First of all, we need to understand that Happiness is a
choice, our choice.
Yes, Happiness is a choice, we have got the choice on how we
want to live our life.
It doesn’t really
matter the circumstances in our life, we have still got the choice to live an
unhappy life, at the mercy of our emotions, events etc., which could be quite
miserable sometimes, or we can choose to live a happy life, be a happy person,
whatever the circumstances are, the choice is ours.
Happiness is a kind of choice that we make and create for ourselves. It is not something that depends on other people or getting their approval.
In reality, the level of our life’s happiness has nothing to do with the things that other people say or do, even if we feel like it.
Happiness is not something that we capture through the
affirmation or actions of others. We can be inspired by others, but Happiness
comes from within.
I am in charge of how I
feel, today I choose Happiness
I am in charge of how I feel, today I choose
Happiness
Nothing will make us Happy until we choose to be Happy!
Can we really make up our mind to be happy?
The answer is YES.
The empowered happiness mindset is set on the principle that
despite the things that happen to us or whatever dire circumstances we might be
in today, we can still be happy.
At the end of the day, it’s all about making a decision, the
right one, if we don’t choose to be a happy person, it’s like indirectly we have
made a decision to be a person that doesn’t give importance to happiness,
therefore, the moments of happiness might not be many…
As we will see in the next step Happiness is also an attitude
of mind and we have got the choice to have a wrong attitude that takes us to
having a not easy and unpleasant life or we can make the decision to have a
good attitude through life. A good attitude can create happiness, I let you
think what a bad attitude can create… Once again the choice is ours.
We can start to be happy any moment we want, all we need to
do is make a decision, choose to be happy, write it down on paper in capitals:
“I decide I want to be happy”, “from now on I am going to be happy person, no
matter what”.
It has to be a clear and conscious decision and nothing like
“I would like to be happy or I wish to be happy” these are just wishes…. and
they are not taking us anywhere.
Once we have made the decision to be a happy person, then we
need to do whatever it takes to be happy. Happiness is a journey.
It’s a bit like when we start a fire, if we don’t fan the
fire, the fire at one point will die. So once we have turned our happiness on,
which I like to think of as a candle, we need to keep it on, otherwise, it will
die, this is something we will see in the next few steps.
The good thing is the:
Thousands of candles
can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be
shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. Buddha
So if we make a decision to live a happy life, no matter what
life can present to us, is more likely we will have a happy life, because this
is what we want and because we don’t want to accept anything else. It is our
choice, we have made a decision and we want to stick to it.
Once we have understood and accepted that happiness comes
from within, it is not impossible to be happy even during the toughest of times
because we already know how we should hold on to those good times and chase all
the bad away.
With an empowered happiness mindset, we will know how we
should let life to happen and stay open to wallowing in the bliss of happiness
whatever our circumstances might be.
It is never too late to
make happiness your choice of life
Happiness is a choice
One of the first thing we need to understand and accept if we
want to live a happy life, is that Happiness is a choice. Let that sink in.
A lot of people find this notion hard to believe simply
because they have gone through so many challenges in their lives that they most
probably have been close to giving up on happiness altogether and probably
because they give a wrong meaning to happiness. (What Happiness is Not)
Whatever you went
through in your life, you need to remember, that it is never too late to make
happiness your choice.
Making the choice
Starting down the path of attaining happiness is done by
simply telling yourself that happiness is a choice you are willing to make and
commit to. Arguably, making this choice is the biggest and most important step
that you can take to being happy. Studies show that a person can greatly affect
their perspective in life by changing their attitudes and mindsets about
things.
The act of making the choice is done by looking deep into
yourself: realize and appreciate the little things that make you feel peace
and, at the same time, clearly define to yourself those that do not. (Things we
need to let go to be happy)
Happiness is a state of being
A lot of people tend to make a list of things they would like
to achieve (end goals, if you may). While the practice in itself is not bad, it
may affect the way you think about the practice altogether.
Sometimes, making a list gives the impression that, unless
you have reached these goals, you are not allowing yourself to be happy.
Instead, reflect on your life and ask yourself this question:
What are the things that make me smile these days?
No matter how small they may be, give yourself a little time
each morning and appreciate these things. Remember: a key contributing factor
to being happy is having a positive attitude towards your day the moment you
wake up.
Happiness is a choice –
so is sadness
A lot of people lose
sight of their happiness because of the tension the daily grind brings. Money,
work, relationships, even traffic can be cause for you to feel down. A single
instance of such may not be that hard, but constantly and consistently exposing
yourself to these is an act on itself of choosing sadness.
Being busy is nice. Being overly busy is a bad thing. Why not
go for a vacation or a break? Giving yourself some time to breathe and reflect
will do you a lot of good.
Keep your friends and
family close
Another great example of attaining and maintaining happiness
is by expressing your gratitude. Happiness is near impossible if you are
selfish about it.
There are a lot of people out there in the world who have
riches and fame to their name but have no happiness to claim at all. Always be
thankful for the people around you. Better yet, thank them and tell them how
exactly they have been a contributor to your happiness.
Not only does this affirm the validity of your happiness with
yourself, this also makes the people around you happy.
A study on happiness conducted by Dr. Robert Waldinger has
suggested that maintaining good relationships is, at the very least, a major
contributor to a person’s happiness. The study was conducted by periodically
interviewing their participants about their life over the course of 75 years.
It was shown that happiness is rooted to how much we invest on the people we
consider as essential to our being, as well as those who invest in ourselves.
In hindsight, this gives a deeper meaning to the phrase “no
man is an island”.
Hard work pays off
Nothing good in life comes easy — happiness is no exception.
Happiness is a choice you have to commit to. Difficult
choices must be made at certain points in your life if you wish to maintain it.
Are you in an abusive relationship? You might want to part ways for the benefit
of your soul. Do you feel like there is nothing else for you at work? Maybe it
is time to reconsider.
It is always best for you to move on and take on challenges
than to let fear grip your heart that sit and wallow in complacency.
Take it slow
Happiness is a choice you decide on in a fraction of a
second. Working on it takes an entire lifetime.
Take it slow; stop and smell the roses along the way. Try not
to rush yourself into getting to your definition of happiness. Mistakes may
happen along the way and that is fine! That is life’s way of teaching you a
lesson about your choice. These moments are best spent slowly, thinking and
understanding why life treated you that way.
Stay in control… or not
In many cases, people fall into a state of anxiousness
because of their constant need to stay in control. Now, a lot of people are not
aware of this.
The next time you are feeling anxious about something, why
don’t you ask yourself this question: is this something I can control?
If your answer to the question is no, respect the outcome as
it is.
If the answer is yes, however, commit to figuring out a way
to control it. Examples of things you cannot control are other people’s
emotions. Introspectively, you can control yours. Do not set yourself up for
failure by always looking into taking control.
In conclusion, happiness is a choice that revolves around how
you manage yourself around the environment you are currently in.1 Always be
grateful and generous to the people who make you smile. Never try to take
control of things beyond your understanding and always take the time to savor
and appreciate the little things that brighten up your day.
