‘Choose happy!’

Norfolk Life Coach
May 10, 2020
3 min read

‘Choose joy. Choose happy. Choose to shine.’ Unknown author.

Happiness is a choice. This is so important to remember especially in these strange times. We need to take responsibility for our own state of mind and the good news is …we can!

I have been researching how I can personally retain my mindset of optimism and below I list 10 steps we can take so that we can choose happiness:

1. Choose to be the best version of yourself you can be. Commit to your goals, and don’t compare yourself to anyone else. If you need to compare yourself to anyone compare the ‘you’ now to an earlier version of yourself.

2. Choose to be around the right people. Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be. Relationships should help you, not hurt you. Choose friends who you are proud to know, people you admire, who love and respect you.

3. Choose to focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t. Becoming more aware of what you are grateful for and really appreciating those things offers a sense of positivity. Remember often the things we appreciate the most are not things we can buy.

4. Choose a good attitude. Remember, life is a journey, not a destination. Be positive, smile, and expect every day will be a good one. Do so, and it will be. Research shows that although we think that we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act. A great attitude always leads to great experiences.

5. Choose to smile more often. Don’t wait for people to smile. Be the one to smile first. The simple act of smiling sends a message to your brain that you’re happy. And when you’re happy, your body creates feel-good endorphins. Smiling really does make you happier.

6. Choose to take care of your body. If you don’t have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively impacted. Research evidences that consistent exercise significantly raises happiness levels in people who were clinically depressed in the short term. Plus, six months later, the people who had continued to exercise were less likely to relapse into depression because they had a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.

7. Choose honesty. Start being honest with yourself and everyone else. Be faithful. Be kind. Do the right thing! It is a much simpler way to live. Integrity is the essence of everything successful. Don’t get involved with drama that doesn’t affect you.

8. Choose to help others when you’re able. Care about people. In life, I believe that you get out what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something that’s greater than you, something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less.

9. Choose to let go when you know you should. Sometimes you have to be strong for yourself. Love is worth fighting for, but you can’t be the only one fighting. People need to fight for you too. If they don’t, you eventually have to move on and realize that what you gave them was more than they were willing to give you. Some relationships and situations just can’t be fixed. If you try to force them back together, things will only get worse. Holding on is being brave, but letting go and moving on is often what makes us stronger and happier.

10. Choose to embrace the next step in your life. You can hold on to the past, or you can create your own happiness today. Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart. Embrace each day, make the best of it, smile, and keep looking straight ahead. And don’t forget, a smile doesn’t always mean a person is happy right now; sometimes it simply means they are strong enough to face their problems going forward.

Idea for today: Remember your mind is your private refuge; do not allow the negative beliefs of others to occupy it.

Never let someone’s opinion become your reality. Never sacrifice who you are because someone else has a problem with it. Love who you are inside and out. No one else has the power to make you feel small unless you give them that power. You are the only one who can create your happiness.

The choice is yours. Choose happy!