Happiness could be a habit
I used to think happiness was a choice. Seriously. Like you could just choose to be happy, and many people didn’t
Obviously that’s not right. I cringe a bit reading back over that. With a little more age and wisdom now, it’s clear that no one would choose to be unhappy. Just like no one would choose to be unhappy or out of shape.
Health and fitness are interesting analogies. You do have to make healthy choices. But one healthy choice isn’t enough. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Health isn’t a single choice, it’s many, making it a habit.
Life circumstances make them easier or harder. For example, my wife and I built a home gym in our garage. I also work from home. It has to be way easier for me to work out than for someone who commutes to work and gets home late.
Likewise, someone living in poverty probably has a harder time making good food choices. If I was worried about where my next meal was coming from, just getting it would probably matter more than how healthy it is.
Maybe happiness is also a habit? Maybe it’s not one choice, but many spread over months and years. We can work on this and build better habits. At the same time, life can (and will) get in the way and make it harder for ourselves and others.
If true, it implies some things. Think about what habits you can build. Appreciating the good things. Helping and loving others. Accepting your limitations, while working on improving yourself.
What happiness habits work for you?