There is no getting around the fact that most good things require effort.

The stuff that really makes life worth living is, generally speaking, also the kind of thing that involves some kind of hard work. We don’t get to enjoy that beautiful rural view unless we are willing to do a hike for it, and we can’t reap the rewards of a loving relationship unless we are willing to show up for that person when it really matters, and not just when it is convenient for us. There almost always has to be some kind of give and take present for us to enjoy the most positivity that we have available to us.

Still, that isn’t to say that we always have to be hard on ourselves if we want to be happy. This mindset is the kind of thing that is built step by step, and at our own pace. It is possible to start in a low-key fashion, simply taking a moment to appreciate a pretty tree on a walk around the neighborhood, or really enjoying the first coffee of the day. Wholesome memes are also a kind of cheat code to getting to the good stuff, as they provide us with so many examples of all the wonderfulness that is available if we make the effort. They are both a sneak preview and a reminder, and these can always prove to be useful as well as enjoyable. There is no downside to consuming a healthy amount of wholesome content.