Pursue God instead of happiness, and happiness will come to you. Understand that, if you pursue happiness as an end in itself as the media urges you to, actual happiness will constantly elude you. But if you make your relationship with God your top priority, you’ll discover happiness as a byproduct of that relationship.

Surrender control. Rather than following your own agenda like the hyper-real culture celebrates, recognize that only God is in control of your future. Surrender your attempts to control and trust Him to guide you to what’s best for you.

Look beyond materialism to what matters most. Chasing after material things won’t ultimately lead you to the fulfillment you seek. Despite the media’s emphasis on materialism, look beyond that to focus on what has eternal value: relationships with God and other people. Read, study, and meditate on the Bible regularly to soak in its wisdom and help you keep your focus in the right place.

Honestly examine your life. Take a hard look at every part of your life to determine how the hyper-real culture has influenced your attitudes and actions. Ask yourself: “In what ways has my hope been dictated by the hyper-real world?”, “How do I try and escape reality?”, “In what ways have I been shaped by the hyper-real world? How has this shaping affected my behavior?”, “How has the hyper-real culture affected my ability to commit?”, “How has the hyper-real culture affected the way I enter into relationships?”, “How has the hyper-real culture affected the way I engage with Christian community?”, “How has the hyper-real culture affected my sexuality?”, “How has the hyper-real culture affected my values?”, “How has hyper-consumerism shaped my behavior?”, “How has the hyper-real culture affected my discipleship?”, “How do I attempt to control my life?”, “How have I valued surface over depth?”, “How have I let hyper-reality shape my identity?”, “In what ways have I tried to pursue happiness through means that are outside of God’s reality?”, “What particular idols of the hyper-real culture do I worship in my life?”, and “What dysfunctions, disappointments, and hurts do I have in my life that allow the hyper-real culture to gain a foothold?”. Find someone you trust to hold you accountable and encourage you as you deal with these issues.

Enjoy covenantal relationships. Don’t settle for the contractual types of relationships the media promotes by telling you that you should always hold out for a better deal. Instead, invest in covenantal relationships based on unconditional love, submission, sacrifice, and fidelity. Remain committed to your spouse rather than giving up, stick with your friends even in the hard times, build rapport with your neighbors instead of competing with them, and pray for your enemies. Expect that, as you live out a covenant between you and another person, you’ll experience more fulfillment than you could get from even the best contractual relationship.