Happiness

Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn't calculate his happiness.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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This quote is incredibly accurate.  We focus on the negative.  We are drawn to tragedy and disaster and sadness.  That is what runs our news.  Out entertainment.  That is messed up.

And we definitely do this to ourselves.  List what is wrong.  What remains undone.  Focus on the gaps instead of the accomplishments.  

Is it because we are negative beings?  Is it because we thrive on stress and pressure and unhappiness?  Do we love the tragedies of life more than the victories?

No.  I think it's just because we don't have time to count all our joy and our happiness and our fortunate circumstances.  

That said, we probably ought to count what is good more often.  And if it's too difficult to count on your own, get a child to help.  They are better at that than we are.