Because I'm Happy

"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

-Abraham Lincoln

Happiness is one of the most sought after commodities in the human experience—it can be painfully scarce or infinitely abundant depending on your perspective. Some people can be upbeat without a second thought, putting a positive spin on each moment. For others out there, happiness is perpetually out of  reach like a distant mirage on the horizon. Remaining cheerful is a constant tug-of-war for me personally, fortunately happiness tends to win out most of the time. The path to a blissful life is as unique to each person as their fingerprint. We all must find what makes us happy on our own terms. In every facet of life we can observe examples of those content and filled with joy, no matter how negative their circumstances may seem. The resiliency of this joy shows just how personal and relative it truly is. Millions of books have been written on the subject. There is an industry devoted entirely to uncovering the secrets of happiness much like the alchemists of old, looking to turn iron into gold and find the elixir of life.

I could proceed to, rather pretentiously explain how each person should find happiness but instead I will simply share what works for me. I have found that comparing my life to others is a major killer of joy and complete waste of time. Some of the unhappiest portions of my life have been spent being envious of other people's existences that I viewed to be better than my own. I have realized that limiting myself to how others define success will only make it more difficult to be happy. To some my circumstances may seem incredibly unfair but to me they are just different. I may not have the ability to walk or breathe very well but that is just my life; most people aren't upset that they can't fly or breathe underwater unassisted.

Another major way I stay positive is by doing things that make me happy, simple as that. For example I love watching Star Wars and talking about TV shows, it is not necessarily cool or for everyone but I enjoy it. I make time to do the things that bring me joy. Some of the things I used to find entertaining I am no longer interested in or cannot do anymore but I am constantly finding new things that I enjoy.

Lastly, I've learned the more flexible and open-minded I am, the happier am. Being able to go with the flow is a very useful skill in this crazy world. The only way for me to overcome is to adapt, to make the best. One of the biggest obstacles I face in my life is my own stubbornness. In order for me to be more chipper, I sometimes need to follow the advice of Elsa from Disney's Frozen and let it go.

I am not always happy, I am far from perfect but I do my best. How I choose to remain optimistic may be unique to me but the ideas are fairly straightforward, take them as you would like. I may not have all the answers or any of them for that matter however I do know we should all enjoy the little things and do what makes us happy.