Friday, September 16, 2005

The Happiness Equation

A wise man once said, happiness is achievement divided by expectations. To be happier, either increase the numerator or reduce the denominator.

I think a lot of us habitually believe we deserve things - a good job, friends who love and respect us, health, marriage, a family, a home. Just because everyone around us has them, and ever since we were little kids, we assumed that when we grew up we'd have them. Marriage especially. Everyone assumes they'll have the opportunity to marry. But none of that is guaranteed, and deserving it or not has nothing to do with whether you actually get it. Today, I'm feeling so freakin grateful that I'm just walking around and breathing. That Katrina didn't tear my family apart. That I didn't get paralyzed in a car accident when I was 10. That I don't have Crohn's disease.

If you don't believe me, go see Murderball. It's a documentary. It'll profoundly reduce your denominator and leave you feeling lucky to be who you are.

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