How to cure depression

As crazy as it sounds, I want to cure depression with snacks, music, and outdoor experiences.

While I was reading " Start With Why" by Simon Sinek, I had a blast of insight and articuated the mission that's been dwelling in my subconcious this whole time:

It's a mouthful.

It's a lot of ideas that dont seem connected on the surface.

It's the truest feeling I've had in a long time.

Many disconnected feelings have fueled my business growth so far. On some level I could always feel how it all tied together.

I've figured out ways to thrive and excel despite my deep depression over the past 5 years. I want to share the magic with other people. The best ways I can think to do that are with food, music, and nature. I'm figuring out how to build a company around those three pillars.

I've felt for a long time that significant blocks are misplaced and missing in our society.

Then, I found a book last June called "Lost Connections" by Johann Hari.

Johann took an enlightening deep dive into depression's root causes. He traced everything back to seven connections that we've lost in modern society: Meaningful Work, Other People, Meaningful values, Childhood Trauma, Status and Respect, the Natural World, a Hopeful or Secure future.

Read the book, because Johann did some amazing research and shares deeply insightful stories.

I recognized a lot of feelings I'd had already in Lost Connections, and it took me a few months to realize how the work I'm dong with SnakTak was connected.

Curing depression with snacks music and hiking sounds far-fetched because it is.

It flies directly in the face of modern medicine. But Johann's book starts with a long anecdote about how antidepressants and conventional treatments failed to treat his depression.

I don't feel any need to think conventionally. Robots are taking over. Creativity is the only way we'll keep our edge as robots administrate more of our society.

People always smile and laugh when I tell them about Dirtballs. Those smiles are important.

People are hurting out here. I met a friend recently at a house show. A guy slightly younger than me.

We talked about his cocaine habit. He uses powder because he's afraid to look for the answers he needs in his heart.

What's missing from my friend's life? Johann Hari says "addiction is the opposite of connection."

Could giving my friend some Dirtballs and taking him on a hike help him?

Bad food, weak communities, and barren environments really are a recipe for depression.

I've been much happier since I moved to Eugene from San Jose. It's largely because the community is stronger here and there are a lot more trees. Especially since I started making friends in the house show scene, I've felt more connected and optimistic than ever before.

Since doing so much work in the food industry here, I also know firsthand how important food is. Studying nutrition to make my marketing efforts more effective has led me to improve my diet.

I knew making a healthy snack was the right thing to do. I never thought it would cure depression, though.

To be fair, if you really drilled down into the science, you could probably make a food product that fights depression more effectively on a chemical level.

But it wouldn't taste as good as Dirtballs or make them smile as much.

Some of you have heard me share some crazy ideas. I have a lot of them for how I want to grow this company. The nice thing at this point is I can be extremely flexible still with how I set myself up for the next ten years.

It's important for me to figure out a way to sell snacks directly through the Fortnite HUD and what the best virtual reality concierge experience will look like. Maybe an in-game snack kiosk would work. In 2019 we can bridge the digital and analog worlds much better.

Right now I really need to get some Dirtballs in your hands, though. They're about to launch in a few key locations around town.

All of the test samples have been distributed and I'm happy to report that everyone still thinks they're delicious.

If I can just help people stay happy and energized with these snacks, I'll feel successful.

I just know that there are people out there who are hurting and that we can do more to help each other.