It is what you make of it

A few years back, I was introduced to Viktor Frankl or rather his story and ideas. Born in 1905, Frankl was the son of Austrian Jews. He grew up to become a physician and specialized in Neurology and Psychiatry. He was rising star in Vienna's medical community until the Anschluss in 1938, at which point it was forbidden for Jews to treat Aryans.

In 1942, he was deported to a concentration camp and was subsequently sent to Dachau in 1944. During his time in the camps, he put many of his psychological theories to the test. After the war, Frankl wrote a book titled "Man's Search for Meaning," which is considered one of the most influential books in the USA. In it Frankl writes about his experiences and observations in the camps and how they pertain to his philosophy. I don't know that everything in his philosophy is true but what best struck me was the following:

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way

 Frankl made it through the camps in one piece and shocked his guards and fellow prisoners with his positive attitude. He remained happy because he chose to be happy.

Sometimes life sucks and it's easy to self-pity... Hell, it's kinda fun! But when you do, you just end up wallowing in it and digging a deeper hole. Instead, choose happiness.