Do you feel happy?  Do you feel happy more or less?  Do you wish you felt happier more often?

yeah, I am sure we all do.

We all feel happy some of the time, probably feel less happy more than we’d like.  I am sure most of us wish we were happier more often.

If you are really struggling with something in life, happiness may be really eluding you.  Maybe pure joy and happiness are not possible in this moment.  Grief is taking over, or serious health challenges, or worry over finances.

Maybe you need relief more than happiness.

That may be, and if so, relief IS a step in the right direction.

I like to think of happiness as one of a myriad of emotions that we experience, rather than a state of being that needs to be a 100% constant or else life is somehow wrong, or bad.

oh yes, right now I feel, bored, anxious, frustrated, HAPPY, irritated, sleepy, overwhelmed, HAPPY, angry, confused, peaceful, content, HAPPY, excited….

I mean how many feelings can we feel in one day?

Probably a lot.

Maybe it depends on WHAT is going on or WHAT you THINK about it.

What we THINK about any subject, can really effect our mood.

AND we can CHOOSE what we think about anything, so really, we can CHOOSE how we feel.

It’s NOT as easy as that sounds, but it IS possible.  It may take breaking through some old, outdated beliefs. It may take work and it may take becoming aware of what our inner self talk is.

But it IS possible.

“YUP, that irritates the bleep out of me, but I know if I continue to stew over it I will feel gross and irritated all morning, and if I stay in that boat even longer I can pretty much ruin an other wise nice sunny day.”

What IF I choose to acknowledge that a particular event stinks, take a deep breath, allow it to just be as it is, and then change my focus.

Find a MANTRA if this subject is particularly vexing.

“I am grateful for my cozy jacket”  “everything always works out for me” “perfect solutions always come” “I can easily choose better thoughts” I am doing my best”  “everyone tries their best”

Pick one, or make your own.  Make a BUNCH of them.

Eventually that one thing will have less and less power over you and before you know it, you will see how just a little shift can make a big difference.

I saw my latest rose in full bloom the other morning and my heart swelled!  “Well done YOU”  I said to it.

admitsshetalkstoroses

I snapped the best picture I could and ran to work.

Grateful in my heart for that one big aromatic rose, that I grew myself (because Nature didn’t have anything to do with it), I left my house with a sense of gratitude, and I felt happy.

Gratitude leads to happiness, so if you need too, start with gratitude!

I have this mug at my desk.  It says “Choose Happy” and it reminds me of this very topic each and every day.

Happiness is often a CHOICE.

Why not choose it?

What makes YOU happy?

What do you do when you feel irritation or frustration?  Do you have a technique? I’d love to hear it!!!

xo

Annie