The Key to Happiness (Tim Urban)

Bob Geldof - Walking Back to Happiness
(from The Vegetarians of Love)

Wait But Why: Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy

I strongly disagree with one bit of his piece, but overall it is as insightful and complete of an analysis as I've ever seen.

From Losing My Religions:

5. The (initial) key to happiness is:

Low expectations. 

But expectations ≠ assumptions:

Well-being isn’t about expecting the best. It is about making sure you don’t assume the worst.

–Adam Grant

You might think this is snark or a joke, but I’m entirely serious. The less you expect – especially of other people – the less you’ll be disappointed. The less you expect, the more you’ll be grateful when things actually work out or people do what they say.

But always assuming the worst leaves you with no room for growth. It is a subtle but important distinction.

And this (which is along the lines of this) from The Expanse:

The universe has plans for you, Josep said in her imagination. You couldn’t have come this far through so many dangers if there weren’t a reason for you to be here. 

The same beautiful bullshit that everyone told themselves. That they were special. That they mattered. That some vast intelligence behind the curtains of reality cared what happened to them. And in all the history of the species, they’d all died anyway.