"I've realized that being happy is a choice. You never want to rub anybody the wrong way or not be fun to be around, but you have to be happy. When I get logical and I don't trust my instincts - Thats when I get in trouble"
About this Quote
The pivot from people-pleasing to self-possession gets sharper when she names the real danger: overcorrecting into “logical” thinking that overrides instinct. In celebrity culture, “instinct” is often dismissed as woo, but for an actress it’s also craft: the body’s read on truth before the brain starts negotiating. Jolie’s line suggests she’s learned that constant rationalizing can become a sophisticated way to avoid risk, desire, or the hard clarity of a no. Logic, in this framing, isn’t wisdom; it’s fear with a spreadsheet.
Context matters: Jolie’s public narrative has long been about reinvention under scrutiny - from tabloid spectacle to humanitarian work to motherhood to medical decisions made in the harsh light of fame. “When I don’t trust my instincts” reads like a veteran’s diagnosis of what happens when you let external noise - public opinion, expectation, the need to be palatable - replace your internal compass. Happiness becomes less a mood than a refusal to abandon yourself.
Quote Details
| Topic | Happiness |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Jolie, Angelina. (2026, January 17). I've realized that being happy is a choice. You never want to rub anybody the wrong way or not be fun to be around, but you have to be happy. When I get logical and I don't trust my instincts - Thats when I get in trouble. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-realized-that-being-happy-is-a-choice-you-28645/
Chicago Style
Jolie, Angelina. "I've realized that being happy is a choice. You never want to rub anybody the wrong way or not be fun to be around, but you have to be happy. When I get logical and I don't trust my instincts - Thats when I get in trouble." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-realized-that-being-happy-is-a-choice-you-28645/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I've realized that being happy is a choice. You never want to rub anybody the wrong way or not be fun to be around, but you have to be happy. When I get logical and I don't trust my instincts - Thats when I get in trouble." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-realized-that-being-happy-is-a-choice-you-28645/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.









