Dubai: Most people go through their whole lives without understanding what makes them truly happy, a motivation speaker told an audience at the World Government Summit in Dubai.
So what’s the answer? “I think it’s a meaningful life,” said Max Strom, an author and teacher, on the summit’s second day. ”In fact people who have meaning in their lives will gladly give up pleasure.”
“For example, often times people who work in charities are willing to buy their own plane ticket and spend their own money.”
The speaker said that humans have four main desires: to live, to be happy, to have knowledge and love.
“However, unfortunately society focuses more on success and pleasure,” he said.
According to Strom, many people live very unhappy lives. In the US, statistics show that around 25 to 30 per cent of the population take medications for depression, sleep dysfunction, and anxiety.
“While this might offer temporary relief, I have yet to meet anyone who wants to live on medication for the rest of their life.”
Men are more likely to suffer from emotional conditions “as they are taught to suppress their emotions from a young age.”
Simply breathe:
A cure, Strom said, is for society to teach children how to deal with emotions, especially grief.
And to help anxiety, depression and sleep disorders, do one thing: breathe.
“There are two types of breathing: subconscious and controlled. Controlled breathing helps treat the nervous system, which then treats emotion-based conditions.
In the US, breathing exercises proscribed to army veterans with post-traumatic stress had led to the army had led to “tremendous improvements.”
Taking at least 10 minutes per day to do breath-work “should be considered as the new component to a healthy lifestyle,” Strom said.
