Choosing Happiness
By Jodie Foster
Did you know that it’s up to you?
It’s actually your choice.
You can choose to be happy instead of waiting around for it to
suddenly appear out of nowhere one day and land in your lap.
Happiness is called upon and cultivated.
Now keep in mind, this is my personal perspective of happiness.
You might have a different view. Everyone has a unique view
point, especially where emotion is concerned. But, nonetheless,
I like my outlook on happiness. It helps me to see that I am the
creator of my own thoughts and state of mind. It is my choice
what feeling I choose to have on any given day. This does not
mean I don’t go with the flow of feelings, but that I can choose
at any given moment to change what it is I desire.
For example, if I am having a hectic day, and I do have my
share, I can choose to be breathless with activity or I can
remind myself to stop and choose to be calm. I can go out for a
walk and embrace the beauty that
surrounds me and choose to
experience that aesthetic as appreciation, gratitude, joy or
numbness. I can choose to vacate and disconnect from my
feelings, I can space out and be oblivious, or I can call upon
the grace of the moment and be one with the beauty. These are
all options.
I think we as a society, collectively lose sight of how
powerfull we really are. I mean really full of power. We have
the power to choose. It is something we are born with. No
oe has the power to take that away from us. It is our birthright.
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The key to owning that power fully, is to accept that you are a
rightful heir to it. Knowing that you are empowered within to
choose your emotion, to choose how you respond or react to
something, is all up to you. It is all choice.
Many times, our childhood experiences and life learning gear us
away from our power. We learned to give it all away, to quietly
accept whatever happens to us, without question, without
standing up and saying ‘No!’ We have become a passive society of
powerless and uninspired automatons, going along with the crowd.
It’s a sad state of affairs that we have been raised in.
Somewhere along the line, a standard was laid out and we are
‘expected’ to magically meet this invisible ‘standard’ by
compromising and living according to someone else’s
perspectives. Where is the happiness in that?
I guess that leads me back to my original statement.
Choosing happiness is a choice.
Anytime you choose, you are making a decision. You are engaging
your power.
Think about how you are feeling right now. How long has it been
since you chose what you wanted to feel?
I am not suggesting that you go into a state of denial if you
are in trauma, but I am suggesting that you insert a new option
for yourself. Instead of sitting in pain, decide for 10 minutes
that you will focus on happiness.
How does it make you feel? Are you lighter? Was a burden
lifted? Even if it was a mere 10 minutes, it was a starting
point. It was a choice. Would you rather go through life
choosing happiness and drawing happy experiences to you, or by
sitting in pain and expecting the worst, thereby feeling the
worst?
It is still a choice.
It is your choice.
I ask only that this stirs a thought within you. It is my hope
that you will look at the power you possess and carpe diem –
seize the day! Make a choice! Choose to experience happiness in
your life.
It’s all up to you.
Enjoy – or not- it’s your choice.
© 2004 Jodie Foster
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