A few thoughts from Chuck Wendig. I thought it made for a nice little read:
On The Privilege Of Being A Writer
On The Privilege Of Being A Writer
I think the thoughts in the article can be applied to many things in general. I was recently exposed to the phrase "First World Problems" and anytime I feel the crunch of something, I take a break and think about that. It puts things into perspective.
I think two of the most important qualities any person can adopt in life are 1) a sense of perspective; and 2) a sense of optimism. Perspective helps you keep a proper view on your own problems relative to those in the world at large, and a sense of optimism ensures that you will work to overcome your problems (where as pessimism often leads to a failure to do so, in my experience).