The Power of Choice ⏐ How to Create Happiness Daily & Design a Life You Love

Welcome back to The Best Life Mindset. I’m Shelly Hansen, and today we’re exploring a truth many people never realize: happiness is not something you wait for—it’s something you choose. Life will always bring stress, uncertainty, and difficult moments, but your mindset, your focus, and your daily decisions have far more influence on your happiness than most people ever believe.

Happiness is not about pretending everything is perfect. It’s about choosing empowering responses, shifting your perspective, and building habits that support your emotional wellbeing. Let’s break down what it actually means to choose happiness and the science-backed tools that help you create it.

What It Really Means to Choose Happiness

Life is unpredictable. Work pressures, family dynamics, financial stress, and unexpected setbacks can make it feel like happiness is constantly slipping out of reach. But psychology research tells a different story.

According to Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky’s work, roughly 40 percent of our happiness is within our control. That means your daily habits, your self-talk, your environment, and your emotional practices have a massive impact on how you feel.

Choosing happiness doesn’t mean ignoring hard truths—it means deciding that your mindset matters and acting like it does.

Four Practical Ways to Choose Happiness Every Day

1.  Start Your Day With Gratitude

Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools for emotional regulation. Research consistently shows that taking a few moments to reflect on what you’re thankful for reduces stress and increases positive emotion.

Start small: write down three things you’re grateful for each morning. It could be your warm bed, a good cup of coffee, or simply the chance to start again. This practice trains your brain to notice what’s going well instead of constantly scanning for problems.

2.  Reframe Your Thoughts

Your thoughts shape your emotional reality. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has long shown that the way we interpret situations directly affects how we feel.

Instead of thinking, “I failed today,” try, “Today was hard, but tomorrow gives me another chance.”

This doesn’t erase challenges, but it gives you a mindset that supports growth rather than self-blame.

Reframing is not delusion—it’s mental discipline.

3.  Surround Yourself With Positivity

Your environment affects your happiness more than most people realize. Emotions are contagious, and who you spend time with influences your energy, mood, and outlook.

Ask yourself:

Do the people around me lift me up or drain me?

Choose relationships that energize you. Incorporate uplifting podcasts, books, and content into your routine. Even something as simple as listening to a motivating message during your morning walk can shift your entire day.

4.  Practise Self-Compassion

Many people hold themselves to impossible standards and respond to their mistakes with harsh self-judgment. This only fuels stress, shame, and emotional burnout.

Dr. Kristin Neff’s research shows that self-compassion increases resilience and overall happiness. When you speak to yourself the way you’d speak to a friend, you create a mindset that supports growth rather than undermines it.

Be gentle with yourself when things don’t go as planned. It’s not weakness—it's emotional intelligence.

Putting Happiness Into Action

Choosing happiness doesn’t require a perfect life. It requires intention. When challenges appear, ask yourself:

“What can I learn from this?”

That single question turns obstacles into opportunities for growth. Happiness comes from the small choices you repeat, not the rare moments you hope for.

Final Thoughts

Happiness isn’t waiting for you “someday.” It’s shaped by the decisions you make every single day—how you think, how you respond, what you focus on, and how you treat yourself.

By practising gratitude, reframing your thoughts, surrounding yourself with positivity, and showing yourself compassion, you build a life where happiness becomes a habit, not a hope.

Thank you for being part of The Best Life Mindset. If this post resonated with you, feel free to subscribe, share it with someone who’s ready to create more joy, and leave a review. You deserve a life that feels good from the inside out.

Blog Post Five by Shelly Hansen