Happiness is a choice.

I admit, this is not something I learned today, or even in one, single day, but I happened upon the following passage while finishing Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert in the wee hours of this morning. Although the book stirs my own mixed emotions, I think this passage describes choosing happiness beautifully. And, the understanding that I have this choice is the most empowering lesson I have ever learned.

"People universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't, you will leak away your innate contentment" (Gilbert 260).

Being happy, choosing happiness, is important for everyone's personal success in this world, but as physicians, I believe it is just as vital to our careers. We are healers. Others look to us for guidance as they grapple with illness, death, fear and pain, both physical and emotional. Our only hope to help our patients is to exude positivity while utilizing our medical tools, knowledge and experience. And, the only way for us to emanate this positivity is by freeing ourselves from negative thoughts, emotions and actions. This freedom enables us to serve.

As Gilbert says, "The search for contentment is, therefore, not merely a self-preserving and self-benefiting act, but also a generous gift to the world" (Gilbert 260). We have been given such a tremendous opportunity to give while gaining so much. Let's run with it!