Happiness is a Decision

 This week's quote reads, "Happiness is a decision, not fate."

And I see what they mean, up to a point. Good things will happen and bad things will happen, but how we respond to them is up to us. We can choose to be at the mercy of our emotions, being blown hither and thither by the winds of fate. Or we can choose to "make the best of it" (or the worst of it) by how we respond.

For example, I have been feeling pretty sorry for myself in the last ten days - I have shingles, and it is very painful. But every day I have tried to find something to be grateful for  - my District has been incredibly supportive; I was sent some beautiful flowers and no less than four get well cards; I have been told to take two weeks off work (which is why there wasn't a blogpost last week) and so have not set my alarm. As a result of which I've been sleeping nine or ten hours a night - I must have needed a rest! Above all, I am grateful for my husband, who has picked up the slack and done the week's shop etc in my place.

A popular theory is that shingles is triggered by over-work, or by trying to cram too many things into too little time. And I've realised that was exactly what I have been doing. I was overtired, overstressed and out of balance.

But I've worked out how to make the changes necessary to bring my life back into balance, and I'm grateful for that too. This illness has been a sharp reminder to take better care of myself, because I'm not in my thirties any more...

Of course, there will be situations in our lives where it is so hard to find a silver lining - when we lose a loved one, for example. Our grief will be deep and real, and has no time limit. But in most situations, there is something we can be happy about (or at least, grateful for), if we look hard enough.