This will be the story you tell in 10 years

Your circumstances in life don’t actually change your happiness.
People who become paralyzed or win the lottery go back to being as happy as they were before.
So don’t depend on circumstances.
Everything that happens is neutral.
Your beliefs label it as good or bad.
The only way to change your happiness is to change your beliefs.

- Derek Sivers

Here's another perspective on this.

You know how "old people" say things used to be better in "the good old days", although, objectively, they have not?

And even if you're not "old" yet, you romanticize memories of struggles you went through.

Objectively, it sucked coding through the night, not knowing if the gods of code will even allow you to complete the assignment, as the morning deadline was looming around like a shadow at sunset.

But the 6am success, an hour of sleep, and caffeine-fueled presentation at the lab in the uni make the whole story worthwhile. Sprinkle in a Big Bang Theory procrastination marathon with a friend in "crime" as the subconscious tries to process a boatload of computer science papers you've read as preparation for the coding session...

And you see why some of these memories are worth keeping and replaying. And why this was the good old times. They just don't happen this way any more...

Except... NOW is the future you's "good old times". You just don't know the outcome yet. You get to see it unravel. And take part!

What's the current struggle that you'll be reminiscing on in a decade or two?

Find a way to enjoy it real time.

Cheers, Zvonimir