The Illusion of External Agency

the misconception: you always know when you are making the best of things.

the truth: you often incorrectly give credit to outside forces for providing your optimism.

When you are happy, you rarely take the metacognitive step backward required to realize that your brain is responsible for that emotion. 

You think, I am happy because I’ve just eaten a key lime cupcake, but you rarely think, I am happy because my brain is telling me to be happy because I’ve just eaten a key lime cupcake.