--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Happiness is our choice, we cannot choose…" description: "\"Happiness is our choice, we cannot choose what happens, but we can choose our reaction to it and be Happy.\" — Collin Dumdum" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/collin-dumdum-84550_choice_happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose_2344546.jpg" --- # Happiness is our choice, we cannot choose what happens… ![“Happiness is our choice, we cannot choose what happens, but we can choose our reaction to it and be Happy.” quote by Collin Dumdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/collin-dumdum-84550_choice_happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose_2344546.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/collin-dumdum-84550_choice_happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose_2344546.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/collin-dumdum-84550_choice_happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose_2344546.jpg) > “Happiness is our choice, we cannot choose what happens, but we can choose our reaction to it and be Happy.” [Collin Dumdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-dumdum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness is a choice of reaction, not of events; we control our response. **In simple terms:** Choose your reaction. Key Takeaway Respond positively to events. Themes happiness choice resilience Mood optimistic empowering Type self-help motivational When to use this quote - stress management - customer service - education Key Concepts cognitive psychology positive thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can you maintain positivity in crisis? - What strategies help reframe reactions? A Different Perspective Some events may overwhelm any chosen reaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choice Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-choose/) [Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) [Choose Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-happens-762179/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-choice/) ## Related quotes > [You have to take an active role in making yourself happy. That's why I say happiness is a choice. Because you have to choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-carl/you-have-to-take-an-active-role-in-making-yourself-happy-that-s-why-i/) [Shay Carl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-carl/) > [“Happiness is a choice…you cannot choose what happens, but you can choose your reaction to it and be Happy.-RVM”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/happiness-is-a-choice-you-cannot-choose-what-happens-but-you-can/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There's going to be stress in life, but it's your choice whether you let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-bertinelli/happiness-is-a-choice-you-can-choose-to-be-happy-there-s-going-to-be/) [Valerie Bertinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-bertinelli/) > [Happiness is your choice. You can choose today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/happiness-is-your-choice-you-can-choose-today/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [“Happiness is a choice; we can choose to be happy or choose otherwise. Choose to be happy. Day in and day out, choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-condit/happiness-is-a-choice-we-can-choose-to-be-happy-or-choose-otherwise/) [Marcus Condit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-condit/) > [“We do not choose what happens to us. We can only choose what we do after. What we do now. We can only choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-r-kling/we-do-not-choose-what-happens-to-us-we-can-only-choose-what-we-do/) [Heidi R. Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-r-kling/) > [“Life boils down to choices. You cannot choose what happens to you. You can choose how you will respond.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-rigsby/life-boils-down-to-choices-you-cannot-choose-what-happens-to-you-you/) [Rick Rigsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-rigsby/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [“There is always a choice to be had, you even have the choice to choose it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-besecker/there-is-always-a-choice-to-be-had-you-even-have-the-choice-to-choose/) [Travis Besecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-besecker/) > [If you have to choice between me and her, choose her because if you really loved me there wouldnt be a choice..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-g/if-you-have-to-choice-between-me-and-her-choose-her-because-if-you/) [Jeremy G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-g/) > [“Regardless of our circumstances, we always have a choice. We can choose more of the same; or we can recognize this moment is different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-deschene/regardless-of-our-circumstances-we-always-have-a-choice-we-can-choose/) [Lori Deschene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-deschene/) > [My choice is what I choose to do and if I'm causing no harm it shouldn't bother you. Your choice is who you choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/my-choice-is-what-i-choose-to-do-and-if-i-m-causing-no-harm-it/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [“If you have a choice, choose kindness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-meade-eastman/if-you-have-a-choice-choose-kindness/) [Mary Meade Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-meade-eastman/) > [It's not what happens to us that defines us. It's what we choose to do with what happens to us that defines us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-smart/it-s-not-what-happens-to-us-that-defines-us-it-s-what-we-choose-to-do/) [Elizabeth Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-smart/) > [“Remember: it is not about what happens to you, but what you choose to DO WITH what happens to you that truly defines who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-silber/remember-it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-but-what-you-choose-to/) [Alexandra Silber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-silber/) ## More by Collin Dumdum > [Life is too good to be good, do bad some times because opposite attracts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-dumdum/life-is-too-good-to-be-good-do-bad-some-times-because-opposite/) [Collin Dumdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-dumdum/) > [The worst mistake that you can make, is to walk away from the person who actually stood by your side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-dumdum/the-worst-mistake-that-you-can-make-is-to-walk-away-from-the-person/) [Collin Dumdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-dumdum/) [Explore all 3 Collin Dumdum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-dumdum/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. Dockens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-c-dockens/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Happiness is our choice, we cannot choose what happens, but we can choose our reaction to it and be Happy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Collin Dumdum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-dumdum/happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose-what-happens-but-we-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-dumdum/happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose-what-happens-but-we-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/collin-dumdum-84550_choice_happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose_2344546.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/collin-dumdum-84550_choice_happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose_2344546.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/collin-dumdum-84550_choice_happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose_2344546.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Happiness is our choice, we cannot choose what happens, but we can choose our reaction to it and be Happy.” — Collin Dumdum", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Collin Dumdum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-dumdum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Happiness is our choice, we cannot...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-dumdum/happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose-what-happens-but-we-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-dumdum/happiness-is-our-choice-we-cannot-choose-what-happens-but-we-can/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```