People say I’m a happy person. In fact, I’m pretty sure I hear, “Neal, I love your smile” somewhere around 4 times a day. If I hear it any less than that, it’s only because I spent my day shut up inside my room writing blogs or something like that.
Truth is, I am happy most of the times. It has to take some life-shattering event to bring an absolute frown on my face.
I read somewhere that 40% of happiness is in our control, and after reading this, I thought it was interesting that I’m generally a happy person.
With that 40% of happiness in my control, I’m happy, and here’s why:
When something upsetting comes around, I know I have two paths ahead of me. I could either move deeper in my sadness, or take the higher road of joy.
I choose joy every time.
Why? Because, the further you go down the road of sadness, the harder it is to find your way back home. You keep traveling down and down, until the road gets rough and covered with fog. You spin around, wondering where you are, calling out for help, until it finally comes.
But, there is a problem with this help.
They come, help you feel better, and then leave, never bothering to guide you home. And then once again, you’re left fending for yourself.
Typically when I’m sad, I yearn for attention, for people to comfort me. Yet, this is a dangerous road to trek on, because people will give me more attention when I’m sadder. It’s a slippery slope. The more you pine for their attention, the deeper you fall.
I tend to not choose the path of sadness because that means I can have the tendency of being selfish and greedy for attention. This isn’t the case for everyone, but it is the case for me.
And also, this isn’t me saying that you should never be sad. No, there are times when sadness brings us down into the reality of the situation. But never stray too far into it just for attention. Always know where home is, and always know how to get back onto the high road.
So how do I stay happy?
I realize that 40% of happiness is a choice. And when presented with a choice, I make sure it counts for something beneficial.
If you are burdened by grief in a situation, I dare you to choose the high road. To be sad over a depressing situation is fine because it’s human. But to remain sad is a different story.
If you are stuck in your sadness, realize there is still a choice to make. You can still find home, but only if you’re willing to set out for the high road.
The choice is yours.
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