For context, I’ve spent the last week reading philosophy instead of studying for exams. I have unmedicated ADHD, and this semester I’ve really been on the fence about getting medication to keep up as an engineering major.

Here are some epiphanies I’ve had after browsing this sub’s top posts with books on stoicism and Buddhism in mind.

1. Nothing is good or bad; however, we all find happiness in our simple pleasures. Obviously we should embrace healthy joy regardless of any bigger meaning, but the flip side is that we can ignore bad feelings. Literally just ignore it. I know this sounds like gaslighting so far, but my point is that we can always return to peace through mindfulness/meditation.

2. With that in mind (and more), I now think it’s possible to almost always feel one of two pleasant states: joy or peace. If you’re doing something that naturally makes you happy, embrace it! However, if you’re not, you need to accept the change and wholeheartedly be at peace with it to make the most of it.

3. For example, if you dislike your job, you quite literally have the option to think about nothing except the bare minimum to function. If you’re in this sub, you’re already considering that nothing matters anyways, right? Just practice constantly returning to a meditative state after accepting uncomfortable wandering thoughts: boredom, heartbreak, mortality, stress, loneliness, etc.

Thus, you could view this life as heaven if you practice only embracing two emotions: joy and peace. Consequently, school and work leads to literally getting paid for peace. Don’t let your monkey brain over complicate it just because other people profit by distracting you. This is the beauty in realizing nothing matters! Realize it’s a positive feedback loop: peaceful work leads to joyous moments, and you can always return to peace. Some monks meditate almost all day every day.

Notes: I highly recommend reading the Gregory Hays translation of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman emperor. It’s not what I just wrote, but it relieved my existential dread and helped me conclude this.

Let me know any questions or comments! I plan to look back on this post every time I need a reminder to just embrace the present. There’s a lot more to my mindset I didn’t explain, but this is my new perspective on nihilism. Cheers!

Edit: I want to expand on why I mentioned procrastination in the title. Basically, I’ve spent the last year building a business, but I’m still in college just for a fallback job. My theory-based classes feel like watching paint dry, but now I’m going to think of it as guaranteeing a future paycheck just to meditate. It does not have to be stressful after all, and I can view the boredom as peace instead of wasted time not working on my dreams. Plus, I was already practicing yoga and meditation beforehand. 10/10 would recommend