“I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man with no feet”. Anonymous

In this day and age we are bombarded by messages that tell us that the more we acquire, the happier we will be. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Thinking this way sets us up for misery, because we will never be available to be able to acquire enough “things” to be happy. Things may make us feel better in the moment, but that moment will pass, and then what? True and lasting happiness comes from within. It must be cultivated and regularly tended to.
The constant stream of materialism and acquisition being promoted by the media can make it hard to focus what we have instead of what we don’t have. Do not compare yourself to others. It is pointless, and will only lead to misery. There will always be some people who have more and some who have less. This will always be the case. Just remember that having more does not equal happiness. It can also equal loneliness and emptiness.
There are people around the world who are eating from the earth, living in mud huts, and using holes in the ground to relieve themselves, who are happier than many wealthy politicians, athletes, and celebrities. You can have all of the things that you want in the world; however, if you don’t feel good about who you are, then they are worthless.
Happiness comes from having an attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for what you have and live as an expression of that. This will not only make you feel good, but will draw good things towards you. Call it Karma, or call it the law of attraction, call it what you want, but what you put out into the world, you will most definitely get back. So be conscious about exuding humility, positivity, gratitude and kindness.
When you are you are down in the dumps, and feel like you have nothing to give, that is when you need to give the most. It is through giving that we become fulfilled and happy and begin to appreciate what we have. Giving doesn’t mean go out and spend lots of money; the most meaningful giving can be free. It means, observing a need and fulfilling it, or performing an unexpected random act of kindness.
Here are a few things to brighten your day, as well as someone elses.

• Smile at a stranger,
• Send an appreciative card or an email to a friend
• Help a coworker out
• Volunteer
• Perform random acts of kindness
• Have a spirit of servitude
• Do something nice for yourself