Well that not true, happiness is not a choice at all... What if someone is living in a third world country there family killed and they have nothing, you will just say be happy? Seems like you don't know what your talking about
So, you are saying people not living in the third world are more entitled to happiness? I get the other reason, but now you make it look, in terms of happiness, that third world countries are inferior to other countries. Also, I think that materialism and the ‘possession’ of friends and family shouldn’t be at the core of happiness.
As far as I know, there is no technology enabling mind-control in usage. Focus equals power, anonymous. What I think about, that I will become. I can either drown in circumstances, or I can float by changing my thoughts and perspective.
Of course I would be sad and mourn for my killed family, but then again, did you know there are cultures that celebrate death (the Ari Muyang in Malaysia for example)? I was taught and raised to focus on the negative in such situations. I am not saying the hurt we feel is self-created, there is probably some biological response, but what I do say is that we have some control in how long we dwell on it and how much we feel sorry for ourselves.
Another example, lets say you believe in heaven and your mom just died. From an egocentric perspective (not in a bad way) you could be sad; you just lost someone. However, you can also choose to be intensely happy, your mom is going to heaven. I know people who became Christian just because they could find some consolation in it after they had lost someone. This consolation adds to their well-being, making them less sad or more happy.
Beliefs are what are at the core of happiness. The sun makes me happy. Rain makes me happy. I believe I don’t need much more. When I am walking home and the skies pour all over me, I can focus on the negative (wet clothes), but most of the time I start to walk slower and enjoy the experience.
If you believe life is a damned, then it will be, no matter what. Beliefs are just like an Instagram filter; it puts focus on a pallet of colors.
Have you seen or read The Great Gatsby? A marvelous story. In the final moments of the film, he was waiting at the pool for his lover to call him. She would call if she desired to be with Gatsby, instead of Tom Buchanan. Right after the phone rang, he got shot. But while he was falling down to meet his death, he was sort of happy because his girl called. However, it turned out that it was his best friend calling. Gatsby would never know, but in that moment, his belief made him happy.
Perhaps, all this makes a poor example. Life isn’t this black and white. But from my own experience, I believe I do know what I am talking about, anonymous. You might disagree with me, and that is fine. But I refuse to believe that I am living my life according to circumstances. Whatever happens to me, only I decide what I think of it. Happiness is a choice. The mind is free.
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