Choose To Be Happy

What if I told you that you have the ability to decide if you are happy or not. You would probably say that I'm crazy. 1. I'm not crazy and 2. Happiness is a choice.

You can't depend on someone else to make you happy. That is a lesson I learned early on in my marriage. I realized that I couldn't rely on my husband as my source of happiness. I learned that my happiness depended on me and not my husband's actions. I learned that you have to choose to be happy.

You can choose your emotions. True happiness comes from within, it can't be forced by outside forces. So how do you choose happiness? The same away you choose to smile or choose to wear a certain outfit. You choose it because that's what you want to experience in your life.

You want to buy a new pair of shoes so you choose a pair that you like and feels good. You wouldn't buy a pair of shoes that you don't like or that don't fit well, right? So why do we keep choosing emotions and feelings that don't make us feel good?

Well most people don't realize that you can choose feeling happy over feeling angry or upset about something. It's not wrong to feel angry or upset but dwelling on it and letting the anger simmer for too long can have bad results.

Choosing to be happy after you realize your anger has shown up (or even choosing to be calm) can be beneficial. You end up acknowledging your anger and moving on instead of harboring those emotions until there's a flare up. We choose our feelings, no one can do that for us. If we let others get to us, influence our emotions - we are giving them power over us. When others cause us anger or pain, we are giving them our power.

What about those who irritate us or make us mad? We have the power of choice but most times we react out of anger. Instead of taking a mental time out and knowing that what that person said is about them we unconsciously choose to react. The reaction is usually out of anger or fear. It's a re-action, not an action.

How do we stop this behavior? We need to keep our feelings in check and not react automatically to what is thrown at us. We need to think our actions out instead of just reacting to what someone says or does. Reacting is responding to someone else's actions. What we need to do is act on our own accord and not let the actions of others influence us. By doing that we stay conscious of our own thoughts and feelings and not let what others do to us affect our moods.

Remember that we can always choose happiness. At first it will be difficult to just switch your thoughts and feelings from anger, self-doubt, or fear to joy and happiness. But it is only a thought away. Don't dwell on what happens to you unnecessarily but realize what is causing you to feel that way. Realize that thoughts, feelings and emotions can change. Then move on and choose to be happy.

About The Author

Selena Richardson, coach and editor of Creative Possibilities, a free newsletter helping people focus on and reach their goals. Are you ready to create your journey in life? To subscribe, mailto:subscribe@creationjourneys.com or visit the site - http://www.creationjourneys.com for more information on her upcoming courses and on-going workshops.

selena@creationjourneys.com

MORE RESOURCES:

Lessons in Gross National Happiness - Wall Street Journal

In Pursuit of Happiness: Elizabeth#39;s Story, #39;Why Won#39;t You Help Me?#39; - WSAW

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34834324.htmlcid=1272686015ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNHMCsPfxF-yg4sxR4dIkJQejQlD3QIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: Elizabeth#39;s Story, #39;Why Won#39;t You Help Me?#39;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWSAW,nbsp;WInbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Continuing our series, #39;In Pursuit of bHappiness/b,#39; Liz Hayes shares Elizabeth#39;s story. She#39;s a woman who contacted her church when she discovered she was in b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-1fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34833574.htmlcid=1272686015ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNHZDzaBSHLbf0cbhjUO7EyfaVijggIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: No Stereotypical Abusers or Victims/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-2fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34835154.htmlcid=1272686015ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNFZo4ga3DV9T9hMgSraPfXgAK2aTgIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: Messages of Hope/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272686015hl=ennobrall 3 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

For Caps#39; Ovechkin, it#39;s all about the pursuit of happiness - Los Angeles Daily News

In Pursuit of Happiness: Davene#39;s Story, A Lifetime of Abuse - WSAW

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-0fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34771089.htmlcid=1272373351ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNEVMBTyI0UsYLWpZ1a1hGVWvWaA0gIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: Davene#39;s Story, A Lifetime of Abuse/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWSAW,nbsp;WInbsp;-/font nobrNov 19, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1In her series, quot;In Pursuit of bHappiness/b,quot; Liz Hayes shows us how one woman overcame unbelievable obstacles. quot;This is how I look at my life. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-1fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34772199.htmlcid=1272373351ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNF0s4CsBRFvv8tvrJKXfgRDKpUvWQIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: quot;Erica#39;squot; Story, Childhood Bliss to Abuse/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-2fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34772464.htmlcid=1272373351ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNFtnMozm9b95DrA9ebYRXwr34LFfwIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: Domestic Violence Kills/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-3fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34741099.htmlcid=1272373351ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNGKcf2QBvk_Zzpgz7q0tvcQbZ3KpQIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b Part 1: 1 in 4 Women Experience Domestic b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272373351hl=ennobrall 4 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

How would you rate your happiness? - Marie Claire.co.uk

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.thesmartset.com/news/news11200805.aspxcid=1272643769ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNFDya90-to8dcOwfBqH-VPEPNq3Ogimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=vdkrDiRczuAJimgurl=www.thesmartset.com/files/dailynews/images/CPS.OGM58.191108223140.photo00.quicklook.default-245x166.jpg width=80 height=54 alt= border=1brfont size=-2The Smart Set/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/health/282982/how-would-you-rate-your-happiness.htmlcid=1272643769ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNHdD6saikZAWPpxxaXW7gpJwPVSGwHow would you rate your bhappiness/b?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarie Claire.co.uk,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Putting a figure on bhappiness/b is a difficult thing to do, but a new study shows most Britons rate their bhappiness/b at 7.8 on a scale of one to 10. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-1fd=Rurl=http://www.thesmartset.com/news/news11200805.aspxcid=1272643769ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNFDya90-to8dcOwfBqH-VPEPNq3OgDanes happiest, Bulgarians most miserable: EU lifestyle study/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Smart Set/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-2fd=Rurl=http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/article/11/hungarians_t-4/%3FcHash%3D334821f322cid=1272643769ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNHIqaWArwJdtYwaiOTVrYsE48ktXQHungarians third quot;glummestquot; in Europe/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCaboodle.hu/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-3fd=Rurl=http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/11/20/EU_Danes_most_satisfied_Bulgarians_least/UPI-86721227209368/cid=1272643769ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNGJfUD7VeXyJ1_JwtR2TbC6DhUs5wEU: Danes most satisfied, Bulgarians least/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrUnited Press International/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-4fd=Rurl=http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_71094288cid=1272643769ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNFRV5jCwpLMn1WaEB2DX1Jtzr3YfQnobrNews.bg/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272643769hl=ennobrall 10 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

The history of happiness - Telegraph.co.uk

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1087793/Are-miseries-Europe-You-having-laugh-.htmlcid=1272522368ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNHjvDRgytflWs98zHQeGRhbBaUz0gimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=ghnSdmH7jsIJimgurl=i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/20/article-1087793-0289FAE2000005DC-816_468x386.jpg width=80 height=66 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Daily Mail/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml%3Fxml%3D/opinion/2008/11/20/do2009.xmlcid=1272522368ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNEltat7fkz2MrDYMnlb1zpiMN-XfwThe history of bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTelegraph.co.uk,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I#39;ve been thinking about bhappiness/b recently because I#39;ve just read Christopher Jamison#39;s fascinating Finding bHappiness/b. The simple idea of this friendly b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1087793/Are-miseries-Europe-You-having-laugh-.htmlcid=1272522368ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNHjvDRgytflWs98zHQeGRhbBaUz0gAre we the miseries of Europe? You must be having a laugh.../a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrDaily Mail/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-2fd=Rurl=http://newslite.tv/2008/11/20/brits-are-78-percent-happy.htmlcid=1272522368ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNHnD7H0Wq2vHEpWNmY1O9wkqWqOVwBrits are 78 percent happy/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNewsLite/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-3fd=Rurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3485876/Britons-rate-their-happiness-at-7.8-study-shows.htmlcid=1272522368ei=fV8mSduQDY6SygT2kdVLusg=AFQjCNGu7owiWZlfcohKhkeNSoYE3OiP9QBritons rate their bhappiness/b at 7.8, study shows/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTelegraph.co.uk/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272522368hl=ennobrall 13 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Forty years of health, happiness and hoops - Northwest Asian Weekly

Obama’s call to service meets the economic meltdown - Xenia Gazette

Make your holiday happiness checklist - Libertyville Review

Economic growth doesn#39;t guarantee happiness for Latin Americans - The Miami Herald

Happiness - Google News

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