Happiness

Money can buy us a lot of things but happiness is not one of them. We try to find the next thing to buy that will make us happy but it always falls short. We always want more, thinking that will finally fill the void. We say, "If I only had that new house or car then I would be happy." Dr. Henry Cloud in The Law of Happiness investigates what we really need to be happy by trying to answer the question, "Where does happiness come from?"

First, he breaks down a mathematical makeup of happiness (derived from psychological research):
- Circumstances account for only about 10 percent of our happiness. (This is why the new house, car, boat, job or even spouse will make you happy at first, but it will surely fade if you don't address the other sources of happiness.)
- Our internal makeup (probably composed of genetic, temperament, and constitutional factors) seems to account for 50 percent of our happiness.
- The next 40 percent comes from things that we CAN control such as our behaviors, thoughts and intentional practices in our lives.

Dr. Cloud further breaks down these things we can control into thirteen chapters each corresponding with the thirteen ways of happiness where God and science agree:
1) Happy people are givers - Giving is important not only for others but also for the person who gives. That good feeling we get inside when we give some of our time or money can bring us true happiness.
2) Happy people are not lazy - In order to be happy we must willing to invest our time into things such as building relationships, attending a small group, pursuing goals, serving others and staying healthy.
3) Happy people don't wait for "someday" - If we are always looking for happiness in the future, we will never find it in the present. Find happiness in the now.
4) Happy people pursue goals - Setting worthwhile goals and reaching them gives a sense of accomplishment that is important for attaining happiness. I recently wrote about achieving goals and how to ensure you reach your goals. In the book, Dr. Cloud introduces something similar called SMART goals, meaning you must make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.
5) Happy people fully engage - Those who really love what they do become fully engaged and "time flies." If we are fully engaged to what we do then we become a happier person.
6) Happy people fully connect - We can't do this alone. We need support systems from friends and family built into our life to make us happy.
7) Happy people don't compare themselves - We are all unique and have different situations. You can't compare yourself to what others are doing especially when you don't know their whole story.
8) Happy people think well - Everyday, happy people are thinking thoughts that help them to be happy, while unhappy people do the opposite. Always think good thoughts and find the silver lining in everything.
9) Happy people are grateful - Be thankful for everything that we have, instead of wallowing over the things that we don't have. If someone is not yet in their dream job they should just be thankful they have a job that can put food on the table. Thank God everyday for everything.
10) Happy people have boundaries - They don't let people walk over them and they remove themselves from negative situations. "When you change yourself, the world around you usually changes as well."
11) Happy people forgive - "The evidence confirms that when you forgive others, you are the biggest beneficiary." Forgiveness allows you to move on with your life and forget about the past hurtful event.
12) Happy people have a calling - When we realize the daily activities that we do are in alignment with what God wants for us, everything has a higher meaning and purpose.
13) Happy people have faith - Having a relationship with God built on trust is important. Knowing that He has a purpose for us will give us a great sense of calm and allow us to get through a lot of hardship.

My goal is to become a millionaire... duh. But if I achieve it at the cost of my happiness and health then the journey was for naught. All the money in the world can't buy happiness and health, so it's important we keep everything in balance on this journey and stay truly happy and healthy while building wealth.

--A Future Millionaire