Sometimes it seems selfish to think about our own happiness when there are so many awful things happening in the world. However, life is so short that we should strive to be as happy as possible, as often as possible, for as long as possible.  Bad things happen, but we have a choice as to how we allow it to affect us.  We can focus on those bad things and feel miserable, or we can choose to be grateful for the positive things in our lives and feel happy. My mother once shared a quote with me that always reminded me of that choice. “I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.”  Sometimes a little perspective can make a big difference.

Things that make you happy can be divided into categories: an event, an accomplishment, something pleasurable, a healthy, meaningful life. The list is endless. People speak about happiness in future terms: “I will be happy when…or I can’t be happy until…”

What if you decided that what you are now is happy, and if something good happens you can be happier?  How would your life be different if you believed you are happy now? A belief is only a thought that gets repeated over and over again.

There are 5 keys to happiness: 

• You must believe you deserve to be happy. 
• You must expect to be happy.
• You have to be able to imagine or visualize being happy.
• You need to learn how to control your thoughts. 
• You need to be able to recognize when you are happy.

Abraham Lincoln said, 'Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.'  So, what if you chose to be happy, how do you find it?

 Here are a few helpful hints:

• Find a purpose. Viktor Frankl said, “The pursuit of happiness is a meaningless search because happiness is the byproduct of a meaningful life.”
• Ask yourself, “How can I serve others?”.
• Learn an “attitude of gratitude” and count your blessings
• Examine your rules. Albert Ellis said that we make rules for ourselves and we become slaves to them.  What rules have you made that are getting in the way of your happiness? You made the rules, change them!
• Focus on what you have, not what you don’t have.
• Don’t compare yourself to anyone.  Comparison is often at the root of unhappiness.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you can’t find happiness.  Sometimes we need someone to help us eliminate guilt and fear so we can be open and feel deserving of happiness.  Hypnosis is the fastest, most effective way to eliminate negative, old, unwanted feelings.