happiness
{thank you elcap}
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do you believe you can control your own happiness?
i do. i believe you are the only one who can control your happiness.
for some people, like my friend melissa, "happy" is just how she is. it seems like being happy just comes natural for her but i know her happy demeanor doesn't come without effort. she knows what it takes to be truly happy despite having aspects of life she could dwell on and allow to bring her down.
i thought of melissa when i read an article my friend posted on her facebook page about the secrets of happiness. i got to thinking about my own happiness and wondered if it's my circumstances that make me feel happy or my attitude. the answer seems simple considering our "circumstances" bring many stresses and challenges to my daily life that might make some people really unhappy but then again, i have the love of my life and three beautiful children by my side to muddle through it all with. these relationships alone should bring some level of happiness, right? so i thought maybe it's a combination of both my circumstance and my attitude that leaves me feeling happy.
then i read this article and it was insightful enough that i felt like sharing. especially with those who i love and want to see smile.
"what would it take for you to be truly happy?"
"...positive events like losing some extra weight and even life-altering milestones like getting married cause only a brief "bounce" of bliss that fades fast, allowing your old outlook to return full-force"
"...what makes people truly happy is how they live 'inside of themselves'"
to learn the 12 distinct characteristics of happy people. click here.
how do you size up?
i'm not quite there yet but, i'm getting close and this makes me happy.
Comments
All "size" up, then I'll write back!
Others can choose to be bitter, and dwell on all the things in life that are bad, and not happening, or have happened to them, OR you can choose to learn from everything that you go through, or that has ever happpened to you, and move on.
I, by no means have had an easy life. Actually, growing up was quite hard, and really challenging. BUT, I have always told myself that things could be worse, and that I am the only one that is affected by being bitter.
I am the one that is going to be missing out on so much joy.
I am the one that would be wasting my life because of something someone has done, or because I let someone or something affect me in a negative way.
It is all my choice. Be happy, or don't.
With that being said, I still feel bad sometimes, or get my feelings hurt, and people still can make me angry. But, I can choose how to react to it, and I can choose who I want in my life.
I think you really have to feel whatever emotion you are feeling in the moment, or else you can't be happy.
Oh wow, sorry for the book, I am passionate about this topic.
I have to tell you too, I am so happy you are happy! You have really changed your outlook over the last year, and I think it is wonderful. I can tell by the way you write. Keep finding that joy, you already have an optimistic outlook. It's awesome!