What is happiness? It certainly makes you think, doesn’t it? Do we always appreciate being happy when we are, because it's just so easy to focus on the negatives in our lives. Do you think that to be happy is a state of mind, or is it an emotion? If you stopped and gave it some thought, you might be surprised at how many things you could find in your life that do make you happy. You just might not have focused on the good, because sometimes life can over-whelm us with obstacles and problems that we may think we're not strong enough to overcome.

As individuals, we start each day with differing outlooks. As we progress through that day, we go through lots of differing emotions as reactions to different things that have happened to us. Our thoughts control the way we feel. Have you ever felt angry at someone, or perhaps jealous? Are you really fed - up with the way that life has treated you and you feel despondent? Well, the truth is that even if you feel those negative thoughts and emotions are justified, they really won't do you any good at all.

 You'll feel unhappy, your health could suffer and you're just hurting yourself. Happiness comes from within so you have to change the way you think about a situation to be able to come to terms with it, or to overcome it. Instead of feeling angry, try to feel calm and serene. Don't envy other people, believe that you can achieve exactly what they have, if that's what you want. To be able to feel differently in yourself, you have to think differently. What you believe, you are. Believe you can achieve happiness and you will.

Within tragic situations it is hard to find happiness, I know only too well. I have had many tragic circumstances in my life as most people have. It’s how I choose to deal with them that makes a difference to whether I feel happy or sad.  I have always found throughout my life that for whatever tragedy I have been faced with, there is always something good. 

One thing which comes naturally to me is humour.  Whenever faced with difficulties and hardships, I have somehow always been able to have moments of humour with my family which have enabled me to have instances of happiness although admittedly they were only little lights within a dark tunnel. You may argue that they were defense mechanisms against pain and I suppose they were, but the fact remains they were moments of happiness.

I believe that happiness is a wonderful feeling of well-being we feel when something good has happened to us, or we have helped to make someone else’s life good. Whatever that may be, it’s a fact that to do something to help someone else makes you feel good and happy.

To help a lady with shopping, to visit an elderly neighbour, to walk someone’s dog when they’re ill; the list is endless I know, but you can tell what I mean.  What about when you fall in love.  Do you remember how that felt?  No matter what irritations the day threw at you, it didn’t matter because they didn’t affect you.  You were on cloud nine and nothing could throw you off it.  What happiness.

Remember holding your newborn baby. What joy! There isn’t a feeling like that in the world. Snuggling up in front of a roaring fire when there’s snow outside.  Meeting loved ones when you haven’t seen them for ages. Oh so many things can make you happy. So these are outside factors which make you react to them in a positive and pleasing way.

It’s always a wonder to me to see farm animals in the fields. I get such joy to see lambs frolicking in the fields; cows with their calves and pigs with piglets. Animals always make me happy. I love seeing birds in the gardens, dogs playing on the beaches, and one thing that always makes me smile is to see rabbits in the fields enjoying the sunshine.

Haven't you ever felt very low and then out of the blue something happens which makes you smile? Maybe you went out for a walk and as the sun set, the sky was a sight to behold, and because of its beauty, you felt serenity? Or maybe out of the blue two dogs ran towards each other, and started racing around like mad things as they played. I know that would make me very happy to see them enjoying life. Just for those few moments, you've forgotten your woes and rejoiced in one of life's natural pleasures, which surely gives you a sense of well-being.

I love to watch a favourite film that makes me laugh. I feel happy when after spending hours or days on a project that hasn’t been going well, it finally falls into place. It means I’ve achieved something and I can do it again. It makes me feel happy when years after I’ve painted a picture, I see it hanging in someone’s house. To think that they actually liked it enough to want to buy it pleases me. Taking up a hobby can make you happy.

Enjoy the nature around us. The skies are beautiful especially at sunrise or sunset. If you're fortunate enough to live by the sea, notice how calming it is to watch the sun rise in the sky; listen to the waves crashing on to the shore.  Be thankful for all the beauty you see, and that it is in your life. Be at peace from within and you'll find happiness despite all the trials of your life. You can change the way you see things, and then you'll change the way you feel.

Being in the company of happy people is contagious. They smile and you want to smile back. Learn to laugh more, even at yourself. Find joy in situations even when life feels desperate. I have over the years. I had a choice. Either go under, or try to find the best of the situation, however minute that was, and by thinking positively, elevate myself out of it. As I said before, humour was my saving grace.

So in my opinion, happiness is something that occurs within you. It can be your response to an occurance, or just how you feel to be within the company of those you love. You can find inner peace which makes you content, which means you are happy. A special occasion can cause you happiness, like when the man you love tells you that he loves you, or the birth of your baby, or a special holiday. An achievement can make you pleased with yourself, and to give help to a stranger will make you happy.

Helen Keller said “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.” Happiness comes in spurts. It comes and goes. You never know what’s round the corner. I say you should enjoy each moment of happiness when it comes to you. So what is happiness? Thoughts and emotions which give you a feeling of joy. Teach yourself to enjoy the best of a situation, and find beauty and peace within yourself. If you radiate love to other people and make them feel special, then you are a very special person indeed.