Did you know that happiness is a choice? Be honest. It's okay if you didn't know. The majority of us are completely clueless about this critical little tidbit of information. And, it's not our fault. The important thing is that once you read this article, you will be aware of it and how it happened that you never knew it before now.
In fact, most people today still are not aware that happiness is a choice. Why? It all got started generations ago when the masses created beliefs according to the times in which they lived, and those beliefs were then passed down to future generations, including yours and mine. Most of us grew up with the mistaken belief that to be happy we had to earn it, work for it, inherit a fortune, find the perfect soul mate, behave in a certain way, and some of us were even told we have to sacrifice our own happiness for the sake of others. We were led to believe that we could only find happiness outside of ourselves.
Think back to your childhood at home and when you were in school and remember the things you heard from your parents and teachers or perhaps even society itself over and over again. Those very thoughts or behaviors became part of your belief system regardless of whether or not they were true simply because they were repeatedly presented to you in one form or another.
What happens when we're told something over and over again, especially by people we love or trust? It becomes a deep-seated belief! Incidentally, the definition of "deep-seated" is "situated far below the surface or ingrained." Our minds have a natural ability to absorb thoughts or information that we hear or think repeatedly, ultimately making that information or thought a belief. So, many of our personal beliefs were ingrained in us by our parents, teachers, and society. Again, this wasn't their fault, and they are not to be blamed. These beliefs were ingrained in them by the thoughts and ideas they heard repeatedly over their lifetimes.
What this means is you must simply be aware of the fact that you can make the choice to be happy. You can choose happiness. You can choose to create a positive mindset and live it out every day. And, when you consciously make that choice every day and repeatedly tell yourself happiness is a choice, over time it becomes part of your nature (an unconscious habit). Before long, if something upsets you or makes you mad or sad, you will quickly be reminded that you have the choice to be happy because it will have become a belief for you--just like all the old beliefs that were instilled in you by your parents, school, and society. And, when you live in a positive and optimistic mindset and choose happiness consistently, there will likely be a turn of events in your life that may seem somewhat miraculous to you.
I'm not saying choosing happiness is easy for everyone. It may take some effort on your part, especially if your life to date has lacked happiness or at least you believe it did. Old beliefs are surely powerful, but again, the important thing to remember is this: a belief is nothing more than a thought you've heard or think over and over again. Just knowing this can make it much easier to make up your mind your going to choose happiness by changing your thoughts and beliefs and adopting a positive and optimistic mindset. In other words, you choose happiness.
"Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you." ~ Mary Lou Retton
Obviously there will be times when life hands you something that gets you down here and there. That's a normal part of life we all experience. What I'm saying is that happiness is an inherent part of our lives overall and in fact is our natural state. It stands to reason then that if we make the choice to consistently live life with optimism and a positive mindset-in other words we choose to be happy-happiness will ultimately become our norm.
So start making the choice to be optimistic, to let go of negative thoughts and moods and replace them with positive thoughts and joy. And one more thing, and this is a biggie, being around negative people and their negative energy is a downer on every level. So choose to spend your time with people who are optimistic, positive, fun, and happy. Remember, happiness is a choice, and it's yours to make.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peggy_L_Nelson
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