Take Control of Your Happiness

Taking Control of Your Happiness

There are some who argue that our happiness is not up to us, that it is up to our genes and the circumstances around us. They are right, but only partly so.

Current research (and my mama) points out that your happiness is only 50% genetic. You may be genetically predisposed to be happy or less happy; still the other 50% is up to you.

In Western cultures, we have been socialized to believe that having more, looking better and being the best in whatever we do will make us happy.

We are only now beginning to see that not only will this not make us happier (someone who is richer, wealthier and of a higher status always walks into our room,) but the constant pursuit of these areas will tend to make us unhappy.

So what’s a gorgeous woman to do? The answer is simple but the application takes dedication: go inside yourself and seek ways to actually be a better person.

It turns out that personal growth, better relationships and community involvement will do much more to boost your happiness scores that losing weight ever could.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t control the weather; so I’ve decided to live with it and be happy. When I have a flight that connects in the middle of a storm, I go around it. It may cost me more to do so, but I’m grateful that I can afford to.

When things seem a bit off, and I feel like I have not done enough in the Universe or I begin to feel fat, I talk to one of my kids who always remind me that I am crazy anyway and that life is good.

I may have to do the same for them the next day, and such is life.

We are here for one another. When you shine, you help others to do the same, but their happiness is not up to you. Your happiness is not up to them.

When someone rains on your parade, start singing in it. Read a book, watch a documentary about something you’ve always wanted to know about. Take a class, learn something from someone you need to feel better about and give thanks.

Every day won’t be rosy, but you can be the rose in your own day.

Be you, be well, be wonderful.

Bertice Berry, PhD.

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