Happiness Is A Choice.

Happiness is a choice. A hard choice at times. But a choice nonetheless.

I used to believe that happiness was something that would be given to me. I believed that it would be a magical gift that would make me radiate endlessly, making me beam from ear to ear. However, I quickly found out that my assumptions were wrong. When we look for happiness in things or people and they disappoint us, our worlds crumple and we begin to lose hope. We begin an unrealistic search for the next best thing or emotion. Here are some ways to find happiness within ourselves. 1. Find the bright side. With any negative circumstance, it's normal to want to complain and sulk in our disappointment. But if we do that, the urge to pull ourselves out of it disappears and we become content in sorrow, missing new opportunities or new blessings we would have had if we'd kept a small amount of hope and pushed forward. Truly, in any situation, things could always be worse. Start recalling the things you have that you are grateful for and relish in them. Begin thinking of 'backup' plans or new ways to pursue the day in the midst of your troubles.

2. Don't allow people to change your mood. We give affirmations from our peers, families or significant others too much credit for our happiness and when their words or actions hurt us, our positive outlook shuts down. As much as we hate to admit it, people are fickle, and so are their emotions. If it seems like your boss is targeting you today, take some time to collect yourself and go excel at every task thrown at you. If you're angry with someone and your mood switches when you see them, take these words into consideration: people can only impact you as much as you allow them to. They don't hold power over you unless you give them that power. Don't. 3. Guard your heart. It's okay to be in tune with yourself, know what your limits are, and exercise protecting them. If you have a friend or coworker that always carries a negative weight no matter how many times you try to encourage them, it's okay to limit how much time you spend with them or how deep the interaction goes. We all grow at different paces and if they're not interested in your path, that's okay. Feel free to keep planting a positive seed and continue to water your own. Again, we shouldn't allow people to control our moods, however, we also shouldn't subject ourselves to negativity if we're trying to stay away from it. You're alive, you're making moves, you're awesome. Today's the day to begin living as if it were your last. Take your time smelling the roses, not counting the thorns.