Happiness is fleeting… or is it?  Getting a new car, or getting a raise in salary can set your state of mind to make you feel happiness, but that happiness is not long-term. In a short period of time, the new wears off and you find yourself in the same state of mind you were in before you got the new car or the raise.  Uhg… now what do we do?  Most begin the quest for yet another external thing or event to make them feel that state of happiness again… and again… and again.  The cycle becomes never ending and the feelings continue to be fleeting at best.

In order to truly be happy, you need to decide you’re going to be happy. It’s about making a conscious decision to enjoy the good things in life and allowing yourself to let go of the things you have no control over. Here are the top 10 secrets to changing the way you look at life and allowing the happiness to flow more easily.

1. Stop worrying about what other people think.  Do other people create the happiness in your life?  Do other people give you your happiness?  No!  It’s up to you to decide to be happy.  Make a conscious decision to do what makes you happy in life.

2. Too often we let our fears of change get in our way of true happiness.  Facing your fears not only helps you to realize your true happiness, but it builds confidence in you with each new experience, which creates even more happiness in your life.

3. We spend entirely too much time worrying about things that we have no control over. Bad things happen to us all, but our reaction to any given situation will determine the way we feel about them. Let go of the stress and the anxiety over things you have no control over and you’ll allow yourself to enjoy the things that do matter.

4. Spending a few minutes a day alone in a quiet place can clear the mind and change your entire outlook on life. Letting go of the noise in your head allows you to more clearly focus on what matters in your life.

5. Many people spend so much time focusing on what they feel they cannot do, they forget to look at their strengths. Choosing to focus on your strengths gives you permission to have a purpose in your daily life. Give yourself permission to feel your purpose in life and you’ll feel the happiness expand daily.

6. Everywhere we look there is bad news; newspaper, local news, radio, etc. If a given situation does not directly pertain to you, decide to release it and find positive things to focus your energy on.  (Or choose to not let the information in at all by turning off the TV and radio not read the newspaper.  If there is news that will directly impact your life, you will hear about it soon enough.)

7. Most of us have that little voice in our head that tells us we can’t, we’re not good enough or we aren’t capable.  That negative self talk is zapping your positive energy.  It’s stealing the happiness you deserve.  A great way to quiet the negative self talk is by using positive affirmations.

8. Get excited.  Dance to the music of your life.  Literally turn on the radio and get up and dance.  You’ll feel better instantly.

9. Don’t ask life for a penny and expect $100.  You determine what you’re going to get out of life.  Believe in yourself with absolute certainty.  Believe that what you want is already coming in your life.  Your absolute certainty that life is what you want it to be will open the doors to allow happiness to flow smoothly into your life.

10. It is important that you spend time each day focusing on what you have to be grateful for. Take a look around you and realize everything you already have to be grateful for and the universe opens the doors to bring more good things into your life.

Ultimately it’s up to you to decide to be happy. Happiness is simply a choice that you make. Make the choice today to let go of the negative aspects of life and let the sun shine on your life. Decide today that you’re going to create true happiness in your life.