Happy by choice

"Why are you smiling," asked a friend I was walking with. I had no idea; perhaps it was the weather, or the walk, the cool breeze or none of these. Sometimes one smiles for no reason. Maybe I was permitting myself to feel happy, a feeling we tend to suppress throughout our lives, feeling guilty, allowing ourselves to feel burdened with all kinds of challenges. "How could you sleep so soundly when I am facing so many setbacks in my business," asked a spouse of his wife who was preparing for a day filled with household chores, parenting and marketing.

She shrugged. "I need to sleep to be energetic enough to do my work during the day," she replied. An honest answer but one that infuriated the irate husband. So, how does one experience that feeling of quietude and equanimity despite being surrounded by killjoys?

Happiness, like misery, can be habit-forming. And it does not have to come from big achievements, expensive acquisitions and exotic holidays.


There is joy to be found in small things that, when added up, make the total into a veritable happiness treasure trove. A friend gifted me a plaque which said, "Enjoy the little things." Little drops of water go to make the mighty ocean. Why wait for that important day in the future that promises to shower you with happiness? In the long run we are dead, said J M Keynes. Grab it now in the little things. And don't be afraid or guilty when you smile for no apparent reason. Smiling is infectious; you will spread cheer and positive energy.