“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Wayne Dyer

My dress ( yes, it’s a dress) and shoes are from thredUP.

Sometimes happiness seems puzzling. There are people who have suffered great losses who seem to have an aura of strength, courage, joy and gratefulness. Then there are other people who seem to have everything a person could possibly want who have permanent frowns on their faces and are constantly full of complaints.

My top, tights, and bracelets are from Target.

According to science, to some extent, our happiness depends on our genetic makeup and life experiences. Also according to science, we all have the capacity to increase our level of happiness. It all has to do with cultivating attitudes of resilience and joyfulness and choosing to live with compassion and gratitude.

My cupcake necklace is from Kate Spade New York.

It really can be achieved in simple ways.

First of all, choose where you want your attention to go. Do you really want it to go to negative thoughts and people that drain the energy out of you? Or can you train your mind to be appreciative of people that uplift you and think more positive thoughts?

My bag is the ‘Mini Sunday’ and from Angela Roi. I blogged about the ethical, affordable line here.

Second, remember that you are the only one who is responsible for your own happiness. Although you can’t predict or have control over all circumstances, you can control how you react to everything. Choose healthy ways to respond to people and events and you will definitely feel a better sense of well-being and peace regardless of what comes your way.

Remember that you don’t have to wait to change your life. It’s not about finding a better job, perfect partner, or bigger house. It’s about the conscious choice you make to appreciate all you have and about making a commitment to yourself to make healthy, mindful decisions about what to allow and not allow into your life.

My hair was colored and styled by the amazing, talented, and creative Jannine Maynard of Meraki Salon, in Johnston, Rhode Island.

Shifting your thoughts and feelings to gratitude and kindness will go a long way as you grow in your pursuit of happiness.

It won’t always be easy. We know what joy is because we also know sadness. It’s important to have people to talk to when things are difficult. People you can share your secrets and fears with are essential. If you don’t have people like this in your life, it’s worth it to make the effort to nurture an existing friendship to include this kind of support and deeper connection.

It’s not about avoiding negative feelings or difficult situations. Figuratively running away from a sadness will only make it more powerful. Allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling and then accept the circumstances and commit to doing what you need to do to create more happiness in your life as you move forward.

We can choose to embrace our paths full of lessons, sadness, joy, love, and happiness and live in contentment while also taking steps to improve ourselves and look forward to even happier days ahead.

My coat is from Zara and I first blogged about it here.

The most important part of being mindful about cultivating habits of happiness is to be sure that the things you are doing and the thoughts you are thinking are bringing you closer to the vision in your head of how you want your life to be. Only you know what will bring you true contentment and fullfillment.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit the blog today. I hope that you found this post worthwhile and that it inspires you to stay on track with a positive mindset and a future of wellness.

I would love to connect further so feel free to leave me a comment, email or even a link if you have something to share. I will definitely get back to you in a timely fashion.

Yours truly,

Jennifer