Everyone understands the concept of Happiness, and yet no one can comprehend it. Can someone be unhappy every day, and yet he can be happy over a lifetime?
“Is there really an option for us to choose in this matter?” We often hear that Happiness is a choice, but the real question is, is it really? Can feeling Happiness be that easy?
However, in some instances, Happiness is not a choice; we cannot simply choose to be happy. Right? It isn’t like a magic wand that you wave over yourself, and all your emotions, including sadness, grief, sorrow, and anger, disappear. We know life doesn’t go this way; sometimes, we can choose to be happy, while in some cases, we cannot choose between emotions.
However, with the passage of time, people learn that their problems should not define their moods or emotions. You can choose to be happy in most of the situations but it requires a lot of effort and focus. Is being happy a choice or not? Let’s find out in this article.
We’ve all heard that one wonders if happiness is a choice psychology. Yet, our brains can change the way they work based on our experiences. This ability is called neuroplasticity. For instance, when we practice gratitude very often, it could result in the brain undergoing changes that will make the person slowly become happier—an idea exemplified in gratitude meditation.
However, in truth, looking at happiness solely as a choice may be an oversimplification of the concept. Things like socioeconomic status and the kind of culture we are brought up in put odds on our chances of being happy. Such will tend to show that our happiness can only be influenced by some factors and not all.
Related: Does Being with Someone Make You Happier?
Is Happiness A Choice? How to Find It
As Abraham Lincoln said:
“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
It sounds wonderful to hear that Happiness is a choice. Well, when you think deeper into this statement, you wonder how it becomes a choice. Let’s see it from the science perspective.
According to the research, 50% of your Happiness is determined by your genetics, 40% of the capacity of your Happiness is in your power, and the rest, 10%, is dependent on your life circumstances and choices.
So, you may have some control over your emotions, but research also indicates that if you try to be positive and dismiss how you really feel because you always want to make the happier choice even though you reach the level of toxicity, this can impact your mental health negatively and also physical side effects.
Understanding our emotions and building our resilience better is very important for us. This way, we can deal with our emotions in a much better manner. Questions such as “Why is happiness a choice?” or “Is happiness a choice or a feeling?” raise the thought that happiness is a state of mind. You may call it “That happiness is only real when shared” or the “greatest happiness principle,” which opens one’s eyes to happiness in ways never thought of before. If you want to dig even deeper into what makes you truly happy, you may do so with a few self-reflective questions.
Sometimes, Happiness is not a choice, and it is better to be angry, sad, and disappointed, as self-chastisement always comes from shame or anger.
Happiness and anger are emotions, and emotions are meant to be experienced. How you feel is dependent on different factors like your mental state, life circumstances, and family relations that are often out of your control.
Read Also: Mindful Relationship Habits
Why Happiness Is Not A Choice?
There could be many circumstances and reasons for you cannot make the happier choice.
Our Mental Health Influences How We Feel
If we could choose to be happy, we would do it in a heartbeat, and that would be our permanent state of mind. But that’s not true or possible. It is impossible for anyone to be completely happy at all times.
One reason is our mental health; it influences how we feel, and we go through a roller coaster of emotions and feel many mood swings. At one moment, we are happy, and then in the next moment, sorrow comes.
Happiness Is Not the Only Emotion We Feel
There are eight basic universal emotions that we experience: i.e. sadness, anger, anticipation, Happiness, fear, disgust, surprise, and contempt. However, if we dig deeper, we’d discover there are 27 to 34000 distinct emotions.
Also, we use the terms feelings and emotions as they are the same, but according to psychology, feelings are what we experience when we are conscious, and emotions are related to our subconscious level. You can live a fulfilling and peaceful life only by experiencing and feeling all emotions.
Happiness Must Be Experienced
We cannot simply choose to be happy and then eventually become happy; that’s not how it works. Happiness is an emotion that you have to experience. You can learn to be positive, and over time, you get better at it.
However, you can’t really learn to make the happier choice or force yourself to be happy when you aren’t feeling it. If you are faking your happiness, that is not really a joy. Is it? Moreover, feelings are momentary; they come and go. Your happiness may fade until you feel the next one.
Instead of chasing happiness, we could live real and meaningful lives.
How Can You Improve Your Long-Term Happiness?
However, no matter if you live a comfortable life or face many challenges in a day, you can always choose to feel happy when joy crosses your path.
1. Practice Gratitude
According to human psychology, if our brain is looking for something, we always find it. In the same manner, if we always focus on the bad things, we will face more bad things in our way.
Therefore, we should train our brains to focus on positive things and count our blessings. Consequently, if we train our minds to be aware of great things and see the possibility of happiness, we will attract more joy to ourselves.
Happiness is a choice quote by Ralph Marston:
“Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy.”
2. Choose To Smile
According to science, smiling can release feel-good hormones. These hormones can shift your negative mindset into a positive one. Make a smile your part of the day because it helps to lower your heart rate in stressful moments. Try to smile at strangers because, as far as happiness is a choice, it is also contagious.
Another happiness is a choice quote by Thich Nhat Hanh states:
“Comparison is a thief of joy.”
If you want to be happy, you should never compare yourself with others. You should feel satisfied with what you have and stop comparing your life with others.
According to the studies, the comparison that we make with others damages our Happiness. Stop comparing yourself to others, and you will ultimately be happy.
4. Adapt a Growth Mindset
When we always focus on what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we have and always trying to squabble for what we can grab, this leads to negativity and is not a healthy mindset.
You should focus on what you have and how you can use it; this will help you to live with self-awareness and blossom.
5. Keep Yourself Busy
Look for fun things to do with friends. An important thing is that doing fun activities like having a good time with friends or learning mindfulness to get peace and happiness may add up to making the person feel happy and relaxed. Through these explorations, one may reveal how to find happiness within yourself, thus securing the concept that choosing happiness is part of a more global, all-encompassing approach to life.
All of these connect back on the qualities of a good friend and why some people struggle to make friends, respectively, bringing everything full circle in understanding and supporting anyone on their way to happiness.
6. Aligning Happiness with Core Values
One key to core happiness is to make sure that our happiness aligns with your core values. We perform in line with what we believe, and therefore we feel more authentic and consequently more filled. Practicing self-compassion and reaching out for assistance from others is a good option when you are feeling down.
These things also teach you how to be a good friend. Going through what is happiness quotes and other study material can also clear one’s mind. These are useful techniques to use when you’re feeling down.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the arguments are acceptable; our decisions indeed affect our happiness. However, many other reasons directly affect the level of happiness. Questions might arise that how is happiness a choice or what color is happiness?
Always remember that you can only choose your actions, like being grateful, mindful, kind and focusing on positivity, but you cannot choose between your emotions and feelings. We can only live a life of realization when we feel all of our emotions. Thus, train your mind to see positivity in bad situations if you want to choose happiness.
About the Author: Shanzaib Haider
