Surrounded by an infinite number of stressors, we often find ourselves bogged down by responsibility and anxiety. Swirling around us like an unpredictable whirlwind, we become lost in the daily tasks mandated by our personal ambitions. Because of this I often find myself succumbing to emotional biproducts of this unfortunate circumstance. Anger, sadness, and angst, all pile up like rust on a wet pipe. We want to believe that ignoring our emotions will make us stronger; that they will inevitably fade away. However, this is the incorrect response. We all are individually responsible for our own happiness. I came to this conclusion last Sunday as I spent the day 45 minutes outside of Roswell on a hiking trail called East Palisades.

As I sprinted through the trail, climbing boulders, and trying to avoid falling from the edge of a cliff, I held my camera firmly in my hands. Documenting everything I could, I attempted to find beauty everywhere I looked. Throughout the day, as my SD card swelled, I began to feel all the anger, the sadness, and the stress melt away from the clumped tumor of emotion stuck in my chest. As the sun began to set, my face remained glued to the viewfinder on my Canon; I sat comfortably in a hammock, hanging from the sturdy trunks of bamboo.

My final thoughts procured a smile on my face that I hoped would last throughout the week. I remembered that happiness was an option. It is an unchecked box lying before you everyday, every hour; every minute of your life. Happiness is a personal responsibility, so if you find that your brain has been bogged down by the infinite demands of the world, make the decision to clear your head and recover your smile.