Happiness is a choice.

I have been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be happy. I have come to the conclusion that happiness is a choice. If you are stuck in a negative mindset, then you will only focus on the difficult and annoying, and ultimately be unhappy. On the flip side if you look for the positive in your life and in your relationships then you will always find that you have so much going right in your life. Simply, I believe that you will always find what you are looking for. It’s a choice to have a positive mindset and be happy! I wish I have some magical way of cutting out those negative circuits in my brain, but I don’t. “Happiness is a choice” is kind of becoming my new mantra.

We had a really difficult January financially and I allowed it to stress me out and consume my thoughts. We were literally out of money practically the second the month began. All I could think at times was how in the world will we survive this month? Struggling along with an empty bank account for the month felt impossible, and I just thought once January is over I will be so much happier. This was just one of those months filled with a lot of extenuating circumstances and unexpected expenses, like a $450 vet bill to retrieve our dog, an insane power bill, Glenn needing a crown at the dentist, and desperately needing to buy a new car. It’s no wonder we had no money. Honestly, when I look back on my January now I don’t think about our finances. I think about watching the 49ers win all their playoff games to make it to the Super Bowl. I think about homemade pizookie and redbox movie nights with my husband. I think about hours competing against my husband in virtual golf. I think about inviting our friends over for a barbecue and James Bond. I think about the snow. I think about my husband calling me to come downstairs right this instant, and my soaking wet fresh out of the shower self throwing on some pajamas and running downstairs to see my husband standing in our half inch of snow, scooping me up in my bare feet and dripping hair and kissing my face! I think about hearing our baby’s heartbeat, and learning we are having a girl! I think about a whole month I was able to spend every day with my husband and our sweet puppies. That right there is my happiness.

You will never know in advance what days will be difficult, but in the midst of those gloomy days are so many more happy ones. I was being spoiled and not recognizing that my happiness is a choice. My happiness was available to me right then and not just when our bank account was a little fuller. My happiness is my attitude. I understand that bad days are inevitable. Life will knock you down, and it’s ok to be sad sometimes. How we react to those days and choosing to focus on something positive rather than magnifying the negative is what matters. Happiness is a choice, and I am happy. This was my life lesson the month of January.

*On a side note we had an amazing lesson in Relief Society about a week ago. We discussed the talk “Of Regrets and Resolutions” given by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. I loved it! This talk touches on letting yourself be happy in your life. This talk kind of fueled the fire in brain and brought on some of this deep thinking of mine. Go read here if you are interested. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng