glad_to_be_here_

I could be wrong, but my interpretation was this:

I could look at a manual on how to build a house, memorize it, study it every day, but if I never build a house, I am not going to really learn the behavior or skill. One day I will need to build that house, and know exactly how to do it based on studying, but that doesn't mean I am going to be able to execute it. So simply knowing is very important but you also need to practice and perfect the skill, otherwise you will never be able to put it to practical use.

As a socially anxious person with a very very small support system, peer support groups can be helpful! Especially now, a lot are going online and you don't even need to leave your house to join. Some non-profits are providing free peer connection groups and I would highly recommend trying to find one you can participate it. I know where I live, NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) has online groups scheduled that occur every couple days that are free to participate in.

I think the most difficult part is that "knowing" or having a logical understanding take moments, but the application of the knowledge and the results of applying that information generally take a lot longer time to come to fruition. Often times, the change is so gradual and slow that it seems like nothing is changing which can be extremely discouraging when the change/result is being used as a marker of improvement instead of the consistency of practice.

The world around us has changed dramatically due to COVID-19, and I have found my life profoundly changed for the better. I am managing Bipolar Disorder and PTSD as well as the constant ongoing recovery of an eating disorder. I know I am extremely privileged in being able to make the same income, but work far fewer hours, and have more time to actually work on the things that improve my life such as adequate exercise, adequate sleep, making healthy meals, spending more time to connect with people in my household, time for hobbies/flow mindset, and practicing mindfulness and gratitude, and much more. I can finally do all the things I wished I had time for that I know will dramatically help my mental health.

I don't necessarily think that a lack of education on what makes us happy or how to change our behavior is completely at fault for people being unhappy. I believe that the societal norm of things like having to work long hours to make ends meet, wasting so much time sitting in traffic, and all of the other things that take up time in our day are at fault as well. It seems a lot clearer (now that I have 5 more hours of free time each day) to implement these things that I know will contribute to my wellbeing.

So my questions is, do you think that changes like shorter work days, more jobs that can be done from home, more accessible/affordable programs for arts and fitness, and a generally slower lifestyle with more TIME for and emphasis on the things that make us happy is possible, and if so, do you think it may have a bigger impact than just education on "The Science of Well-Being" by itself?