Life have you down? Look on the bright side

"Some things in life are bad They can really make you mad Other things just make you swear and curse. When you're chewing on life's gristle Don't grumble, give a whistle And this'll help things turn out for the best."

- lyrics from "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," by Eric Idle

We can complain all day about the economy, the weather, the tollway traffic and the annoyingly loud cell phone talker on the Metra.

Or, we can look on the bright side.

No one thinks you need to be jump-for-joy happy about everything happening in the world, but shifting your attitude, and seeing things in a more positive light, can help you feel better, experts say.

Take, for example, Thursday night's record rainfall, of nearly 2 inches of rain. The one that flooded suburban streets and rivers ... in February? It could have been as much as 2 feet of snow.

That's the type of positive outlook Marco Masini has. As the associate vice president of student life at Benedictine University in Lisle, he is constantly bucking up the spirits of students who are struggling financially, academically and socially.

"There is a message in the madness of what we go through. You have to think, 'I can do something about it' rather than 'I can't do something about it.' Things will get better," he said.

Here are some other ways to take a glass-is-half-full approach to what's going on in the world:

Glass is half-empty

1. I am broke.

2. The Cubs and Sox choked in the playoffs last year.

3. It is so dark, dreary and cold outside.

4. My commute is awful.

5. Illinois politics are an embarrassment.

6. My grass is brown.

7. So many people are losing their jobs.

8. I can't afford vacations, concerts or shopping.

9. I feel so down in the dumps.

10. My kids/parents/coworkers/friends are getting on my nerves.

11. All the news in the world is so sad.

Glass is half-full

1. I am learning to scale back and find out what's really important in life.

2. The Cubs and Sox should make the playoffs again this year.

3. In eight more days, we will have another hour of daylight. Golf and flower shows are coming to local convention centers. And spring training baseball games are being broadcast on the radio.

4. Gas has stayed at $2 a gallon.

5. Pressure has never been greater on lawmakers to pass ethics and campaign funding reform.

6. The snow has melted.

7. People are getting a chance to refocus their careers and start something new.

8. I get to spend more quality time at home with my family and friends.

9. The recession will be ending soon. Perhaps at the end of this year.

10. You are all alive and in good health.

11. You're reading this upbeat story, aren't you?