There is always a way to climb up to greater happiness.  The choice is ours whether we take those steps.

“There is no key to happiness, only a ladder.”

Saa-aay, was Hector Lara Lahoz reading my book when he spoke those wise words.  My book uses the analogy of the Great Wall of Misery and building a Stairway To Heaven to climb over it.

Ladder or stairway, it matters little.  As Miley Cyrus put it in her hit song, “It’s the climb” that counts.

There’s always gonna be another mountain I’m always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be a uphill battle Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side It’s the climb

The fact is that happiness is what we make of it.  Some people have a little of it, some have a lot.  Every one of us can create more than we have now.  It’s just a matter of climbing that ladder or that staircase or that mountain trail or whatever path is heading upwards toward happiness and fulfillment.

We choose to climb every time we choose to smile.

We choose to climb every time we feel grateful for all the little things that we might otherwise choose to take for granted.

We choose to climb every time we shut off the TV or put down the book to call a friend or do something more active.

We choose to climb every time we decide to let a sharp remark just slide off our backs – whether that remark was intended or not.

We choose to climb every time we forgive somebody (including ourselves).

We choose to climb every time we go to bed on time and actually get the sleep we need.

We choose to climb every time we choose to climb, because everything we do is a choice.

Make the decision to climb your ladder, or stairway, to happiness today.

See also my happiness self-help book.