Happiness. Everyone talks about it; everyone wants it. It is not a state of being, but a transient moment that we may experience from time to time. It is unattainable as a permanent mental state, and so very few people know how to find it. The message that bombards us constantly is that if only ‘we had this‘ or ‘we looked like that‘ or ‘we had a better job‘ we would be happy. Some of the richest men who lived died miserable and unhappy. Many of those who seem to have it all, with envied fame or unlimited fortune, make a train wreck of their lives, with failed relationships or the abuse of drugs and alcohol. See any Hollywood tabloid for proof.

Do you want to be happy? Stop looking for it. Be content with where you are, with what you have, and strive for improvement in all areas of your life. Read more. Spend less. Practise self-control. Use your time wisely. Remind yourself daily of this: happiness is not in things. It comes from living a simple life full of great, natural experiences and good people. Put away envy; do not yearn for the things that others have; do not wish for another life. But rather, live as one who makes wise decisions; who foregoes immediate gratification and aims for long term contentment. Pursue virtue. Run from vice. Do this, and happiness will occur naturally. You will wonder what to do with the excess.