By Esmie Lawrence
“Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Your Happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you.” – Ralph Marston
Is Happiness a choice? Definitely YES. Every time you get up in the morning,
you have two options: either happy or unhappy.
But saying and thinking that you want to be happy isn’t enough; it requires
action. Happiness is defined as an emotion that brings
excitement and satisfaction, but once we find peace and contentment, it is
already called joy. Joy is finding your real purpose in life; it’s about having peace and being content with what you have. It’s
accepting who you are and doing things that your heart desires.
So how can we find joy in everyday life?
• Find Your Purpose
You can start by asking yourself: “Where Am I?” “What do I want in my life?”
“Where am I going?”. And as you continue your life’s
journey, you’ll eventually find the answers to all of your questions. Once you
have gained clarity about your purpose, you become
an authentic and a better version of yourself. You’ll become happier and stronger.
• Do the Things that Excites You
Make time for your passion. Take risks. Do things that you haven’t tried before,
the things that you find exciting and interesting.
Don’t live a life that is full of regrets and worries. You should get out of your
comfort zone and do something challenging yet, at the
same time, meaningful and joyful.
• Surround Yourself with Good People and Help Others
Spend time with people who are choosing Happiness rather than being
miserable and helpless. Those who can be your source of
strength and your support system. Surround yourself with happy people, and
you’ll see the world differently, and you’ll surely
become happier. Always have a positive and healthy relationship with others,
especially with your family and friends. Be an
inspiration to others. Being kind and compassionate can bring joy to your life.
• Choose To Be Happy and Be Grateful
Release your past, and live in the present moment. Learn how to appreciate the
small things. When we start appreciating things or even people, big or small,
finding joy becomes easier. As Henri Nouwen says, “Joy does not
simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”
Go and start finding your joy. Whatever you do, in every relationship, job, or
place you go, always find Happiness. It’s all up to you,
and once you feel the essence of peace and contentment, and you found your purpose, joy is already within you.
Have you found joy in your life? How did you find it? How can you share your joy with other people?
References:
Holmes, L. All The Secrets To Living A Happier Life, In One Helpful Chart – The Huffington Post. 2018; Available from: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-science-of-happiness_n_5a73398ae4b0146e594513e1
Natale, N. How to Find Joy in Your Everyday Life (Even When Life Feels Awful) – Prevention. 2020; Available from: https://www.prevention.com/health/mental-health/g33002023/how-to-find-joy/
Solari, N. How to Find Joy in Life During Difficult Times – Lifehack. 2020; Available from: https://www.lifehack.org/886752/finding-joy-in-life
