Many people today are not as happy as they wish to be. Advancements in technology have made our lives easier and more comfortable. We enjoy higher incomes and better standards of living than in the past as a result of progress and development, but happiness has remained a rather difficult goal to accomplish for many of us. Our pursuit of material wealth and worldly possessions has robbed us of the contentment that we long for.

What is happiness and how can we obtain it? Happiness can be defined as a state of mind characterized by feelings of contentment, satisfaction, and pleasure. People always think that their achievements, education, career, and family can make them happy but later find that happiness is not always the end result. We can own and live in a beautiful home, afford a lavish lifestyle, wear designer clothes, or drive expensive cars and yet we may be unhappy. It is a huge misunderstanding to think that having lots of money can make someone happy. What then can provide lasting happiness?

Abraham Lincoln once said, “You are as happy as you make up your mind to be.” Happiness is a matter of choice. We can make a choice to be either happy or sad. Being satisfied with who we are and what we have can make us happy. Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to happiness. We should first set our goals and determine the areas in our lives that are important to us. Then we should strive to fulfill those goals. We should make an alert attempt to change what we can and accept what we cannot. 

Being optimistic can help increase our happiness. Always think that life is going to get better because it can help to have a positive outlook. Dwelling in the past and contemplating something that went wrong can lead to depression. At the same time, we should never try to compare ourselves with others since it will only lead to unhappiness. Instead, we should count our blessings and be thankful for all the good things we have like good health, family, friends, and a roof over our heads. Also happiness starts at home, therefore, we should all try to improve our relationship with our parents and siblings. They are family after all. 

Research has shown that happy people live longer, are healthier, and are more successful. They also enjoy more fulfilling relationships and are respected by others. Therefore, instead of brooding over our pains and sorrows, we should always keep ourselves busy and find pleasure in the little things.