Choose HAPPY

Good morning, friends! How has your week been?

I’ve had a thought lately, a thought about happiness and what it means to feel and be happy. Happiness isn’t something that is thrust upon us, nor do I believe is it something we find (contrary to the overwhelming number of romantic comedies out there). I’ve come to believe that happiness is something we create…a conscious choice we make to greet any uncertainty in our life (be it good or bad) with optimism and enthusiasm.

That’s not to say that we all don’t have our bad days…days where things go wrong or where we just don’t feel up to challenges ahead of us. I just mean that choosing to be happy is a state of being, something that we decide and something that we have control over. (Unlike much of what life throws our way.)

Most recently I’ve been struggling to find purpose (happiness) in my life with the work I am doing. Not to say that I don’t enjoy how I’m spending my time. Just that I don’t know where I’m going with any of it. Or if I’m in the right place at all. Do you ever have that thought?

Sometimes I just sit around and wonder, “Am I creating a life I’ll be proud of when I’m 80 years old?”. And let me tell you guys, as a 25-year old just starting her PhD Program (will I ever be out of school?!) and slightly unsure of what she wants to do with her life, it’s overwhelming. Over. Whelming, guys. As I’m contemplating some important life changes in the works, it’s scary to think about how significant and impactful my decisions now may be to the rest of my life. I’m sure many of you can relate, no?

But the way I see it is this. We have many choices in our lives—some are important and others not so much. And while we don’t necessarily know how our choices will affect our life down the line, we do have a say in how we approach our life in the now. We can choose to be overwhelmed and struck down by the uncertainties and negativities of life, or we can pick ourselves up and attack the day (uncertainties and all) with fervor and delight.

I’m not sure if what I am doing and how I am spending my time right now is ‘what I am meant to be doing with my life’, but I do know that until I find out, I have to decide to be happy with where I am right now…in this life… and in this moment. Taking each new step as a stepping stone.

Life is a journey, not a destination. A marathon, not a sprint.

And while I know ‘choosing to be happy’ may not look that black and white to everyone, I think there is a lot of truth to it.

Life may throw us curveballs. Life may disappoint, sadden, and at times anger us. However, I choose to believe that what defines me is not what life throws at me, but rather what I do with those opportunities and how I choose to respond to them.

And while I may not know exactly what I am doing or where I am heading, I do know that I can choose to be thankful and happy in this moment. Life is a gift. That’s why they call it the present, right? Sometimes you just have to believe in yourself and make the very magic you seek to find in life.

So this weekend, think about creating happiness for yourself in whatever place, and in whatever state your life you may be. I encourage you to choose happy because after that, everything becomes an opportunity. An opportunity to learn. An opportunity to grow. An opportunity to truly and genuinely live the life you have always imagined for yourself.

Photos by Outside Ourselves

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Sweater: J. Crew | Skirt: Madewell | Scarf: Gap (similar here, here, here) | Booties: Booties: Gianni Bini (similar here (on sale!), here, here, cute Mary Jane style) | Purse: J. Crew | Bracelet: Francesca’s | Watch: Movado (from Switerzerland, similar) | Rings: Aggie Ring, KD Ring gifted | Lips: Revlon (certainly red)