The zoom lens trick that makes you happier
(or at least less upset)
Think of something you hate. Whether it's Trump being in office, traffic on your commute, the chores you need to do, or whatever.
Now, see if you can adjust your lens.
Really, try to change your perspective.
You might find that your feelings are only present when you focus on a particular time window.
If you zoom out, you'll almost definitely see that things have never been better on a macro scale.
The human experience has continually improved throughout history.
If anyone tries to tell me they'd rather live in the past (whether 1000 B.C., 1780, 1950, or whenever), I know they haven't thought much about it.
(See “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling.1)
And if you zoom in, you'll see that most of what's on social media or in the news isn't actually affecting your present moment.
Maybe you're snuggling your cat by the fireplace.
(Or you're in a dentist's chair getting a root canal. Even so, you're just experiencing something rather than getting depressed about it.)
You only experience negative emotions when your time window is “medium”-sized.
So, if you feel down about something: Zoom in, or zoom out.
P.S. Thanks to Marcus L for reminding me that I used to write this newsletter 😉, which got me to end my streak of silence and send this message.
P.P.S. Side note from my personal life. This is still happening every day. (with 2025-01-27 Mon being huge for me 🤞)
🕙 Recent posts:
🟢 Doing what I hate on my birthday
🟢 A postal truck more beautiful than you’ve ever seen
Bill Gates has cited Factfulness as "one of the best books [he's] ever read."[7] In an interview with Time, Gates states that Factfulness "offers clear, actionable advice for how to overcome our innate biases and see the world more factfully." In particular, Gates found the four income levels framework a "revelation". Of the ten rules of thumb given in the book, Gates worries most about the blame instinct, not for creating scapegoats, but for turning people into heroes.[11] In June 2018, Bill Gates offered free copies, to all new graduates of U.S. colleges and universities.