It'll be alright...

My wife always tells me that, "a happy wife is a happy life." I've been married long enough to know it's the truth.

However, you don't need to have a happy wife to be happy yourself. Happiness comes from within.

Everyone makes a decision each morning to be in a particular mood for the day. It seems odd to some of my friends, but you will often hear me say "It's a great day to be alive." - especially when it's cold and dreary outside, like it has been in Calgary this week. It's particularly on those days that we need to remind oursleves that it is great day to be alive. It's certainly better than the alternative!

Every morning when we get up we make a decision how much we will enjoy the day. I try to live every day as though it were my last, which means I enjoy it, and I have a lot of laughs. I'd hate to die and not have laughed on my last day. I also try to help others live their days in the same way, but that's not necessarily in my complete control.

But really it's about making that decision every day to be positive, and look at the challenges life deals us as a positive influence. Some of the greatest "disasters" in my life have been the greatest learning experiences. And actually I'm thankful for those experiences because it's those experiences that made me grow into the person I am today. Sometimes it's difficult to be thankful at the time, but with the help of a few positive thoughts and asking yourself the right questions it can be done.

When something seems like it's going wrong ask yourself...

• What is good about this?
• What can I learn from this?
• What else is good about this?
• What is funny about this?
• What else is good about his?

Really think about these questions and search for the answers if they aren't immediately apparent. And when all else fails, to help put life in perspective ask yourself...

• In ten years time, will this really matter?

Invariably the last question will be answered "no". If the last question returns an undoubted "yes" then the first batch of questions need to be re-asked and seriously re-considered.

I live my life by the motto that "it'll be alright". At the start of my marriage, my wife would get very annoyed when I would respond "it'll be alright" if she came to me with a concern or complaint. She would retort, "it isn't alright!"

I would then answer, "Ever since I've been alive it has always been alright, and if I die, then I won't be here, so it'll still be alright."

Now she sees the value in believing everything will be alright. It allows you to move on quickly from a situation and not dwell on it. The greatest damage done is not necessarily at the time of the incident, but in the months or years afterwards, when the regrets, ill-feelings and worries fester. If we spend our lives worrying about the past, we won't have any energy to live the present.

Saying "it'll be alright" and moving on allows you to forgive the moment and not let it build up with other issues that over time become "baggage". The less baggage you have the clearer your mind will be to face the day. And when you wake up in the morning with a clear mind you are in the perfect situation to welcome the day with a smile and know that it's a great day to be alive.