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Happiness - A Choice You Must Make


Over the course of my life's journey I have come to realize that happiness is much more something we must choose then something that simply comes and goes according to random events or obstacles that are thrown our way in life.

In the past I found myself under the illusion that if I attained certain goals, or succeeded at certain things then happiness would follow - which in the short term I'll concede that it often did.

The problem with this is that I was often left chasing my next batch of happiness, as though it were something that I could only have for short intervals in between accomplishments. The problem was that over time I realized that I wanted more - I wanted to feel joy on a more consistent basis. I didn't want it to be something I had to continuously chase after. In other words I wanted the kind of happiness that didn't require me to attain something in order to have the feeling.

Fortunately I've come to the realization that for the most part I can choose to be happy on a daily basis. In order to do this at times it may even mean faking it - better yet, forcing the feelings until the genuine happiness and gratitude sets in.

I've found that something as simple as smiling can do wonders to help me see that I have in me the ability to choose to be happy.

I believe one of the best things we can do is to live in the moment, it does wonders when it comes to cultivating a life filled with ongoing happiness. Taking the time to reflect and be grateful for the things we have accomplished can also have an enormous impact when it comes to lifting our moods.

I'd strongly encourage you to take breaks during the day to ponder those happy memories that you've collected in your life and make it a point to build new ones as well.

I believe it is also worth noting that sometimes in life we are just going to feel down. People are going to do things that disappoint or hurt us. We are going to have our hearts broken and we're going to have to deal with all sorts of loss. Life is not all smiles unfortunately.

However, while I believe we have to acknowledge that some days are filled with sadness -- I don't believe it does us any long-term good to spend any length of time dwelling on them, in doing so we are only giving power to things that we have no control over. Instead remind yourself that you are making the choice to choose happiness.

Deciding to move forward and choosing happiness over sorrow is a tough choice. Sometimes you may feel as though you are fighting an uphill battle. At other times it will seem that the dark clouds may never give way to the sunshine. It is at those very moments that we have to remind ourselves that somewhere amidst whatever chaos may surround us -- we still have the choice to decide on happiness.

Practice making this choice by doing things that make you smile, as well as bring joy to others. When you share kindness it always finds its way back to you.

-- May your life be filled with much happiness, Josh Hinds

Josh Hinds of


MORE RESOURCES:

A Sea of 'Happiness' Without Memory
Huffington Post (blog)
With the advent of positive psychology, there has been a vast emphasis on finding happiness, and we might say selling it, and for a pittance at that. All we have to do, it seems, is buy into the idea that unhappiness -- which we are brought to feel is ...



CareerBliss Announces the Ten Happiest Companies for Veterans for 2012
MarketWatch (press release)
IRVINE, Calif., May 22, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- CareerBliss, the leading online career community empowering people to find happier jobs with 3 million open jobs and salary info on CareerBliss.com, announces new data highlighting The 10 Happiest ...
Orlando No. 6 happiest city for job-seeking college gradsBizjournals.com

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USA TODAY

Study: USA does well in wealth, not so much in happiness
USA TODAY
By Melanie Eversley, USA TODAY A study being released today shows the United States may be on top when it comes to acquiring wealth, but it doesn't measure up as well when it comes to happiness and life span, MSNBC is reporting.
The happiest nationsAlbany Times Union
US ranks No. 1 in wealth, not in happinessmsnbc.com
Money Doesn't Buy Happiness: USA #1 In Wealth, #12 In HappinessBusiness Insider
24/7 Wall St. -Delmarva Now
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Chan Luu says happiness is key to beautiful jewelry
Houston Chronicle
I really believe your happiness is in your own hands. If I'm not happy, I exude nothing but toxic energy around me. People don't like it, and my jewelry might look nasty. I want my jewelry to be pretty and my customers to love it.

and more »


What's the Most Popular Resolution for Happiness?
Huffington Post (blog)
When people tell me they've done their own happiness projects, I always ask, "What resolutions did you try? What worked for you?" One answer comes up more than any other. I'm not saying that this is the most significant thing you could do to boost your ...



Globe and Mail

Happiness: It all starts in the bedroom?
Globe and Mail
“When people tell me they've done their own happiness projects, I always ask, 'What resolutions did you try? What worked for you?'” writes Gretchen Rubin in The Christian Science Monitor. “One answer comes up more than any other.



Happiness may be a click away
KTAR.com
If we pause to recognize blessings, hope and everything good in our lives with a simple "click," it could lead to that shared goal we all strive for: happiness. Weeks has created a website inspired by this experience, billionclicks.org .



Study: U.S. does well in wealth, not so much in happiness
Detroit Free Press
Gabriel Bouys, AFP/Getty Images By Melanie Eversley A study being released today shows the United States may be on top when it comes to acquiring wealth, but it doesn't measure up as well when it comes to happiness and life span, MSNBC is reporting.

and more »


Happiness in goodness
Hindustan Times
Seek not happiness other than by being worthy of it. Seek happiness in the joy of duty which is nobly done, so said the Buddha. Here is a fundamental basis of the art of social interaction. Here is a moral teaching of human fellowship, not of abstract ...



Finding happiness amidst illness possible, prof says
Waterloo Record
Although best known for his talks and writings on war and peace and human rights, his topic at this latest meeting was Seizure the Day: Happiness in Spite of Illness. His interest in that subject was sparked by a personal health crisis.


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