Happiness Is a Choice—But That’s the Hard Part

We love the idea that happiness is something we can control.

That if we just shift our mindset, make better choices, or design our lives more intentionally, we can unlock a state of lasting joy. It’s an empowering thought—until it isn’t.

Because if happiness is a choice, why is it so hard to choose?

For freelancers, graphic designers, and other creatives, happiness is often tied to our work. We crave meaningful projects, creative freedom, and the satisfaction of seeing our ideas come to life. Yet, the same work that brings joy can also lead to burnout, insecurity, and frustration.

The challenge isn’t just knowing that happiness is a choice—it’s making that choice in the face of self-doubt, rejection, and the relentless ups and downs of creative work.

So, if choosing happiness is so difficult, how do we actually do it? Let’s explore the tension between the idea that happiness is within our control and the reality of how elusive it can feel.

The Myth of the “Perfect” Creative Life

When you first start out as a freelancer or designer, happiness seems like it should follow a simple formula:

• Land great clients.
• Work on exciting projects.
• Get paid well for what you love.

But somewhere along the way, the equation starts to break down. Clients change their minds at the last minute. Your dream project turns into an endless cycle of revisions. Inspiration doesn’t show up when you need it. The freedom of working for yourself sometimes feels more like free-falling.

At this point, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that happiness will come once I fix this one thing. Maybe if you find better clients, raise your rates, or work on more personal projects, things will finally feel right.

Yet, happiness isn’t waiting at the end of external success. It’s a moving target, and tying it to circumstances beyond your control—like how many clients say “yes” this month or how much engagement your latest post gets—is a recipe for frustration.

So what if happiness isn’t about fixing everything? What if it’s about something else entirely?

The Hardest Part: Accepting That Happiness Is an Inside Job

One of the toughest lessons creatives learn is that external success doesn’t permanently solve internal struggles.

• Imposter syndrome doesn’t disappear with experience—it just evolves.
• The need for approval doesn’t fade once you have a big audience.
• Creative ruts don’t go away, no matter how many projects you’ve completed.

We tell ourselves, I’ll be happy when… But the goalposts keep moving. The real challenge isn’t reaching a particular milestone; it’s recognising that happiness isn’t something we finally “achieve.”

Of course, external factors matter. Being overworked, underpaid, or creatively unfulfilled can make happiness feel impossible. But if happiness is only based on outside circumstances, it remains fragile—always one bad client or a slow month away from slipping through our fingers.

The hard part of choosing happiness is taking responsibility for it. Not in a toxic “just think positive” way, but in recognising that, at some point, we have to stop looking to our work, clients, or industry to provide it for us.

Happiness isn’t about fixing everything. It’s about how we engage with the imperfections of creative life.

What Choosing Happiness Actually Looks Like

Choosing happiness isn’t about forcing yourself to be positive all the time. It’s not about ignoring the hard parts of freelancing or pretending that setbacks don’t sting. It’s about how you respond in the moments that challenge your joy the most.

Redefining Success (So It’s Not a Moving Target)

If happiness always depends on the next big achievement, it will always be just out of reach. Instead, define success in a way that supports happiness today, not just in some distant future.

• Instead of saying, I’ll be happy when I land high-paying clients, try saying, I want to enjoy the process of building meaningful client relationships.
• Instead of saying, I’ll feel successful when I get more recognition, try saying, I want to create work that excites me, even if no one sees it.

Success is no longer a finish line—it’s something you can choose every day.

Detaching Self-Worth from Work

As creatives, our work is deeply personal. But when we tie our self-worth to how a project is received, we set ourselves up for an emotional rollercoaster. A happy creative isn’t one who never gets rejected—it’s one who can separate their identity from the feedback they receive.

Ask yourself: Who am I outside of my work? Finding joy in things unrelated to design or freelancing makes happiness more sustainable.

Setting Boundaries That Protect Joy

Happiness isn’t just about mindset—it’s also about creating an environment where it can thrive. This means setting boundaries with clients, work, and even your own perfectionism.

• Saying no to clients who drain your energy.
• Defining working hours so freelancing doesn’t consume your life.
• Allowing yourself to make imperfect work without self-judgement.

Happiness flourishes when you create space for it.

Finding Small Wins in the Creative Process

If you only feel happy when a project is finished, you’re missing out on most of the joy of creativity.

Instead, focus on small moments of fulfilment:

• The satisfaction of solving a tricky design problem.
• The fun of experimenting with a new technique.
• The moment you lose yourself in the creative flow.

The process is the reward—if you let it be.

The Reality: Happiness Is an Ongoing Choice

Choosing happiness isn’t something you do once. It’s a daily decision, a habit, a practice. Some days it will feel effortless, and other days it will feel impossible. That’s normal.

But here’s the good news: every time you choose joy over frustration, presence over worry, and creativity over perfectionism, you build resilience. And the more you practice, the easier it becomes.

So, is happiness a choice? Yes. But the hard part isn’t knowing that—it’s remembering to choose it, again and again, even when it feels difficult.

Not because happiness is easy. But because it’s worth it.