How to be happy in 2025

You only get one crack at this—don't waste it

I have experienced marginal, albeit temporary, bouts of sadness this month, so while the timing to write a “how to be happy” post might be off, I have been mostly happy for about four years now, and had a mostly happy year, so figure I have something to offer in this regard.

I’ve also noticed that many of my friends back in Canada seem depressed and listless—hating where they live but unmotivated or too fearful to attempt a change that might breathe new life into their lives.

A popular response seems to be to point the finger at “capitalism,” the economy, politics, ever-pending doom, “I can’t afford a house,” “the world is on fire”-type excuses, but that’s too easy, and doesn’t account for the fact that many with much less are not sad nor obsessed with dreams of a climate-induced apocalypse.

I realize that not being able to afford property is a real problem these days (I suffer that problem myself), but most of the people I know back in Vancouver are much wealthier than I, and do indeed own. Maybe they desire to own more, and yes eggs and meat should be much cheaper, but the relative privilege of those who rely on pharmaceuticals to regulate “anxiety” and “depression,” who also believe politics are responsible for their lethargy doesn’t parse.