My philosophy for a happy life
Welcome back, incredible BookDuck fans. When we face challenges, it’s hard to stay positive, but we have to keep going. Let’s hear the example of Sam Berns, who suffers from Progeria, a rare genetic disorder that causes rapid aging. In his TED talk, he outlines his philosophy for a happy life.
He begins his talk by introducing himself and his condition. His life was filled with obstacles, but he still strived to be as happy as possible and make the most out of what he had. He outlines his philosophy for a happy life with three fundamental principles. These are focusing on things you can do rather than can’t, surrounding yourself with people you want to be with, and moving forward no matter what.
1. The first aspect of his philosophy is that he is okay with what he ultimately can’t do because there is so much he can do. People often ask him if it’s not hard living with Progeria, but he says even though he has Progeria, most of his time is spent thinking about things that have nothing to do with Progeria. Now he doesn’t mean that he ignores all negative aspects of these obstacles because he knows there are many things he is missing out on. But instead, he chooses to focus on the activities he can do, especially the ones he is passionate about. Other times he finds different ways to do something by making adjustments. He tries to put those things in the “can do” category.
2. The second aspect of his philosophy is that he surrounds himself with people he wants to be with, people of high quality. He shares that he is extremely lucky to have a fantastic family who has always supported him throughout his life. He is also fortunate to have a close group of friends at school. They enjoy each other’s company and help each other out when they need to. They see each other for who they are on the inside. Lastly, he feels at his highest point when he is with people that surround him every day. They provide real positive influences in his life, so he hopes to also provide a positive influence in theirs. He hopes you all appreciate and love your family and friends and acknowledge your mentors because they are a very real aspect of everyday life. They can make a truly significant, positive impact.
3. The third aspect of his philosophy is to keep moving forward. He always tries to have something to look forward to, to strive for to make life richer. It doesn’t have to be big. It can be anything from looking forward to the next comic book to come out, going on a large family vacation, hanging out with his friends, or going to the next High School football game. All of these things keep him focused, and he knows that there’s a bright future ahead no matter the difficult times. This mentality helps to stay in a forward-thinking state of mind. He tries hard not to waste energy feeling bad for himself because when he does, he gets stuck in a paradox where there’s no room for any happiness or any other emotion. Now, he doesn’t ignore it when he feels bad; he kind of accepts it. He lets it in so he can acknowledge it and do what he needs to do to move past it. He mentions how his family is also responsible for him always feeling whole and good about himself.
He ends his talk by speaking about his ambitions now. Today, his ambitions have changed a little bit; he would like to go into the field of Biology. He feels that no matter what he chooses to become, he can change the world, and as he strives to change the world, he will be happy. He also shares about the documentary that he and his family were a part of called “Life According to Sam”. It was a pretty great experience, but it was four years ago, and like anyone, his views on many things have changed and matured, like his potential career choice. However, some things have stayed the same throughout that time, like his mentality and philosophy toward life.
To sum up, based on his TED talk Sam Berns encourages people who have conditions not to let those define them. He mentions how it’s not always easy, but going forward is a must. It’s okay to have bad days, you have to realize that being brave isn’t supposed to be easy, and that’s what will help you move forward. If people like Berns are willing to move forward and not give up, then we have no excuses. When in doubt, just remember the three key principles for a happy life suggested by him, focus on things you can do rather than you can’t, surround yourself with people you want to be with, and move forward no matter what.
