Happiness Is Up To You

“It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.”
― Dale Carnegie

Life is a series of choices. You choose what career to pursue, who to marry, where to live, your lifestyle, etc. Did you know that you have a choice on how to react to the circumstances that surround your life? Did you know that you can be happy right now regardless of what is happening around you?

In my book, Chasing Danger, each character is faced with challenges and choices. Derrick thinks that going to work with his cousin and making tons of money will make him happy. Nicole thinks that Macy coming to live with her family will make her unhappy. Derrick’s father thinks that kicking Derrick out of the house will make the family happier. As the book progresses, you will see the consequences of their choices and the lessons they learn.

The truth is, happiness is a state of mind. It’s not something that you have to seek out. Happiness is not about waiting for other people to change or act a certain way. Happiness is not winning the lottery and having acquiring material possessions. Happiness is absolutely UP TO YOU! It is a choice…

We often want to blame others for our emotional state. This person makes you me happy, angry, sad… Another person acted in this way, so you are hurt, shameful, or frustrated. What many people don’t realize is that you are fully responsible for how you are feeling at the moment. No single person can make you happy or sad. You have a choice to be happy or sad. If someone does something that you believe is hurtful, you can choose to allow what that person did to affect you negatively, or you can acknowledge it, let that person know you won’t tolerate their actions, and learn the lesson that needed to be learned in that moment.

Everything we do in life is based on the idea that it will make us feel good. However, nothing in your life needs to change for you to be happy. Happiness can happen right now in this very moment.

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalms 37:4