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If only I can get that house, car, job etc., I will be happy. If only my spouse will be more understanding, if only my children will be more co-operating, I will be happy. Just how many times have we heard people say these words or even said them ourselves? But is happiness really a function of what we have or don’t have? A lot of people go around angry and frustrated at everyone and the world at large because they grew up believing that in order for them to be happy, they must have some certain things and people acting in a particular way towards them. Those who have learned over time to find happiness within themselves are the ones really getting the most out of life. The truth is people will let you down, people and things will fail you at the time when you need them the most, and attributing your happiness to these things will result only in frustration. Attributing your happiness to a person would only mean when they displease you or change in any way, it equals your own unhappiness. It is very important that we own our happiness; it is our responsibility as individuals to search within us for those things that bring us happiness and then focus on them. These tips will help you stay happy always: 1. Enjoy the journey: A lot of people are so focused and concerned about the destination that they have absolutely no time to appreciate every little milestone crossed. We must learn to enjoy the journey and not just the destination. Every time and day we strive for whatever it is we desire, we must strive to enjoy it every step of the way; there is joy in the process. 2. Develop a solid value for yourself: If you do not see yourself as being valuable, nobody else will. We cannot demand respect for ourselves from people, we earn it. The way people treat us is often in direct proportion to the way we see and treat ourselves. We can’t see stones and expect others to see gold. 3. Enjoy your walk with God: Develop a constant and consistent walk with your maker. Walking with God brings about unfathomable joy within which then reflects on the outside. When we constantly spend time in His court, we return refreshed and refilled to do more exploits. 4. Enjoy your relationship with yourself: Aren’t we all guilty of this? If only we will strive to develop and enjoy a relationship with ourselves as we do others, what a beautiful thing it will be to behold. When we realize that our happiness depends on us alone, we will consciously develop a relationship with our inner self and then subsequently enjoy it. I believe lack of relationship with ourselves is what often leads people into the wrong relationships; when you enjoy your relationship with yourself, it becomes easier to know why we are with or want to be with someone else. 5. Enjoy your relationship with everyone else: We often tend to expect so much from everyone around us and end up disappointed and unhappy. Give room for people to fail and let you down and then forgive, let go and move on. Give people the benefit of the doubt in every situation and don’t hold on to toxic relationships. 6. Balance work with play: Some work and work and have practically no time to play and just relax, and the accumulated stress ends up causing them to be unhappy and frustrated at every little bump on the road. Others have mastered play so much that they have no time to work, which of course leads to lack of funds and inability to achieve those things that really matter to them thereby resulting in unhappiness. Unhappy people are like poisonous snakes that go around spreading their venom to everyone they come in contact with. Unhappy people are hurt people, and hurt people hurt others. As we go about impacting our world, it is important that as much as it is essential to strive to leave things behind even after we are gone, it is not only what we leave for people alone that counts, but also what we leave in them. About the Writer: Eniola Adeniji is a woman after God’s own heart, a motivational Writer, Speaker, Fashion and Photography addict. She is also a Business Developer, Social Media Manager and the founder of Woman Of Value. She blogs at ennmae.wordpress.com