| Happiness, contentment, satisfaction with your life - | | | | of those dreams come true, or those goals realized so |
| they all reside within your inner self and not what's | | | | much the better. But if not quite achieving them makes |
| happening today, what happened yesterday or what | | | | you unhappy, perhaps you invested too much of your |
| might happen tomorrow. External things, many of | | | | psyche in them and that's not right. Achievement can |
| which we can't control, affect you on a daily basis but | | | | be a huge contributor to your personal happiness but it |
| they really have nothing to do with creating happiness | | | | should never be equated with your day to day level of |
| within yourself. | | | | happiness. Happy people learn to differentiate |
| How to achieve that inner peace and happiness has | | | | between achievments and real happiness. |
| been a quest for man since he or she first stepped | | | | Achieving may result in a better job, more money or |
| out of the cave. An endless number of people are | | | | acquiring more "things" is wonderful but it is not |
| ready to tell you how to find happiness, often for a | | | | something you can control completely. - Some |
| hefty price, but listening to them, or reading one of their | | | | achievements are pure luck, some are due to being at |
| books just won't cut it. The reason is that what makes | | | | the right place at the right time and, of course, some |
| me happy doesn't necessarily make you happy, or any | | | | are due to your immense talent. But a gold Rolex, |
| of your friends and family happy. Happiness is not a | | | | accolades from your boss, success in your business |
| transferable commodity - you can't pick up your | | | | can all bring you temporary happiness but will never |
| happiness and shift it over to someone else, no matter | | | | translate into a happy state of mine in the long run. |
| how badly you might like to. | | | | Love from others, and developing the ability to return |
| To find happiness you have to examine your | | | | that love, the contentment you feel when you are |
| expectations because that's where the real truth lies. | | | | sharing time with you friends and family, taking a walk |
| Giving a starving person a loaf of bread might make | | | | with your dog - these are the small things that continue |
| them happy because their expectations are minimal - | | | | to make you feel happy every day, not the surge of |
| they need something to eat. On the other hand, if that | | | | good feeling you get by buying a new car. |
| person had expected an eight course meal, than the | | | | There are many different ways to say "take care of |
| loaf of bread might save their life but they might not be | | | | the little things and the big things will take care of |
| really happy and could even be disappointed.What that | | | | themselves" and they are all true. If you keep your |
| should tell you is fulfilling your expectations is closely | | | | "happiness indicator" set on little things - a smile from |
| related to how satisfied you are. It follows that | | | | one of your children, a fun weekend with your spouse |
| focusing on finding satisfaction and happiness from little | | | | or some good friends, some time alone with a good |
| things - a walk in the park for instance rather than a | | | | book you will have begun the journey to true |
| trip to Jamaica is the first step in keeping in a happy | | | | contentment and happiness. Of course the big things |
| state of mind. | | | | will make you estatic - if your lottery ticket pays off |
| Unrealistic expectations can contribute a lot to making | | | | and you're not happy, you have a problem. If you view |
| sure you are never happy or satisfied. There is nothing | | | | your cup of life as half-full rather than half-empty you |
| wrong with setting high goals or dreaming big things for | | | | are on the right track. Think about that - the water |
| yourself - that's what makes life exciting and | | | | levels the same, it's only your attitude that makes the |
| worthwhile. If you are fortunate enough to have some | | | | difference! |