--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, choosing happiness has to be…" description: "\"For me, choosing happiness has to be something that's conscious, a choice, something I act on. And I think this is something really difficult in a soci..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce9/loung-ung-28003_choices_for-me-choosing-happiness-has-to-be-some_1207224.jpg" --- # For me, choosing happiness has to be something that's… ![“For me, choosing happiness has to be something that's conscious, a choice, something I act on. And I think this is something really difficult in a society where there's this falsehood that there's sunshine everywhere and all you have to do is hook yourself up to it. We're Combodians such an…” quote by Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce9/loung-ung-28003_choices_for-me-choosing-happiness-has-to-be-some_1207224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce9/loung-ung-28003_choices_for-me-choosing-happiness-has-to-be-some_1207224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce9/loung-ung-28003_choices_for-me-choosing-happiness-has-to-be-some_1207224.jpg) > “For me, choosing happiness has to be something that's conscious, a choice, something I act on. And I think this is something really difficult in a society where there's this falsehood that there's sunshine everywhere and all you have to do is hook yourself up to it. We're Combodians such an optimistic culture, but sometimes we have to work a lot harder to find it.” [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing happiness is a conscious, deliberate act that requires effort, especially in a culture that falsely promises constant positivity. **In simple terms:** Happiness is a deliberate choice despite societal myths. Key Takeaway Choose happiness actively. Themes happiness choice consciousness societal pressure Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily gratitude practice - setting realistic expectations - seeking supportive communities Key Concepts psychology mindfulness cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate realistic optimism? - What practices help you choose happiness? A Different Perspective Constant optimism can ignore real struggles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choosing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choosing/) [Choosing happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choosing-happiness/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Conscious Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious-choice-268318/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehood/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-conscious-1543654/) [Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hook/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunshine/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mildred-barthel/happiness-is-a-conscious-choice-not-an-automatic-response/) [Mildred Barthel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mildred-barthel/) > [Anyone who will look at my life from the outside won't see the struggles inside. Sometimes, things are not always as we see or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kaushik/anyone-who-will-look-at-my-life-from-the-outside-won-t-see-the/) [Chanda Kaushik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kaushik/) > [“Whatever it is we truly believe to be true, and that also goes with what we are afraid is true, is going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-anka/whatever-it-is-we-truly-believe-to-be-true-and-that-also-goes-with/) [Darryl Anka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-anka/) > [I'm choosing happiness over suffering, I know I am. I'm making space for the unknown future to fill up my life with yet-to-come surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-m-choosing-happiness-over-suffering-i-know-i-am-i-m-making-space/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I am in charge of how I feel and today I am choosing happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-in-charge-of-how-i-feel-and-today-i-am-choosing-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’m choosing happiness over suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-m-choosing-happiness-over-suffering/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Im in charge of how I feel, and today Im choosing happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlescliq/im-in-charge-of-how-i-feel-and-today-im-choosing-happiness/) [Charlescliq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlescliq/) > [Choosing happiness is a scary thing. Choosing love is a scary thing. When I was in the war, not only did I not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/choosing-happiness-is-a-scary-thing-choosing-love-is-a-scary-thing/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [If you don't make a conscious choice... someone else will decide for you. It may be your boss, a family member, an advertiser, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-someone-else-will-decide-for-you/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [“You have the freedom and the ability to decide what to do with your life, and that includes learning how to welcome happiness again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-vry/you-have-the-freedom-and-the-ability-to-decide-what-to-do-with-your/) [Becca Vry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-vry/) > [Nothing can make you happier than you are. All search for happiness is misery and leads to more misery. The only happiness worth the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/nothing-can-make-you-happier-than-you-are-all-search-for-happiness-is/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Falsehood is never so successful as when she baits her hook with truth, and no opinions so fatally mislead us, as those that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/falsehood-is-never-so-successful-as-when-she-baits-her-hook-with/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I sincerely hope that all of you will become practitioners of happiness for the sake of the people to come. Please be the living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-sincerely-hope-that-all-of-you-will-become-practitioners-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They told me I didn't understand the assignment, I told them they didn't understand life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/they-told-me-i-didn-t-understand-the-assignment-i-told-them-they-didn/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Letting go can mean forgiving; letting go of harsh words said to us and hurt feelings, letting wounds close and choosing peace; letting go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/letting-go-can-mean-forgiving-letting-go-of-harsh-words-said-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Loung Ung > [When I arrived in America, though I had left the war physically far behind, in my mind, the soldiers were still chasing to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/when-i-arrived-in-america-though-i-had-left-the-war-physically-far/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [When I approach a more mature age, I am not going to live in America. Visiting my grandmother, when she was 94, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/when-i-approach-a-more-mature-age-i-am-not-going-to-live-in-america/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [“On previous trips the pirates have stolen valuables, killed people, raped and abducted girls...the women work frantically to ugly themselves up by smearing black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/on-previous-trips-the-pirates-have-stolen-valuables-killed-people/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [To all the survivors out there, I want them to know that we are stronger and more resilient than we ever knew. 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There is such hate and rage inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/this-is-what-the-war-has-done-to-me-now-i-want-to-destroy-because-of/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [“I have to go to the toilet,” I tell Ma urgently after dinner. “You have to go in the woods.” “But where?” “Anywhere you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/i-have-to-go-to-the-toilet-i-tell-ma-urgently-after-dinner-you-have/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [I am six years old and instead of celebrating with birthday cakes, I chew on a piece of charcoal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/i-am-six-years-old-and-instead-of-celebrating-with-birthday-cakes-i/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [In America there's a saying that children should be seen and not heard, .. In Cambodia, children should not be seen nor heard because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/in-america-there-s-a-saying-that-children-should-be-seen-and-not/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [I think living in the West, we live in a culture where everybody strives for perfection, whether it's in body, health, spirit, skin, hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/i-think-living-in-the-west-we-live-in-a-culture-where-everybody/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [I think how the world is still somehow beautiful even when I feel no joy at being alive within it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/i-think-how-the-world-is-still-somehow-beautiful-even-when-i-feel-no/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [I have my writing therapy. For me, writing and friends therapy is an internal journey where you go in deep, you reflect, you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/i-have-my-writing-therapy-for-me-writing-and-friends-therapy-is-an/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [Courage is when you dare to be yourself, in whatever ways you want to be - to not be afraid, to just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/courage-is-when-you-dare-to-be-yourself-in-whatever-ways-you-want-to/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [Voting is not only our right, it is our power. When we vote, we take back our power to choose, to speak up, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/voting-is-not-only-our-right-it-is-our-power-when-we-vote-we-take/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) [Explore all 20 Loung Ung quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [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/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [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/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For me, choosing happiness has to be something that's conscious, a choice, something I act on. 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