My happy student

I have this one student who I like very much, but sometimes I really don't like her. I know that doesn't make sense right now, give me a few more sentences.

See, she's a really upbeat and positive person. You know the kind. The kind that somehow, magically, naively, almost childishly sees the good in just about everyone and everything. It's like somehow the sheer irritating mess of the universe just passes over her without touching her in the slightest.

Now, I know her well enough that I know she gets down. She even complains sometimes. She gets sad. She get angry. She carries mountains of stress and anxiety more often than not. So, you might think her normal personality is some kind of 'fake out' or a facade. Basically, a lie she tells the world to keep from going insane.

Maybe it is, but I don't think so. I think somewhere along the line she decided to be happy and then (and here is the important part) learned how to be happy. (I used italics, so you know it's important).

Lots of inspirational messages will want you to 'decide to be happy' and that's all well and good. Not horridly helpful though. I'd love to decide to be good at drywall installation. Until I actually learn how to do it, that little decision is pointless.

So, I like her because her personality is upbeat and pleasant.
I really don't like her sometimes because she's so good at something I don't know how to do.

How did she learn to be happy? I have no idea, but I'm gonna figure that out. Then I'm gonna learn to do it.