What's the best mentality to have in life?

Self-compassion includes being a coach to yourself, not a critic.
— SplatoonGoon

Be serious only when you have to be, and be silly the rest of the time.
— TummyDrums

Find a healthy balance between motivating yourself to be where you want in life, and being satisfied with what you already have. Too much of the former will leave you constantly unhappy and too much of the latter will make you complacent with mediocrity.
— beartheminus

**“This isn’t a dress rehearsal. This is it, this is the universe’s allotted time slot for you. *You’re live.*”**
— MidnightSG

Don’t be afraid to get old, it’s a privilege to make it that far.
— awkwardmamasloth

This too shall pass. Good moments come and go, bad moments come and go. Focusing too much on the good will lead to ultimate disappointment while chasing the dragon, or untethered rage when bad just keeps getting worse. Enjoy the good, endure the bad, live life grounded.
— Manleather

Don't strive for happiness. Happiness is a fleeting emotion. Strive for contentedness instead. As great as it would be to spend every day happy, that just isn't going to happen. But you can spend every day being content with what you have, for better or for worse. Also, on a slightly unrelated note, if you feel suicidal, drink a glass of your favorite non-alcoholic beverage. The simplest pleasure in the world can be the difference between life and death. For me, it's chocolate milk. There isn't a day where drinking a glass of chocolate milk hasn't made me at least a little happier. Edit: /u/Veruzian made an excellent point and said we should "strive for happiness and contentedness", and I agree, but I find that it's easier to find happiness from contentedness than the other way around.
— famalamo

Top 10 Answers