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The Pursuit of Happiness | Shane Breslin | TEDxTallaght


[Applause]

[Applause] for as long as I can remember I’ve loved

for as long as I can remember I’ve loved

for as long as I can remember I’ve loved words when I was 9 I found Kent 10 in

words when I was 9 I found Kent 10 in

words when I was 9 I found Kent 10 in China for the final round in every show

China for the final round in every show

China for the final round in every show is the countdown conundrum a nine-letter

is the countdown conundrum a nine-letter

is the countdown conundrum a nine-letter anagram to be solved on the buzzer

anagram to be solved on the buzzer

anagram to be solved on the buzzer inside 30 seconds as the years pass

inside 30 seconds as the years pass

inside 30 seconds as the years pass watching this every week I became

watching this every week I became

watching this every week I became fascinated by the sheer number of these

fascinated by the sheer number of these

fascinated by the sheer number of these nine letter words in the English

nine letter words in the English

nine letter words in the English language prototype landscape tarantula

language prototype landscape tarantula

language prototype landscape tarantula marmalade tonight I want to talk about

marmalade tonight I want to talk about

marmalade tonight I want to talk about possibly the biggest 9 that a word of

possibly the biggest 9 that a word of

possibly the biggest 9 that a word of all happiness happiness is a concept

all happiness happiness is a concept

all happiness happiness is a concept that has occupied the minds of our

that has occupied the minds of our

that has occupied the minds of our greatest thinkers for thousands of years

greatest thinkers for thousands of years

greatest thinkers for thousands of years everyone from Aristotle to Gandhi it

everyone from Aristotle to Gandhi it

everyone from Aristotle to Gandhi it made the code for the American

made the code for the American

made the code for the American Declaration of Independence but even

Declaration of Independence but even

Declaration of Independence but even there it’s frustratingly out of reach

there it’s frustratingly out of reach

there it’s frustratingly out of reach the pursuit of happiness who am I to

the pursuit of happiness who am I to

the pursuit of happiness who am I to talk about happiness I’m not a doctor

talk about happiness I’m not a doctor

talk about happiness I’m not a doctor psychologist or scientist but for years

psychologist or scientist but for years

psychologist or scientist but for years I had no idea of what happiness was I

I had no idea of what happiness was I

I had no idea of what happiness was I lived every day between a past I

lived every day between a past I

lived every day between a past I couldn’t change and a future I couldn’t

couldn’t change and a future I couldn’t

couldn’t change and a future I couldn’t control eventually this mentality sucked

control eventually this mentality sucked

control eventually this mentality sucked me into darkness while outwardly I

me into darkness while outwardly I

me into darkness while outwardly I presented a happy exterior everywhere

presented a happy exterior everywhere

presented a happy exterior everywhere from empty churches to Starbucks toilets

from empty churches to Starbucks toilets

from empty churches to Starbucks toilets became a refuge for my tears I was

became a refuge for my tears I was

became a refuge for my tears I was diagnosed with depression three years

diagnosed with depression three years

diagnosed with depression three years ago what is depression to me depression

ago what is depression to me depression

ago what is depression to me depression was a dense gray fog that settled over

was a dense gray fog that settled over

was a dense gray fog that settled over every single thing every single day

every single thing every single day

every single thing every single day it brought a complete lack of clarity

it brought a complete lack of clarity

it brought a complete lack of clarity direction energy motivation eventually

direction energy motivation eventually

direction energy motivation eventually that could predict a very posh and a

that could predict a very posh and a

that could predict a very posh and a complete lack of self-worth and in a

complete lack of self-worth and in a

complete lack of self-worth and in a country where 1 in 12 people deal with

country where 1 in 12 people deal with

country where 1 in 12 people deal with depression at any one time where there

depression at any one time where there

depression at any one time where there are 2 million prescriptions for

are 2 million prescriptions for

are 2 million prescriptions for antidepressants written every year I

antidepressants written every year I

antidepressants written every year I felt so alone talking to doctors and

felt so alone talking to doctors and

felt so alone talking to doctors and counselors helped but when I left those

counselors helped but when I left those

counselors helped but when I left those rooms I reacted the veneer for ones bad

rooms I reacted the veneer for ones bad

rooms I reacted the veneer for ones bad off work the doctor sir tread gas

off work the doctor sir tread gas

off work the doctor sir tread gas stroe enteritis because he said no one

stroe enteritis because he said no one

stroe enteritis because he said no one would question gastroenteritis I had

would question gastroenteritis I had

would question gastroenteritis I had agreed to – it was essential to me that

agreed to – it was essential to me that

agreed to – it was essential to me that no one knew antidepressants were

no one knew antidepressants were

no one knew antidepressants were recommended but they didn’t feel right

recommended but they didn’t feel right

recommended but they didn’t feel right for me for one it felt much too quick

for me for one it felt much too quick

for me for one it felt much too quick the prescription was written inside 10

the prescription was written inside 10

the prescription was written inside 10 minutes for another while there were

minutes for another while there were

minutes for another while there were many many days I felt that the world was

many many days I felt that the world was

many many days I felt that the world was certainly no better off for having me in

certainly no better off for having me in

certainly no better off for having me in it I wasn’t actively suicidal no

it I wasn’t actively suicidal no

it I wasn’t actively suicidal no antidepressants might treat the symptoms

antidepressants might treat the symptoms

antidepressants might treat the symptoms but I needed to find a cause my

but I needed to find a cause my

but I needed to find a cause my breakthrough came with one small

breakthrough came with one small

breakthrough came with one small positive step a challenge from my wife

positive step a challenge from my wife

positive step a challenge from my wife Lorraine during one extended depressive

Lorraine during one extended depressive

Lorraine during one extended depressive episode to do one thing to take a shower

episode to do one thing to take a shower

episode to do one thing to take a shower every morning for a week I managed it

every morning for a week I managed it

every morning for a week I managed it this showed me that action was possible

this showed me that action was possible

this showed me that action was possible and that action got results so I decided

and that action got results so I decided

and that action got results so I decided to examine all the actions of my life

to examine all the actions of my life

to examine all the actions of my life and all the choices choices that lay

and all the choices choices that lay

and all the choices choices that lay behind those actions I believe that it’s

behind those actions I believe that it’s

behind those actions I believe that it’s very difficult for us when we’re feeling

very difficult for us when we’re feeling

very difficult for us when we’re feeling low to get up in the morning and just

low to get up in the morning and just

low to get up in the morning and just choose to be happy but I also feel that

choose to be happy but I also feel that

choose to be happy but I also feel that our choices have a massive bearing on

our choices have a massive bearing on

our choices have a massive bearing on our happiness one of my choices was

our happiness one of my choices was

our happiness one of my choices was about depression that I must be hidden

about depression that I must be hidden

about depression that I must be hidden but I realized that hiding the problem

but I realized that hiding the problem

but I realized that hiding the problem was doing very little to solve it so I

was doing very little to solve it so I

was doing very little to solve it so I started to talk a strange thing happened

started to talk a strange thing happened

started to talk a strange thing happened suddenly I wasn’t alone suddenly

suddenly I wasn’t alone suddenly

suddenly I wasn’t alone suddenly conversations were happening everywhere

conversations were happening everywhere

conversations were happening everywhere many of them weren’t men who had felt

many of them weren’t men who had felt

many of them weren’t men who had felt the same way as I had and like me hadn’t

the same way as I had and like me hadn’t

the same way as I had and like me hadn’t been able to express it and I found in

been able to express it and I found in

been able to express it and I found in these honest conversations the most

these honest conversations the most

these honest conversations the most powerful drug I’ve ever known now I’m

powerful drug I’ve ever known now I’m

powerful drug I’ve ever known now I’m grateful every single day I’m grateful

grateful every single day I’m grateful

grateful every single day I’m grateful to have found new friendships all over

to have found new friendships all over

to have found new friendships all over the world I’m grateful to have the

the world I’m grateful to have the

the world I’m grateful to have the strength in my legs to stand here and

strength in my legs to stand here and

strength in my legs to stand here and strengthen my lungs to speak and I

strengthen my lungs to speak and I

strengthen my lungs to speak and I realized that happiness is so much less

realized that happiness is so much less

realized that happiness is so much less about having and so much more about

about having and so much more about

about having and so much more about doing and being and every day what we do

doing and being and every day what we do

doing and being and every day what we do and who we are our choices Netflix or

and who we are our choices Netflix or

and who we are our choices Netflix or one extra hour of sleep

one extra hour of sleep

one extra hour of sleep worrying about tomorrow or committing

worrying about tomorrow or committing

worrying about tomorrow or committing 100% to be in the moment today being the

100% to be in the moment today being the

100% to be in the moment today being the person that people expect you to be or

person that people expect you to be or

person that people expect you to be or finding out who you really are and being

finding out who you really are and being

finding out who you really are and being yourself

yourself

yourself and I think if we can just commit to a

and I think if we can just commit to a

and I think if we can just commit to a series of small positive choices we

series of small positive choices we

series of small positive choices we might find some more 9 that are words we

might find some more 9 that are words we

might find some more 9 that are words we might find that we can be more authentic

might find that we can be more authentic

might find that we can be more authentic that we can have more integrity that we

that we can have more integrity that we

that we can have more integrity that we can give more enjoyment and maybe

can give more enjoyment and maybe

can give more enjoyment and maybe experience happiness thank you

experience happiness thank you

experience happiness thank you [Applause]

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