Happiness--a Choice

A common question or comment involves how a person can find happiness. Since happiness is a personal perception, no one can tell another person how to be happy. It is an individual journey. However, there are some general principles to consider. Remember, everything starts and ends in the brain. Yours. When replying to those questions I typically suggest that one place to begin is by finding out all you can about your family-of-origin. “But I was a foster child or adopted or homeless,” you may say, “and I don’t know my biological family.” Since you are a combination of nature and nurture, (nature representing biology and nurture standing for the environment), review what you do know about either one or both. Did you hear about any family history of happiness or unhappiness? At conception you received some cellular memories from your biological ancestors and from conception onward you began building your own  memories related to your environment. Remember, in adulthood many people either replicate what they know from childhood or go for 180 degrees different (and I typically add that 180 degrees from dysfunctional is still dysfunctional). Do you gravitate toward joy and pleasantness or do you find yourself hanging out with those who are grumpy, unhappy and unpleasant? If so you might want to take a close look at that. Studies have shown that within the space of two to three years, humans tend to pick up the habits of the four or five individuals they spend the most time with—and happiness is one of the habits you can pick up. Happiness is a choice.