The Secret of Happiness...

...is lowered expectations.

I'm not being cynical, and I'm not the first to think this, but I really believe I'm on to something.

How many experiences in life teach us that the end result never lives up to the expectation? Of course there are exceptions but don't we often find that the event is no where near as thrilling as the anticipation of it? Does the fantasy of going to DisneyWorld outweigh the reality of long lines in the heat?

What is your favorite part of Christmas? Sure...you're grateful for the gifts, but are you nearly as excited by owning them as you were by looking at that pile of pretty, wrapped boxes of possibilities? That wonderful stack of mysterious. Anything could be in them. Anything at all. And you get to savor that anticipation for weeks.

And what about dating? As we check ourselves in the mirror before heading out the door, isn't there a little bit of anticipation that this might be the one! Isn't that what keeps us slogging through the dating fatigue and the disappointment of realizing over dessert, "Nope, not this one."

Although it looks like I'm building a case for the joys of anticipation, I'm actually saying that our addiction to that unrealistic anticipation is what's screwing up our reality. Why are there peasants in Guatemala and tribes in Nairobi that are just as happy as wealthy Americans? It's because they wake up and see that the sun is shining and the corn is growing and they smile at their good fortune. The American is pissed because his Guatemalan gardener didn't trim the hedges after he mowed the lawn and now he has to wait in line 3 minutes at Starbucks.

Yeah, I think the key to happiness is lowered expectations. At 20 I was looking forward to adventure, love and wealth, at 40 I was happy when my wife and kids were happy, but one day when my life finally revolves around nothing but a good nights sleep and regular bowel movements, I'll be a truly happy man.

I slept well last night and the sun is shining.

Life is good.