Perspective

"Everything can be taken away from a person except for one thing - the ability to choose one's way, to choose one's attitude in any given circumstance" - Victor Frankl

"苦樂全在主觀的心，不在客觀的事" - 梁啟超

Is the glass half full or half empty? There are many ways to put this but it all boils down to one thing. Happiness is entirely dependent upon your perspective. I once read a book which told me not to be affected by the weather. Just because the weather is gloomy doesn't mean that we should be depressed. Why let external factors affect us? Being in Vancouver, letting the weather affect us means we will be depressed for 90% of the year!

If I haven't been having such a busy week I wouldn't have been able to enjoy my dance classes and the downtime I had with my friends as much. If the weather is not cold in Vancouver, there will be no snow on the mountain tops for those of us who like to ski or snowboard. Your life might seem like a complete mess right now: on the verge of failing courses, having kids who seem to be disobedient and unable to take care of themselves, or in your last year of university and still have yet to find a job after graduation. Take a step back and think about it from a different perspective. Challenges help us grow. If your life is always nicely paved with no obstacles, life would be very boring and you would totally break down given the smallest problems. Life is short. There's no time to be sad!

I have a friend who is always so happy and warm. Even though she might be having a bad day or her schedule is absolutely tight, she is always willing to say hi and welcome you with a warm smile. By doing so, she is brightening up the days of those around her. So be happy no matter what's happening around you. As a result, you may be helping those of us with lower EI than you and who are still influenced by external factors.