Written by: Caitlin Alfonso, LMSW
Happiness is a state of being we often wish for ourselves and others. In fact, happiness has been identified as such an important experience that the pursuit of it has been written into the Constitution of the United States as an “unalienable right”. With such a focus and awareness on the concept of happiness, it is surprising that there is little to no agreement on how to define the term “happiness”.
In Atlas of the Heart (2021), Brene Brown explores happiness and its companion emotions such as joy and gratitude. In her work, she describes happiness as a pleasurable feeling that is relatively steady and is usually the result of a person’s surroundings and their own effort. She states, “with happiness, we feel a sense of being in control”.
So, then the question is, can happiness be a choice?
To many people, the answer is: yes, happiness is a choice. Now, this is not to minimize mental health experiences or cultural differences in the perception of happiness. However, by embracing the idea that happiness is a choice, it recognizes that a person could make the conscious decision to take steps to prioritize their well-being and create positive beliefs. For instance, instead of waiting on the sidelines for happiness to magically happen to them, people can actively participate in creating happiness by focusing on the positive aspects of their experiences and acknowledging moments to be grateful for.
Let’s explore some actions you can do to not only cultivate happiness in your day-to-day, but maintain it long term.
- Smile – just like how we stand and walk can influence our confidence levels; our facial expressions can influence our feelings. So, try activating your smile muscles throughout the day and feel your mood shift.
- Spread kindness (like confetti) – the golden rule of treating others how you want to be treated is the golden rule for a reason! Many times, the act of giving can be just as powerful as receiving. So spread kindness through small daily actions, such as giving someone a compliment!
- Take care of your body – It’s simple, when we physically feel good, we often feel happier.
Therefore, making choices that benefit your physical health, such as drinking water, eating a healthy snack, or working out, will ultimately support your emotional state of happiness.
Happiness is an important human experience, but because it is a state that is connected to effort, it requires you to make decisions that set you up for happiness. As you saw from these examples, they do not have to be big or dramatic decisions, but simple ones throughout your day. However, think of happiness as a game. Happiness doesn’t occur on the sidelines of life; to win happiness, you have to show up and play. Ready… Set… Go! 😉