Happiness Is A Choice (Shit Is Everywhere)

So over the course of the past year and a half or so, I've had plenty of time and plenty of experiences that have taught me something quite important. That something is that happiness is, in fact, a choice.

Sure, life throws you curveballs. Life could be compared to a monkey at the zoo, throwing literal shit this way and that way, not caring who it hits. Sometimes, you get hit a lot. Sometimes, you don't. I don't mean to brag folks, but I have come to believe that I am a monkey shit magnet. But guess what? I learned to deal with it. I took my metaphorical hose and washed myself off, and started over. And sure, my monkeys occasionally hit me with the usual, but I deal with it. I have learned to be happy even through all of the monkey shit, the horse shit, and the bull shit.
I feel like a lot of you haven't.
But moreover, I feel like a lot of you simply haven't learned to accept reality for what it is.
I feel like a lot of people that I know have recently gone absolutely batshit crazy. Crazy how? One word for you guys:
Denial.
Denial of personal responsibility, denial of failure, denial of reality. It might be a very nice, lovely river (ha), but denial is not somewhere that I would want to live. It's such a detrimental state of being, you simply tear yourself apart by living there.

I feel like a lot of you have simply  forgotten how to live.

One friend in particular comes to mind. She feels like she can't be happy without someone in her life, and that makes me sad for her. Number one, because she deserves to be treated better than he has treated her, and number two, because no one should ever feel like their happiness relies solely on one person.

Happiness does not come solely from another person. Yes, you may be happy around a certain person. But other things also bring you joy. Personally, having time to read brings me joy. I read like crazy in the summer. Also, music. And family. And friends. And conversations with Aaron. And knowing that the future starts every second. You can change your future in a single second from a single decision. That decision is to be happy.
It's easier said than done, I won't lie to you there. It's definitely not an easy task at first, but like anything else that you have to fight for, it becomes easier as you continue, and it is extremely worth it in the end.
In the past year and a half, I have had plenty of things happen to me that could have emotionally crippled me. Hell, over the course of my life, I've had enough things happen to me to emotionally cripple me. But yet, I'm happy. I am content. I am thankful. And most importantly, I am alive.
Not alive just as in the living-breathing-vitals alive. Alive as in the enjoying myself, enjoying others, and finding joy in other people's happiness/accomplishments alive. I can see someone's hard work pay off and feel genuine happiness for them. I can see my hard work pay off and feel good about it as well.
No, not everything is perfect. But most everything can be viewed in a better light:

I have medical bills from when I "broke" my wrist....at least I have insurance that covers a decent amount of it.
I have to pay my Grandmother back for getting my brakes fixed on my car...I am thankful that I have a car, and that I have family that cares about me and my personal safety in said car.
My hours haven't been stellar at work...at least I have a job in this bad economy. Some people don't have that.
My parents kicked me out...I am thankful that I have family and friends that put roofs over my head when I needed it most, and that I have been able to settle in elsewhere.
I have finals this week...I have the opportunity for education.

It's hard to forget what we do have when our own personal bratty monkeys start throwing shit around. But having those monkeys means that you're living life, and living life means that you're alive.
So take a moment to reflect on what you do have in life that makes you happy. Don't waste so much time thinking about how much happier you could be with things that you don't have. Make the best of everything, and be happy with your life, as is. No one else can can decide to make you happy. Only you can. So make a choice to be happy with your life, no matter the state of it. Chances are, things will start to look a whole hell of a lot better very quickly. I have a lot of things that make me as happy as I am, and I recognize them. Do you recognize yours?