Happiness Is A Choice

By now, you’ve probably heard the numerous, paradoxical stories about miserable millionaires, and happy people living on modest means.

The evidence is everywhere - your happiness is not dependent on your external circumstances. You can’t buy it, you can’t count on someone else to provide it, and you can’t wait for it to just happen one day. Your happiness is entirely up to you, and truth be told, it’s a choice that sometimes requires effort.

We don’t always feel like being happy when things are not going our way. But are temporary troubles really worth losing a day, or even a moment of happiness? Indeed not.

So if you find yourself “stuck in the muck,” searching for a reason to feel joyful, here are a few tips that will help you brighten your spirit.

• Exercise & Sweat

The reports are true; you were made to move. It’s medicine for your body and spirit. Your body responds to exercise and sweat by releasing endorphins that elevate your mood. Defeat depression with a quick jog, a few laps in the pool or anything else that gets your heart rate up and your skin glistening.

• Get Outside

In the same way that exercise lifts our spirits, so do the sights, smells and sounds of nature.Our minds open up, our blood pressure lowers and our hearts soar with the vastness of life around us.So head to the beach, play in the park, or go for a hike. Fresh air, sunshine and bare feet in the grass are a sure remedy for happiness.

• Do Something For Someone Else

Research shows that being kind to others increases our own levels of happiness as well as theirs.When we’re kind to people, it strengthens our connections with them and provides a source of support.Even doing kind things for strangers helps build cooperation, trust and a sense of safety.Kindness can be as simple as a smile, a hug, a compliment, a thank you, a simple gesture, or a word of encouragement.It doesn’t have to cost anything or take much time.

Regardless of how much money you have, where you live you, or your life situations, you can choose to be happy right now.

Choose happiness today.