Happy Is As Happy Does

The first step towards achieving happiness is to decide to be happy. That decision can be life-changing.

But the decision itself is only the start of the journey. Sad people become happy people through a process. There are no quick fixes. True happiness is something that involves a fixed connection between head and heart…and it’s very personal.

Establishing that connection is one thing…maintaining it and nurturing it something else altogether.

After the decision comes the choice. Choosing to be happy can be a daily process…something done with intent, purpose and commitment at the start of every day. Depending on circumstances, that choice may have to be revisited several times during the day. For some it may be an hour-by-hour proposition.

The quest for true happiness can be marred by the false belief that sadness should be eliminated. The reality is we are emotional beings. We will experience highs and lows. The problem with lasting misery is that it can blind us to elation, white ant our relationships and rob us of our potential. It’s altogether too easy to lose motivation and direction when sadness becomes our defining emotion.

Along with decision and choice comes acceptance…acceptance of the fact that we are responsible for our own happiness; acceptance of the fact that sometimes it will take more work than others; acceptance of the belief that it’s worth the effort.

The most important thing to remember is that the power lies within, right alongside the responsibility and the accountability. There are choices and decisions only we can make; choices and decision that we must make.

There are scars we will gather as we make our way through life; baggage that we will accumulate; pain that we will experience. The choice is ours to make – negativity or positivity, sadness or happiness?

We only have one life to live.