Some think it's an elusive thing...

 

Everyone seeks happiness, but how do they find it. Many think that if they won the lottery they would be happy. If only it was just that, win a lot of money and you will find happiness. In most cases the opposite happens. Money tends to go to people's heads and they go on wild spending sprees, and when the money if finished they find themselves with lots of possessions but no happiness. And because they have developed the habit of spending at will, when the money is finished they are more dissatisfied then before they won the lottery.

Material things are not the answer to finding happiness. In order to find happiness one needs to look within. There is so much more to finding happiness, poor people find happiness without material wealth. It's a state of mind, an attitude of how you perceive the world and yourself. It's not something that is tangible, something that you can touch and it will create happiness for you, its part of your thoughts, emotions and your general attitude to how you perceive yourself and your world.

Each person is different, no two people think, feel and put into action in exactly the same way. Children often show us how to be happy; they see the world in a different way to adults. Adults have lost the wonder of seeing the world as a magical, mysterious, unusual place, they have lost the childlike wonder at finding out about things.

So how do we find that happiness? You may well ask. Here are some tips to help you achieve happiness:

1. Remember happiness is a state of mind. So is unhappiness. Negative thoughts will generate unhappiness but positive thoughts will put you on the road to feeling happy.
2. Children have a natural exuberance; it bubbles from within them and expresses itself in their delight in the little things around them. You need to recapture your childlike exuberance and find joy in what you see around y out.
3. Gratitude is another step in the path to happiness. If you are grateful for what you have it will eliminate dissatisfaction in your life.
4. Treat yourself as you would a favorite child, pamper and nurture yourself. Add little treats to your food table. Get some regular exercise, enjoy reading a good book, get sufficient sleep and keep in touch with your friends and family. Remember to love yourself.
5. You can look in your mirror and tell yourself that you love yourself. Sound weird but it's effective, you have to believe that you are a loveable person, so start by loving yourself.
6. Find opportunities to do things that make you happy. A quiet walk in the park, go to a ball game, take a craft course, join some friends for a coffee, and/or do a movie/dinner or night out with friends, listen to your favorite music. Plant some seed and watch them grow. Take time to smell the roses. Do things that lift your spirits. And don't forget to smile. You use more muscles to frown than to smile and frowning creates more wrinkles on the face.

Seeking happiness, don't depend on others to create happiness for you. Take actions a create happiness for yourself.