"Happiness is not a destination. It is a way of life!"
I’ve been glancing at those 11 words for many years, because they appear on a canvas wall decoration in my room.
It has taken me 23 years to fully understand those two sentences.
I spent my entire college career focused on the thought that once I finished up my degree, I would be happy. Although that is true, I wish I could have taken a step back and appreciated each day for what it was: a gift.
Each moment is a chance to choose happiness.
We have the power to be happy every single day! Happiness is not something we should work toward, it is something we should embrace each second. Just like my canvas art says: happiness is not a destination. It is a way of life.
Think about it--happiness is a choice you can make, right now.
When it’s storming outside, instead of being upset about your outdoor plans getting ruined, you can choose to love the storm. You can choose to dance in the rain, write a letter to a loved one, or invite some friends over to watch the storm with you. You can choose to be happy, because you have shelter from the rain. Remember, not everyone is fortunate enough to have a roof.
Being happy is your choice.
Happiness is not something you can work toward and then keep forever once you think you’ve obtained it. It’s something you must practice every day.
The choice is yours.
You can:
Smile--Everyone needs a smile! Even if you’re having a difficult day, just smile. If you smile at a stranger, you can make their day better. The smile you give someone might be the only smile they receive that day. Plus, when you smile at someone else and they smile back, you’ll feel better too. Try it, just smile for no reason--your spirit will lighten!
Laugh--Take a moment to find humor despite your mood or circumstance. There can always be a bright side to any situation, if you dig deep enough. If you make some time to find humor, you will quickly realize that laughter is truly the best medicine.
Help--One of the best feelings in the world is helping someone else. Knowing that your existence benefited someone else’s life in a positive way is guaranteed to make you happy. Service is a beautiful way to make the world a better place. How can helping someone else make you anything but happy?
Talk--Talk to a friend, mentor, lover, family member, or anyone willing to listen. If you can’t find someone to talk with, talk to nature--verbalize how you’re feeling any way that you can. Talk about what makes you happy, what makes you sad, the weather, your favorite candy, the last book you read. Communicating works wonders. You can choose to speak up; just like you can choose to be happy.
Counteract--Instead of focusing on the negatives, focus on the positives. This is easier said than done--trust me. If you’re someone that is often miserable and negative, it is your own thought process that needs cleansing. I encourage you to grab a notebook and write down all of your negative thoughts. After you’ve written down your negative feelings, read through them and make a new list full of positive thoughts that counteract the negative ones. This is a task that will not happen overnight, but if you keep up with it you will learn that it truly is up to you to be happy. It isn’t fair to blame your unhappiness on anyone else, because it is your own thought processes that affect your happiness. If you’re not happy, work within yourself to change things so that you are.
Be happy, remember that the choice is yours.
Turn that frown upside down! Happiness is a way of life,� not a destination; it is a decision all human beings can make. Choosing to be happy might not always be easy, but it is attainable. Life is too short to feel down for too long! You only have one life and you can choose to hate the storm or find the sunshine within the black clouds.
