How your mindset can affect happiness

You don’t “have to” do something, you “get to” do it.

You don’t “have to” go to your kid’s soccer games, band concert, or Halloween party, you “get to” do this. You’re lucky to have a child when others want one, but can’t get pregnant or afford IVF or adoption. You’re lucky to be able to be able to afford paying for a recreational activity, or to be able to take off of work to spend time with them.

You don’t “have to” go to work, you “get to” go to work. You’re lucky to be able to provide for yourself and your family. Plenty of people can’t find a job (or at least not a job that pays as well as yours or one that they like as much as you do).

These are just a couple of examples, but you can apply the “I get to”-kind of attitude in any situation. The point is, we have opportunities that others would only dream of having. We are so incredibly blessed, but, because we’re living in the moment, we often take those opportunities for granted.

Change your mindset to one of gratitude. Your happiness (and sometimes the happiness of those around you) depends on your attitude. It doesn’t matter how much money you make, if you are dating/married to the most beautiful/handsome person in the world, if you’re on vacation, or if you’re retired…none of that matters if your attitude sucks. Some people seem to have it all and yet they still aren’t happy. They’re not content. Make sure you don’t become one of those people. Be happy with what you have. Be happy that you “get to” do the things that others want to do.