whatever you do, don't be proactive!

When you are stuck in mochin d'katnut, (feeblemindedness) act with a rosh katan, (be reactive, not proactive--) just stick to Torah and mitzwoth until HaShem illuminates the way.

Otherwise you might fall into "trying to figure things out" mode (ie. initially mild depression) when your brain is barely functioning, and you will only spiral down from there.

This thought brought me to a chidush: 

The Mei Shiloah (parashath Balak) explains that a Jew has the potential to always know what HaShem wants from him right now. 

Obviously the Jew didn't sit down and 'figure out' what HaShem wants, HaShem's ways of thinking are totally beyond us. So, how does a Jew find out what HaShem wants from him or her right now? We ask Him! We cry out and say: HaShem, I can't possibly do it on my own, help me! Make it clear to me HaShem!!

the greatest expectations: no expectations.

Many things in life are affected by our initial expectations. When we go into an experience with an open mind, expecting nothing in particular other than to be surprised, the surprise is often a positive one.

In this way, your every meal can be delicious, almost every experience a positive one. This is actually a major secret of being happy with one's lot in life. If we don't look at what others have, and based on this form expectations, then we can very easily enjoy whatever it is that we receive.

The Mei Shiloah explains that this was Yaakov Avinu's midah, that he had no desires for anything other than what was his, he didn't feel a lack of anything. This was the meaning behind איש תם יושב אוהלים - a simple tent-dweller.

Rebbe Nachman takes this idea in a slightly different direction and explains that just as HaShem creates us new every day, we need to interact with HaShem and the world with this knowledge. Every day we should serve HaShem anew, with whatever is given to us in this day. This is the extreme version of the idea of being unexpecting. Not only don't we have expectations about our life, but every day is itself a new surprise.

Rebbe Nachman basically explains that this is the secret to staying young at any age, and judging from the elderly people that I've met, the happiest seem to have arrived at a similar understanding to that of Rebbe Nachman.

the not so hidden truth

Rebbe Nachman (Likkutei Moharan I:133) brings down the words of the Baal Shem Tov:

אוי ואבוי כי העולם מלא מאורות וסודות נפלאים ונוראים והיד הקטנה עומדת בפני העינים ומעכבת מלראות אורות גדולים

"Oy Vavoy, but the world is full of wonderous and awesome lights and secrets, and the little hand covers the eyes, preventing them from seeing these great luminaries."

The Hayom Yom brings down an amazing and related point:

There is not the vaguest shadow of doubt that, wherever our feet tread, it is all in order to cleanse and purify the world with words of Torah and tefilla (prayer). We, all of Israel, are emissaries of G-d, each of us as Divine Providence has decreed for us. None of us is free from this sacred task placed on our shoulders.

Rav Morgenstern in Dei Hochmah L'Nafshech (B'Shalach) explains why this is accessible to us:

This process begins with contemplation of the fact that all is Elokus,
which we have already explained is an aspect of Shema Yisrael, the sefirah of
Chochmah. Every Jewish soul is rooted in Chochmah, which is associated with
the Name Havayah when it is fully articulated with yuds so that it equals 72. [- יוד
20 = הי-ויו-הי + 15+ 22+ 15 = 72] Since each Jewish soul is rooted in this Name,
this means that everyone naturally is closest to contemplating Elokus. Since this
is a form of avodah that comes naturally to the Jewish soul, it is the basis of all
avodah, as the Emek Hamelech writes.

What most interests me is the fact that nothing can exist without a spark of kedushah, or holiness. More than that, I believe the Mei Shiloah states that even our most destructive desire is still a desire for the spark of holiness in this destructive act.

To me that means that every brilliant advertising campaign, every catchy tune, every sports car, every designer gown, in short everything that is popular, is popular only because of the holiness, the fallen spark that is trapped within it. It is probably dangerous to look for such things, just as the Baal HaTanya explains that it is dangerous to involve yourself with your own foreign thoughts.

However, if you have an idea, a tune, anything stuck in your head, you can find the innate holiness within it, bring it out and thank HaShem for it. (And then move on back to more apparently holy matters.)