Adulting: Does "Choose Happy" Really Work?

I was experiencing a tough day at work, and I imagined going home that night, trudging through all that must happen before finally settling down for some sleep. I was not giving myself a peaceful mental picture of my evening. As a result, I was already feeling negative about the evening and everything ahead of me. Have you done this?

I’ve heard over and over that we have a say in creating our reality. Those "Choose Happy" slogans abound. So for better or for worse, I decided to try it.

I started to imagine going home, tackling a few big things, and focusing on how good it would feel to have them done. I then imagined that despite everything, I would make time to sit down with a cup of tea and a comfy blanket. The images in my mind brought me peace, and just like that, my mindset toward my evening changed.

And that was my “aha” moment. I never realized how much I mentally picture my future, and how easily I put a negative or positive spin on it in my mind.

The bizarre thing is that our thoughts can happen so quickly (in either direction) and even just be an impression. I can see myself being incredibly happy at night with my cup of tea. Or in a flash, I can see myself drinking that same tea, overwhelmed, stomach in knots because I know I will have a lot on my plate for the next day.

Wow. What power we have.

So now, when I’m overwhelmed with a lot of anxiety, and I’m feeling incredibly negative, I make a point to envision my next step, whatever it is, going well. I also like to think of ways to make what I'm not looking forward to just a little bit better. What if I drink my favorite tea during a dreaded meeting? What if I light a candle while reading my countless emails, just to change up the atmosphere and make it a little cozy?

Being more intentional about how I mentally picture the future, even in the little details, has helped make my mindset be more positive. Even just telling myself how good I’ll feel when a difficult event is over has been so helpful.

These are small, intentional steps that have helped me. Again, they are small, but I hope they can help you too, but make that significant difference.