A few years ago, everyone and everything was in the way of me finding happiness. Nothing in my life—people, events, my recently ended marriage—aligned with the way I thought life would look at my age. Then I started doing research on how to get happy. But I came up empty.

I finally realized I was seeking happiness from other people. In the process, I made my-self a victim. So I started creating experiences that generated joy. I did simple things, such as exercising and changing my diet. I also surrounded myself with inspiring people.
I challenged myself to take small risks, such as writing a book without knowing if it would be published. Why? Because it made me happy.

This process showed me that happiness is a learned behavior. When I created joyful experiences for myself, I was empowered. Surprise!

I found happiness was up to me all along.