Choose Happiness

If there is anything I have learned about finding happiness, it is - you must choose it yourself. The way to do that is by making a conscious decision to be happy. 

Have you ever doubted yourself and your ability to do something even though you really wanted to do it? Let us take, for example, you want to go back to school for something you're passionate about, but you doubt you will be able to finish. Maybe you had some setbacks, and that's clouding your vision of success. Or maybe, you’ve tried and failed before, so that fear is holding you back.

In the same way we doubt our ability to succeed, I think we doubt our capability of truly being happy.

See, for a long time, I thought I could not be happy for these very reasons – doubt in myself and clouded vision of my future.

But then I came to realize - we all possess the power to be happy. Because I believe happiness begins with a choice.

Here are three ways to find happiness today:

Choose to listen to your heart

So, take the school analogy. Let’s say that has been on your mind for a long time. Maybe you’ve always wanted to study a subject and possibly turn it into a career. My advice is - listen to your heart and follow your passion. If there is an opportunity for you to do something like this – then choose to go for it. Negate the self-doubt and follow your heart. I know some things are easier said than done. My point is if your heart is telling you to do something, you should listen. And if the time is not right, then at least do something close to what that thing is until it is time.

 Do something you enjoy

Stop everything that is bringing you down. Escape the negativity around you and do something you enjoy. If you can block out the noise around you and find something you truly enjoy doing – do it. Life is too short for us not to enjoy SOMETHING. I'm not saying we should ignore real life events. But we are always consumed by work, worry, the news and all of the above. What if we set all that aside for a time to just enjoy ourselves? Even if it is for a short time, you owe it to yourself to enjoy this life in some facet.

 Be still

Information is constantly screaming at us from everywhere. It’s easy to consume ourselves and our time with the news, social media, work-related events. But what if we took some time to just be still. Even for a couple of minutes. To escape from this world and chatter enough to listen to the silence and our hearts. There is peace in stillness. And honestly, I think peace and happiness hold hands together, secretly waiting in the stillness to grab hold of yours.

These are just three things that have helped and continue to help me on my path to finding happiness. Let’s not minimize struggle, but let’s make a conscious effort to continue rising.

I would love to hear any feedback or comment about how you are finding happiness. And keep reading for more on finding happiness within.