What you think is what you become..

A friend told me this yesterday.
Is it that simple? Do we take these words too literally?
Can I just think that I'm happy and it be so?? Am I that powerful?
I guess it's the same as if you decide that you are going to lose weight and you just do it.
You say to yourself, I am going to be happy. And you just are.
How much does life influence you?
Is it really a crock that your environment molds you into who you are??
I always say that yes, your environment, your family gives you a foundation, a kind of mold of who you're going to be. But, then you become an adult and make your own decisions about the kind of person you want to be, about the decisions you make in your life.
Is this also true about happiness? About peace??
Do you just wake up one day and say, "I'm going to be happy?"
And you are??

Have I been an idiot all this time??
Waiting for things to change and stupidly expecting them to do so without any effort on my part.
How ignorant am I?

Now let's think about this..
I woke up one day and decided I did not like the way I look.
But, the thought of giving up the very things that make me happy, fattening foods and soda, seemed nearly impossible for me.
But, I said I can just say no. Don't get me wrong, I have some help. Lovely little, appetite-suppressing diet pills.
And I've managed to live for the last 2 weeks without those things. And I've gotten to the point where, yes, I know that they are delicious and I would love to taste them, but I do not need them.
So, then, is it that easy with life?
Do we just make a decision to be happy? To be satisfied? And we just are?
My mind is swimming..