Real Happiness

What I've seen is that people who "fill up on happiness" are more likely to naturally take actions that move them in the direction of their goals. They also tend to burn more calories, and attract happy and successful people into their lives.

What do I mean by "fill up on happiness"? I mean choose to find happiness -- not negativity, gossip, mind-numbing TV shows, or empty calories -- in the world around you. The following tips, techniques, and happiness quotes should get you started.

Take Action: Take Heart
"Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold, the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul."

Focus on the chase, the process, the journey -- not the end result! At the end of the day, happiness is not about the big house, the money, or the material goods. The thrill is in the satisfaction of pushing our envelope and working hard. Happiness lives in the meaning and purpose we find in our lives. Melt into the process. Enjoy the ride. Happiness guaranteed!

Celebrate Daily
"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."

Celebrate a creative idea, your brilliance, your authentic style, your family, and/or your clean closets! Celebrate anything and everything that brightens your heart. If you find one thing to celebrate every day, your mind will soon automatically search for things to celebrate. Imagine that...your mind on automatic pilot, searching for happy things to celebrate.

Open Your Heart to Forgiveness
"Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting."

One needs to expend an awful lot of energy to hold onto anger and resentment. And at the end of the day, who is it hurting? Certainly not the people to whom you are directing your bitterness and hostility. Those negative feelings are swirling through your own psyche and body. So let them go and enjoy a path toward feeling lighter, freer, and happier. In the end, you could consider forgiveness the best kind of selfish act, as it benefits you as much as anyone else.

Give Yourself Credit
"The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind."

Rather than focusing on what you haven't achieved (and believe me, we all could create quite the list), why not focus on what you have accomplished and give yourself credit where credit is due? No holds barred. No thoughts that negate your triumphs or happy moments.