5 Biggest Lies Ever Told

Lie No. 1: Happiness is to be found.

The subconscious belief that "happiness is elsewhere" is ingrained in us so deeply that it has caused us to quit our jobs, relationships, and environments just when things get uncomfortable.

Keyword: uncomfortable, not unhealthy or threatening.

 

The truth:

When we believe happiness is elsewhere, then it will never be where we are right now. We will likely end up job-hopping, switching partners, and changing environments in a cycle. And we continue to wonder where our happiness lies and hope the next one sticks.

There is no need to feel bad, as we have all been through our own. Seeking the outer world for happiness is just part of our growth. One meaning of reaching adulthood (maturity) is the beginning of manifesting it.

How do I start manifesting it?

Happiness is a state. To express it is to tap into our inner selves to learn our own will. No one but you can know your own will.

Understanding→Fear goes away→ Acceptance→True change

Happy people are those who truly understand their inner will. The opposite also holds true.

 

What you can do:

Happiness can't be found from outside; happiness is meant to be manifested from inside.

It's not to do what you love; it's to love what you do.

No matter what the circumstances in the outer world are, realise that your capacity to be happy is always within and waiting for manifestation.

You do not find it; you decide it.

 

 

Lie No. 2: We need to eat sugar.

A healthy person just needs approximately one teaspoon of sugar (fasting glucose) in their bloodstream for wellbeing, which our liver, on its own, is capable of making. Yet we have been taught to eat according to the media and food pyramid, which suggests 55-75% of our total calories come from sugar.

 

The truth:

There are essential fatty acids (fats) and essential amino acids (proteins), yet there is no such thing as essential sugars or starches (carbohydrates).

This is because our liver makes sufficient sugar through gluconeogenesis, a process that converts some fats and proteins we eat into sugar for the body. It does so on demand; hence, it is near impossible to overproduce sugar via this natural pathway.

Therefore, it is true that our body needs sugar, but it is also true that we do not need to eat any at all. In other words, we can be healthy without dietary sugar.

This said, eating sugar can be fine just as long as one is very mindful of the amount and is relatively active throughout the day.

So, how much sugar is in our food? To put it in perspective,

Eating a bowl of rice (200g) turns to approximately 56g of sugar, which is equivalent to 14 teaspoons of sugar ingested.

Eating leafy green vegetables, for example, lettuce (200g), has only about 2.4g of sugar, which is less than a teaspoon. A steak (200g) contains 0g of sugar.

Here is what the food industry doesn't want you to learn:

To know the actual sugar content of a food, take the total carbohydrate, then subtract dietary fibre to get the nett carbohydrate (actual sugar content), in this case, 36g, not 4g.

 

What you can do:

Switch processed foods for whole foods.

Processed foods, like cereals, crackers, breads, pastas, and rice, can be found in the middle section of the grocery store. These sugar-based, long-shelf-life foods have been either highly or ultra-processed. Make conservative efforts to gradually reduce these.

Whole foods are found at the corners and sidewalls of grocery stores, such as vegetables, meats, fish, eggs, spices, etc. Generously fill your plate with these minimally sugary, nutrient-dense foods, which bear the closest resemblance to what nature intended us to eat.

Now, sugar is very addicting, which is why processed food is predominantly sugar-based. Unhappiness without sugar indicates such an addiction.

Our body can reverse it by completely cutting our sugar intake for just two weeks. Doing so allows the body's neurotransmitters to desensitise to sugars and go for a reset.

This period will be hard for some, with headaches, cravings, and some minor side effects. To help ease the transition, eat vegetable- and savoury-based meals. Once through, sugar cravings will be no more, as they should be.

 

 

Lie No. 3: The one pill solution.

How many of us believe in the one pill or one cream solution that can solve the problem? To spend a lot of money on these only to learn they never solve the underlying cause but merely suppress the symptoms, to keep us taking the pill or using the cream for the rest of our lives.

 

The truth:

Never confuse the difference between simple and easy.

What is usually most effective is simple, yes, but never easy.

If something is ever offered to you with the claim that no effort is required on your part and "it's really easy", never take it.

An illustration of simplicity is what we truly desire.

The reward for finally figuring out what life throws at you is attaining simplicity.

Though, in the process of attaining simplicity, life will consistently remind you that you have to do the work (draw the line) for it.

The reward attained is often simple, but the effort was never easy.

 

What you can do:

If you eat predominantly processed foods, are sedentary, get inconsistent sleep, neglect relationships, and stay indoors most of the time, it is a life that awaits things to go bad. When the desperate time comes, the pills and creams become very appealing. Spoiler: These can't save you.

Don't be. Instead,

Eat whole foods, get more movement, sleep well, maintain relationships, and get adequate sunlight. The cores are simple, but again, we did not say it's easy.

Think long-term. Never set out to achieve something that is at the expense of the basic five necessities. Your well-being is of the utmost importance, always.

Hence, make efforts to prioritise these basic five so you can heartily thrive. Then, not only will you have a higher chance of succeeding in what you set out to achieve, but you will also be able to sustain it.

Make life simple, not easy. There is no pill or cream to substitute for effort.

 

 

Lie No. 4: Mental health is mental.

What happens to our body when we do not nourish it with nutrients or move it (use it) much? Well, it will deteriorate over time. Conversely, when we eat healthily and exercise, our bodies adapt to become stronger.

Our brains are the same. "Mental health is mental" has falsely made people think that mental illness happens out of the blue or accumulates via stressful events. But in reality, it is the malnourishment and the lack of stimulation for the brain on a regular basis that lead to it.

 

The truth:

Our brain is built for many things, and one of them is coping with stressful events. The real question we have to ask ourselves is: Is ours well built for what is ahead?

Mental health is not mental but physical. The root cause of mental illness is the malnourishment and lack of growth (repair) of certain physical parts of the brain.

As in,

The more healthily we eat, the more nutrients we supply to nourish our brain. The more mentally fit we become,

The more we stimulate our brain, the more stem cells in our brain actually regrow and connect. The more mentally fit we become,



What you can do:

Shift the consensus from mental health to mental fitness. Because mental health focuses on the problem, mental fitness focuses on the lifestyle.

Nourish it with key nutrients. Whole foods are the most nutrient-dense foods you can possibly eat for brain health. No matter how busy you are, prioritise your diet, as it plays a significant role in how you think and feel.

Train it to keep it fit. The best brain stimulation is reading, creativity work, problem-solving thinking, meditation, physical exercises, and more. Incorporate more of these into your lifestyle.

Sugar is a big underlying cause of mental illnesses; always be mindful of your total sugar intake.

The concept of mental fitness is the real prevention and cure. Know that when the brain is nourished and exercised regularly, it will not only work as intended but also thrive.

 

 

Lie No. 5: Moderation is key.

There is nothing wrong with the word moderation, as it is fitting for certain situations. The lie is when they put moderation and success in the same sentence, tricking us into believing that practicing moderation can lead to success of any kind.

Thinking deeper, "moderation is key" is more of a saying to keep us in our place, so we will hardly, if ever, truly step out of our comfort zone.

 

The truth:

If you want to be average, sure, moderation is key.

However, if you want to be an excellent version of yourself, then being extreme is the key. You will have to define your own extreme.

If you ask successful people, what moderation do they possess? That's right, none of them. Think about it: excellence people do pay the price of moderation for being extreme in what they do.

For example, a highly admired guitarist spent an insane amount of time to become the expert he is today. He definitely worked way more on the guitar than he spent time on other things; it was a price he chose to pay.

All the same, being an expert in one field means letting go of being an expert in another. We just have to recognise that success is associated with defined extremes. It is just how it is.

 

What you can do:

No matter what you do for a living, respectfully, one can't reach their best potential by being moderate. Moderation is key for the average. Don't be.

Every human being has the desire to be a better version of themselves. So, no matter what you do, believe in excellence; do it ethically and wholeheartedly.

At your own pace, race with no one but yourself every single day by giving 1% better than yesterday. Just 1%. Do it daily for as long as you can; to realise full potential is to live it to the fullest.

 

 

In summary