Today make the decision to be happy. Believe it or not, the choice to be happy is up to you. In the words of one the great philosophers of the 20th century, Master Yoda, “Do or do not, there is no try”.
Intentional Happiness
Although Master Yoda was not talking about happiness when he made his profound assertion, the point of the message is no less applicable. We either choose to be happy or we choose to be unhappy. It’s really just that simple.
Happiness is an intentional state of being that we either do or don’t do. There is no trying to be happy. If you are trying to be happy, you are already unhappy.
The state of happiness is not just some Jedi mind trick. Science actually supports this position. University of California-Riverside psychology professor Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, the author of the book “The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want” contends that up to 40 percent of our happiness “is left for the intentional activities that we can choose to engage in — the things that we do and think every day of our lives.”
Dr. Lyubomirsky and other psychologists maintain that we can increase our happiness through practice. When we express greater kindness, our happiness increases. When we spend our time and energy doing things we love, our happiness increases. When we choose to see the glass as some portion of full, our happiness increases. Happiness is really up to you!
Influential Happiness
Not only are we accountable for our own happiness but our happiness influences the happiness of our children. Studies have shown that angry or critical parents can actually alter a child’s happiness level until it’s set around age 16.
Don’t make your child unhappy because of your unhappiness. Do yourself and your child a favor today. Take a break from being unhappy, angry or critical and resolve to be happy. Today go out of your way and do something for someone else without any expectations in return. I bet you will feel better about the day and your life instantaneously.
And if by some strange occurrence, doing something for someone else doesn’t increase your level of happiness, grab your child, give them a great big hug and a kiss. If you feel daring and want to raise your happiness levels to all-time highs, turn on some music, clap your hands and dance just because you’re happy to be alive.
Now Turn Up The Music and Be Happy
How does your disposition influence those around you? Are people happy to see you come or are they happy to see you go?
[…] yourself a favor. Take a few minutes to reflect on what it means to be “happy”. You can start by asking yourself the […]