You want to be happy. I want to be happy. Everybody wants to be happy. Maybe you’re already happy, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to be a little more happy, would it? If you don’t think you want to be happy, you’re probably in denial.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s time to become excited. Why? Because I’m going to tell you how to permanently change your life for the better. (Does this sound like a self-help infomercial yet?) I’m going to tell you how to experience the pleasure of a warm, sunny, Saturday afternoon any day of the week. I’m going to tell you how to be happy… in two words. Ready? Say this with me now:

Choose happiness.

(I know you’re impressed; that gem took hours to write.)

All kidding aside, you might be surprised at how much control you can exert over your emotions if you simply make the attempt. The next time you’re feeling down, try smiling. In fact, try it right now. Not the “oh great, not another picture” smile, but a genuine one. Pretend that you’re actually happy, and it might become a reality.

Sure, bad stuff happens. We wake up, we’re grumpy. We go to work, we’re bored. We get in a car accident, we’re stressed. We experience certain pre-programmed reactions to certain events — but who says we can’t change those reactions? Rather than being annoyed at your alarm and it’s heinous beeping, try to feel grateful that you have the opportunity to experience a new day (especially if your alarm woke you up before sunrise).

This also applies to other emotions. You may have been to a funeral for someone you didn’t know well. You weren’t necessarily attached enough to feel the same grief as a family member, but it’s socially appropriate to express at least moderate sorrow. Did you later find yourself in a state of sadness, even if you weren’t previously?

No matter how fickle you are when it comes to emotions, you have a choice. Choose happiness. It will make the choice that much easier for the rest of us.

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