Hi Quirine,

I have learned to let go of the things and situations that I have no control of.  I try not to let other people’s bad behaviors bother me and if I have wronged them, I apologize. I try not to go to bed angry at my loved ones. I’ve learned to enjoy the moment and try not to think too much of the future.  I noticed that when focus in the ‘present’ I feel much more at peace. I don’t compared myself to my peers or surrender to societal expectations.  I exercise daily  because that is very good for the body, mind and well being.  When I look good I feel good.  I pay attention to my diet because certain foods make me tired and not feel so great.  I actively make my dreams come true – basically living like today is my last.  This way if something happens to me I’ll not regret have any regrets.  Overtime I realized that the only person that is capable of making me happy is me.  A companion would enhance my happiness but I shouldn’t rely upon him as my only source of happiness. Understanding this helps me deal with disappointments better.  It was a very long journey for me to get to where I’m today.  I still have a lot of work ahead.

You can start off small. Each morning do a few minutes of exercise to get your heart rate going. I guarantee you’ll forget about your woes for a while.  Or write down a few things that you’re grateful for each day.  Set the tone of how your day is going to be. If you decide it’ll be a great day, it’ll be a great day but if you want to have a sh*tty day you will find enough negative things to ruin your day.  I believe 50% of our happiness is determined by our genetics and the other 50% we have control over.  I hope this helps.