"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.
~ Frederick Koenig
Happiness is very often a struggle in my life. I realized long ago that happiness is a conscientious choice, and not necessarily simply a state of being. It can be very easy to spend a great deal of time focusing on those things that we believe could or would make us happy if we only had them in our lives, rather than the things that we already do have in our lives that already make us happy. However, realizing and recognizing that, and putting it into practice are very different things.
It can take great effort to set your mind in this direction. Waking up and instantly making the decision to be happy about your life and your choices and the consequences of those choices can be rough (and I've found that it is impossible on Mondays and/or without caffeine). Taking a few minutes to think about the blessings in my life, the people in it that bring me joy, and the beauty of my surroundings, often helps me overlook things that are hurtful or weighing on my mind. While I may miss certain aspects and individuals that are not in my life, I am grateful for the friends and family that do have a place. Concentrating on the missing or the lacking only intensifies a feeling of loss or unhappiness that cannot or will not be assuaged by thinking about what you don't have or dreaming about things you think you need.
Happiness is a choice. Often it is a difficult choice. Choosing to be happy does not mean you are overlooking your problems or your struggles in life, just that you are tackling them with a different frame of mind and perspective. Sometimes this is far more productive than the opposite. What have you got to lose by trying?
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