If you were to ask my wife if I was always a happy and positive person, she would likely say, "Hmm… it's complicated… but yes."

As a proud high-maintenance man who has never met a conversation I didn't want to see how deep we could go, I would have to agree. It's complicated. But, the answer is yes. I'm happy every day of the week. Not because I was born that way. Nope. As my Italian friends would say, "I had a good learning."

Many years ago, right after high school and just after entering the adult world, I realized that life is complicated and that it wasn't going to change. I also had another learning…

I noticed that no matter how difficult things were, some people I met were happy as they embraced the suck. I wanted to be one of them. I wanted to be the person that didn't need rose-colored glasses to be satisfied. That meant I needed to think like them…

Can you accept that merely being alive means you will run into occasional challenges?

Can you realize that dealing with challenges is a privilege that comes with being alive?

Will you welcome frustration and be satisfied that it only means you are moving forward?

Are you able to accept responsibility for solving your challenges? 

Do you have a "bring it" mindset for everything life throws at you?

Finally -

Are you expecting to get a great night's sleep, no matter what happened today or will happen tomorrow?

That's how happy people think. 

That's how you should think too.

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