"Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them."
— Tolstoy


Subclinical depression is almost the norm in our society. The root cause of most depression is negative thinking, which triggers negative emotions and associated physiological changes. These causal factors revolve in a vicious circle that must be broken.

At the core of most depression is a negative judgment of the Tao ("Life sucks and then you die. I never get a break. Existence is meaningless. Nothing I do will ever work. I'll never have the money/job/body/lover I need to be whole and make life worthwhile," etc.). Such global negative attitudes toward life, whether conscious or unconscious, will block the flow of life energy through your body and reliably lead to depression. Depression is a yin state — passive, watery, tending toward inertia and lethargy. To change it, summon your inner fire by getting up and becoming active! Do necessary tasks that can be accomplished in small steps — cleaning your living space (which is also morale-boosting) is a great place to start.

Another way to perpetuate depression is what I call, "life evaluation on the fly." There is no more cognitively challenging task than life evaluation. Yet, most people do it on the fly, especially when in a bad mood or the aftermath of a difficult experience. I recommend doing a life evaluation only when you are at your cognitive best and actively writing in a journal during the whole life evaluation session.


Get some fresh air, exercise, and eat a high-vitality diet. Shift from internal considering (what you are feeling, what others think of you, what you want) to external considering (compassionate empathy for what others are going through) and service to others. You may have a deficit of meaning in your life. Ask yourself what you will remember well on your deathbed, and get busy doing it!