Contemporary life has quickly become one of the most neurological gambles in human history. With the advent of mobile apps such as Instagram and TikTok, every day our brains navigate nonstop notifications, infinite “doom” scrolling, algorithm-curated content, multitasking and a pace of information that our nervous systems were not designed to handle. The habits we have accumulated today are actively reshaping how our brains function— especially in how we pay attention, experience reward, and regulate emotion.

To be happy, start a practice of being proactive about protecting your life. Aristotle famously said, “Happiness is a habit.” Get in the habit of prioritizing you and your life. You will thank yourself for it, in the end.

What does it mean to be happy? Ecclesiastes talks about the “chasing after the wind”, a lack of satisfaction with the worldly pursuits of money, pleasure, success, and material goods. How can you be happy in a world that is designed to make you exist in a constant state of want? We yearn for something more. But what is that thing we seek in the night?

Tomorrow’s the start of the New Year. Today I grabbed a sheet of paper and listed down my top 10 goals for the new year. I don’t know about you, but the chances of my losing this piece of paper and forgetting all about my goals next week are pretty high. The problem with this method is that my goals seem so abstract, so intangible, and so unreachable without steps and systems in place to reach them. Writing “I want to lose 20 pounds by December 2026” solidifies your intention, but how do you exactly go from point A to point B? You need a system, a protocol of steps and solutions you put in place to actually reach your goal.

Modern life is growing in complexity, and with it are our stress levels. With the constant attack of stimuli and tasks on our todo lists, as well as relationships and career goals and financial issues to juggle, we can quickly feel overwhelmed by the daily life.