Choose Happy (when you can...)

Because you can't always Choose Happy. 

Sometimes happy is not in the picture for a bit, and that's ok. Sometimes you don't get a choice, and the emotion of the day is sad...or angry...or anxious...or whatever. It's ok. Let yourself feel it. Rather than slapping on a smile and pretending, give yourself some time to do what you need to do to get through it.

What?!? Is that what YOU always do, Pretty?

Well, first of all, that was a fairly accusatory tone. Secondly, ouch. No. That is not what I always do. I'd sure like to do that more often...but I am far from perfect, and I know it.

Pretty is queen of slapping on a happy face and pretending that all is well in the Pretty World. It is a coping mechanism, as much as any other. I can fake it 'till I make it to happy, right? Sometimes, but not always...and that's not the healthiest way to approach those icky emoticons. 

What I should do instead (at least according to just about everything I've read about emotional health) is 1. acknowledge what I feel, 2. allow myself to feel it, and then 3. figure out how to move forward, even though it feels really bad sometimes. 

Sometimes moving forward means slapping on a happy face and just doing the next right thing...but sometimes it means taking a nap, or a break (preferably with a cup of tea and some knitting).

A shawl I have recently knit.

Sometimes moving forward means having an occasionally difficult conversation, or an easy talk, with a friend or family member. 

Sometimes moving forward means having an ugly cry. 

Most of the time, for me anyway, moving forward means finding a way to get outside myself and do something for someone else...perhaps even for the person who is at the center of whatever emotional outburst I happen to be in the middle of. 

During 2021, I had lots of opportunities to do this well. During 2021, I did not always take those opportunities. I will try to do better in 2022.

Will you join me? I can teach you to knit along the way, you know, if you're into that kind of thing. If not, I can just stand with you as we do our best to Choose Happy...when we can. 

Thanks for stopping by. Knit in Good Health, and Happy New Year!