The Choice to Be Happy

As this blog comes back to life, I’m going to challenge you, but before we get to that point we need to level set. I need you to understand the options you have available to you in life.

Last month I had lunch with my friend Kenny, who used to work for me when I was a manager in aircraft operations. He’s probably about 15 years older than me and when we worked together I was probably only 25. We’ve always been real candid with each other and that’s probably why our friendship fostered. We didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but that didn’t stop either of us from letting the other know our view on the world. I liked my ideas to be challenged, it made me stronger.

The lunch conversation went very differently than one would have back then. Kenny used to see himself with a pessimistic view on things. This time however, I would propose an idea, doubt it and Kenny would jump in and say “why not.” He kept encouraging me to find the possibility in my ideas. Keep in mind I’m not a pessimist. Kenny told me how his perspective changed a lot over the years due to my attitude. He told me “if something bad happens, I just realize that’s how it was meant to be and I’d deal with it. Getting upset doesn’t help the situation.” I’m a rather big optimist, but it didn’t hurt having Kenny remind me that we always have the option of making the choice to be happy.

Thanks to social media we have the ability to interact with hundreds of people in just a moment. In an instant we can see how excited a friend’s vacation was or find out how miserable someone is cause their flight was delayed at the airport. We will be challenged in life, time and time again. I think social media offers a way to share our challenges or struggles and get a wide variety of help from our friends. But if you’re paying attention like I am, our friends are not sharing their struggles. Some are just plain miserable and make it seem like the world has it out for them.

It’s harder for some to make this decision (to be happy), but it’s one that is there for all of us. Most importantly, you have to recognize how the decision you make impacts not only you. If you are positive it will influence those around you and if you’re miserable, no doubt it will infect your work team. I’m going to constantly push you to make lemonade in challenging situations, so remember you always get a choice.

When you have to interact with someone who is a victim of their own situation, do you confront them or let them infect others?