Happiness is a choice

I’ve always loved writing, but I never imagined that when I finally took action and started truly writing, my first article would have such a cliché title. But wait—don’t judge too quickly.

I chose this topic because all of us, as human beings, want to be happy—even if we don’t really know what happiness is. If you pause for a second and ask yourself, “What is happiness?”, I doubt you’ll give a perfectly shaped answer like the one in the dictionary. But if you think a little more, you might say: “Money.”

Now, I won’t repeat the famous line “Money doesn’t buy happiness”—one cliché in this article is enough. But I will say this: that answer often comes from someone who believes they don’t have enough money. Whether they truly need it or not, this mindset represents a huge portion of people who believe happiness lies in what they lack.

And that’s a dangerous belief—because tomorrow, you may have what you miss today, but you’ll miss something else. We will never have everything in life. And if your happiness depends on what you don’t have, then you may never truly be happy.

Another person might say happiness is found in pleasure. But pleasure is instantaneous.

Happiness is continuous. Happiness is a philosophy.

It is a choice.

But it’s rooted in something fundamental: contentment.

Yes, you read that right. Some people see contentment as the opposite of happiness—like it means settling for less or not dreaming big. But that’s not the kind of contentment I’m talking about.

I mean the kind of contentment that comes from living by your principles, from overcoming your fears, and from being free to live as your true self.

One of the biggest things that prevents us from being happy is being trapped in our own fears. Fear of judgment, fear of failure, fear of stepping outside of expectations. These fears build invisible walls around us, limiting how much of life we actually experience.

So be free—and choose happiness.

At that point, choosing happiness becomes simple. It means choosing to focus on the half-full part of the glass instead of the half-empty. It means accepting that sadness, like joy, is part of life. Being happy doesn’t mean you’ll never be sad—it means living every part of life fully, and embracing both joy and sorrow in the best way you can.

True happiness isn’t about forcing yourself to smile or pretending everything is perfect. It’s about being awake to life, present in your journey, and grateful even in small moments. It’s about being intentional—choosing how you carry yourself through both peace and pain.

Our thoughts shape how we experience the world around us. Choosing happiness starts with recognizing the power of mindset. When we train ourselves to focus on gratitude, to appreciate small joys, and to reframe challenges as opportunities for growth, we gradually begin to build our own happiness.

Let’s take a concrete and widely experienced example: someone who has lost their job. Yes, it’s a difficult, painful, and overwhelming situation. And no—positivity alone won’t pay the bills. But neither will self-loathing. What you need most in that moment is focus and clarity—the very things that anxiety and despair tend to cloud.

If you stay stuck on what you’ve lost, you risk missing the opportunities that may be unfolding in front of you. That’s what often separates those who move forward from those who stay stuck. A difficult event can be the starting point of something better—or something worse. The choice is yours. These tough moments shake our routines and challenge our comfort zones, but they also reveal sides of life—and of ourselves—that we might never have seen otherwise.

I know it’s not easy to change the way we think or live. But reflecting on this is already a step toward awareness—and a promising path to becoming a better version of ourselves.

Because we do deserve to be happy.

Note: This article is not meant to offer an absolute truth. It simply shares a personal reflection — a point of view written with the sincere intention of helping someone see things differently and perhaps take a step toward positive change.

Your thoughts and perspectives are always welcome. After all, our differences are what make conversations meaningful and enriching.