Let’s be honest: some days happiness wraps around you like a warm blanket. Other days, it’s a threadbare flag you have to raise yourself, even when the wind isn’t blowing.
Sometimes, happy arrives uninvited. A smile you didn’t expect. A moment of peace. Laughter that catches you by surprise. These are the days when joy feels natural. Effortless. When your heart feels light and your worries take a back seat. These are the days you wish you could bottle.
But what about the other days? The days when you wake up heavy, when your body aches with exhaustion, when your mind is cluttered and your heart is a storm cloud? What then?
That’s when happy becomes a choice. And yes, sometimes, it’s the hardest choice you can make.
Feel It When It Comes
We all have seasons where happiness seems to bloom everywhere—inside us and around us. These are the easy days. The ones where gratitude feels automatic, and your smile is real. And when those moments show up?
Let them.
Don’t question the joy. Don’t wait for the other shoe to drop. Let yourself feel good without guilt. You don’t have to earn happiness for it to be valid. It’s not a reward, it’s a gift. And you are allowed to receive it, just because you exist.
Too many of us hesitate to feel joy because we’re afraid it won’t last. But here’s the truth: happiness isn’t permanent, but it is powerful. And when it comes naturally, lean in. Let it soak into your skin.
Choose It When It Feels Out of Reach
And then there are the other days.
The days when happy feels like a stranger.
That’s when you make the choice to reach for it anyway. You choose to smile. To take a walk. To text a friend. To wash your hair. To play a song that makes you sway just a little. To say thank you, even when you’re not quite feeling it.
This isn’t toxic positivity. This is resilience. This is saying, “I know I feel low, but I’m going to plant the seeds of joy anyway.” And over time, those seeds bloom.
Happiness isn’t about denying what hurts. It’s about refusing to let the hurt define the whole day.
You Are Allowed to Want More
Here’s a powerful truth: you don’t have to settle. Not for a life that keeps you stuck. Not for a mindset that keeps you small. You are allowed to chase joy. To design a life that feels good on the inside, not just one that looks good from the outside.
And when you can’t find it? You can choose it. You can create it.
Even if that looks like a slow morning with coffee and quiet.
You are not failing if you have to fight for your happiness. That’s not weakness. That’s strength.
Some Days It’s Both
Sometimes happy is a breeze. Sometimes it’s a battle.
And sometimes, it’s a little bit of both.
Either way, you have the power to feel it, create it, or reach for it. You don’t have to wait for life to feel perfect before you allow yourself to be happy. Let it show up in small ways. Invite it in. And when it comes, don’t push it away.
You are allowed to feel good. You are allowed to choose good. You are allowed to live a life that includes joy.
Even on the hard days.
SLAY Reflection
- When was the last time you felt joy without effort? What triggered it?
- Do you feel guilty when you’re happy? Why?
- What’s one small way you could choose joy today?
- How can you remind yourself that happiness isn’t a reward?
- What would your day look like if you let joy take up more space?
S-L-A-Y:
- See where joy naturally shows up in your day
- Let yourself lean into those moments
- Acknowledge the hard feelings, but don’t stay stuck in them
- You have the power to choose happiness, even in small ways
Call to Action: Join the Conversation
I’d love to hear from you.
What does choosing happiness look like for you right now?
Share your story in the comments. Let’s cheer each other on.
And if you know someone who’s struggling to feel joy, send this to them.
Sometimes, all we need is a reminder.
