HAPPINESS is everywhere.
It can be found in the food on your table, the hours of sleep you’ve had, or the simple joy of spending time with friends. Happiness isn’t always about big moments. It often lives in the ordinary ones we tend to overlook.
Happiness is also a choice.
Ask yourself: Do you choose to be happy? Do you intentionally do things that bring you joy? The truth is, most people have what it takes to be happy—they just don’t realize it because they’re too busy comparing themselves to others, constantly looking at someone else’s life, and forgetting their blessings.
This article is a gentle reminder: you can be happy, even in the simplest things. So slow down, look around, and be grateful for what you have.
“Happiness isn’t just the quick feeling you get when something nice happens like when you get butterflies.” Max told RepublicAsia.
For her, happiness is always a choice. “Even the smallest details in life can be happiness, not just because you feel blessed but because you choose to see things gratefully.”
Max believes that people are responsible for choosing their happiness, and that joy often begins with being thankful.
“Honestly, I find happiness in all the small things because when you know how to appreciate and be thankful–even for the little things, you’ll find reason to smile.”
Still, she is honest that even the most positive people have their down days. “There are really moments when it feels like the world is against you. Yes, there is always a choice to be happy but let’s be real, sometimes sadness wins, and that’s okay.”
She explains that it’s in those heavy, confusing moments when nothing seems to make sense that we begin to understand the purpose of pain. Sadness and struggles, she says, have something to teach us. They make us more grateful for the good days. “After going through struggles and pain, we grow. And that growth—that’s powerful.”
As people often say, there’s always a rainbow after the rain. Once you make it through the tough times, the happiness you feel is different—deeper.
“It’s not just happiness,” Max shared. “It’s satisfaction, peace, and acceptance. And when you reach that point, you will feel truly happy.”
When asked about the things that bring her joy, Max had plenty to share. First, her family, seeing them doing well and being able to provide for their needs fills her with happiness.
Second, her love life, even the smallest gestures, the little things that many might overlook, bring a genuine smile to her face.
And lastly, regarding her career, Max feels truly content and thankful for where she is right now, appreciating how far she’s come.
For her, happiness isn’t about grand moments; it’s about love, gratitude, and peace in the life she’s building.
Max left a piece of advice for Gen Z: “Yes, life is full of challenges. Reality hits hard sometimes and teaches us lessons in unexpected ways.”
Everyone will experience sadness and pain. But no matter what, don’t forget to pray—it truly lightens the burden. After praying, take time to reflect. Don’t allow yourself to drown in negativity. Instead, try to look at the bright side.
“Every experience has a lesson, every hardship comes with a realization, with realization comes acceptance, with acceptance comes peace. And with peace comes happiness.”
Always try to focus on the positive. “That way, no matter what happens–you won’t need to chase happiness,” Max emphasized, “because happiness will find you.”
“Happiness is a strong feeling that excites you, makes you smile, and fills you with gratitude.” Lyn shared with RepublicAsia.
The things that bring her happiness are often the simplest, like completing her daily to-do list or adding hope and joy to others. She also shared that she feels a deep sense of joy when she begins to understand the purpose behind the challenges she has faced, when her prayers are answered, and when every member of her family is doing well.
Lyn is a woman who is often filled with joy, but like anyone else, there are times when she forgets to enjoy life—especially when she’s facing problems and struggles.
“Sometimes, it’s an initial reaction,” she admits, “but it never lasts.”
For Lyn, those sad and challenging moments have taught her the true meaning of happiness. Without sadness, she says, she wouldn’t fully appreciate the time and memories she gets to share with her loved ones.
When asked about the moment she felt the most happy, she recalled: “It was when my prayer and heart’s desire, after a long time, was finally unfolding.”
Seeing your prayers slowly come true before your eyes is enough to bring tears of joy because there’s nothing quite like witnessing the very thing you once only hoped for become real.
To those who feel weighed down by stress and forget how to be happy, Lyn offers a message, “You can’t fake happiness in your heart.”
Instead, she encourages others to step back, reflect, and search for purpose, even in the stressful and messy parts of life, because when you find meaning in what you’re doing, happiness doesn’t have to be forced; it comes naturally.
