HappinessisaChoiceAreyouhappy?Doyourememberatimewhenyouwerehappy?Areyouseekinghappinesstoday?InapolltakeninAsiancountries,parentswereaskedwhattheywantedmostfortheirchildren.Overwhelmingly,theresponsewasthattheywantedtheirchildrentobesuccessful.InAmerica,parentswereaskedasimilarquestion.Universally,Americanparentsexpressedadesirefortheirchildrentobehappy.Peopleeverywhereseemtobeinsearchforhappiness.Unfortunately,formany,thedreamappearstobeimpossible.Manyhavesoughtavarietyofsourcesfortheirfeelingsofhappiness.Somehaveputtheirheartandeffortsintotheirwork.Toomanyhaveturnedtodrugs,alcoholandpromiscuity.Untoldnumbershavelookedforitinthepossessionofexpensivecars,exoticvacationhomes,andotherpopular“toys.”Mostoftheireffortshavearootinonecommonfact:peoplearelookingforalastingsourceofhappiness.Unfortunately,Ibelievethathappinessevadesmanybecausetheymisunderstandtheprocessandjourneyoffindingit.Ihaveheardmanypeoplesaythat,“I’llbehappywhenIgetmynewpromotion.”Or,“I’llbehappywhenIlosethatextra20pounds.”And,“I’llbehappywhenthekidsgobacktoschool.”Thelistgoesonandon.Youprobablyhaveafewofyourownyoucouldaddifyouwanted.Thisthinkingisdangerousbecauseitpresupposesthathappinessisa“response”tohaving,beingordoingsomething.Inlife,weallexperiencestimulusandresponse.Stimulusiswhenadogbarksatyouandbareshisteeth.Responseiswhenyouheartbeatsfaster,yourpalmsgetsweatyandyoupreparetorun.Today,somepeoplethinkthatanexpensivecarisstimulus.Happinessisaresponse.Agreatpayingjobisstimulus.Happinessisaresponse.Alovingrelationshipisstimulus.Happinessisaresponse.Thisbeliefleavesusthinkingandfeeling:“I’llbehappywhen…”Ithasbeenmyfindingthatactuallytheoppositeistrue.Ibelievethathappinessisastimulusandresponseiswhatlifebringstothosewhoaretrulyhappy.Whenwearehappy,wetendtohavemoresuccessinourwork.Whenwearehappy,peoplewanttobearoundusandenjoyinglovingrelationships.Whenwearehappy,wemorenaturallytakebettercareofourbodiesandenjoygoodhealth.HappinessisNOTaresponse–rather,itisastimulus.Happinessisaconsciouschoicewemakeeverydayofourlives.Forunknownreasonstome,manychoosetobemiserable,frustratedandangrymostofthetime.Happinessisnotsomethingthathappenstousafterwegetsomethingwewant–weusuallygetthingswewantAFTERwechoosetobehappy.Ihavemadeonlyonesimpleruleformyownhappiness:EverydayabovegroundisaGOODday.Therefore,Itendtohavealotofgooddaysinsuccession.
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