Lately, universities and other groups conducted surveys and studies to find out "What makes people happy?" The following steps are some of the answers they received.
Step #1: Doing good. There is a universal law that states that there is no joy found in doing wrong. Those who do wrong (live the untruth) experience anxiety, stress, dispair, resentment, doubt, lack of confidence, fear and pessimism. Breaking a universal law empowers others to control your life, like your judge, jailer or warden, etc. Therefore doing good is the first step in becoming a happy person.
Step #2: Control. The surveys showed that people are most happy if they're in control of their lives. Self-discipline and controlling ones destiny produces immense amounts of freedom and feelings of security. Those who have a strong mental self and the ability to control their physical self are most happy.
Step #3: Be Optimistic. Optimistic people consistantly expect the best. They have hope and dwell on the positive in life. They make use of the positive side of their subconscious mind by conciously thinking optimistic thoughts. Remember that your mind is similar to a stage and you control the players on that stage. You choose between thinking positively or negetively; it is your choice.
Step #4: Belief in a higher power. Researchers found that those who have faith in a higher power are much happier than those who don't. Nearly all people who recover from a serious drug or alcohol addiction report the need of a higher power. Faith in the unknown can be a satisfying experience.
Step #5: Close relationships. The single most powerful force in life is love. To give love and receive love is the highest human experience. Happiness in life is equal to the amount of love in our life. The power of love can be seen by simply observing the people who dont receive enough love- it's terribly damaging to a person to be rejected, lonely and unloved.
Step #6: Meaningful activity. Those who find most happiness in life have meaningful activities that they enjoy such as work, hobbies or other activities they participate in. Those who dont have meaningful activities to participate in often experience unhappiness.
Step #7: Service. Researchers discovered that one key activity common in happy people was helping others. Helping others gave them immense happiness and satisfaction. Life is a mirror and people who give, receive. What is it that people receive when they help others? It's an interesting question to think about.
Step #8: Forgiveness. Happy people know how to forgive not only others, but themselves as well. They fully grasp the fact that to err is human-that life is bursting with difficulties that help one grow and develop. They recognize that others are human too and they treat others as they would like to be treated. Unsuccessful, unhappy people do the opposite.
The very first step that unhappy people must take to find permanent happiness is to become self-aware. Self-awareness through cognitive restructuring is successful therapy for self inflicted issues. The point is that if people aren't happy it is their fault and responsibility. Nobody can make them happy but themselves.
Larry Lloyd is the founder of <a href="http://www.accilifeskills.com/introduction.php">American Community Corrections Institute</a> (ACCI), which sponsors a news blog about <a href="http://www.cognitivelifeskills.com/category/criminal-behavior/">criminal behavior</a> and related topics.
