Choosing Happiness

"Choose happiness." 

This is a "Megism" which commonly triggers people- positively and negatively. It is prominently tattooed on my arm, so it gets a lot of attention. Although most people find it sweet and uplifting, others view it as saccharine and unrealistic. I have been told it is insulting, even rude to suggest that people can choose happiness. "Not everyone can be happy all the time like you". Well, the girl with the "Choose Happiness" tattoo has something to say about that: choosing happiness doesn't mean you're happy all the time.

I am no Disney Princess- singing birds do not encircle my head when I wake up in the morning. In fact, I more closely resemble a disgruntled Tinkerbell. It is not uncommon for me to cry in a bathroom stall. There have been times where I have seriously pondered how much easier life would be if I wasn't alive. During the hardest times in my life, I woke up weighed down like a lead ball; but I chose to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There were times I chose to make a light at the end of the tunnel. I chose to find joy in everything I could, control my attitude to the best of my ability, believe happiness was an option for me, and have faith that these times would make me a stronger human. 

Did anyone notice when I was dying inside, working 70 hours a week, living with my dad after his bypass surgery, and simultaneously going through a divorce? My dad did, because he saw the wreckage at the end of each day; but most people didn't. I was handing out high fives, singing my days away, and starting The Beginning Lecture Series at The Chapel of Awareness. I wasn't faking my way through the most hellish time of my life, I was choosing to find happiness in anything I could. Sometimes it worked, sometimes I drank a bottle of wine for dinner. Par for the course. I pushed through those grueling life lessons more easily than the smallest of challenges from my past; and it's simply because I chose happiness, whereas before I didn't even try. 

On a spiritual level, we are meant to face challenges so we can learn from them. Regardless of how happy, joyful, grateful, or positive you are- you will face challenges. Choosing happiness doesn't repel challenging situations like bug spray- shit happens, people. Choosing happiness isn't about being happy all the time- it's about choice, intention, and  (dare I say) manifestation. When you choose happiness, happiness chooses you.

We're constantly sending signals, intentions, and requests to the universe, to God, via our thoughts. In a nutshell, that's how manifestation works. The universe does not judge us; and it offers us uncompromised free will, unconditional love, and the ability to draw what we need from it. Our thoughts are how we "put in orders" to the universe- you are ordering what you are thinking about. The universe will always fill your order, as long as it does not oppose spiritual law or your spiritual pathway (winning the lottery isn't in the cards for all of us.)

If you are constantly thinking about how you don't have something: "I don't have this thing I want, I don't have this thing I want..."....

..the universe gets that thought and says, "Okay: you don't have that thing. Order processed."

When you constantly think about how you are unhappy, or how you have nothing to be happy about, "I have nothing to be happy about, nothing good ever happens to me..."...

...the universe gets that thought and says, "Okee Dokee, nothing good ever happens to you, you have nothing to be happy about. Order processed."

"I can't choose happiness, happiness is not a choice."

"Alrighty, no choosing happiness for you! Order processed- next!"

It's a never-ending vicious cycle until you choose to stop it.

You attract and become your thoughts. Almost everything in and about your life is your responsibilty: good and bad. Taking personal responsiblity for the negative people in your life, the job you hate, and your negative emotions... isn't easy. It doesn't feel good to know you are responsible for the things you do not like in your life. I know because I have been there; but I promise when you authentically choose to take responsibility for your life, and decide to make it better, it gets better. The negative people start to disappear, attractive jobs start showing up, conflicts minimize, the clouds start lifting, and the sun starts shining. 

This can be an impossible concept to explain to someone miserable and hopeless, and I get that. I have been miserable and hopeless. "How could I be happy when everything in my life is falling apart?" Because you get to choose how to put it back together again. Don't you, for one second, believe that you can't, because you can. You can find the one rainbow in your sea of clouds, hold on to it, and manifest your way into a better life. You can push away every obstacle stopping you, look your misery in the eyes, and say "Fuck you, I'm done."

You can choose to change your order to the universe, "I want to choose happiness..."...

...the universe gets that thought and says, "Shit, finally. You want to choose happiness. Order Processed. Look for the signs, follow the bread crumbs of the universe."

Choose Happiness, and happiness will always choose you. Give it a try- what do you have to lose?