Unlock the secrets of genuine joy!
Discover why happiness is a choice and how making conscious decisions can enrich your life.

7 Reason To Make Happiness A Choice: A Path to Renewed Joy.

PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER 2023

I can’t know what brought you here to explore whether it might be possible that perhaps happiness is a choice. What I do know is that each person's journey is unique, and struggles are deeply personal and whatever your life is like right now, naturally you want and deserve happiness.

However, most people go through life thinking that happiness is something that happens to them as a result of success or something good happening, like when things go our way; we get that job, someone appreciates us, we find that thing we lost.

But this is not the case; there is a lot of evidence that shows that happiness fuels success, not the other way around. If we want to be successful in life, we need to choose happiness and we need to choose happiness every day.

Happiness is Within Your Control - Even When It Doesn’t Appear So

Okay, life is not always a stroll in the sunshine; I get that. We often find ourselves entangled in the web of emotions, struggling to navigate the complexities of our inner world. It's common to encounter periods of profound sadness, anxiety, or despair as we grapple with the myriad challenges that life throws our way. The weight of depression, the relentless grip of anxiety, a paralysing lack of motivation, or an overwhelming sense of despondency can at times be unbearable.

I, like millions of others, have struggled with periods of depression and anxiety and lived with periods of debilitating panic attacks or episodes of rumination. Having been there, I only hope to provide a beacon of hope and practical guidance for you to experience happiness in your life.

So, I won’t belittle your struggles. Whether you're battling depression, wrestling with anxiety, feeling the weight of life's unrelenting challenges, or simply experiencing a lack of motivation, I want you to know that you are not alone, BUT more importantly, there is hope to reach happiness and fulfillment in life.

You Can Choose Happiness Today

From my personal experience, I firmly believe that happiness is absolutely attainable; it is always a choice within your control that can be made, even in the most trying circumstances.

So, I invite you to explore this path with me, drawing on science AND from the collective wisdom of those who have walked it before and the power of your own resilience.

You'll not be offered quick fixes or empty promises, but it is my sincere belief that by making a conscious decision to choose happiness, you can find joy and meaning in life.

So, with this shared understanding of the human experience, let's embark on a journey to explore the profound truth that happiness in your life is a choice.

Now, that may seem unfathomable when you're feeling other than happy, but trust me when I say that there is a way into the light. In this article, I aim to walk alongside you, offering a guiding light as we explore how we can actively shape our own happiness.

So, let's begin to explore what happiness is.

The Science of Happiness

Did you know that happiness is not just a state-of-mind, always looking for the positive side of things. NO, happiness is a science? Researchers from across the globe have been unraveling the secrets behind what makes us truly happy, and their findings are nothing short of fascinating.

Here are some of the discoveries:

Happiness is Not About Your Genes

Contrary to popular belief, happiness is not solely determined by your genetic makeup. Based on twin studies, heritability estimates for happiness are considered to be around 30-40%, leaving a substantial portion influenced by other factors.

Happiness is Not About How Much Money You Have

Many studies show that once our basic needs are met, additional income does not significantly impact our happiness. This is known as the Easterlin Paradox, based on research by economist Richard Easterlin, who published a paper in 1974 titled "Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence."

Happiness is About the Practices You Choose

Positive psychology research shows that cultivating happiness is a conscious decision that you can make every day. Activities like practicing gratitude, cultivating strong social connections, engaging in meaningful work, and engaging in mindfulness or meditation can have a positive impact on happiness.

Gratitude - A seminal study in 2003, by Emmons and McCullough, titled "Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being”. Participants that kept a gratitude practice and hournaled for 10 weeks could by their own choice significantly increase positive emotions, improve life satisfaction, and reduce negative emotions like depression.

Yes, you can even program yourself to experience happiness by consciously choosing to be grateful and happy.

Meaning in Work - Michael F. Steger and his colleagues have conducted extensive research on the concept of "meaningful work." Their published work, spanning from early 2000s to recent time, has contributed to our understanding of how individuals perceive and experience meaning in their work.

Their work shows repeatedly that finding meaning in your work, especially if it's mundane or unpleasant, can be challenging, but it's essential. Most of it depends on attitude: finding meaning in service, perspective and being present and mindful.

Mindfulness - One example of mindfulness research, conducted in 2000, is "The Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Cognitive Processes and Affect in Patients with Past Depression", by a whole lot of people.

Participants were randomly assigned to different groups, one being a mindfulness practice (mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). These participants showed less risk of relapse into depression and enhanced well-being and happiness.

Happiness is About the People You Surround Yourself With

The field of positive psychology suggests that the quality of our social connections influences our happiness and one reason is that joy and happiness are contagious.

One study is "Emotional Contagion" by Hatfield, Cacioppo, and Rapson (1994). The researchers found that the partners who were exposed to emotional displays tended to "catch" the emotions of their partners.

For example, if one partner was instructed to express happiness, the other partner would often respond with positive emotions as well. So, you can choose to be happy by infecting others and choosing to hang out with happy people.

7 Reasons To Always Choose Happiness

Viewing happiness as a choice is giving you control over your emotions and not allowing external circumstances to dictate your mood. Here are seven reasons for you to choose to be happy:

Happiness Keeps You Healthy

Choosing happiness has numerous benefits for your physical body. Research shows that happy people tend to have a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of chronic diseases. By making happiness a choice, you can enhance your overall sense of well-being.

Happiness Helps You Cope with Stress Better

Happiness allows you to cope with stress more effectively. By cultivating positive emotions and adopting a mindset of happiness, you can increase your resilience and reduce the negative impact of stress on your mental and physical health.

Happiness is Contagious

Choosing happiness not only benefits you but also those around you. Happiness is contagious, and by radiating positive emotions, you can uplift others and create a ripple effect of happiness in your community.

Happiness Consolidates Your Relationship

Happy individuals are more likely to have fulfilling relationships. When you choose happiness, you bring positivity into your interactions, strengthen connections, and deepen the bond with your loved ones.

Happiness Makes You a Better Citizen

Happiness can inspire you to contribute positively to society. When you are happy, you are more inclined to engage in acts of kindness, be empathetic towards others, and actively participate in creating a better world.

Happiness Can Boost Your Career

Being happy can significantly impact your professional life. When you choose happiness, you cultivate a positive mindset, which enhances your motivation, productivity, and creativity. This, in turn, can lead to greater success and advancement in your career.

Because You Don't Need Much to Enjoy a Happy Life

Happiness is not dependent on material possessions or external circumstances. By choosing happiness, you realize that you don't always need to seek happiness in material things. It's about appreciating the simple joys in life and finding happiness within yourself and your relationships.

In the End… What is Happiness?

Happiness is a subjective experience, and it differs from person to person, and it's important to understand that happiness is not a constant state, but rather a state that can be cultivated and experienced in different moments of our lives. It is a kind of mental filtering, AND, it is essential to develop this capacity. And, happiness is a choice - it is actually a decision to be happy.

How To Choose to Be Happy Today

I have learned that happiness is a choice, happiness is always available and most importantly... ‘NOW’ is the time to do it, not when future conditions are favourable.

‘NOW’ is the only time we have, so now is the time to choose to be happy, regardless of what is going on in your life, you can always find reasons to choose happiness.

If your mind takes you to the past, let your mind search deep to find meaning in things that make you feel happy. If your thoughts wander into the future, let yourself dream of your heart's desire.

Rather than going through the motions in life, waiting for joy to pop up, improve your happiness today by:

Filtering for what things are here for you now; the air you breathe, the people who care, the things in nature that surround us
Be with people and smile at them - try to infect them AND be around those you can catch some happiness from
Develop a gratitude practice
Find meaning in your work and find meaningful work to do
Learn some mindfulness practices and practice ;-)

Choose to see and practice happiness all the time and watch your success grow.