Choosing Happiness:
Is This All There is to It?

They say that it is the first step on the pathway to happiness. Is it really as simple as that?

Listen to these quotes on happiness:

A dictionary defines WANT as the desire or wish to possess or do what one needs or doesn't have.

While CHOOSE means to pick out the best or, better yet, to decide on a course of action.

There is a world of a difference. Can you tell?

It seems to me that wanting is more passive. And choosing, more active. Which is better? And between the two, what would you do?

I think it's pretty obvious--I'd be choosing.

In choosing happiness, I don't just want happiness--I decide that I'm having it. There is no doubt. No question. It's a done deal.

The catch is, I'm the only one who can choose for myself. The decision is up to me. These inspirational phrases and quotes on happiness explain it well.

You're determined. You're brave. Then something happens.

You falter. You stumble and fall. You're back to being miserable again.

What happened?

You looked back, didn't you? Or perhaps you bumped into something because you were staring at your feet?

Now, don't be discouraged. I know what that's like. I do it, too. Instead of aiming forward, I look back. It's as if I doubt that there's a better place ahead for me.

Unsure of the way, I find myself looking down. I'm constantly reassuring myself that I'm treading on solid ground. It's no surprise that the pathway to happiness is not always smooth.

In my soul searching, I discovered that there are four things that make me trip. Four obstacles that stop me from choosing happiness:

One, is anger. I tend to remember bad experiences. Replay them over and over in my head.

Two, is regret. I am really tough on myself. Why, oh, why do I torture myself with what I did or didn't do?

Three, is fear. Somehow, it is easier for me to believe that bad things will happen.

And four, is worry. Don't worry, be happy--with everything that's happening in the world, it seems crazy.

But I'm not alone here. And if you're still reading this, you probably recognize the same in you.

We can't move forward if we keep looking back. And how do we know where we're going if we keep looking down at our feet?

And so I encourage you. Follow me and let these inspirational phrases and quotes on happiness set you straight on the pathway to happiness.

1. FORGIVE

Anger, regret, fear and worry. They are the chains that keep you from making progress. Let them go. I know you can.

The prize is straight ahead.

Stick to the path by choosing happiness. And you will get there. You will. In the words of Bob Marley: "Don't worry, be happy."




More Inspirational Thoughts on Happiness

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Ways to be Happy? Here are a Few Easy Tips.

Happiness is Free. But Surely There's a Connection Between Money and Happiness.

What is Happiness? Money and Happiness: Are They Related?