by 
There is an essential ingredient for the experience of happiness. This ingredient is also one of our most powerful DBT skills.
This theory has been tested in repeated scientific experiments with consistent results, yet people typically resist following the prescription.
If you are told that you can pick door #1 and be happy, or door #2 and be not-so-happy, which would you choose? Why do people consistently choose door #2?
It has to do with the ability to change one’s mind. If a person can change their mind, then they often fret over whether they made the “right” decision. Consequently, they are “not-so-happy.”
If a person is unable to change their mind after making a decision, then they accept the decision and move forward with the next course of action. They are “happy.”
Making a decision can seem finite and scary. People are often afraid to make a decision for fear of making the “wrong” decision.
One significant point to remember is that if we are having difficulty deciding between 2 things, the options are basically comparable and it does not really matter which we choose.
A second point to keep in mind is that people will generally prefer the thing that they chose, and therefore, not regret the choice. This is something that is built into our brains. We prefer that which we already have.
So, if you have not figured it out, the DBT skill that we are dancing around here is Radical Acceptance.
People who Radically Accept their decisions, their situations, and their abilities are happy. As Dan Gilbert says, they synthesize their happiness.