by Elaine Sihera

Created on: July 24, 2007

7 Ways that Guarantee Greater Happiness

1. Being Yourself. The first guaranteed way of bringing real happiness into your life is to BE YOURSELF. Let no one take away the essence of you. Those who don't like you being yourself usually mean you no good. They are seeking to control you or to have you behave to an ideal they have set in their head. It is also connected with envy of you and so never try to please some ideal because you will never make the grade and will only be superficial. Just make sure you are yourself. Those who like you will flock to you and nurture and reinforce you in ways that can only enhance you.

2. Know What You Want. If you don't know what you want, how will you know it when it presents itself in front of you? How can you be happy if you do not know what will make you happy and contented? You have to know the things which please you and the type of people who will press your buttons. It means that you will avoid the negative things which drag you down or the people who will derail you because you will see them coming from afar. Know who you are and you will know what you want which can only increase your happiness.

3. Live Your Principles. My mother used to say: "People who sit on fences get their backsides blown off," and another famous saying is: "If you sit in the middle of the road you will get run over." Stay on one side of the road or another. Do not take the middle ground because that is a sign of not having the courage to face up to your convictions. If you believe in something, you should be prepared to defend it. The middle road does not guarantee any cover from adversity or any trust from others because they believe you will be vulnerable to changing easily for convenience. They are never sure what to expect of you. It is fear of people's reactions and the consequences why we like to hover in the middle. No matter how hard you try, not everyone will like you when you stick to your principles, but everyone will be clear about where you stand. They will know that you cannot be bought, which then increases your credibility, sincerity and respect. Like Barack Obama, who from the very first day expressed his disagreement about the war in Iraq. He didn't have many friends back then with that view, but he stuck to his guns to reap the rewards now when people know better. Being consistent in his principles, and being ready to defend them, has dramatically increased the trust placed in him.

4. Appreciate Your Blessings. How many times

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