Happiness is a Choice

[BigV]

If happiness is not a choice, what is it then?

The inescapable result of circumstances? A transient emotional state? A reflex? A chance, random result of... ?

I know people, and I know you know people, who have been in a set of circumstances, sets of people, who for group A, circumstance X, are happy. And for group B, circumstance X, are not happy. How can it be the circumstances? (as much as you can compare group A and B and how ever matchy-matchy the circumstances appear).

I know that in my own life, there have been times where I reacted well (happily) to some news, and other times when I reacted badly to similar news. Or changed my opinion / feeling about the exact same news/event/change.

Perhaps you've heard "Boredom is a choice". I think I heard it first here in the cellar. I agree with that. Especially in the context of young kids "I'm booooorrred." (complete with eyeroll and giant sigh). aw. poor baby. What? No books in your world? No grass to roll in? No chores? No animals to play with? etc, etc, etc, etc. They're bored because they've focused on X and not Y. I think happiness is much the same.

**********

And another idea, sparked from xoB's comment.... Happy, compared to what? How happy I was last week/year/as a young man/etc? Happy compared to the Joneses? Or (heaven forfend), happy compared to some image from the media or advertising? (good luck with that, eh?). Happy compared to what?