By Books Author Denise Turney

I remember the first time that I heard someone say, happiness is a choice. It was during an Off The Shelf Book podcast interview that I was hosting. The guest had been through several challenges, including a divorce, cancer and a major job change. Yet here she was telling the audience that “happiness is a choice.”

Happiness Is a Choice

Certainly, I appreciated what the guest shared. Learning is a key takeaway that I’ve longed gained from being the host of Off The Shelf Books podcast. Still, her words stung. Talk about struggling to accept that, during life’s hard experiences, it’s possible to choose to be happy.

The concept, the very idea, is worth exploring. Regardless of what’s going on in your life, you can actually choose to be happy. Another factor to consider is that happiness is different to different people. Furthermore, happiness may seemingly change in meaning as you age, gain new experiences and alter your life goals.

For example, as a pre-teen, for you the pursuit of happiness could find you praying for a new bike, playing with friends, visiting fun relatives and catching your favorite movies at the drive-in. Fast forward several years, and the pursuit of happiness could see you trying to get someone to notice you enough to ask you out on a date.

Pathways to Happiness

Or, you could be engaging in a sport in high school, launching your career or traveling abroad. By the time you reach my age, the pursuit of happiness could involve spending more time with a passion, building deeper family connections, keeping in touch with friends despite the miles between you and treasuring simple things like a walk thru nature.

Although you might not have thought about it before, pathways to happiness change. Setbacks, disappointments and challenges can definitely change pathways to happiness. And, if you live in this world long enough, you’ll face challenges.

Dreams that you had might not evolve the way that you wanted them to. On the other hand, your dreams could exceed your highest expectations for several years only to come to an abrupt halt. Despite these shifts, to reach the core of joy and peace, you’ll have to keep going. This is when you might discover that happiness is an “energy”.

Pursuit of Happiness

Go too long without feeling happy and you might start to feel tired, even drained. This is a reason why you might want to create daily routines that support your efforts to be happy. And remember – it’s all your choice.

Check out these actions that you could take to be happy. See if any of them resonant. If not, explore the list and come up with smart actions that you can design yourself (for yourself). The point is to tap into what works for you.

• This first one is an easy to-do. Let’s say you’re feeling down, heavy on the inside. Forget how many times you’ve heard this so that it can have impact. Then, simply count your blessings. In fact, consider making counting your blessings a part of your daily routine.
• Wake with a word of thanksgiving. Actually speak out loud an experience, relationship, etc. that you appreciate and are thankful for.
• Get outside in nature and have fun. Go for a walk or bike ride – just get outside.
• Connect with friends at least once a week.
• Spend time with relatives who you trust and know love you.
• Treat yourself to a meal at your favorite restaurant. You could do this even if you dined alone and actually enjoy yourself.
• Enjoy entertainment that aligns with your values and passions. For example, you could enjoy a free jazz concert at a local, outdoor park. Or you could go to the theater, a sporting event or to an art gallery.
• Continue to learn – never stop learning.
• Focus on what you like in your life instead of always focusing on what you don’t like.
• Meditate.
• Carve out several minutes a day to invest in happy thoughts. This one goes with focusing on what you like in your life.
• Remember that happiness is a choice and that this is your life. It may take discipline and awareness, but you can make something amazing and incredibly beautiful of your life here.

Keep Learning

To repeat, keep learning. Contrast is a learning tool in this world. When you remember that the aim is joy and peace, you may spot situations and choices that are not in your best interests early. Additionally, you might leave abusive relationships as soon as you spot signs of harm.

It’s not that you or the person you’re in a relationship with is “bad”. We’re all the Creator’s children. However, we’re not all at the same place in the journey. Some of us aren’t ready to only love right now. It’s just not our choice. Spot this in a person or spot someone who’s led by fear instead of love and it might be time to break free of that relationship.

Keeping joy, happiness and peace as your primary goals will impact your decisions. This is not to say that you’ll benefit from running from challenges. The world is full of challenges. Howbeit, when you choose happiness, you might set yourself up for more loving experiences. In this regard, choosing happiness is different from trying to be safe.

Live a Beautiful, Wonderful Life

It really is. Think about the times when you tried to be safe. Did you miss out on opportunities? Did you pass up on experiences that you now wish you had explored? Those are just a few results that “trying to be safe” can leave you with. You could actually start living a very routine, mundane life and miss out on so much that could add wonderful spark and good energy to your life.

The decision to be happy, on the other hand, can open you up to taking more smart risks, to trying new things. You might decide to date again, even if you don’t want to live with anyone. After all, you don’t have to live with someone to enjoy exploring a new, healthy and loving relationship.

As you remember that happiness is a choice, you might also switch jobs, move to a different town, sell your house or take a course in a field that’s interested you since you were a kid. Your world probably won’t get smaller. Instead, it will expand as you go further along the pathways to happiness.

Resources:

Off The Shelf Book Podcast – https://www.blogtalkradio.com/denise-turney-