I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY

Can we choose to be happy? I think we can. I saw an article the other day about people’s top deathbed regrets and one was “I wish I’d let myself be happier’. I had to make a choice about being happy yesterday, when I decided not to mourn my favourite leather jacket. It sounds trifling, but I’d bought that jacket to mark my 50th birthday, a time dominated by depression and health problems. And through those grim menopausal months it made me very happy, I loved it so.

For years, every time I put that beautiful biker jacket on (inky blue, soft and faded), however I’d been feeling that day I instantly felt better. It was like my Harry Potter invisibility cloak – that jacket had magic powers and made me feel super-confident. Yesterday I had to wake up to the horror that I’d lost it, somewhere between a work meeting and dinner with an old friend. It’s probably on eBay already.

I miss my old leather jacket friend. But I will not mourn. I choose to be happy. It’s just a jacket. No one died. Maybe I don’t need my invisibility cloak anymore? Maybe someone else needs it more. I have a feeling this relates to the Audrey vibe in some way. We can change our mindset, not catastrophise, approach obstacles as ‘interesting challenges’ and stress as excitement. Can we? I’m going to try.

PS. UPDATE: I ordered another jacket that sort of looked like the beloved lost one. It was a pale and shapeless imitation that got swiftly sent back. You can’t recreate happiness – change is better. I now have a totally different new leather and we’re busy getting acquainted. And it’s JUST FINE.
​
Words: Marina Gask