March 25, 2013

Choosing Happiness – GUEST POST FROM HEATHER MCKENZIE

I’ve come to believe that feeling happy is not something that happens to us or doesn’t happen to us. There are not happy people and unhappy people. Sure, some people seem to have an easier time than others choosing happiness, but I believe that when it comes down to it, it’s a choice for everyone. And for me some days, being happy feels like a very difficult choice. So if I’m feeling low or struggling to get the happy feeling I know I want, I do the following: grab some paper, a pen, and start writing a list. A list of everything I can think of in just a few moments that I’m grateful for: my working car, my best friend’s homemade meatballs, my paying job, my eyes and vision, running water every time I turn on the faucet, putting on warm clothes straight from the dryer, North Carolina sun, fresh cookies, listening to live music outside, my new pair of shoes, being without physical pain, my nephew’s giggle, a silly YouTube video, family coming to visit, remembering to bring my umbrella….nothing is too little or too big to add.  I make the list as long as needed until I can feel my mood shift.

Give it a try – see how capable you are of choosing happiness for yourself!

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Heather McKenzie, M.S., NCC, LPC
Turning Point Family Care, PLLC
1708 Trawick Rd. Suite 101
Raleigh, NC 27604
(919) 896-7536
hmckenzie@tpfcnc.org