Happiness is not a choice

I have heard that happiness is a choice. I don’t buy it. Happiness is an emotion.

There are benefits to viewing things in a positive light. Trying to feel happy is more likely to make someone feel good than trying to feel sad.

Think about this for a moment. What makes you happy? Odds are, you have an answer other than choice.

Like I said, happiness is an emotion. It’s a feeling that you get when things go well. If you think of happiness as a choice instead, then there would be no reason to work towards it.

What do I think happiness requires? A good life in a good environment. I feel that happiness is a mechanism that encourages us to make things better, and not just for ourselves. If we pursue happiness as an emotion, we can help make this world a better place.

By comparison, viewing happiness as a choice will only benefit you. It’s also a mind game that could get in the way of true happiness. While I don’t know true happiness myself, I have to assume that the feeling is well beyond the feeling of choosing to think that you’re happy.