Who has more control over your own mind than you? No one. Therefore, is it not only logical to choose to be Happy? I am not talking about willful ignorance, I am talking about which emotion we should make our default state.

One is not a “realist” if they only acknowledge, and fixate upon, the misfortunes of existence. That is nothing but useless nihilism. Either we let our circumstances dictate our mood, or we make our mood dictate our circumstance. Do we wish to be mere objects, automatons, helplessly subject to external forces and the whims of others, or do we decide to Be active agents in our world?

This is not the opium of magical or wishful thinking, it is a fact that perspective shapes interactions, which directly changes reality, and Materially alters our circumstances. Since internal reality is all about perspective why not choose a Good one?

To be clear, our mind state alone does not directly dictate physical reality. Thinking and imaginations are mental overlays for plans and possibilities. The key is not to just will the world to magically change around you, but to willfully shift our perspective about the world towards something more logically proactive- a happy attitude. Do not postpone your happiness, nor make it contingent upon external circumstances.

None of this is to suggest we should ignore our stresses: we absolutely should take time to thoughtfully examine instances of negativity in our lives. Trying to ignore them, distracting ourselves, and burying our painful emotions will only make them fester, causing constant background anxiety. Instead, we should take the time to validate our feelings and contemplate their meaning before setting them aside. Learn from yesterday’s mistakes, but do not dwell on them. Plan for tomorrow’s challenges, do not obsess over them. The only thing of true consequence is Now: Today.

The Past is unchangeable, but you need not remain that same person from yesterday. Everyday our bodies are remaking us out of brand new cells. Everyday, our brains are programming for us fresh neural pathways. We are constantly being reborn a new into the Present.

The Future is uncertain, but we must not become so preoccupied that we forget to live in the Present. Only the Now is truly vital, certain, and True. The current moment is raw, unadulterated Reality. Seize it. Live it. Make it matter.

Let me take an example from my life in prison, one of my sayings is, “I’m already free.” this is not a delusional belief. It is the reality of my internal perception. Sure, I’d like things to be better, but, regardless of my surroundings, I am free.

Reality can be viewed from the perspectives of many different metaphors, shadows casting different shadows, simulations creating new simulations, dimensions mirroring alternate dimensions, fractals spiraling inward towards infinity. Try thinking of it this way: there is a world within you, and this world has many countries. You must make “world peace” before you can affectively reach beyond yourself to other worlds. Since we are all in this reality together, let us help each other manifest our best possible selves!

Only by first putting our internal selves into a state of wholesomeness can we have the self-confidence to reflect that calm out into the rest of the world that we all share. This is not magic, it is social psychology with a poetic twist. If we are insecure internally, other beings can pick up on that and we breed instability externally as well. Therefore, at the Beginning of everyday, it is incumbent upon each of us to center ourselves into harmony with our inner selves and thereby with the outer world. We are all one universal organism anyway: separation is the illusion.

Life is all about Mindfulness; being Present, Engaged. any single moment can be made profound by granting it our full attention. Other beings can sense when we are Distracted, nearly on autopilot– a dim spark. Instead, embody the Moment, live in the Now. Exist with upmost intensity. Energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed. That is what you are. So let your energy be positive and rejoice!