How To Be Happy Everyday

It happens this time every night…. at 11 p.m. I die.

My death lasts for 6 or 7 hours, sometimes less.

I’m on a streak right now, my alarm goes off and slowly I come back to life. The streak has lasted 11,456 days but I don’t know how much longer it will continue.

Who knows how much time I have left?

If you find out, please don’t tell me. The moment I realized my life is a streak, I decided to make the most of it.

My daily routine prepares me for the next 18 hours:

• water
• bulletproof coffee
• meditation
• reading
• writing (sometimes)
• setting my intention for the day
• walking
• music / podcast

After the first six steps are complete, I shower, dress, and leave for work.

On my walk to the bus stop, I listen to music or a podcast and think about the events in my life. For the past two months, I have focused on one question.

What if today was my last day?

It might seem dark or negative to some, but I find it enjoyable and a healthy exercise.

I continue to think….

What would I do?

Where would I go?

How would I act?

What would I look like to people I pass on the street?

While the music plays, everything begins to change. A smile comes over my face. For the rest of my walk everything matters. For a few minutes I see and hear everything around me.

I try to take it all in. This could be the last time, I have to absorb every ounce. Every small detail matters. I study the corners of buildings and people’s faces as I pass by them. I may never know them, but I want to commit them to memory in case this is it.

I pay attention to the particular hue of the sky, the stature of the trees, and how endlessly tall the buildings seem to be. I laugh to myself; I make it a point to smile at the dogs taking their owners out for a morning walk.

I pause the music as I arrive at work. I’m in the best mood, happy for another chance to start a new day. Work happens for the next 10–12 hours.

On the longest days, in the toughest moments, I pause to breathe. My intention from my morning routine comes back to me. I remember the questions I asked myself during the walk to work. I’m reminded,

“This could be the last time I see this person, the last time I work with them.” I tell myself, “I have to make this moment good, I owe them a smile.”

This could be it and I have to accept the ending.

Let’s laugh.

Nothing we are doing in this moment will matter after I die. Worrying will not change this. One day you will see this too.

Thousands of years will pass. Who will remember you?

No one.

The hours you put in at the office do not count once you die. Your family cannot redeem them for cash or units of stock.

I want to see something interesting today, or learn something new from you as we talk for a bit — hopefully we can laugh together. This is important.

This is all that is important.

I can do this everyday, I can be happy everyday — before work starts, while I am at work, and after I leave.

It’s time to go now. I leave the office and walk to the bus stop. Thoughts from the day creep back in, I begin to analyze events. A larger thought comes in to fill my mind as it expands it squeezes out the small unimportant thoughts.

I don’t have much time left.

What am I going to do before 11 p.m.?

I must go do these things now. Afterwards, I continue along the path home. I made it home again, the day is over.

It is almost 11 p.m. now and I have to go soon, but that is okay. Maybe my streak continues tomorrow. Hopefully yours does too, and we will see each other again.

If not, it was good to see you today.

Take care.

This is not a dark tale. It is the truth.

Everyday we die a little bit and no one notices. It’s like a slow death by quicksand. Wake up! Wake up! You are slipping under!

I hope we can spread this message before it is too late.

I am afraid to know how much time I have wasted. It is easy to be distracted with things that do not matter and to waste time worrying. Worrying is nothing but wasted time……Once I realized this, I changed.

What if today is my last day? What if I die in my sleep?

One day these questions will have an answer, and I can’t change this. I can only change my priorities and my behavior. I can make the most of this moment, this one perfect moment in time we share together.

My routine is coming to an end, the music is starting. Mac Miller’s “Wake Up” lyrics are playing in my headphones:

Go ride with me

Just vibe with me

Get high with me

In the sky with me

And it’s the best day everrrrrr

You might also enjoy my latest book: Cold Email Idea Machine

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➤ This post was originally featured on LinkedIn

Clinton Buelter is a senior technical recruiter, author, and the founder of www.coldemailforrecruiters.com — a popular website for recruiters who want to improve their cold email and recruiting skills.