How Being a Big Monkey Can Make You Happier

The past couple of weeks, I’ve been even happier than usual. “That’s great, Ryan. Now what does it mean for me?”

Well, chill, and I’ll tell you.

Why have I been happier? It isn’t because I’m getting more views on Youtube, or have more money, although those things certainly don’t hurt.

Instead, I can pinpoint it down to roughly 3 things:

1. Sleep

2. Exercise

3. Slowing down

In other words, I’ve been a better big monkey.

Seriously, we’re all just big monkeys, and big monkeys need to do big monkey things, like sleep, move, eat, have sex, be connected to their environment, etc.

It’s not rocket science. But I will break down why these things are so good at making us (or at least me) happier anyways.

Sleep

How do happy do you feel when you are miserably tired and have no energy to do anything? How about when you are hyped up on caffeine and ready to burst with energy?

Maybe happiness isn’t EXACTLY correlated with energy, but it is pretty damn close!

How can you have consistently high energy? Sleep is answer numero uno. Prioritize it.

Two quick tips:

1. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.

2. Don’t consume caffeine after 3pm (50% of caffeine is still in your system 12 hours later)

Easy.

Exercise

Very much related to #1, exercise is crucial for energy. Feel lethargic and low-energy? Go for a walk, get some sun in your eyes, do some pushups.

Avoid just lying in your bed, doomscrolling and hoping that if you don’t move you’ll feel better. It’s tempting because it’s easy, but it ain’t gonna help.

Do whatever you can to sweat every day.

Trust me, this is going to make more of a difference in your energy (and therefore happiness) than 90% of stuff out there.

Slowing Down

Look, I’m obsessed with productivity 90% of the time. I get annoyed as shit when someone is bothering me when I’m in the zone, and I’m always optimizing my time.

BUT, over the last few weeks (particularly after a 7-hour virtual meditation retreat), I’ve been making a particular effort to slow down and appreciate my environment whenever possible.

Take a few deep breaths and look around. Pause. Biking to school has helped a lot with this.

Where can you spend more time outside, free from distraction (put the phone away) and simply observe/appreciate?

Big difference-maker, helps with energy (and, again, happiness) because you get out of your head and into your body/senses. Do it!!

Be a Better Big Monkey

In summary: Embrace your primal nature. Be a big monkey. Happiness is a feeling, which means it’s regulated by neurotransmitters, which means it’s dependent on our physiology, which means doing better physiological (big monkey) things will make you happier.

Simple.

How to Do It

Since most of this stuff is behavioral, you’re going to want to get AMAZING at building healthy habits and doing things that are good for you. Thankfully I just happen to have a video on the topic (WOW) that I will shamelessly plug right here.

ALSO, I’ve been busy as shit on Youtube, TikTok, and IG, putting out videos like “A Warning on Conspiracy Theories” (which gets deep into my wack story growing up), reflections on self-compassion, modeling/opposing your father, and much more.

Check them out and let me know what you think!

Until next week.

Many mahalos,

Ryan