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Choosing Happiness: The First Step is Intention

By Marilyn Schwader

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Published: 21Jun2009
Word count: 403
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This is a story Linda Schwader, my sister and business partner, told me this weekend. I thought it was a great way to kick off a series of articles on finding happiness. Come back for more in this nine part series on choosing happiness.

This weekend I was shopping for clothes for my oldest daughter, Alex, with my 10-year old son, Reece, in tow. Within a short time, he was ready to be done with shopping. He said to me, "Mom, I'm not having any fun shopping. Let's go."

I told him that we weren't leaving until we had finished looking for what Alex needed. He replied that if I wanted him to be happy, it was best that we leave right away. I saw this as a good opportunity for me to explain to him how he can choose to be happy; that how he feels isn't based on what me or someone else does, but from his own intention and behavior.

In their book, How We Choose to Be Happy: The 9 Choices of Extremely Happy People--Their Secrets, Their Stories, Rick Foster & Greg Hicks show how all people can incorporate 9 choices into their lives to create a personal experience of happiness. The first choice is Intention, the most hidden and powerful choice we make in everything we do.

They write, "The intention to be happy is a mindset that propels us toward living as happily as we can, predisposing us to make each day as joyful and significant as it can be. It's the point at which we stop responding unconsciously and actively decide we want to be happy. We make a promise to ourselves, a commitment to happiness that becomes our compass, guiding the decisions we make and the actions we take."

Happy people don't necessarily make happiness a goal. But they do make it an intention in everything they do, no matter what their circumstances in life. Foster and Hicks give example after example of people who have survived untold horrors, yet choose to be happy despite the setbacks they have faced.

As they remind us, if you don't intend to make happiness a choice, you have unconsciously made a different choice.

When I explained this to Reece, he decided he would rather be happy, especially since it was his choice. So, make it your choice. You'll be amazed at how that one intention will begin to change your life.

Marilyn Schwader and Linda Schwader are successful entrepreneurs with a passion for helping people remove their daily struggle for money so that they can focus on the change they want to be in the world. If you are ready to start your own home based business, if you have drive, focus, integrity, and ambition, and aren't content to wait and see what life gives you, but are ready to create your own business, then we encourage you to contact us.

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