Over the years, I have come to view happiness as a choice rather than a feeling. I’ll admit, sometimes it is much harder to choose than at other times. There are, however, many things we can do to help ourselves stay in that place of happiness, joy, and gratitude...

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Mindful Monday: Happiness Is a Choice 10 Ways
Posted on December 9, 2013
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Over the years, I have come to view happiness as a choice rather than a feeling. I’ll admit, sometimes it is much harder
to choose than at other times. There are, however, many things we can do to help ourselves stay in that place of
happiness, joy, and gratitude.
Here are just a few ways to work towards happiness…
1. Forgive Yourself
Love yourself—accept yourself—forgive yourself—and be good to yourself, because without you the
rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things. -Leo F. Buscaglia
I dedicated a chapter in my book, 5 Gifts to Give Yourself, to forgiveness, because I believe it to be crucial
to happiness.
Forgiving myself has been a hard lesson for me to learn, but I came to the realization that when you don’t you are
actually depriving not only yourself, but also others. You are depriving those around you of the whole you, your gifts,
talents, and love.
It is in a place of fullness and self-love that compassion is cultivated. ~ 5 Gifts to Give Yourself
Until you learn to exercise some compassion and forgiveness toward yourself, you can never fully love and forgive
others. Forgiving yourself is one of the first steps toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
2. Let Go
This one falls in a bit with the first one, but not only do you need to let go of the past, you also must let go of trying to
control the future. There is only now. Sometimes we get so stuck on a certain outcome that we miss out on something

2. truly remarkable. Holding on to the idea that what you want has to arrive a certain way in order for you to be happy,
leads to fear and frustration. Make your request known to the universe, trust that all is in your favor, and let go.
The greatest loss of time is delay and expectation, which depend upon the future. We let go the
present, which we have in our power, and look forward to that which depends upon chance, and so
relinquish a certainty for an uncertainty. ~ Seneca
3. Go Outside
There is just something about the great outdoors that reconnects us to ourselves. Getting out in nature increases peace
and happiness. It reduces stress, revives energy, and uplifts the spirit.
The earth has music for those who listen. ~George Santayana
4. Breathe
That may sound a little silly. If you weren’t breathing, you wouldn’t be reading this after all. What I mean is, stop and
take some deep breaths. Focus your attention on your breath, the feel of the air as it moves through your nostrils. By
taking some deep breaths, you relax and increase the oxygen to your brain. This can bring more peace, clarity, and yes
even happiness.
Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor. ~Thich Nhat
Hanh
5. Listen to Music
Music is one of my favorite forms of therapy and I’m certainly not the only one.
Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent. ~Victor
Hugo
Music often allows us to connect and relate with the way we are feeling in a way otherwise unattainable. Put on your
favorite music, sit and write, dance, whatever makes you feel alive.
6. Call a Friend
Often, all we need to feel happier is a chat with a special person in our lives that accepts us completely. That person
that has the ability to always make us smile. When going through challenging times, connecting with someone else
helps you know that you are not alone. Someone else gets it. Like C.S. Lewis said,
Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought I
was the only one.

3. 7. Reach Out
Bringing us back to connection, another way to feel happier is by helping someone else. Uplifting someone who could
use a smile or a hand, puts things back in perspective and makes us feel good about ourselves. What better way to be
happy than to fill ourselves with love and compassion.
Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand. ~Mother Teresa
8. Play With a Child or Pet
Pets and children play with pure abandon. They have no fear of looking ridiculous. They just enjoy themselves to the
fullest. Animals and children have a lot to teach us when it comes to happiness. There is a purity and beauty in their
innocence that we would do well to return to. Loosen up and relearn how to play. Play outside and get double the
benefits.
And forget not that the earth likes to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
~Khalil Gibran
9. Get Physical
Physical exercise, swimming, walking, dancing, etc. increase endorphins that give you a feeling of well being. Exercise
is called nature’s mood enhancer for a reason. According to research it is the consistent, daily workouts that produce
the most benefits in the happiness department. If you are not exercising for your physical health, do it for your mood.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. ~Henry David Thoreau
10. Accomplish Something
It doesn’t have to be anything life altering, but if you’ve had something sitting on a “to do” list for a while, get it done.
The satisfaction of completing something gives us a happiness boost. If there is something you have been putting off
for a while, you will likely feel much better when it is done.
It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things
happen to them. They went out and happened to things. ~Leonardo de Vinci
Take your power back!
And now for a bonus, last but certainly not least…
Practice Gratitude for Happiness
This one is huge. How can we expect more happiness when we are not appreciating what we already have!
Take time to focus on the things in your life that you enjoy every day. Whether it is the laughter of your children, a cool

4. ibi.…
breeze wafting through the window, or a kind word from a stranger. Happiness often comes in little moments that add
up to create our beautiful lives.
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual
experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. ~Denise Waitley
If you liked this post, please share.
Have some happiness activities of your own? Share them with me in the comments below. Wishing you love, peace,
and blissful happiness always!
XOXO Hil <3
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