27 Rules to be Really Happy

CEBU, Philippines - What is happiness? Define happiness. Describe a person who is happy. What are the things, situations or events that make one happy? These are the usual points put forward about happiness and being happy.

In all, happiness is only a good feeling. For me, it is a good feeling about myself. Your good feeling about your family, friends, relatives, neighbors, strangers and the world, in general.

The things you enjoy doing make you happy. These things however, should be clean fun. Otherwise, the guilt feeling afterwards would interfere with your capacity to be happy. Most of the time, your guilt feeling is a hindrance to your true happiness. The things you enjoy doing should be legal and moral. Otherwise, your guilt feeling would obstruct the outpouring of your happiness.

Your happiness must not be only physical, but spiritual, as well.

You may enjoy doing any or all of these things: reading, writing, singing, dancing, engaging in any kind of sports, fishing, farming, gardening, and any kind of hobby or pastime activities.

One or a combination of two or more of the following activities would make one happy, or he or she may consider them all steps or activities toward full happiness:

1. Know and accept yourself.

2. Accept the environment, climate, the weather and everything around, pleasant or unpleasant that you cannot change.

3. Accept others.

4. Improve the things or situations you can.

5. Be patient, forgiving, kind, considerate and understanding.

6. Do the good things you enjoy doing.

7. Don’t let any person, thing, situation or event ruin your day. Don’t let any thing disturb your desire to be happy.

8. Help others solve their problem. In doing so, you will forget your own problems, and be happy.

9. Give to others. It is in giving that you receive. It is in giving happiness that you receive happiness.

10. Do unto others what you want others do unto you.

11. Emphasize the good side of others. Ignore the bad side.

12. If you always want to get even, you can never get ahead. Don’t wrestle with a pig. Both of you will become dirty, and the pig enjoys it.

13. Read.

14. Travel.

15. Talk to people.

16. Find someone to love. Have relationship with other persons, not necessarily sexual.

17. Find a job you enjoy doing, for you own health and well-being. If you have enough money to make more money for you, well and good. You can help others.

18. Join a religious organization. Recognize the existence of God.

19. Be a true friend to yourself and others.

20. Don’t spend beyond your means.

21. Repeat the happenings of a happy day. Live one day at a time. Don’t worry for the future.

22. Maintain daily exercises for your good health. Health is wealth.

23. Know the things or events that bore or irritate you or make you unhappy. Avoid them. If you can’t avoid them, ignore them.

24. Avoid or prevent a problem from developing.

25. Smile and say “hi!” to people. If you smile, other people will smile, too. If people are smiling and cheerful, the atmosphere will become happy. And you will be happy, too.

26. Generate love. Love begets love.

27. Know the things that make you happy and acquire them if you can. But don’t be obsessed about them if you have no sufficient means.