Happiness is a word that can potentially have more definitions than any other word you can think of. That's probably due to the diversity of people, customs, relationships and mindsets. Everyone seems to want more happiness in their lives, yet it tends to elude most people.
I believe this may be so because "responsible minded people" always seem to be putting off happiness to some future date. Their excuse for doing so is that they never have enough of one thing or another to enjoy being happy right now.
Oh sure, there is that burst of happiness when you get a surprise or spend money on something that you were saving for or in more cases charged on your credit card. But once that moment ends, you almost immediately return to a normal state of thought which too often consists of being disappointed or upset because nothing seems to be going your way. Too many individuals put off being happy until some special event occurs. But could they have been happy all along? The answer is YES!
I believe that if you don't want happiness to elude you, then start BEING THANKFUL RIGHT NOW for all great things about being alive, that you take for granted every day. Savor the moments of a great meal with some nice music playing in the background, whether you are alone or with someone special. Or indulge in some quiet time or conversation with your loved ones, reminding each other how fortunate you are to be loved by someone else.
How about finding happiness by indulging yourself into an exercise program that's good for your body, mind and attitude? Personally I find extreme happiness daily as I swim my laps and subsequently read my magazines; or walking each day as I listen to my favorite music or educational CD. Or how about giving your pet a hug and a scratch on its head that turns them into butter?
You see, there are so many little things that can really make us happy. We just have to be aware of what they make a concerted effort to include them into our daily routines. Turn these happy actions into habits by making their accomplishment a priority on your to-do list every day. Stop putting off what makes you happy until the moment is perfect. Nothing is ever perfect, so stop waiting for something special to happen in the future to be happy.
Don't deprive yourself of your birthright. There will always be things that you will want that you don't currently have. Isn't that how it's been your whole life? That's not going to change. Due to its scarcity, we place a high value on things that we want that we don't have. Then, once we have it, we get a short-term high, and then the object of our desire automatically goes down on the value scale. This is called supply and demand.
What if someone came up to you and offered to sell you a container of oxygen? Would you buy it? No! Due to the fact that oxygen is so plentiful, you don't see people putting off happiness to acquire it. So as you can see, there is no logical reason to put off being happy for a short-term high. Strive for the things that you want, but be happy doing the things you love every day along the way.
Don't have much money? Be a happy person without much money. If you ever do have a lot of money, you'll be the same happy person; just with more money. That sounds much better than, "Man, when I'm a millionaire someday, I'll really be happy." A person with that kind of mindset doesn't understand the laws of supply and demand. That's why you'll witness many people who have lots of money, yet are totally miserable. They just keep chasing more and more money. They've never figured what it is that REALLY makes them happy!
To be happy right now, just FOCUS on happy things and be THANKFUL! That's all you have to do. Don't focus all your attention on future job promotions, new cars, or some spectacular surprise. Just FOCUS on the little activities that make you happy RIGHT NOW. It's so simple. And the more happy activities you can fit into your daily life, the happier you'll feel every single day.
Then, you can go after the cars, big houses, or the yachts, or whatever it is that you want. But make sure that you're happy before, during, and after you get these things. If you can master that, you will be one of the fortunate individuals that roam this planet – who did not let HAPPINESS ELUDE THEM! Enjoy every single day.