Ellen DeGeneres' Secrets To A Happy Life

At the end of May 2022, Ellen DeGeneres ended her nearly 20-year reign as the queen of daytime talk. The host of her eponymous show bid farewell to her TV show, saying in part, "What a beautiful, beautiful journey that we have been on together" (via Los Angeles Times). She added, "If it has lifted you up when you're in a period of some type of pain, some type of sadness — anything that you're going through — then I have done my job."

It certainly seemed like the star's show made her happy as she helped others laugh a bit more, too. Remember those iconic dance opportunities built into every episode? We have to believe she enjoyed them as much as we did. And the longtime host was always smiling and giggling — until she wasn't. 

Who could forget the scandal that saw DeGeneres apologizing for how certain members of her staff were treated behind the scenes?

After an investigation and allegations that "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" was actually home to a toxic workplace, the face of the program said, "I take this very seriously and I want to say I'm so sorry to the people it affected" (via BBC).

But was the damage already done? 

"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" scandal was truly an embarrassment, given that every show ended with its famous host instructing the audience, "Be kind to one another" (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Indeed the once-beloved program didn't last too much longer following the fallout, with the former sitcom star announcing just a year later that she'd made the decision to end the show's run — although DeGeneres denied the drama about workplace culture was her reason for pulling the plug (via The Washington Post).

Perhaps DeGeneres' mantra for living a happy existence may help to explain why she moved on from her talk show. As the A-lister told People, she decides who can be in her life based on how they make her feel. One could imagine this screening process also applies to what is part of the longtime star's life.

"I think you can't expect someone to treat you a certain way," Ellen DeGeneres, who became a multi-multi-millionaire following the successful talk show, told People. So she doesn't subscribe to the Golden Rule? Not exactly, with DeGeneres noting that what goes around doesn't always come around.

"Whatever it is, if you're getting a lot of negative energy or anger, you have to say, 'Why am I getting this? Am I doing something to create it?'" she continued in her explanation. "And if the answer is honestly no, then get out of that situation."

Perhaps DeGeneres, who is married to actress Portia de Rossi, felt her show was not making her happy, no matter what she put into it. And if that is the real reason she said goodbye to the job, then we stand behind her 100%. Life is too short to do something that is not making you happy — so right on Ellen! 

We hope she is now living her best, happiest life.