Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Happiness

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." - Gandhi


I'm usually not one to quote Gandhi, but when I heard this saying the other day I grabbed a sharpy and a post it note and posted it to my computer at work. Exhibit A:



After all, how many times do you think one thing in your head and then put on a happy face to deal with the pressures of the real-world? And how often do people tell you something they believe in and then contradict themselves by not acting that way in day-to-day life? Just how often do what you think, say and do really all land on the same page? How often do you consciously choose your emotion for the day? Think about it.

I was sitting in traffic on my drive to work this morning, just listening to music and thinking about my day ahead. I was smiling. I was happy, I had a lot to look forward to. But then I realized, that I made a conscious decision, I chose to be happy. I have a great life, a great husband, great job, family and friends. I have a great God, and a great love that surrounds me, anything that is thrown in my way I will find the strength to deal/cope/overcome.

I think that my positive outlook on life also pairs with reality. While things may not be perfect every minute of every hour of every day, you still need to look on the bright side and find a way to say, "is this really my life?, how did I get so lucky to be blessed with so much?" instead of looking at the glass half empty. It's all about how you react. I think that's why I like the movie "The Breakup" so much. While Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are two of my favorites, surprisingly its not the actors that made this movie. Its the storyline, the fact that in the end, things don't end up all peachy and rosy. Because that's life- that's your reality show folks.

Its what you choose that makes you who you are. If you choose to laugh at life's imperfections rather than blow them up, if you choose to trust your gut and go with the flow rather than analyze every detail, if you choose to let others have control over you rather than choosing your own destiny. It's all about choosing your reaction and your emotion. Because in the end, determining who you are isn't set in stone. It's ever changing. But making sure that what you think, say and do aren't in conflict is important.

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