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Hi Team,

This week we return to the topic of happiness. To quickly recap; in part 1, I outlined that trying to be happy doesn't actually make you happy and that you can't buy or earn happiness. So, today I would like to look a little deeper into this "Holy Grail of emotions" to see where it comes from and how we can all experience a little more happiness?

 The self-confessed happiest man on earth, The Dalai Lama, once famously said "Happiness is the struggle. Happiness is the journey." These wise words point straight to the centre of how we achieve a happy state of mind. Happiness is never achieved by itself. It is the side effect of life's ongoing experiences. Striving for something you want, which usually involves hard work and sacrifice, seems to be the most proven pathway to inner happiness. Failure is also a fundamental building block for happiness. The bigger the failure and the harder you have to work to achieve something, the greater the happiness along the way. 

"Happiness is the process of improving oneself." Mark Manson

Like all human emotions, happiness is fleeting. It is impossible to be upbeat and positive all the time. The current turmoil that our society is experiencing, is a clear example of the shitty circumstances that life can throw at us. But these shitty experiences are actually another important building block for happiness. Moving through tough times and coming out the other side reinforces one of the most powerful human traits, resilience. (Having a teenage daughter, this is a hot topic in our household and something I intend to explore in more detail in a future email!). Challenging circumstances in life and enduring hardship breeds resilience. This is a vital part of our emotional development which only comes from experiencing pain and setbacks when things don't go to plan. Resilience is vital to being able to cope with life's harsh realities and to being able to return to your "baseline of happiness". 

"What makes us happy is working hard to improve ourselves and reaching milestones along the way." 
Maya Angelou

How to be happy = simple. (According to Mark Manson)
"Imagine who you want to be and then step towards it.
Dream big and then do something. Anything.
The simple act of moving towards your dream will change how you feel.
Then keep going.
Stop trying to be happy and just be."

Thanks again for reading.
Stay healthy and happy.
David