Determine To Be Happy- It Truly Starts With You
I’m enjoying a beautiful autumn day in Utah County, gazing out my window at the stunning trees with their full, colorful leaves. My thoughts are filled with gratitude for the people who have supported me on my journey to this point. In light of that determine to be happy.
Determine to be Happy
Melissa Smith transformed into the type of woman that some people might find annoying. She started being consistently cheerful and always had something positive to share. When she saw you, she would enthusiastically exclaim, “Hello, my friend!” and when asked how she was feeling, she would almost shout, “I’m feeling fantastic!” Although her loud exuberance occasionally made me feel a little embarrassed, I was happy that she became my friend.
Melissa established herself as a distinctive employee in Utah’s health sector. The others circled around after her. She became a herbal motivator as a result of her mindset. Melissa was there to support anyone who was having a terrible day by assisting them in seeing the bright side of any circumstance. One evening after work, I noticed her walking to the facilities with one of the patients. It was later revealed to me that Melissa had been contributing more than half of her salary to assist that girl with the medical expenses of her extended family. This was not the first time Melissa had done something like this. Her generosity is well known and acknowledged by many.
During the 1990s, healthcare professionals faced particularly difficult circumstances. They had only a decade left until the department would close, and the region had undergone significant transformation.
I was intrigued by Melissa’s positive outlook on life, so one day I asked her, “I don’t understand! Everyone else complains about the challenging work, the criticism, and the low pay. Everyone except you. You always seem to have a positive attitude. What’s your secret?”
“You have the option of choosing happiness or misery. Really, it’s up to you.”
With a prompt reply and a bright smile, Melissa explained, “Every morning, I remind myself, ‘Melissa, today you have two choices. You can choose to be in a good mood or a bad mood.’ Kiersti, I choose to have a positive attitude. Whenever something bad happens, I have the choice to either suffer from it or learn from it. Kiersti, I choose to learn from it.” Every time someone complains to me, I have the option of either accepting it or pointing out the positive aspects of life. Kiersti, I choose the positive view of life.
I responded, “That sounds too easy, doesn’t it?”
Yes, Melissa said, “It is.” “Picks are the key to life. Every circumstance is a wish. You choose how to react in each circumstance. We have power over how the actions of others will affect our feelings. You may decide whether to be in a good or negative attitude. The truth is that you may live your life in whatever you want.
“That summer, my job in healthcare became incredibly demanding. Despite being just 19 years old, I moved back home for the summer to try to earn enough money for my upcoming year at American Beauty Academy.”
Challenging? That is seriously understating things. My goal was to comprehend health from the top of the hospital and any potential mental health developments nearby. It requires understanding and acceptance to complete the task. Threat to life? Yep!
“Change is inevitable, so expect it.”
It might fall apart unless that area was simple. We worked in all-female groups, securing masks across our faces for safety. We constantly monitored our equipment, quickly leaving if we detected any odors. The top of the area became the most unpleasant part due to the rising smell. I was frustrated when Melissa was transferred to the children’s area. She was working in the coolest area of Utah during that challenging summer. Can’t I do the same now? For her, it was enjoyable to work, even in the unpleasant environment of the healthcare center. Why am I no longer needed?
We must expect change. The workers initiated strikes. When Melissa spoke to me, she was in great distress. It was the first time she had ever shown disappointment to me. “Kiersti, I just arrived at work. I’ll probably end up being a strikebreaker. I have to support my family.” For eight months, my husband Beck has been struggling with depression. Making the tough decision is extremely challenging.
In Utah, an innocent baby was tragically shot and killed. I can recall several terrible incidents where strikebreakers were killed, severely injured, or left disabled for choosing to cross the picket line. Melissa was in a difficult situation. The healthcare sector was the most viable industry in the town, which was located 10 miles from any civilization. She had no funds for transportation and no means to survive. I reluctantly understood her decision. What else could I have done?
“Things happen, but what matters is how you handle them.”
The following day was dreadful. Some strikebreakers managed to reach the healthcare center, but they were ridiculed, taunted, and protested by the hundreds of furious people in line. Melissa hung her head in shame as she drove past in a company car guarded by armed personnel. It was a disastrous choice to work there. However, it was no longer due to societal bias against strikebreakers. Melissa assigned me the task of overseeing the area’s peak. Previously, I had worked at the same location on my best days. On that day, neighbors watched as the neighborhood deteriorated, and my friend Melissa perished swiftly from burns.
The impact of losing Melissa was deeply profound for me. It could have been my life lost in that incident. I was scarred from my childhood experiences. What made it even worse was feeling regret for resenting how much time she spent in the children’s section. I felt guilty for not always appreciating her positive attitude. But now, she has become a distant memory. Her family was abandoned by her mother. She was classified as a temporary worker due to the scathing criticism her surviving artwork received, resulting in the loss of all support for her family. It turned into a tragedy that I was unable to cope with.
The fire of emotions burned inside me. I needed to channel my anger, regret, sorrow, and pain into something meaningful. Reflecting on Melissa’s optimistic attitude, I concluded that the best tribute to her would be to live a life akin to hers, focusing on the positive aspects of life.
What I Learned
Melissa’s unexpected death taught me a valuable lesson: life is fleeting, and we never know when our time will come. We should cherish every day we have. Melissa was absolutely right. Each day is a choice. You have the power to decide how your day unfolds, whether you choose happiness or unhappiness, love or hate. The path to enlightenment lies in making these choices. So, which path will you choose today? This week, remember my friend Melissa and choose the path that leads to happiness.
The choice is yours. Will you choose happiness or sadness? You are solely responsible for this decision. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Kiersti writes on self-love and personal development professionally. Over the past ten or so years, she has studied self-love and personal growth. Visit https://womansdailyneeds.com/ to learn more about what she does, and like her on Facebook at https://facebook.com/womansdailyneeds to keep up with her.