“If I want to be happy, I have to create the habit, just as I had to with daily writing, and flossing.” Anne Lamott
As I’ve written here before, I am taking a certification course in Positive Psychology, and one of the things we’ve learned is that happiness and thriving can be – must be – habits you create. I also read this years ago in Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott.
I have to create the habit of being happy – the daily habit of being happy – just like I did with my writing and my flossing. I don’t (very often) think about flossing. I (usually) automatically do it. Well, at least my tooth brushing. Brushing my teeth has become such a habit that not doing it feels weird.
Is that the goal? To make being happy such a daily habit that not doing it feels weird, just like not brushing my teeth?
I have worked hard to create this new habit of being happy, and it now feels a bit off when I’m not. What a blessing. It feels weird when I’m stuck for too long in anger or anguish. It’s starting to feel strange, and I’m starting to notice that something’s not right when I’m not noticing what is right and what brings me joy. Then I pause for a moment and remember. “Right. I have a choice.”
And I try again to choose. To choose to be happy. To choose to love.
To make being happy a daily habit.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, and please share this post with others if it resonates with you!