What Does Happiness Mean to Me?

While interviewing people off the streets and doing seemingly endless research on happiness, I pined over my definition. Although I do not have a definitive answer for happiness, I've made a dent in understanding it. Usually, people view happiness as the absence of bad times; however, through the interviews and research I've conducted, I've realized what happiness is. Happiness is not just an emotion but also a mindset. It's choosing to believe the best in people, situations, and the world—even on clouded days, seeing the sun. It's choosing the best for your mind, soul, body, and the people around you. It's believing in the good of yourself and others. It's choosing to smile even if you don't want to. 

Happiness is choosing the good. 

It's seeing something heartbreaking on the news and realizing the good you have in your life, and because of the realization, you decide to help others. It's feeling sad and prioritizing your mental health to take care of yourself. 

Happiness can also be some of the simplest things in the world: listening to a song that takes you back to a special memory or being smiled at by a stranger. Finishing a good book. Small things like these are the best rewards. 

Happiness is the people who choose good in the world. Happiness comes from the bad but choosing to see it as good.