I CHOOSE to be happy!

Happiness is a choice; but sometimes it's hard and takes practice. This year my overarching goal is to become happier.

Happiness is defined as: a state of well-being and contentment.

How great would it be to be in a continual state of well-being and contentment??

Well, I've decided that's exactly the kind of state of mind I want to be in! To develop this skill and become happier, I will be doing more of what makes me happy and finding the happiness in every day. Happiness is all around me, I just need to open my eyes and look for it.

                                       

Whenever people ask me about my hobbies, I typically respond with: hiking, running, reading, and traveling. I enjoy each of these four activities and from now on want to spend more time on them. I've made goals to run a half-marathon and a total of at least 200 miles, I will be reading 52 new books, traveling somewhere new {Romania}, and plan to spend all summer hiking in the mountains I've missed so much. 

While some of these goals may sound like work and not things that would make you especially happy, I know for me, there is not much I like more. While my goals are specifically for 2016, I hope to make these changes habitual to become lifelong practices. As I turn my focus and spend my time, energy, {and often money} on the activities that I love so much, I know I will be happier. My best memories come from doing the things I love, not sitting around watching TV or idling my time away. 

Second: I want to stop waiting! I've been waiting to be a mom, to own a house, to have a good {paying} job/for Mike to have a job, to travel the world. I wait for sunny days, Saturdays, holidays, summer; and all these things I believe will give me happiness. But I need to STOP waiting. My life is happening NOW. When I look back, I don't want to remember all the time I wasted by waiting, I want a life full of good memories and happiness. I have committed to change my way of thinking and look for the happiness each and every day. 

Sometimes I'm sad. Sometimes I get down on myself. Sometimes I get angry. And sometimes, I complain. {My inner Harry Potter nerd is about to come out} But as Dumbledore said, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times. Sometimes I might have to dig deep and look for the happiness in my life, but I know it's there. To get better at recognizing it, I was inspired by a co-worker to keep a day planner and each day write a few things that I found happy about the day. This exercise has already changed my outlook on my life. Even on the bad days, I am still able to write 2-3 things that made me happy throughout the day. Sometimes it's as simple as meeting my daily step goal, today it was attending the temple. Ultimately, I know if I stop waiting for my happy moments {or what I think will be my happy moments} I will recognize all that I do have that makes me truly happy. 

By changing my outlook on life and creating an atmosphere of happiness, I know I will be able to handle anything that comes my way. 

Today, and everyday, I choose to be happy. 

**Images created by Khemia Popa**