints can be detrimental to creative expression in graduate school.
Can medication affect personality?
Low mood can be caused by certain medicines, causing sadness, teariness, and loss of interest in activities. If these feelings persist, it may indicate depression, affecting daily activities like eating, sleeping, and concentration. Severe cases may lead to suicidal thoughts or self-harm.
Some medicines can cause behavioral changes, such as irritability, agitation, restlessness, euphoria, confusion, aggression, hostility, paranoia, hallucinations, and delusional thoughts. Sleep problems may also occur, such as insomnia and nightmares.
If you are concerned about mood changes, don’t stop taking your medication abruptly. Instead, discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist. Sometimes, different doses or medications may have less impact on mood.
People close to you may notice changes in your behavior before you do. If others have noticed something, seek help. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or others, contact your doctor immediately.
How does drugs affect creativity?
Researchers from Essex University and Humboldt University have found that psilocybin, a popular drug for its creative effects in Silicon Valley, does not improve creativity. They examined hundreds of papers to reach their conclusions, and an additional study found that people who took psilocybin felt more creative while on the drug but were actually underperforming relative to their sober state. Jennifer Haase, a co-author of the paper at Humboldt University, said that ideas generated under the influence often seem disjointed or ill-suited as solutions later on, and that it is scientifically unsound to recommend their consumption in pursuit of enhanced creative output due to the numerous side-effects associated with drug use.
Does depression make you less creative?
Research indicates that people with major depressive disorder (MDD) tend to be more creative than those with mild depression, despite symptom severity being less severe. However, evidence does not suggest that mood disorders enhance an individual’s artistic ability. High-pressure and hectic lifestyles of artists may lead to depressive symptoms due to tight deadlines, high expectations, fierce criticism, and intense travel.
Studies on creativity and mood disorders are complicated by the confusion of creative experiences with mood disturbances, as hypomanic and manic symptoms can mirror behaviors during intense creative episodes.
Do antipsychotics reduce creativity?
The creativity of patients with schizophrenia is influenced by the type of medication used. Patients who are receiving new antipsychotics, including amisulpride, clozapine, olanzapine, and risperidone, have been reported to demonstrate higher levels of creativity. The research can be requested directly from the authors, but the citations for this publication have yet to be resolved.
📹 Why Your Life Feels So Dull And Empty
A short story of a grandpa’s wisdom on life. Self Mastery School – Meet ambitious people, develop unshakable confidence, and …
Dude I will be straight up with you. I was starting to become disappointed because I felt you were running out of ideas in the website, as if my opinions matter. I would make my mind up before I even watched the articles. But this one. THIS article is, in my opinion, one of your best articles to date. I think it will resonate with a huge amount of people, especially in their teens and early twenties. Thank you, keep doing what you’re doing
“He who binds to himself a joy, does the winged life destroy. He who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in eternity’s sunrise” – William Blake I had my heart broken by my best friend recently. I’ve been in such a dark place. He was the only friend I had, so there’s really nobody to turn to for support during this time, other than family. On top of losing two relationships in one, I’ve had some rather scary medical issues come about that still have not been resolved (despite numerous Dr. Appts). I’ve been down. Really down. But, I’ve been trying to climb out of this dark pit. I’m still not out, but I’ve recently managed to shift my perspective (on some days) to think in the way you’ve told us about in this article (prior to perusal it). It’s been helpful. Thank you for sharing this story. It serves as a great reminder to live life for the sake of living it- not merely chasing a desired outcome. Thank you for this 🖤
Is it bad that im not even 18 yet I feel this exact same feeling? I feel like I myself am trapped inside a box and fear expanding. I fear rejection, pain, embarrassment, failure, I rarely ever feel the true taste of pure failure, but not the pure taste of success either. I feel as if everything I do is half baked, never perfected to a standard despite how much effort I feel I put into those things. I dont know if im lazy, burnt out or just not enjoying what I do. Its real reassuring but depressing at the same time to know im not the only one who feels like this
I don’t usually comment on articles, but I have to say, this article really struck a chord with my soul. For a lot of my life, I’ve tried to avoid pain, discomfort, failure, all of the things that we often deem negative. I didn’t always know it but at times I’d carry this hopeless energy around with myself because of the negative things that we as humans go through in life. But with bad times there are also good times. It is important to acknowledge and embrace both, because there is beauty in both. There will be days filled with laughter, smiles, and success, but there will also be days filled with sadness and anxiety, days where we fail and we struggle. But courageous and brave is what we become when we move forward despite our failures and fears. That is what it means to experience life. Great work Cole.
I’m closing in on 40, and this is what I’ve learned: You will absolutely start believing in the simulation theory, because no matter how talented you are at something, how much work and effort you put into your goals, you’ll get absolutely nowhere. Meanwhile you’ll watch people with far less talent and ambition casually attain levels of success that you’ll never know. The harder you work, the worse your results seem to get. Finally, you decide to stop trying so hard and let the universe provide the path forward. However, while other people who do this have their paths provided for them, you will find no path, and your decision to stop pushing and going after what you want will uncouple you from the tiny bit of leverage you had. In the end, you’ll have no path forward and be left completely alone, knowing that everyone you’ve ever known, from the talented and driven to the lazy and unmotivated, have all attained far more success than you with far less effort. At that point you’ll just give up and run out the clock, confident that when your time comes, you’ll wake up in the simulation chair and decide that yeah, the “Nightmare” difficulty setting really is impossible.
I think i’ve been screwed over by cynicism. I’ve seen this article and all i feel is bad. The message i’ve taken away from this is that some people have the courage to live this life, some dont. I dont. At some point i went looking for the meaning of life, that was a mistake. All i found was the idea that life is meaninless because life cannot have meaning. Some people go through life without contemplating its meaning, others find and settle for a meaning i’ve rejected. And i am left here without a valid excuse for living. “Come now my boy, this is meant to uplift you” thanks for trying i guess, but i think i’m beyond hope.
I won’t lie, I’ve been pretty down in the dumps for months. I’ve tried talking to friends, talking once to a one time counsellor, hell I tried taking larger than recommended drugs in the hopes that I’d start to truly suffer and even tried suicide once. But then when I remembered that a friend once recommended you, I decided to watch this specific article, and honestly, this was a greater help than I’d ever received from anyone. I nearly cried several times, I laughed at the boy’s inability to grasp the grandpa’s words at first, and I was drawn towards the grandpa’s words and story for the entire time. This could be the turning point that I needed. Thank you, very very much :’)
This is officially the first time i have ever commented on a article of any kind. I been perusal your articles for a few months now. Im a grown man and this story made tears. You sir are a very creative. I related to this story on so many levels. I feel the need to tell you to keep on doing what you are doing, our new generations need leaders like you. Keep up the fantastic work! Subscribed 🤘😎🤘
This article is cool in principle, but doesnt apply to modern life. Wanna travel the world to experience new cultures? Too bad, you can’t even afford a car let alone a holiday. Wanna experience the ups and downs of romance? Too bad, people dont know how to connect anymore. Instead you get hundreds of meaningless and futile conversations on dating apps. Want to pick any old odd job to keep yourself alive? Too bad. Even the most menial of jobs now required references, experience and bear minumum of standards. A homeless person sleeping on a park bench would not be hired anywhere nowadays, you simply couldnt do it. Modern times are the survival of appearances and who can pretend theyre not dying on the inside. If you have feelings, or any kind of disability: too bad. You wont make it life. 😊
I don’t know, I’ve had so much heart ache in my life, health drops, I’m not feeling this, the thought of another girlfriend then break up is torture, losing so many loved ones has killed me and now parents are older, i’m 48 and single, have a house and my dog, music equipment, bikes, other hobbies, but i’m in a dark place still. Everyone preaches to get out of the box and stop the daily working for the man routine, well not everyone can do that, if we fail, who picks up our pieces, my parents, how’s that fair for them, who pays my bills, losing a house and starting over is 1000 times harder now days, insurance and cost of living, good luck getting a girl to date you if your poor and starting over, also, your not supposed to rely on a partner for all your happiness, that’s a set up for terror……….. Only things that bring me joy are ppl i love, and pets, and all of them go away or die, what am i missing here, to me this was depressing. sry, having some hard times with anhedonia
2:34 Miracles, Humiliation, Adultery 3:47 Despair, Shattered, Lowest Point 4:11 Homeless, Whits End, Trees 🌲 4:57 Restored by Nature and Odd Jobs 5:35 A new woman, same result 6:29 World Travel (how much did that cost?) 7:21 You have to experience it 8:02 This is Meant to Uplift you 8:39 Block Life 9:27 “You’ll never have life figured out.” 10:15 “You have my blood in you.”
Yooo Cole really read my mind. I’ve been stuck in this position for the past few months. I felt like I lost all sense of life and I’m only 18. Sometimes I feel like I’ll continue to be stuck in this downward path. After perusal this, I’m starting to really think that Life is really beautiful and that even though we only have one life in this world, I should experience it to fullest until very end. Once again excellent vid Cole💪🏾🔥.
How to feel alive? : -Dopamine detox (No screens, no junk food, no social media, no sleeping all day.) It will make you search for more productive things to do, when you do it for around a month, even the smallest things can make you feel fulfilled. -Get out of your comfort zone everyday. It will be an habit and hard things will become way easier, making you feel better about yourself.
I am 40 soon and still wait for the “better” – Honestly this is not the first time I’ve seen or read such a type of cookie cutter story. Sounds nice and all but life isn’t that easy, simple and the same for everyone. If you are young and haven’t experienced much from all sorts of sides and facets in life this might help you but if you are 40 and you have seen more ugly than good – have never found a place to fit in the hope to believe in such a story is low to none.
This story is so relateable . I was feeling so empty, a simple body without any soul, any lust for life. I needed to hear that. I’ve been depressed for so long, too long. I’m there was a period in middle school when I’ve got bullied for what I am, the fact that I wasn’t conform. It just made me wanna conform more and more, erase my true personality. God knows how much I regret this period of my life. Since the Covid, the only thing that I do is going to high school, listening music that I can’t even relate cause I have 0 interesting experiences, and wasting my time on internet. Even my “friends” are boring and never go hang out outside. I’m alone, sometimes lonely, even when I’m surrounded by people. I wanna get high by the beach, scream till I can’t breath, kiss a stranger then regret it, do things that’ll make me feel ALIVE. I started to write poetry few months ago, but the only thing that I write about is my depression. Melancholy is beautiful, but I wanna see and experiment something new. Goddamn, my story reminds me of the guy from fight club. I hope I’m not gonna turn crazy. Have a basic day <333
I’m 49 and most of my adult life has been a struggle with issues around depression and huge periods of unemployment, even now I haven’t worked for over 10 years, drifting along claiming government welfare to survive. I’ve been extremely depressed these last 6 months including 3 weeks voluntarily in a psychiatric unit with extreme depression and chronic insomnia. I’m still struggling a lot and not feeling any joy that’s spoken of in this article. I feel terrified about life as Im not sure I will make it too much longer unless something changes in my thinking. Im so tired
“This is what it means to truly experience life” Jesus, I never heard something like this… It hit me like a truck and I’m even in shambles rn. Why are we so afraid to fail? To be in debt? To work 80+ hours? Why are we so afraid of anything? Why do we ruminate in the past? I’ve lost alot over the past few years including my childhood to Torture of all methods including sexual. I never grew in anything that I should’ve started as a kid to bring into my adulthood. I moved around alot and I slowly lost myself and today I remain an empty husk that is another body. I’ve lost so much because of greed and power from everyone I thought I loved. I’d love to share my story because maybe I can find the answer I’m looking for in my life. Idk
“Whatever makes you feel alive, do that, and do it until your hands bleed; and as soon as it no longer fulfills you, then move on to the next thing” Powerful message. I think you have to be careful with it; a momentary setback may look like unfulfillment but not be it. But you usually know deep inside when it’s time to move on.
You definetly know how to make someone realise things in such a short period of time ✅ Thank you Cole for sharing your expiriances being vulnerable to help people understand all of this as soon as possible thank you for making this content availible to everybody I am thankful for what you do what ever this is really worth to you but with all my respect THANK YOU 🙏
Did a teenager write this? “Most wonderful and inexplicable…” you can’t be serious. The amount of happiness you get that needs to be EARNED is far too high. Nothing I can do at this point would give my life real meaning. I would always be settling for less. Just surviving. For what? Give me a break 🙄
I’m going to see my grandfather in 2 days in TX. He was a Harvard swimmer who is in the swimming hall of fame and is a PhD Anthropologists who has written several books and hundreds of articles. He is the funniest and most intelligent people you could ever meet (especially with women involved, specifically waitresses😂) with a 175 IQ. He is 78 with Parkinsons and he is fading faster than we had hoped most recently and this may be the last I’ll see of him. Please check out his work, his name is Phillip Whitten. He saved hundreds of children in Nigeria and exposed doping in Olympic sports. Thank you for the article, the timing I found this article is uncanny.
This article was amazing… it really got me thinking about life and how it really is what you make it. Each day matters and is worth living you just need to see the potential and value to every day! Thank you for allowing me to see a more positive outlook and I’ve saved this article because I know there will be times I could really use it to remind myself life is worth living.
I was talking to my therapist about exactly this thing on Saturday. She asked me why I am so afraid of the darkness, when this is where we, our lives, everything comes from. If darkness is comforting and natural, then why is it so bad? Why only live in the light, when that is impossible. It is a game you can never win, you will always be running and disappointed. I am ready to embrace the darkness, come what may, and live my life out of reach of fear, as it should be lived. Both wonderful and painfully real, but mine. Play and win! Your articles speak to my heart as if you were my best friend. I literally LOVE YOUR WORK!
I couldn’t see this article at a better time than now, and I truly thank you for the work you do. I’ve gone through so many drastic life changes within the last few months and I have been stuck in a rut, feeling depressed, anxious, and very disconnected from myself. Before these changes, I had a similar perspective on life as you described in the article, and I somehow lost it when life began to test me more. This article reminded me of the excitement, and appreciation I had for life when I felt my best and showed me it’s still possible to feel that same way now, despite the negative emotions I’ve been feeling. The beauty in life is not just found in the most positive and happy days, but also in the days we struggle, as the days we struggle leads to the most growth.
This is literally an optimist self help cringe. The problem with western society is that it puts too much emphasis on “Suffering in life” and also idealises it to experience. Whereas in many cultures degenerate behavior was brutally demonised which helped the majority of their citizens stay calm and collected. Like in the case of your girlfriend cheating. In asian societies cheating is heavily punished (Even men) and also it wasn’t advertised or glorified as now it seems to be. Westerners experienced individualism very quick hence when they see other cultures collectivist they have a feeling of some sort a superiority complex not realising that the homogeneity present there helps them to live in solace. Now the whole world runs on western principles hence so much depression and also the fact that you can’t escape Westernisation because it’s hedonistic in nature and no human will deny pleasure. Finally, I would say we are heading straight towards “Brave New World” scenario where in order to counter life’s hierarchical structure homogeneity will be created through artificial means(Gene editing) so the elites can rule.
So, all I need to do is go to a park, sit and listen to the birds or watch the clouds or some other corny nonsense, and I’ll get the secrets to life? My depression, self-hate, suicidal thoughts will just evaporate into dust? Then work at 10 jobs I hate and act like it’s all ok, like the depression won’t return with a vengeance? What a bunch of Disney website garbage that is. How many parks am I gonna have to sit in until the Disney fantasy kicks in? How many attempted suicides until I’m grateful for life? When does more fluff, more unapplicable anecdotal gibberish ACTUALLY make any sort of difference?
Ive been feeling down lately at where my life has been heading and feeling like this was as good as it was going to get. This article really resonated with me especially the try everything part, i always felt like i was limiting myself in life and making excuses on not trying new things. Thank you for this article it really gave me a new perspective on things
i’ll cherish these words forever. Fail hard and fail more often, try everything you can, fall in love, get your heart broken, scream, cry, get angry and be happy, see as much of the world as you can and then gain stability and settle down, make friends and lose them, lose everything then gain everything back. Whatever makes you feel alive, do that and do it until your hands bleed, and as soon as it no longer fulfills you, then move on to the next thing no matter what anyone else tells you that you should be doing. This world is going to try to put you into a box, it’s going to distract you with many things to make it seem like life is a monotonous clock that ticks to the same tune each day, and that would make it seem like life isn’t the most inexplicably beautiful, unpredictable and wonderous creation that we can conceptualize with our limited mind. Thank you for this cole
I believe that a large part of Generation Z is mentally and emotionally drained. They often feel stuck, with suicide seeming like the only escape route. Being a member of Gen Z myself, I sense that a lot of us are longing to feel emotions once more. We yearn for peace, love, and happiness — feelings that we either haven’t experienced before or haven’t felt in a long while. I also struggle with considerable depression and anxiety. At 20 years old, I often find myself questioning why I should continue trying. After all, what are we striving so hard for? In my view, and probably in the view of many others, our society is in a dreadful state, and we are the most depressed generation. This leads us to question, “what is the point?” If everything is spiraling downhill anyway, it appears there’s no reason to keep trying anymore.
I don’t know if you’ll ever read my comment But you have no idea what a great impact you have on me I never click on a article of yours and get disappointed you always get it just right I was having an awful day and you made me realize it’s not all what there is Thank you for that It’s true you’ll never ever have it all figured out 💜
Ahh- I’m at 4:53 and I can understand where he’s coming from. I had a similar occurrence a few years ago where I had finished tutor and was awaiting a bus. I was melancholic and just thought how pointless my life was. I was standing there, waiting and looked right across the road where there was nothing but trees and a mountain. I remember it well how at peace I felt at that moment. The melancholic feeling slowly disappeared like a heavy bag lifted off my shoulders. My mood really switched as I took in that scene of mountains, trees and birds. It made me very happy and it’s one of those memories that gives me hope and strength to not quit.
I went through a real dark period in my life about a year or 2 ago and this almost brought tears to my eyes (ended up just laughing it out lol) just remembering those days. Life gets better as it goes on because the moment your going through, is just a moment. The moment you start to open your mind with your senses. That’s when your experience starts to shift
Thank you for this!! I’m at a major fork in the road of my life…and there’s lack of “safety” with the upcoming changes I’m planning on making. Potential career, location and life trajectory shift. It’s terrifying…and exhilarating. I have a practice where I speak with my “deathbed self”…and she does a good job at reminding me my time her is limited. We spend WAY too much of our lives chasing safety and it prevents us from experiencing life. I’m fortunate that my parents chose to come to flee to Canada. That move gave me and my siblings opportunities that we wouldn’t have had elsewhere. Great story…and perfect timing 🙂 Didn’t realize you had patreon. Will be signing up!
Every day is the same if you have a child or children. Work Monday to Friday full time. After work is homework, school lunches, dinner, cleanup and bed. Weekend is wake up and organise breakfast, clean after breakfast, clean house, do 8 loads of washing hanging and rolling, mow lawn/water lawn and gardens, cooking, shopping, organising anything for kids for week to come, prepare School lunch for Monday. Wake up Monday and repeat. There is no more time left for anything else and I sure as hell can’t cut working hours because you need 3 full time jobs just to survive. Fuck life.
All these websites are the same they don’t tell you what to do when you are bored and fedup it’s just figure it out yourself? What if you’ve tried and are 33, still live at home with parents, can’t move out and can’t get what you want? Also we live in a society that is obsessed with competency based questions. I’d love to emigrate and for someone to hire me and to succeed in life but it hasnt happened. I also can’t meet anyone I have chemistry with. I’m fedup with life. Wish you’d explain how you travelled the world and worked and travelled?
I never realised the true meaning of the film ‘fight club’ now i realise its just a dramatisation of the real existential paradox of having nothing but having nothing, being full, but being empty, having no direction but taking action anyway not knowing where you will end up, that is the very strange time Tyler Durden explains, some escape it, some do not
damn no words for this. Pure masterpiece, my whole day was going very rough untill i listened to this and it motivated me soo much that i can’t even tell you. The way you narrated this whole story with such a wonderful message definitely deserve award and so much appreciation. Lots of love from india ❤️
I was feeling pretty bad just now. Not depressed or something, just kind of thinking what I was actually doing with my life except gaming, sleeping and perusal random shit. Yea I work 8 hours a week But what have I actually achieved? I just thought lets search it up on youtube and ended up here. And guess what? I feel better right now. Together with the thought I always carry: Life will always get better as long as you dont give up. You can’t get something real good without working for it, or get good at something. If you feel sad, or empty. Dont worry. Even though im only 16, I know that we all experience this fase or phases in life. But… It will always get better so just don’t give up 😀
I’m 17 and I’m young but I spend all of my life behind a screen, I use my phone for hours, watch non stop youtube articles, play Xbox. I have nice things but I feel empty. I don’t have friends at school and I never had a girlfriend. I look around at all the girls that I know i have no chance of asking out. I feel trapped and no one knows how I feel. They just see me as happy, but deep down I’m hurting. Thank you Cole, my grandpa died 2 years ago and I never asked him about life, this was everything that I wanted to say to him but I was scared.
This made me tear up at the end. My grandma passed a week ago and I had felt so close to her. She helped me when I was at my lowest. I could tell her when things were wrong and I could look to her for support. I have been struggling recently with being empty almost and I felt like nothing is worth it. I imagined this article as if my grandma was telling me it. I feel a little better and willing to give this life thing more effort and more of a try. Thank you for this article.
I have wasted so much time being afraid of living a life. I feel envious of someone who realizes early at a young age what you’re trying to convey from this article. I had been saying it was to late for me to change myself for the better socially or getting a girlfriend, when I was still just 18, thinking I was too old being a virgin at this age and it was to late. Now I almost twice the age and there’s only regrets. I’ve wasted my youth.
I like and dislike the article. I’m going through a lot right now. I have fallen into a depression for about six months after realizing I think life isn’t worth it. I started therapy and medicine and have been trying to address trauma I have from childhood abuse. I dislike the article because it tells me that I my fear of failure and rejection are why I am where I am. I know it. I keep having the issue of thinking how much I want to change but the doing is so hard. Fighting coping mechanism for my trauma that I’ve done for over twenty years. I often go back and forth whether life is worth trying at all. I have always been the loser. I have always been alone. I have always been angry. I have never been happy. I faked happiness and laughing so long I don’t know when I was faking it. I really wish I could go on autopilot. Make my body work my boring crap job, eat and sleep while my mind can sleep for a year. Just to get away from it. When I turn to people they tell me its normal to not know what to do. Why to live. I seriously question why. I’m religious and that doesn’t even help. The thought of living another forty years, twenty years, five years, a year. It’s terrifying. I have had a bad morning though. The article made me think so I liked it. I just wish I could change. I wish I wasn’t broken so early one and pushed everyone away ever since I could walk. I wish I had a chance.
I laugh so hard . To expierence this type of life you need average or good genes. Otherwise you will never get a gf 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 life is pretty deterministic even when you have this illusion. Things feel fresh if you lose them and have to get them again. But its still the same…. life is a repeating, boring patern.
How do you keep getting into relationships when you were that miserable? I am tall(6′), have a great physique, degree in Computer Science and a well paying job as a Software Engineer. I have never had a girlfriend. I am 27. I cannot relate to that Grandpa at all. He was lucky enough to have a family that gave his life a meaning. I always felt my life was filled with more than necessary obstacles. I thought I would be happy if I get a good degree. It was a lie but I am grateful. I thought I would be happy if I get a good job. It was a lie but I am grateful. I thought I would be happy if I get in shape. It was a lie but I don’t regret it. I thought I would be happy if I get a girlfriend. Tried Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Social events but 0 success. I don’ have many friends. I only have 2-3 friends that I had kept in touch. Even they don’t have that many friends so there was no scope of mutual connections and a chance of meeting any girl. I have moved to a different country for job so have lost contact with them. I thought I would meet someone at work, but all of them are taken. It has become way too obvious to me lately that I won’t be able to find anyone and I am trying to come to terms with it but I feel like I have failed as a human being. I was born in this world only to leave it without leaving behind any legacy. Which is why I don’t even feel like buying any assets as I know it would just go to charity after me. Nobody would cry when I die. I am alive, but I’m not living. “Working, Cooking, Cleaning, Shopping, Exercising and Gaming”.
Hey Cole I just want to say this is a very amazing article and mature people such as I greatly appreciate this. The haters will hate because they have nothing better to do with their lives and they haven’t matured enough yet to realize what they do is ridiculous and how important this article actually is. I am more mature compared to a lot of people in this world, but anyways the point is, use the haters as fuel or forget about them and toss them in the trash because that is all they are; Trash.
I’ve been so down and low, for a great part of my life, I feel like I’m addicted to feeling miserable and Worthless, any whiff of happiness and joy, does not feel natural or deserved. It feels fake af. Now after losing my ex woman and kids to another man, I thought that was it for me. Now I’m with a new, more attractive and intelligent woman, I fell in love.. like never before.. it felt great and yes I was super happy, now I’m back to the miserable part of life again. I guess like rapper Gangstar said “Ex to the Next” 😮😮😮
This first part was a little sad. Damn I miss my grandfather Cole, he didn’t make it past 70 and I didnt even really TRULY know him but I base my whole demeanor off of him. The whole idea of something like an overwhelming presence (which is a saying i created and a goal to accomplish yet also embody) is derived from my grandfather….. Because, “Something like an overwhelming presence” is the best i could describe him
I was so obsessed with feeling positive that i forgot that it’s not life is 🙂 i didn’t cry like this for months yeah i guess this what it feels to live i feel a human being again and not a numb doll who can’t experience emotions to their fullest, maybe o just didn’t wanna ger hurt huh?? But i will try this time to actually live life 😌
I just listened to this article while doing art. It’s amazing how you wrote that story. I easily acknowledge almost all of it. I was that dull boy like that before, but my encounters and keeping myself alive to be better led me to awaken my vision to everything. Realizing all of it at the age of 20 is really achieving, like I conquered myself for the struggles I’ve gone through for several years.
Short answer human interaction i remember my self at school i was kinda popular i had a group of friends girls that i would talk to and it was something that was going on so it kept my mind distracted now with no friends no girls its just work workout home internet pray and sleep one day i will die and all my memories will be emptiness
Amazing storytelling and way of thinking!! I love it! All of it especially the ending where it was as if I was the boy! This is what it means to experience life!! Thank you so much Mr. Cole! I’m currently 17 and going to Summer School in New York and I always used to worry about me doing good or if i will pass this year or the next but I should just focus on being and time and doing my work and not stressing over if I will or will not! Being in the moment! Your truly changed my life this year especially getting me out of the RedPill mentality which I can see now why it is not a good teaching! I have a question do you think life is better if your a good person? And do you think one should be to harsh on themselves to be his best? Thank you Very much and take care!!
At 21 I can say this is accurate advice. I have been through a lot and let that define me in a way I shouldn’t have. It took going through more to show me that going through things is just part of the game of life. It builds you into the person you need to be to keep going. As someone who has been homeless and hopelessly addicted to drugs and lost everything, I can honestly say the comeback is and the struggle is worth it. I’ll fail over and over just to feel alive and wouldn’t have it any other way!
Wow I didn’t know how i got here. Hadn’t see this website ever before and this is my first time here. I am 15 years of age. It’s 00:45 rn and a few hours before I was really feeling dull. I thought and asked “Why life seems so boring? Why am I doing the same stuffs daily again and again?? Why can’t i change my life? How can I make it adventurous?” Idk how i got this recommended but I am lucky to find this article. This lifted my spirit very much. I can go to sleep peacefully now. Thank you for the article! I’m greatful.
man this article moved & touched me it touched my heart & soul! how an old man can have so much love wisdom words & experiences to share with his grandson till the day of his passing! moved me to tears! I hope 1 day 2 be able to see & keep seeing the world! & everything it has to offer! in life & life itself & everything it has for me to experience! for me & 2 get the most out of everything out of every moment 2 make it count out of every single experience 2 every second got to make it last every single day 2 & through those very same eyes the grandfather was talking about & be able to SAY! this is WHAT it means 2 experience LIFE!
It was when I watched the film ‘Groundhog Day’ that lightning struck, and I realised that I was living my life doing the same thing week in, week out. So I changed. I don’t fuss too much about the housework (no-one sees it but me); or the ironing; or the gardening etc. Instead, no matter the weather, I go out somewhere different – that’s the key: do something different, go somewhere different, read something different; try something different because if you do the same thing, you’ll get the same result. My life is richer for it.
cole hastings you are an amazing individual & I am feeling where you are coming from this is your second or third article of yours that I’ve watched that has moved me in my heart 2 come out of this slump of depression! & disfunction its touched my heart & gotten to me so much it made me cry again something I couldn’t do in a long time do 2 so much anger bitterness & resentment pilled & bottling up! so many bad circumstances 1 after the other & I’ve lost & won but everyday! i know & i realize it’s more about what I’ve learned & gained in knowledge losing & winning but not so much winning although the greatest victories gave been the sweetest! & i have learned 2 acknowledge them acknowledge the good in my life! but most importantly learned through loss & win cause I’ve learned that losing but learning from it learning from your loss can be a win in itself a personal gain in knowledge & I know & realize i can be free even if I am still struggling right now I know in time I can & will be free i can & wiil be able to heal THANK YOU!
I have different weird issue… I got so fucking bored while being on self improvement where I rare overstimulate my brain on social media, I don’t watch movies or I don’t playing articlegames. I have so much passions but now I just don’t have that motivation for them idk maybe it’s becouse I don’t see any progress and I just became worse in some of them. I know that I shouldn’t give up but it’s hard to keep doing your hobby if you don’t enjoy it. But I am bored also with everything and I am feeling sadness, not like I am depressed, just sad almost all the time. When I played articlegames, or when I was wasting my time I didn’t felt that emptiness. Everyday is the same I mean I am productive but I am doing everyday the same things and I can’t enjoy anything like before. I don’t even think that something happy will happen in future or I am not excited about that I can accomplish my goals in future, I am feeling like it doesn’t matter or like it won’t happen not like I was thinking always in the past. I thought I am just burned out and I took brake from most of my workouts but I am still feeling the same. Bro I just don’t know I want to be happy again but I can’t find answer anywhere to what happened with me
If you’re looking for a sign from the universe, this article is that sign. Thank you for this article. It’s everything I needed to hear. This article… Is absolutely the perfect expression of all I’ve been grappling to express but haven’t managed to successfully articulate. And when I need it again, I will come back and watch it as many times I may need to in order to remember to keep going.
I lost my grand father a year ago. He taught me so much. My last interaction with him was through article call where he was at his last moment, wasn’t able to talk but he was probably trying to say something. I know he loved me alot, he trusts upon me, he knows i admire him alot. He passed away, i still love him a lot, for all his love and teaching. This is what it means to experience in life. Thank you for this article. I will work to make this life meaningful, and best wishes to u all.
The level of complexity and care you have for the words of those who have lived through more than you have is fascinating! This is only the second article I have watched of yours and your mindset on self growth and living life to the fullest is inspiring. I don’t comment on people’s articles but just like everyone else is saying is incredible. Well done!
This article struck something deep in me that I didn’t realize that I had, until now I was and still am afraid of my future because I don’t know what I want to do in life even though I am lucky enough to be a student at a design highschool institute. I want to experience everything I possibly can and do the things I love even though I don’t know what that thing might be. The words “I am afraid and don’t have the courage to go after it” makes me truly think on why I’m holding myself back as an artist, I just need to stop worrying about the art that pains me and focus on the art that brings me joy the same way I view the world. So to that Cole Hastings thank you.
Welcome to the “The Goblet of the Truth”! To the majority of humanity on planet Earth it is hardly known, that the true prophets who walked the Earth, originated solely from the Nokodemion lineage. It was this seven-fold lineage of true prophets who brought forth the “Teaching of the prophets”, that is to say, the teaching of the Truth, the teaching of the Spirit and the teaching of Life. In the early days, this unique teaching was also known as the “Goblet of the Truth”. Unfortunately, the human beings of Earth misunderstood the teaching, endlessly falsified it and misused it for religious purposes. It was first thanks to the seventh prophet of the Nokodemion lineage, “Billy” Eduard Albert Meier, that we now here on Earth finally have a clean true version of these unique teachings. The Goblet of truth is without any doubt “Billy” Eduard Albert Meier’s greatest work and outstanding effort on bringing Earth mankind the NON-corrupted, NON-manipulated, NON-religious teaching of truth, teaching of spirit and teaching of life. The book contains the teachings of all the seven prophets, namely: 1.Henoch (Enoch) (3 February 9308 BCE to 1 January 8942 BCE). 2. Elia (Elijah) (5 February 891 BCE to 4 June 780 BCE). 3. Jesaja (Isaiah) (7 February 772 BCE to 5 May 690 BCE). 4. Jeremia (Jeremiah) (9 February 662 BCE to 3 September 580 BCE). 5. Jmmanuel (Immanuel) (3 February 02 BCE to 9 May 111 CE). 6. Mohammed (19 February 571 CE to 8 June 632 CE). 7. “Billy” Eduard Albert Meier, BEAM (February 3, 1937) As from an inexhaustible wellspring, vast knowledge emanates from the Goblet of the Truth, from which great wisdom comes forth, from which, in turn, love, peace, freedom and harmony result, as well as an integration of a beneficial balance, joyfulness and happiness.
Yo Cole. I’m at a really deep point of my life right now and it feels like everything is meaningless. Just like 30 minutes ago I had to bring our christmas tree into the woods like 100 meters from my house. Actually my mom told me to do this and what every teenager would do at first is like complaining and stuff but like I didn’t complain because I had nothing to do anyways I would just lay in my bed and stare at the ceiling or something. So I put on some gloves to not fck up my hands and I picked up the tree. I went over a bridge and right after that bridge there was that tree. I saw the moon through it’s twigs and in the tree there were some small green lights which I then realized were fireflies. In this exact moment I felt the wind in my hair and I have never felt that way before. Just like the story of the grandpa in the article mine is also really hard to explain and I can’t really put it into words either. Anyways when I came back and just wanted to watch some youtube I saw this article so I just clicked on it because I felt like this is exactly what my life feels like latetly. And man this article is a masterpiece. You made me tear up and I just realized that life is so much more than just having a career. All the aspects of life are what makes it so beautiful. “This is what it really means to experience life.” I gotta remember this sentence for the rest of my life. Thank you so much man and keep up the great work!!!
When i was 15-19 I felt like the world owned me something and always felt that i wasn’t living the life I was “supposed” to All sad and Depressed sht ended up in a mental hospital and sht… Now I’m almost 23 and really enjoying my life how it has been, the key to it is just understanding that everything needs to be enjoyed, nothing will last forever any feeling or situation isn’t forever. Your bad situation will change eventually without you even noticing because time will consume everything, but you need to stop doing the same repetitive actions that you did when you felt bad and just force yourself to do good shit that you don’t even like, eat fruits, talk to your neighbors, be friendly, be productive for yourself and you will be just fine in your feelings
This just sounds dumb this is what it means to really experience life basically it’s a god damn rollercoaster and I already know that shit I’m wantin off the damn thing love,lose reapeat no thanks I for one am not ok with that so i guess I just need to die??? That is the only question I need answered cuz if that is how It really is then yes I do, because to much is to much
The Bible says men’s hearts will fail for fear when they see the things that are coming up on this Earth. But if we are in Christ Jesus, there is a protection there is a purpose.! The Word says all that can be shaken will be shaken and it’s happening big time.! I’m shocked that people cannot feel what’s going on! The Bible says the Capstone comes with cries of grace and that’s exactly what’s happening now! But all things work together for good to those who are called according to Gods purpose.😢
“Life will try to put you inside a box.” Yes, it will. But how to escape? I have a mortgage that won’t pay off itself. Renting is paying off someone else’s mortgage and a waste of money. I have a job that I need to show up for every morning at 7. I don’t have the luxury of casually flying off to Paris for a week, or “traveling the world” for a bit like the grandpa in this story did. Maybe your core audience is young zoomers still living at home (not blaming them, house prices are nuts), but you have to understand there are fiscal realities that are just inescapable once you leave the house. And finding a woman? Ha, wish me luck with that. I have crippling social anxiety and at age 33 I’m too old anyway. I have to make peace with the reality that I’m dying alone and unloved, after a lifetime of debt slavery. Like the batteries in The Matrix.
To be honest with you Cole sometimes I worrying about being 20 years old and not learning anything about worrying about death because I never do anything else in my childhood and teenage years and sometimes thinking about my future and worrying about my parents because I would be worrying that people may take advantage of me until I’m 20 because right now I’m 16 in 2023 I will be 17 next year I will 18 to 19 and finally 20 years old I need some one to tell me so I can stop worrying about my parents,my future and my age because it affects me every time I’m scared.
Experiencing life is empty and without true meaning. Experience is momentary and fleeting. One day it’s good, but as the article shows, the bad is just waiting to pounce out the good. lt’s all a facade. We are so much more complex for that to be all there is. As I have thought and reasoned deeply about why we’re here and how we got here, it seems obvious that we’re not a cosmic accident. The numbers don’t add up. Just experiencing life seems petty and self-serving. Grandpa may have died peacefully according to the nurses understanding, but did he? Was that also a fleeting facade?
Man I’ve been living my entire life the same way as that old man did and you made me realise that life is not it, it’s far more than I think . You gave me a hope for my future life and also a key to my happiness . May God bless you with all the success you want and I really liked this article more than any article that I have ever seen ❤. Thanks for making my day’s end better . 😊
I dont know why but i dont retain what i see….the only way for me to retain it is to memorise, and that is what i do in my studies. I hate that my brain dont retain stuff because how wonderful would that be if i were to be able to retain what i just watched today. But this article, is not just for you to process or contemplate….its the feelings you get from this. I actually feel something in my heart that has been monotonous for so damn long and i thank you for that…i digress….by feeling sth it will forever etch in my being that feeling everything is how you experience life.
My life doesn’t necessarily feel empty and dull, but is indeed a byproduct of the fact that I, as a person… Have come to a pivotal turning point in my expanding self-awareness, where I’ve realized that I have made a LOT of poor habits and defunct ways of living that are deeply-ingrained in my psyche: And, I recognize now that if I continue to keep down the path that they set me on… The consequences shall be colossally severe… Potentially life-ruining…
I must admit that i have dreams and goals, but i feel empty and lost when i feel like i should do something, i have to take notes because then i forget what i want, it’s easy for me to get distracted into a temporary pleasure and then suddenly i remember what i was gonna do, and i was like “DAMN WHY DID I FORGET?” It kind of sucks when you have a goal but forget the steps to reach that goal and feel lost
No such inherent thing as “purpose” or “meaning”. There isn’t even a “why” pertaining to why things exist in the first place. Things are there, we be. That’s it. As an incredibly subjective, delusional species, we absolutely indulge wastefully in superstitions, myths and delusions, whereas we are responsible for embracing reality, reason, rationality, logic and that mentioned responsibility. If you’re looking for a “purpose”, there you go: A later evolved one rather than an inherent one! The universe doesn’t give a flying f**k about you and it’s not some comic book character. It’s a place and we live in it. That’s all there is to it. The only purpose we have is man made, and it is to always work to contribute to the maintenance and the furthering of civilisation, as opposed to primitivism. Simple and clear.
Thank you for this article. I have been in a constant state of existential crisis in the last 2 years, not knowing why I’m feeling like this and no one can understand. But this is life and I embrace it fully now. I ever so grateful for content like this. I am becoming more aware and conscious of my surroundings, easing off things and people I cannot change and lastly, making sure I make the most out of every moment before my time is up. Blessings and good vibrations to everyone out there.
“through the eyes of a baby” and “it felt as thought it was my first time experiencing all of them” I really think that’s it. Lowered latent inhibition, reversing hedonic-adaptation, change blindness, system 1 heuristic thinking…is the ticket. How though? Mindfulness meditation or just willing it is weak sauce. Sleep deprivation induced dissociation can help somewhat…And having courage or taking risks is good, but that’s not going to address the above. “and as soon as it no longer fulfills you, move onto the next thing” could be the strategy of an addict…it starts with travel but eventually one becomes desensitized and moves to more and more extreme sources of saleince and novelty. The article presents the question and the issue but the answers don’t quite do it.
Why am I crying, thank you Cole. I was feeling so crappy after my family yelled at me for not getting into college. After thinking for a long time, I’m taking it as a learning experience. I’m a human, and I’m happy for that. It’s not that big of a deal as I’ve come to learn. And now I’ll keep taking risks.
I find 24 hours in a day, for 365 days a year, for an average of 700,000+ hours in a lifetime to be overwhelming. I’m not necessarily miserable but it doesn’t thrill me to know I’ve got many more days left to live. I thought this article would bring me some kind of clarity but no article yet has, neither has this.
Dude I cannot tell you how boring life has been for the past couple of months. It’s been boring, depressing, ugly, and more negative things. But after perusal this article, it gave me confidence. Confidence I lost when my girlfriend broke up with me. After perusal this article it made me feel confident and I’m going to do something with that confidence and experience every human emotion with that confidence good or bad. Because that’s what life’s about, feeling emotions and doing wondrous things. Thank you so much for this article I can’t express how much it means to me.
My school Life finished this year since then I’m falling apart from the inside it’s becoming suffocating and painful, everyday feels the same and i have no motivation what so ever I’ve been stuck writing a novel i have to submit yet, finding an art collage everything feels like a blunder and everything feels like a time loop.
4:25 What happened to the grand-pa, we call it in ignatian spirituality ” a consolation without cause or a causeless consolation” which means a sudden joy which invades your heart without any previous reason. You just feel yourself full of love, hope and faith… I really like your articles and I find your thoughts quite similar to ignatian spirituality. Go ahead Bro 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾