You're saying be empathetic but here you are saying "suck it up and slap on a smile"? It's ignorant people like you that pushes people off bridges. Happiness can be simple but it is not simple for everyone. Depression is a serious issue, do you even understand the science of depression? No one chooses to be in great pain. Take you own advice and stop whining about how others feel, talk to people who can educate you, stop this BS and learn how to be f'n respectful.

I couldn't agree more. A good proportion of the confessions here are to the downside. People don't realize the goodness in their lives at all.

@wtf... Reading it in context, I think the OP meant to be empathetic towards those who have hurt you. Forgiveness. Letting go of hurt and finding a way to be content and move on. Very good advice, in my opinion, and not always easy to do.

Personally, I am enjoying the irony of the rant about whining from a person who chooses to be happy, aren't you?

Seriously, I feel the same way. Clinical depression aside, shit happens to everyone. It's all in how you take it that makes or breaks your life. In life, there's always a choice. They aren't always feasible choices, but you always have a choice. When it comes to your own happiness, that is 100% a choice that no one can take away from you, or make for you. If you choose to give your happiness away to someone else (i.e. making other peooples' feelings and actions towards you a contingent of your happiness) then you are doing it wrong. Choose to be happy this moment. Maybe the moment won't last forever but nothing ever does. (how many cliches can I fit in one paragraph?).

a jackass. I've never even met you but I can safely say I can't stand your smug, misguided attitude. People are not victims? Go tell that to little children growing up in any war torn, starvation nation. Tell kids who are without parents, without food or shelter or a caretaker. Go tell them your brilliant premise that they're creating their own reality. In order for that to be true, it must be a universal truth. We do NOT create our own realities, if we did, why hasn't virtually everyone won the Lotto Max? I hate your kind. Rugged Individualism ain't working. Do the world a favour and shut the hell up.

Clearly you've never heard this theory before. Obviously we can't win the Lotto Max just because we want to. What OP is talking about is people who choose to become victims and stay that way. "Oh, my boyfriend left me so I'll never love again and that's why my life is miserable." No, it's miserable because you didn't pick your sorry ass off the floor and make it better. Go out and find another boyfriend. If there's something wrong that you can't do that, fix yourself and then make yourself happy. You can't control other people, but you can control your own thoughts and actions. If you choose to be the victim, that's your choice. But don't sit there and blame everyone else for the problems that go on in your life when it is absolutely within your power to change it. Hate your job? Find another one. Can't leave because you aren't qualified for something else? Do something about that. Think your girlfriend is a manipulative bitch? Leave her. Can't leave her because the sex is too good? Well I guess that's your problem then, isn't it?

No one can make your life better for you. No one can get a degree for you, make you funnier and more charming, lose the weight for you, make you more well read. Only you can do that for yourself. And that, Ugh, is how you can make your life better. Do it your damn self.

I'm sorry, what exactly are you confessing?

oh wise and omniscient one for guiding us through these difficult times... NO... wait... that was meant for the yogi down the street! You're just a smug know it all who loves to preach!

I love how some people think that just because they were able to cope with difficult times(so easily), that everyone must be able to. It's the same when I hear people bitching about how their bf/gf doesn't behave the same way they would. It's because you're you. We don't all operate the same.
How about some straight up empathy/compassion instead of judging others for having a tougher time dealing than you did.
I assume the OP would never tell a seriously ill person to "suck it up and stop whining". Just because you can't see it for yourself, doesn't mean the other person isn't doing the best they can.

Thank you for those of you that understood that I meant when you "have it good" let it be good so that you have the strength and ability to help others. We all fall into the depths of depression and life's trauma will touch us and change us...what I am saying is we have to find the strength (in time-sometimes much time)to look outside ourselves and reach out to those whom are worse off. Helping others helps to heal us all. That's what I am saying. Don't waste your days whining over BS and forgetting that you were once a happy little kid. Crawl your way out, please don't disappear from the ones that love you, and let's forge some new thoughts. "I love myself today, not like yesterday. I'm cool, I'm calm, I gonna be okay." -Bif Naked Life is hard enough. My father is a jailbird, my only sibling was murdered, 65% of my body is covered in scars from burns and I'm in the final healing steps of an excruciating invasive surgery. I'm simply saying: Happiness is possible. One thought at a time. Thoughts do have wings. Through the dark shines the brightest light.