If life is a gift, then you've basically received an ongoing membership to your local gym. Looking back, my tribulations seem more vivid than the seemingly brief periods of true happiness. Perhaps it’s just human psychology. As a species, we tend to experience heavier doses of pain during difficult times than cheer while riding a wave of joy. 

Exercise is a great metaphor for life because our time is mostly spent in training. As our bodies develop and then regress with age, we exercise our minds through experiential learning. This is why we dream of going back in time to teach our younger selves what we learned in the school of life.

If we are living a decathlon, like athletes relying on high-grade nutrition, we need to feast on positive emotions to last through the entire race. Being extremely selective about the type of people you let into your life is an essential component of that diet.

Rule #1: Life is too short to deal with people who consistently make you feel bad. 

Unfortunately, because it is challenging to find people who don’t leave a scent of negativity behind, you run the risk of being alone. 

Rule #2: You should not have to rely on other people for happiness.

As our weeks feel more like laps in NASCAR, it is important to care for the vessel that keeps you in the race. Happiness is the steroid you need to get an edge on your competition. This drug is not only legal but also free. Find it and get addicted.