Tracy Myers is an extremely successful used car dealer and one of the happiest and most energetic people I know. His television commercials are hilarious and he’s always posting positive messages on Facebook. As it turns out, some people don’t like it when others post a steady stream of positive messages on Facebook. Here’s what happened to Tracy: “I received a disheartening and anonymous email from someone who told me to ‘stop putting on a fake persona on Facebook because it’s sickening…it’s impossible for someone to be as happy as you pretend to be all the time. I mean, you own a used car lot. How happy and successful can you possibly be?’ I’m sharing this NOT to call him/her out. I’m sharing this to say that it’s a choice to choose the better route, to rise above the pain and find the silver lining around the dark clouds that some folks dwell in.
Besides, research shows that unhappy people:
- Have a higher risk for heart attacks.
- Are 65% more likely to get a cold.
- Have a greater risk of heart disease, strokes, hypertension, infections, and Type 2 diabetes.
- Are less likely to find a spouse.
- Live nine years fewer than their happy counterparts.
On the other hand, when you are happy, you are likely to live longer, are more emotionally healthy, physically healthy, creative, energetic, compassionate, and successful!
So, if you have difficulty being happy and have more of a tendency to be a “Debbie Downer,” my simple advice is to ‘fake it ’till you make it.’ Your life and health depend on it.”