I have always been fascinated with happiness. It seems so easily attainable for some people, whereas for others it is like an elusive treasure that cannot be found. I have a friend who is always genuinely happy. He seems happy almost all the time. It is a real joy to hang out with him.

Even when things don't go his way, he'll just be upset or disappointed for a while then he's back to his usual, cheerful self. It's an ability that is very impressive, admirable and enviable.

Happiness comes from within and not from external things. What money and external possessions provide are only distractions from the unhappiness and lack of fulfillment in one's life. We can only gain brief pleasures through external things. It will never last for long and slowly those things will lose it's initial appeal. Sadly, many people respond to that through looking for more external things to distract them.

Never seek for these brief pleasures. Don't let yourself get into the cycle of constantly chasing external possessions to be happy. What we should do is focus on having true lasting happiness that comes internally from within ourselves.

The main reason why some people are happy is because they have a different attitude to unhappy people. They look at the world differently, they think differently and they interpret experiences differently. Happy people choose to focus on the positive, they never blame others. Whenever they face setbacks they view it as valuable experiences, not failures. They don't take life too seriously. They know that life is short and every moment alive is a gift.

Change your attitude and the way you view your life and you'll experience more happiness. Here are some other ways to have a lifestyle that cultivates internal happiness.

1. Smile and laugh throughout the day 2. Help others 3. Regularly schedule time to indulge in your hobby or an activity that you enjoy 4. Read inspirational stories and quotes about happiness everyday 5. Listen to music that are happy and have uplifting qualities 6. Spend some time daily to reflect and be grateful for all that you have in life 7. Appreciate the splendor and beauty of our world

If you look at it closely, the majority of the tips are actions that help remind and bring out the happiness within us. This shows that happiness has and is always within us, it's just that often times we're so busy with all the going-ons of life (of which many are not important) that we forget all about happiness. So, remember that and work on your happiness today!