Almost everyone remembers the song ‘Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy to everyone. Bobby McFerrin's simple message surely made a lot of people happy by telling them not to worry. Years later, Pharrell Williams came out with another popular song ‘Happy’ which also encouraged people to be happy.

Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is magnificent and is also good for your health. Being happy can actually protect you from the stresses of life. Stress is linked to the top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

One of the most truthful things ever said is – “The only thing in life that is certain is change”, and in our life, we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation we can always find comfort in the knowledge that it too will change. It's about being able to hang on through the storm because the strong winds will soon calm down.

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, accept people for who or what they are, avoid clashes, constant arguments, and let go of all kinds of resentments. Unfortunately, we sometimes spend too much energy trying to convert people into who we would like them to be. They have a right to be themselves. If arguments seem unavoidable, try and make an effort to understand the other point of view and you might just get along well with them.

Happiness is actually found in everyone, releasing it is a way to make life more wonderful and also healthier.

To be happy is relatively easy, just decide to be a happy person. Although happiness is more of a frame of mind, most of us have been conditioned to look to things and others to make us happy. The author Manda Hale says it best, "Happiness is an inside job. Don't assign anyone else or anything that much power over your life." The choice is yours, choose to be happy.

There are several ways by which you can do this.

Being grateful is a great attitude. Take a moment each day to express your gratitude. Even when situations don’t turn out the way you would have liked, be thankful that you still have an opportunity to make it better. Thank the people around you no matter how small their contribution because no one is obligated to do anything for us. Thank your loved ones, friends, and coworkers. And, most of all thank God for being alive.

The news is stressful. Take in less of it. Some people just can't start their day without a dose of news. Think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Don’t allow bad news to enter the first two hours of your day. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.

A spiritual connection is also recommended. Being engaged in spiritual activities such as singing, yoga, chanting, prayers, and meditations promote inner peace. Get grounded in happiness at the beginning of each day by participating in some type of spiritual upliftment.

Manage your time wisely. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management system. However, it’s all for nothing if the use of your time doesn’t produce the results you desire.

Laugh and laugh heartily every day. Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it, if it’s in good taste. As they also say -'Laughter is the best medicine'. A wise man once shared with me, “Find something to laugh about yourself every day.” We don’t have to take ourselves so seriously to take life seriously.

Express your feelings, affections, friendship, and passion to people around you. They will most likely return your actions. Try not to keep pent up anger of frustrations, this is bad for your health. Instead find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury, hurt to anyone or place you in a compromised position.

Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being capable to finish whatever you started. A sense of accomplishment is vital to our well-being, it gives meaning to our lives. Work on things that you feel has value.

Learning is a lifelong experience. We are either growing mentally or being left behind. Try and learn something new every day. Learning enables us to expand and broaden our horizons. And could also give us more opportunities in the future.

Maintain a personal physical fitness program. Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was made for. Your program should consist of a combination of strengthening, endurance, and flexibility activities. The body wasn’t made to sit still and waste away. Feel alive.

Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, music, toxins, and hazardous places or conversations. Being constantly engaged in negative environments or people has a way of bringing us down emotionally. If the situation does not contribute to your upliftment as a human being move away from it.

These are the few simple things you can do every day to be happy.

Remember this quote from Abraham Lincoln, he says, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." You have the power to be happy.

Written by Dr. RL Kight for Mind Power Solutions. Visit www.mindpowersolutions.com to learn more about our personal development and training services.