Choosing to Be Happy: The Yoga Glow-Up You Give Yourself

debbydowling
Dec 3
3 min read

Most yoga instructors talk a lot in yoga about presence, awareness, and alignment. But if you've ever taken my class you know I also talk about happy. About finding your smile.

Me choosing to find my smile and be happy!

Because here’s a little truth bomb that most of us don't realize: happiness is also a practice. Yep. Just like Warrior II, it’s something you choose, refine, wobble through, and get stronger at over time.

And the best part? You don’t need the perfect morning routine, a spotless house, or a bathtub full of rose petals and bath salts (though honestly, that sounds amazing). Happiness starts with one simple decision:

👉 “Today, I choose to feel good…even if the laundry is judging me.”

It took me a long time to figure this out for myself. Long story short, I wasn't raised to be happy. In fact, growing up, I was always told my laugh was too loud or that I was having too much fun. So I shut the feeling of being happy for a long LONG time.

As I got older, I realized that I was kind of grumpy and had a hard time seeing the good or finding the joy in things. I wanted to be happy, but I forgot how. So I had to relearn and came to embrace that happiness was indeed a choice. And the more I searched for the happy and feelings of joy, the easier it became to find.

Happiness Isn’t an Accident — It’s a Muscle

Think of happiness like your core. You don’t wake up with sculpted, strong abs—you build them. Same with your joy. The more you choose thoughts, habits, and environments that uplift you, the stronger and more natural your happiness becomes.

Yoga gives us the perfect training ground. Every breath is a reset. Every pose is a reminder that we can shift how we feel. Every moment on the mat is a chance to choose again.

The Yoga-Happiness Connection

Here’s how yoga helps you choose happiness—even on the messy days:

1. Yoga brings you back to the now.

Worry lives in the future. It hasn't happened yet. Regret lives in the past. You can't go back and change it. But happiness? She hangs out right here, barefoot and glowing.

2. Movement clears emotional clutter.

A few Sun Salutations can shake off a whole mood. Yoga is the original emotional detox and clearing out of stale energy.

3. Breathwork creates instant calm.

Deep inhales remind your nervous system that you’re safe. Exhales melt tension like butter on a warm pancake. Focusing on your breath brings you right into the present.

4. Mindfulness helps you notice your choices.

You start to become more aware of how you feel and what you need. So when you catch yourself spiraling, you can pivot. Pivoting is a superpower.

Choosing Happiness in Real Life (Not Just on the Mat)

Choosing happiness isn’t about pretending everything is perfect. Because there truly is not such thing.

Instead it’s about saying: I can honor my feelings AND still lean toward the light. I can feel overwhelmed AND still choose to find joy in tiny, delicious ways. I can have a chaotic day AND still take 60 seconds to breathe and reset.

It’s giving yourself permission to start again—over and over.

Try this today: