It better befits a man to laugh than to lament over it. Seneca

One of the best ‘skills’ I’ve learned is to laugh at the stupid shit I do, the pickles I find myself in, the predicaments that are self-inflicted. (Read This: Control Your Thoughts)

I used to go to a dark place, replaying them over and over again, avoiding life all the while I’m living in a dark place while my life is quite alright if I’d only sit up and realize such.

It is better to laugh than to lament.

Think about those times in your life where you were really down. Think about what drove you to be there. Those moments are now gone, maybe even forgotten completely. It does you no good to feed your despair. It would serve you well to fuel laughter, a brighter outlook on your life, one that sees that hard times are merely a part of the journey. (Read This: Life is Hard. Deal With It.)

It’s easier said than done, of course, but one activity that has helped me is identifying three things I’m grateful for that happened within the last 24 hours. It’s an activity, a habit that forces you to find the good.

Another habit I’ve created is finding one solution to a problem that I face everyday. It’s a habit that forces you to actively find solutions.

Laughter, however, is the best medicine.

Learn to laugh at events, and more importantly at yourself. You know your insecurities, you know the things that bring you down, that keep you down, expose them, open them up to ridicule, laugh at them.

Treat your weaknesses like a muscle. The only way to build a muscle is to first break it down.