Happiness is not a choice!

Happiness is not a choice!

Choice: An option, a decision, an opportunity to choose something.

Happiness: A sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, safe, or lucky, they feel happiness.

When we say happiness is a choice, we are calling people who suffer real-life issues stupid.

Some people suffer from mental illnesses: Depression. Anxiety. Panic attacks. PTSD...

There are people who suffer from poverty, people who suffer childhood traumas, people who want to get married but cannot find a partner, and people who are not lazy and are working their asses off to be better individuals.

You sit where you are and tell these people they don't want to be happy? Do you sincerely think anyone decides to be sad?

Certain destiny paths must ply through an unpleasant route. 

Do you think Jesus Christ was a happy man? A man who was born to suffer, he knew his destiny and accepted it, albeit the acceptance didn't make him happy. Hence his crying out on his last day for “the cup to run over” after feeling real Life pain and anguish.

People who say happiness is a choice have not faced real Life issues, they have never been helpless.

We should be soft with our words and not play down people's predicaments.

That you beat cancer, and you are happy now, doesn't mean your neighbour is not trying, you don't tell such people they choose not to be happy.

Life is not black and white! Life is a farmland full of ridges, there's no smooth sailing in Life.

Some are bound to have easier Lives, but to tell another they choose not to be happy is insensitive, IMO.

Away from motivational reasons, telling people to be happy in every situation is unrealistic, some situations would hit you; you'd never be happy unless indeed you want to live in denial.

So, no. Happiness is not a choice, and people do not decide to be sad.

I understand the idea behind saying happiness is a choice, somewhat telling people not to be held down by their circumstances.

But, there are real Life situations that would break you beyond your limits.

Let's be kind with our words and actions, the world needs a lot of kindness.

I am Kovu.