This arrived in my mail today, and it seems to make sense.

Do you ever wonder why some expats seem to weather the challenges of expat life better than others? Expatriate and cross-cultural coach, Margarita Gokun Silver, shares seven habits of happy expats.

1. Happy expats are intensely curious.
2. Happy expats accept others as they come, they don't judge, and they don't try to change people to their liking.
3. Happy expats look at everything as an amazing learning experience.
4. Happy expats find opportunities wherever they are and they don't lament those they've left behind.
5. Happy expats know that feeling sad at times is part of the game.
6. Happy expats share.
7. Happy expats stay clear of criticism, sulking, and stonewalling.

Examples and further detail of each of these habits can be read here, at Expat Exchange.

I think those are traits of almost anyone that weathers the challenges of life, expat or not.

Good post.

I have only "one habit" as an expat to make me happy...how much they are paying...if this is ok...the rest dont matter

Although I'm not an expat I prettty much follow all those fundamentals for happiness. I continually say that happiness is a state of mind that you DO have power over. YOu can CHOOSE to be happy or choose to be sad. it's all up to you. As long as I am vertical or horizontal by choice I am happy. I can't change how anyone else feels. All I can do is choose to be happy myself and not do anything to harm others.

Only one or two of them apply to me, but I am a happy expat anyway.

Although I'm not an expat I prettty much follow all those fundamentals for happiness. I continually say that happiness is a state of mind that you DO have power over. YOu can CHOOSE to be happy or choose to be sad. it's all up to you. As long as I am vertical or horizontal by choice I am happy. I can't change how anyone else feels. All I can do is choose to be happy myself and not do anything to harm others.

I could not agree more!

I always get annoyed when I read the inevitable post" Why is Thailand , or Thais so........" insert your negative comment in the blank.

Thailand and life in general is what you make of it,

You always find what you are looking for! You know what they say, " misery loves company"

If you are looking for misery , guess what, that is all you will find.

this is an over simplification , and a subject that could take chapters to discus but, everything that exists is a construct of your imagination"

How you perceive things is your choice

Although I'm not an expat I prettty much follow all those fundamentals for happiness. I continually say that happiness is a state of mind that you DO have power over. YOu can CHOOSE to be happy or choose to be sad. it's all up to you. As long as I am vertical or horizontal by choice I am happy. I can't change how anyone else feels. All I can do is choose to be happy myself and not do anything to harm others.

I am indeed an expat, and I agree with you.

Good post OP, and equally good responses. I would seriously like to float a 'chicken and egg' type question....

Are people who are content (nothing to do with smugness etc) in their inner selves naturally display the traits OP outlines ?

and / or / both

Do people that display OP's outlined traits become naturally content in their inner selves ?

I have lived and worked overseas since 1979 and I would say the ability to fake sincerity is certainly an asset.

They missed Golden Rule #1: Happy expats have gold (aka money).

Without that it is next to impossible to be happy in a country where you have no right to live.

Otherwise the rest are merely traits of any happy person anywhere.

I must be one unhppy expat according to that list of fantasies.

Mr. Stephen Covey would have been proud of Ms. Margarita Gokun Silver's creative thinking...

Here we go again....

How on earth can anyone even contemplate discussing this before agreeing on the conditions. Can someone please give a clear definition of "expat"?

Mr. Brad... By coincidence I was just thinking about my friends that are happy this morning over coffee. Great list. As I look at my friends that are doing well, almost all of them get some form of exercise like walking or biking. They also have some form of interest that they practice such as developing land, building a car, photography, travel, charity work, or searching out restaurants. All of them have a positive attitude.

Here we go again....

How on earth can anyone even contemplate discussing this before agreeing on the conditions. Can someone please give a clear definition of "expat"?

It seems the definition of an "expat", or at least as far as the author of that article is concerned, might be anyone who spends any amount of time away from his own country and culture.

Many good responses, and as usual Forbesy chips in with his ever positive and always well balanced thoughts

I would add that an ability to see the positive side of EVERYTHING is a must. Even in extreme scenarios.

Take being robbed for instance (as described in a recent post) and as i have also been, it is normal to feel a mountain of anger and bile towards anyone and everyone at first thought. But in retrospect, and as time passes, you might also consider yourself lucky you did not interrupt the thieves in the act, which may have resulted in you, or a loved one, being shot, stabbed, maimed for life, or even killed...thieves (especially in Thailand) do not want to be caught and do not pussyfoot around.

Also being able to have a daily appreciation of even the most simplest things in life might help. Example being to think how nice is this tom yum,moo yang and a few beers is, instead of lamenting about how "if i was at home right now i could have big steak,pizza, all trimmings"

The secret to being happy is easy............

If you feel unhappy...........

Do something about it...................