Life is meant to be an ebb and flow of experiences and emotions. It is not meant to be one continuous ride of happiness. How utterly boring would that be?

Some people complain non-stop about being sad and unhappy, and chase “happiness” at all costs. These are imbalanced lives.

In my life, I’ve been sad; I’ve been challenged; I’ve been depressed; I’ve been miserable… Too often I’ve felt sorry for myself and hated my life. Moving forward, I expect to continue to have such disappointments. In fact, I would insist on it. Looking back, times of despair were my best  learning and motivating experiences. These emotions made me feel human, and living became more intense. It helped make me into who I am today.

Imagine life having never experienced a gut-wrenching heart-break that physically hurt? That intensity of emotion is something we humans are PRIVILEGED to feel. It is that intensity that drives passion in other areas.

I believe past laughter makes tears meaningful, and remembered tears make laughter more enjoyable. Appreciate random sadness as much as happiness. Embrace the varying ebbs and flows of life. In the end, it is delusional to think you can be happy all the time, but it is smart to be optimistic no matter the situation.