Recently, I’ve been thinking a great deal about what the concept of happiness means to myself. I’ve always considered the mental or emotional state of happiness a choice that was firmly up to the respective individual.

While many question what happiness is and how it might be attained, I believe that it’s not as scientific and challenging as one may contemplate. Several of the features of my life that make me happy are as basic and straightforward as it comes. What happiness means to me includes, but is certainly not limited to, the following:

• The calm and soothing feeling of sitting outside on a cool summer night reflecting on the joy and gratefulness of my life.
• Walking up the stairs to get ready for bed and seeing my beautiful and loving wife sound asleep and thinking about how blessed I’m to be married to such an incredible woman.
• Seeing the contagious smile and natural pureness of my son as I pick him up from daycare.
• Relaxing on a Sunday night with my family and watching a movie as my dog Charlie lays in my lap and keeps me warm.
• Witnessing the excitement of my grandma Harris as she meets her first great-grandson and reflecting on the precious memories of when she used to watch me when I was a toddler.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately regarding a quote from one of my favorite TV shows, “The Office.” Albeit, the show received its widespread acclaim more from its humor than from its philosophical, thought-provoking quotes, however, the finale undoubtedly had some tear jerker moments. A quote from Andy Bernard in the final episode still resonates with me on a daily basis. The quote is, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days…before you’ve actually left them.”

Take a second to comprehend that quote and how it relates to your life. More often than not, you’re living in the good old days at this very moment! One day, you’ll look back on where you’re right now in your life and wish you could turn back time to the good old days.

You have the capability right now to accept your life and the genuine happiness it can bestow on you. You can start exercising regularly and eating healthy, start to practice mindfulness and other activities that simply your life, and, lastly, begin surrounding yourself with kind and loving people. There’s outside factors that will attempt to stray you away from embracing happiness, but the powers of resiliency, perseverance, and mindfulness will help invigorate you and recognize all the good that surrounds you. It’s up to YOU whether you lead a happy life or not. You only live one life so why not make it a happy one?!

What makes you genuinely happy and full of life?

Thanks for reading!

— Chris