I sometimes like to put a random quote on my facebook page and today's quote stirred a thought. The quote was: "Happiness depends upon ourselves. - Aristotle". Now what you can take from Aristotle is that happiness is a choice that we choose to either be happy or not be happy. This made me wonder is happiness truly a choice, or is it a condition of our environment and social status? I started doing some research on happiness beliefs and came across this article: "Choosing Happiness in Our Lives Revisited". (http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/choosing-happiness-in-our-lives-revisited/)
I believe that happiness is a choice because it is our choice to be happy with our lives regardless of the situation we are in at the moment. But you must choose. You may either choose happiness or misery. But a choice is always made. Here is an excerpt from the article I found interesting when Dr. John Grohol talks about it being easier than you think to choose happiness:
It is only as complicated as we make it. Sometimes we make things more complex than they are, because we grope around in the dark for excuses not to be happy. You heard me. Some people don’t want to be happy, but can’t admit that to themselves. They wouldn’t know what kind of life to live, or what kind of person to be if they gave up their past hurts, their past failures, and their past choices. While we are all the product of our histories, we are not beholden to keep repeating them over and over again unless we so choose. Many of us, fearful of the unknown, choose what is known, even if it’s misery and unhappiness.
Our past is what has brought us to where you currently are today, but it is your choices today that will take you to where you are tomorrow. Don't think about what has happened to you, and that you will never get past that point. Think about what you want from tomorrow, and look forward. Change is the only constant, and your choices will help whatever changes are going to occur to be positive. You have to make the choice though because no one can make that choice for you. Your relationships with friends, family, and significant others will blossom if you allow yourself to accept changes and be positive about them. So the only real question here is, will you let your happiness be a choice or a condition?
I believe that happiness is a choice because it is our choice to be happy with our lives regardless of the situation we are in at the moment. But you must choose. You may either choose happiness or misery. But a choice is always made. Here is an excerpt from the article I found interesting when Dr. John Grohol talks about it being easier than you think to choose happiness:
It is only as complicated as we make it. Sometimes we make things more complex than they are, because we grope around in the dark for excuses not to be happy. You heard me. Some people don’t want to be happy, but can’t admit that to themselves. They wouldn’t know what kind of life to live, or what kind of person to be if they gave up their past hurts, their past failures, and their past choices. While we are all the product of our histories, we are not beholden to keep repeating them over and over again unless we so choose. Many of us, fearful of the unknown, choose what is known, even if it’s misery and unhappiness.
Our past is what has brought us to where you currently are today, but it is your choices today that will take you to where you are tomorrow. Don't think about what has happened to you, and that you will never get past that point. Think about what you want from tomorrow, and look forward. Change is the only constant, and your choices will help whatever changes are going to occur to be positive. You have to make the choice though because no one can make that choice for you. Your relationships with friends, family, and significant others will blossom if you allow yourself to accept changes and be positive about them. So the only real question here is, will you let your happiness be a choice or a condition?
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