Let go, then hold on

Lots of people discuss happiness in terms of "Letting go"- of expectations, bad memories, resentment, or whatever.  Yes, that is necessary but I've started to see things a little differently.  Happiness doesn't just come from letting go, it's also about "Holding On"  

This whole focus on "Letting go" of the bad things, if focused on too much of letting go of the bad, you might instead focus too much on these things and attract more of them.

Your mind is like a container, you can fill it with good or bad.  Sure, you need to empty out the bad but then you need to fill it up with good, to make no more space for bad feelings to come flowing back in. And also, an empty container is useless. So, yes, "Let Go" but also, "Hold On".  

Hold on. Fill yourself up. Take back control and hold on to the good- the things that *did* work out, the victories, the words of a good friend, even the good times from people who are no longer in your life.  Remember those.  

Happiness isn't just automatic, it comes from a conscious descision to be happy and fill yourself with positivity.  You can't just wake up in the morning and expect to have a good day without doing anything about it.  Start your day by focusing on to the good things and always hold them close.

Yes, happiness is a journey but I feel it's also a descision.  Decide to hold on to the right things so then there's no more room for the wrong.