HAPPINESS IS A CHOICEGood morning to the honourable judges, teachers and all my fellow friends. I am here to present my speech entitled Happiness Is A Choice.Happiness is something that people take for granted. Happiness comes and goes as if dictated by events. Few people realise that we have got to work at our own happiness. Indeed, happiness is a choice and nobody can decide for us. The choice is in our hands.So, choose to be happy. When we choose to be happy, we choose to think positively. Happy people know this. If we throw our perceptions in a positive direction, we all think positively. If we do that in the opposite direction, then we will have negative thoughts. Some of the ways in which we can stay in positive thoughts is through prayer, meditation, exercise and rhythmic breathing which will calm down a disturbed mind. These will help you to get rid of all negative thoughts.Another way to stay happy is to go beyond pain and suffering. Tragedies do happen. Tell me a person who has not gone through some terrible stuff. But we must train our minds to overcome suffering and move on. Happy people are those who can cultivate optimism in the face of pain and suffering. There is always something better coming. Have we not heard people say the sun will rise regardless of whatever happens? Life is also like that. It comes in cycles.Furthermore, if you want to be happy, you have to deal with issues that are depriving you of happiness. Confront them and do not run away. For instance, ask yourself things like Why am I not getting As? or even Why am I always getting scolded?. The best way to do that is to get to the root of your problems and do a little bit of reflection. Lastly, know your worth. Always feel that you are good enough. Societal expectations may nag you and say you need to be richer, prettier, or live in a bigger house. If we give in to all these baggage, we will never achieve any peace of mind. Never fall for that lies because achieving happiness does not need all these trappings. Happiness is a state of mind. You do not have to go far to look for it. Look into your heart and tell yourself I have all I need to be happy in my own way.Happiness cannot be ordered from a catalogue nor can it be picked up from a club. One has to make a conscious decision to be happy. When we start blaming other people and circumstances for our unhappiness, we are already moving in the wrong direction. Always remember you are as happy as you make yourself to be.Thank you for lending me your ears.