Happiness Takes Work: 5 Choices to Create Happiness
We're all searching for happiness. That elusive spark and flair that helps fulfill our lives and make the mundane, exciting. But sometimes we tend to forget that there are things we can do to infuse our own lives with happiness, like choosing how you spend your time. With the right choices, it's easy to create happy moments in your life without needing any extravagant lifestyle changes or expensive vacations.
I've been thinking about happiness recently, and I feel just as guilty as you do.
I mean, we all know the statistics: more than half of Americans aren't enjoying their life to the fullest. How can we create happiness when our society is so materially unfulfilled? The answer, I think, is that it's not about material things. It's about doing the best we can with what we have and being consistent in pursuing our dreams. We have to make a choice – be happy or make money – there's no other way around it.
There are certain things I'm supposed to do for my job, and there are other things that bring me happiness. I understand, of course, that many of us have bills to pay and families to care for. And sometimes that responsibility is going to outweigh our passion for something. But what was it that made you want to do this job in the first place? Was it your love for the industry or your thirst for knowledge?
I know because I think about those decisions every day in my work as a writer. After all, my favorite topics include happiness and self-improvement; how we can use science and logic to become better versions of ourselves. I started writing about these topics for a very simple reason: I wanted to become happier, and it turns out there are a lot of ways to do that. And that's what made me want to write about them.
When we're happy, we tend to be more productive and more engaged at work, and the best part is that the choice wasn't made for us. Happiness doesn't come from a bunch of gifts, some romantic getaway or exotic vacation. It comes from conscious decisions we make every day – choices like what to do with our time, how we spend our money, whether or not we pursue our passions. It's not just a decision – it's a choice.
"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." – Dalai Lama XIV
So I challenge you, no matter what you do for a living, to make some happiness choices in your life. When you feel trapped or unfulfilled at work, ask yourself why. What exactly is making you unhappy? And then make some choices about how you can change it. Do this every day and I guarantee that your life will get better and better, because happiness doesn't come from success – it comes from hard work, experience and doing the best we can with what we have.
As a bit of advice to those of you who are writers, I want to share with you what my mom used to tell me about happiness: it's not about the destination, it's about the journey. You can focus on how good it feels when you get "there" instead of how much fun you had getting there.
She also told me that if I wanted to be happy, I needed to stop waiting for something else – like a beautiful house or fancy car – and start surrounding myself with beautiful things in my life right now. I needed to avoid working toward a happy future and start making happiness choices in the present. And it makes sense. After all, it doesn't really matter how many fancy cars or how big of a house you have – if you aren't happy with how things are right now, then they won't help.
"Life is a series of choices. We choose our paths; we choose our actions; we choose our words, and we choose our thoughts." – Audre Lorde
I know it can be tempting to think about what the perfect life would be like if only we could do this or that, but there's a lot to learn from past mistakes. Instead of wishing you had made different choices, use those experiences to inform your decisions in the future.
When I was younger, I spent a lot of my time thinking about that perfect life – the big, fancy house and all the money in the world to spend. But then time went by and I realized that most people who have done that have become miserable. It's like they're so busy pursuing their vision of success that they don't realize happiness is right in front of them when they get there. So if you're hoping to be happier in your life, start asking yourself what it would take to be happy right now – what exactly would it take?
And then do something about it every day. It's not always easy, but it will be rewarding in the end. Just look at where I am right now – I'm writing because I love it, and you're reading this because you chose to do so.
I just hope that maybe someday people will read a book of mine and remember one of my tips on how to be happy, and they'll look back on their life and say "you know what? It worked."
Do you want to learn more about your happiness? "Happiness Takes Work: 5 Choices for Creating Happiness" is available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZV5PX9O . Or visit www.happinessbook.com for more tips on gaining a happier and healthier life.
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photo credit: Colleen AF Venable via photopin cc
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Conclusion
Using the data from this study, and with the knowledge that you now have, you will be able to create a happier life for yourself. You will be able to take control of the way that you feel about yourself and your environment. You might not feel like it is all possible, but if it was not, then there would not be so many self-help groups in existence today. Every day there are new opportunities for each individual to build a stronger sense of self-worth as well as improve their health and fitness levels. With each step forward towards happiness they are also taking a step towards a healthy lifestyle that can eventually lead them down their own personal path toward success.