“The word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.”
— Carl Jung, Swiss Psychiatrist

The good things in life are given meaning by the bad opposite things.

• We feel safe in the light because we know how scary the uncertainty of the dark is

• Success is incredible because it is the opposite of failure, which is painful

• Sweet fruits and treats taste fantastic because their flavour is in contrast to bland and bitter things

If you’re going through a bad time, remember that the experience is going to make your future feel good.

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony. “
— Thomas Merton, American Monk and Writer

You need balance to be happy, not intensity. Some examples:

• Ice cream is delicious, but you’ll quickly get bored and sick if you try to eat it every day

• Traveling the world is fun, but after a while you may feel tired and miss your family and friends

• As any person married long enough will tell you, time together is great, but too much time can lead to contempt

In all that you do, take care to maintain balance. That way, you’ll enjoy the sweetness of life without burning yourself out.

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.“
— Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor

The way you feel is strongly influenced by what is in your mind. When you think about things you love and enjoy like family, friends, passionate work, or fun hobbies then you will feel happy. But when you think about things you hate or that annoy you, then you will feel sad.

Do your best to be self-aware of your thoughts and how they’re affecting you. If you can put good things into your head, then good feelings will naturally follow as a byproduct.