“Be happy.” It’s one of those dictates that seems bossy and disingenuous all at once. You can’t just tell me to be happy and suddenly I am happy. And who are you to tell me how I should feel anyway?

This is one of those conversations that goes on in my head constantly. Yes, with myself. Interestingly, what I have started to learn is that my self-talk is a gateway to manifestation in real life. And what I have come to understand through some very challenging “real life” situations, is that happiness is indeed a choice. A study in The American Psychologist Journal im 2016 found that emotions are adaptive, in particular positive emotions. This means, happiness, when practiced, mindfully, can and will beget more positive emotions. So yes, you CAN fake it till you make it. You can tell yourself to be happy, practice it, and it will indeed become true.

So, happiness, as a choice, can be unconditional. It is in your grasp. It’s not a question of whether happiness is under your control; it’s totally your choice! It’s just that we don’t really mean it; because we put all these conditions on it. We say, “Yes, I’ll be happy… unless my wife leaves me, or the stock market crashes, or my car breaks down, and as long as my job, friends, body, and life are perfect. Then I’ll be happy.” We have to qualify our happiness.

But here is the rub. You have to give the unconditional answer. I will be happy. I will choose to be happy, no matter what life throws at me. And trust me, once you decide you want to be unconditionally happy, life will challenge you. And if you choose to still be happy in the face of that adversity, that will stimulate your growth. So start now. Let’s walk this scary, dark path together. Let’s choose to be happy. Let’s practice it and it will be true! Let’s. Be Happy. #yoga #happy #science #medicine #inspiration #rustygram