Choosing Happiness

In his book, The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer says that “you really only have one choice in this life, and it’s not about your career, whom you want to marry, or whether you want to seek God. People tend to burden themselves with so many choices. But, in the end, you can throw it all away and just make one basic, underlying decision: Do you want to be happy, or do you not want to be happy? It’s really that simple.”

He continues, “Most people don’t dare give themselves that choice because they think it’s not under their control. Someone might say, “Well, of course I want to be happy, but my wife left me.” In other words, they want to be happy, but not if their wife leaves them. But that wasn’t the question. The question was, very simply, “Do you want to be happy or not?” If you keep it that simple, you will see that it really is under your control. It’s just that you have a deep-seated set of preferences that gets in the way.”

In their research, Kershaw and Wade (2012) stated that “Happiness that is not dependent on any external stimulus can be attained by training the mind and brain.” With practice, you can literally rewire your brain for happiness, making it easier and easier to be happier and happier.

Happiness isn’t something that just happens to you when things are going your way, the way they are “supposed to”. Happiness is a choice. It’s not necessarily an easy choice to stay committed to, but your level of happiness is under your control.

When you say that you’ll be happy when this something happens or when that something doesn’t, you’re limiting your happiness and then it seems like your happiness is out of your control.

Let’s say that you’re struggling with health issues, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy. You don’t have to wait until your doctor gives you a clean bill of health in order to be happy. You can choose to be happy now. That’s in your control.

Maybe you’re struggling with financial challenges, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy. You don’t have to wait until you are 100% out of debt or until you have a million dollars in your bank account in order to be happy. You can be happy now whether you’re in debt or you’re a millionaire; it’s in your control.

You can be happy while facing challenges. If you choose to be not happy until all your challenges are gone and everything is just the way you like it…you probably won’t be experiencing much happiness in your life on Earth.

Because life is about challenge. Just like a video game.

Imagine playing a video game in which there was no challenge. What would be the point? Where would the fun be in that game? Your avatar in the game on the screen would just stand there looking at you, gently swaying back and forth, waiting, bored. And you’d be bored! LOL.

The challenge in the video game is what makes the game fun, entertaining, and engaging. Just like challenges in life.

When you can get to the point where you can see your life challenges as the source of your happiness, you have truly reached limitless happiness and a stress-free life.

Do you want to be happy, or do you not want to be happy?

The choice is yours.

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Here’s to conquering stress.

With heart,

Louise

The Stress Experts