As I mentioned yesterday, I am reading Gretchen Rubin’s THE HAPPINESS PROJECT and loving it! One idea that hit me as particularly poignant was something she has mentioned on her blog, as well. You have the ability to change the way you see and react to things in your life. Gretchen writes, “Studies show that by acting as if you feel more energetic, you can become more energetic.” She references David Dunning’s book, Self-Insight: Roadblocks and Detours to the Path of Knowing Thyself. Dunning writes:

“[People] can argue anything. If asked to argue that some assertion “A” is true, people can do that. If next asked to argue that the opposite of “A” is true, they can do that, too, often with the exact same ease and effectiveness…When testing a hypothesis, people tend to emphasize evidence that confirms the hypothesis over information that disconfirms it. For example, if I asked someone whether he or she was an outgoing individual, that someone will likely sit back to think about times he or she has been an extroverted, sociable person…if I asked the same person whether he or she is the shy type, he or she would likely think of exactly…opposing examples because they confirm the new hypothesis.” (46-47)

I love the idea that we have that much control over our ultimate happiness and acceptance of the hands we have been dealt just by changing the way we look at things. Sometimes we avoid saying, “I am so happy,” for fear that it will be taken from us. In reality, saying these words both internally and externally actually pushes us in the direction of happiness.

I am thrilled to be following my own path towards happiness and cultivating a more appreciative existence.