We all want to be happy. But we sometimes think of happiness as a thing that happens to us — something we have no control over. It's easy to link the idea of happiness with the situation we're in. We might tell ourselves, "If only things were different, then I'd be happy."

Researchers have found that more than half of happiness depends on things that are actually under our control. That's really good news because it means everyone can be happier.

Happiness is more than a good feeling or a yellow smiley face. It's the feeling of truly enjoying your life, and the desire to make the very best of it. Happiness is the "secret sauce" that can help us be and do our best.

The first step towards moving into a happy state is to understand that happiness is something we need to learn and for some reason (that we will not discuss here), school teaches everything else but happiness. Use the “school of life” to practice happiness and remember that your “choice muscle” needs to be active all the time. Always notice you have options in everything you do, think or feel, and that you choose the things that are best for you.

Here are some specific tips you can blend into your every day:

13 practical skills you can practice to create happiness daily

Step 1 - SMILE
Smile a lot - If smiling is too hard for you, take a pencil and hold it with your teeth. There are enough smiling muscles involved for your brain to think you are smiling and start producing “happy” chemicals

Step 2 - SING
Sing! - Singing works just like smiling, causing your body to produce “feeling good” chemicals. Sing in the car, sing in the shower, sing when you prepare dinner and sing when you feel frustrated and notice how the negative feelings melt away.

Step 3 – HAPPY PEOPLE
Hang around positive people - Having happy people around you will make it easy to learn happiness. Happy people have fun around them and their ability to overcome challenges is higher than that of unhappy people who tend to lay blame and feel victimized. Choose the people you hang out with to suit your needs.

Step 4 - LAUGH
Laugh - Much like smiling, laughter is a great way to overcome physical and emotional challenges. If it does not happen naturally, try laughter therapy.

Step 5 - BE ACTIVE
Get a move on - Being physically active makes you happy. Find some activity you like to do and notice how it changes your mood: sex (yes, of course!), any kind of sport, dance and yoga. Make a habit of being active in any way you feel like.

Step 6 - GET CREATIVE
Get creative - Creativity is a great way to find happiness. Think of creative things people do for a living or as hobby and notice how much happiness it gives them. Paint, draw, dance, sculpt, do some craft, invent a gadget, cook something new, write poetry or tend the garden. Tap into your creative abilities and find your “happy spot”.

Step 7 - HUG
Hug - Hugging is a way to give and receive happiness. Physical touch is essential to your development and hugging is a great way to get that physical touch in a positive way. Hug a lot!

Step 8 - BE HAPPY
When in a conflict situation, remember that being happy and being right do not necessarily go hand in hand. When in doubt, choose happiness over being right.

Step 9 - IMAGINE A BRIGHTER FUTURE
When feeling down, recite to yourself “This too shall pass” and imagine a brighter future.

Step 10 - BE CHILDISH
Act like a child - Do childish things to feel young and fresh: jump on a trampoline, sit on a swing and skip. Remember, “We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing”.

Step 11- BE KIND
Be kind - Do random acts of kindness every day. It can be as simple as saying something nice, offering help, giving up your place in a queue or allowing another driver to enter a busy road.

Step 12 - BE GRATEFUL
Be grateful - Practice gratitude: say thank you for everything you have and appreciate in your life. Gratitude is a way to increase happiness and eliminate taking life for granted.

Step 13 - MEDITATE
Meditate! - Find a relaxation you feel comfortable with. Meditation relaxes the mind. You can listen to music, use crystals, take a bath, use candles or repeat a mantra. All of these do the same thing. to your mind. Take the time off every day to regenerate.

Editors Note: Feeling some positive emotions every day has a big effect on our happiness and well-being. That's why it's so important to do things that give us positive feelings. Even simple actions like playing with a child or a pet or going for a walk outdoors can inspire these feelings.
Happiness increases when we discover a strength and practice it. The more we practice a strength, the better we get until we really master it.