Scientifically, happiness has been said to be related to the Serotonin level in us. “Of the approximately 40 million brain cells, most are influenced either directly or indirectly by Serotonin. This includes brain cells related to mood, sexual desire and function, appetite, sleep, memory and learning, temperature regulation, and some social behavior,” according to Xing.com.

In so speaking, is Serotonin the answer to all our unhappiness? The answer may not be as straightforward since we cannot simply inject a dosage of Serotonin into the body. Fortunately, according to an article in PubMed Central, the author mentioned that the possible approaches to increasing Serotonin are exposing to bright light, exercise and through our diet. I would leave you to explore that further on your own while I go on to disclosing what I thought to be the secret of happiness that we all know.

I read an interesting article recently by Belinda and she mentioned, “Have you ever looked up quotes on happiness by great thinkers? If not, I recommend you don’t. It won’t make you happy. It might even depress you.” I tend to agree with her to a large extent as you can find numerous quotations on happiness. And who is right or who is wrong? It truly differs from person to person; what makes one happy may not work for another. It can certainly be confusing with so much information we have accessed to. What I would like to point out is for you to select what works for you and fuse it into your own system.

However confusing it may be, I found that most of the quotations on happiness, which I adopted for my personal usage, all point in the same direction:

“No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.” - Barbara de Angelis

“What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life.” - Leo Buscaglia

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” - Mahatma Gandhi

It is all about YOU! It is the being we are seeing every time we look in the mirror. The secret of happiness is really no other than ourselves! The next question to ask ourselves is, “How can I be happy?” As indirect as it may seem, to be happy is simply choosing to be happy and making conscious choices in all areas of our daily life to be happy.

1. Be with loved ones. Research shows that happy people spend very little time alone. Instead, they surround themselves with friends and family, and find joy in sharing their lives with others.

2. Marry someone you love and respect. Advice from Socrates: “By all means marry: if you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.

3. Smile a lot. Acting the part often leads to feeling the part. Besides, it’ll make you look a lot better, and might even make someone else happy.

4. Laugh a lot. Not only is it good for your heart, but also for you and the people near you.

5. Be honest Honesty is the best policy, and saves a lot of heartache down the road. Of course, the road to honesty is to become a person of exceptional integrity, which while difficult, is possible. But remember to tell your next-door neighbor that she looks like she lost some weight.

“I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” — George Washington

6. Spend less than you earn, and plan for your retirement. No matter how little you’re earning, and how badly you want to buy those expensive shoes (apply whatever seems to pull you the most) don’t splurge on them if your bank manager isn’t too pleased with you.

7. Give as much as you can. Children in orphanages often write to Santa: “don’t really want anything, but my sister needs a coat because it’s so cold.” Give to those with less than you, both in terms of time and money. Few other actions are as rewarding.

“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” — Erin Majors

8. Lead a sensual life. Surround yourself with pleasant smells: nice perfume, beautiful flowers, baking cookies. Keep a nice painting or photo on your wall. Buy flowers. Eat spicy food.

9. Get rid of clutter. Clean your wardrobe, your desk, your kitchen. Don’t let things that don’t help pile up.

10. Donate things that you don’t use. Whether they’re books that you don’t read, clothes that you don’t wear, or gifts that you’ll never use: give them to someone who’ll appreciate them.

“The miracle is this: the more we share, the more we have.” — Leonard Nimoy

11. Be healthy. Eat healthy, avoid junk food and excess alcohol, exercise regularly, and make sure you go for your yearly check-ups. Read more on healthy eating at: 4 Easy Steps to Healthier Eating Habits

12. Remember that you’re healthy. An interesting study shows that happiness is not directly correlated to being healthy. Many healthy people take their health for granted. Whereas some sickly people appreciate the few healthy days that they enjoy. Hypochondriacs are the most miserable.

13. Be grateful. Gratitude is essential to happiness. Psychiatrists have found that talking and writing about what they’re grateful for amplifies adults’ happiness. Learning to savor the small pleasures has the same effect.

“Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.” — Buddha

14. Spend some time reflecting on life. Meditate, keep a journal, or do both. They will give you perspective and structure to your life.

15. Set your own standards. Forget the Jones. Establish goals for yourself, based on what you think are reasonable. You’ll be happier when you achieve those, than what the Jones’ have.

16. Find activities that you love. Try to spend most of your time doing work or activities which make time flow faster. The happiest people are usually busy with things that they love to do, whether it’s cooking, starting a new business, or being with a child.

“Are you bored with life? Then throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours.” — Dale Carnegie

17. Construct routines, but remember that surprises often lead to greater happiness. Life is too full of uncertainties to be controlled. Yet those experiences which we don’t plan for, often lead to greater growth and fulfillment.

18. Stretch yourself mentally. Learning leads to a satisfaction much greater than any impulse purchase.

And finally, for ways to achieve happiness, share this with others.