Happiness is a choice—but let’s be honest, it’s not always an easy one. Some days, it’s simple to spot the flowers amidst the dumpster fire of life. Other days, the smoke and debris are so thick that it feels impossible to see anything else. Still, the choice remains.

Six months ago, I felt like I was losing everything. My home, my vehicles, my stability, my fairytale marriage, the life I had carefully built—slipping from my grasp. Today, I cling to the remnants of what’s left, grateful for what I still have, yet aching for what I’ve lost. I want to fully embrace every moment of life, to experience joy, adventure, and comfort. I want to know true passion and be able to trust those I am close to.

Some days I grieve over that facts that I no longer have my own kitchen, shower, or laundry, but then I realize how fortunate I am to have access to these things. My fairy tale of a relationship may have rudely collided with reality, but I still have my family and friends, my business, my plants, and my stones and other things that make me smile. Life looks different, but it’s still mine to shape.

Although I feel stuck and hopeless right now, I dream of things I once enjoyed like hiking through the woods, camping under the stars, and feeling the night air rush through my car windows as I drive down gravel roads. I want to dance, to move, to feel the rhythm of life pulsing through me. I want to sit around a fire pit with friends, laughing until my stomach hurts. I want to give back, to help my community grow and heal.

And I can.

Even now, in the midst of uncertainty, I can choose to focus on the flowers and butterflies I see on my walks. I can cherish the stillness of early morning meditation. I can remind myself that everything—both the good and the bad—is temporary. The storm will pass. The landscape will change. And through it all, I can choose to see the beauty that remains.

Happiness isn’t about pretending everything is perfect. It’s about finding the light, even in the darkest moments. It’s about choosing, again and again, to keep looking for the flowers.