As many writers of old, from the Bible to modern day motivators have suggested “we become what we think about.” President Lincoln said “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be”, indicating that happiness comes first from our minds. We all know people on both sides of the happiness aisle, those whose happiness is infectious, that leave us happy whenever we associate with them. And sadly we all have those in our lives we would rather avoid because they just bring us down. So on which side of the aisle do you sit?

Do you ever wonder what it is inside of those perpetually happy or contented people that makes them that way. Is it as simple as they “decide” to be happy? When I think of perpetual contentedness with life, I need only look into the faces of my dogs. I often wish for their innate ability to just be happy. They are thrilled with life from the moment they wake up in the morning to the moment they fall asleep at night. They actually make me happy just by being in the same room with me. They are contented to follow me around, wagging their tails happily at the prospect of a new adventure or a familiar event. Oh to be so blissfully unaware that we are fighting a war in Iraq, the economy is headed for recession, our retirement is shrinking and we will have to buy a cheaper brand of dog food, people hate each other and on it goes. They only know that life here in our corner of the world is good, they are warm and well-fed and although they don’t know exactly when the next walk will come, they are confident that one is indeed on the way.

Granted our lives will never be as simple as that of our beloved pets, and we will never really know the same bliss of ignorance that they experience, we can cultivate some habits in our lives that can help us to be as “happy as we make up our minds to be“.

Here are some simple actions, that when applied can help all of us develop a more happy and contented attitude in life.

1. Remove negative input from your life. This is difficult I will admit, but many successful people go through life living by this credo. Since I am news junky this is particularly hard for me, but I have adapted the idea that I can hear news each day but not dwell on it and should not repeat bad news to everyone I meet. Other happy people just avoid negative news reports, newspapers, blogs, and other media altogether, choosing to read and dwell on much more positive literature and media. If we are able, at least to a practical degree, rid ourselves of daily negative input, this will go a long way in helping us live a little happier.

2. Dwell on the positive. Not only do we not allow negative thoughts, ideas and speech to enter our minds, dwelling on positive thoughts and ideas can lead to a more peaceful, contented mindset. Many like to listen to uplifting music, read positive books, and the like to keep their minds focused on positive thoughts and this keeps them in a positive frame of mind.

3. Setting goals in our lives can give us something to fix our minds on. In this way we allow ourselves to concentrate on what we can control and therefore not let life “just happen” to us.

4. Become others-centered. If we spend most of our time trying to help others we have less time to look inwardly and dwell on the negative around us. Losing one’s self in the service of others is a formula for happiness, we always get more than we give if we pursue happiness in this manner.

5. Be generous with others. Being generous can take on the form of physically giving things to others in need or it can mean being generous in our expectations of others. Always expect the best from others, and always give them the benefit of the doubt.

6. Work hard. Satisfaction can be found in work and fulfillment can be found is always doing your best or better to whatever work one pursues. Doing more than expected does not just benefit those for whom we work. It gives us back, in satisfaction, far more than our employer gains in productivity.

7. Find hope in faith. Not everyone considers themselves a person-of-faith, and those people who do not are by no means doomed to a life of sadness and despair. However, I find that my faith in God, and His planned purpose for my life, does make me a much happier person. It gives me a reason to get up and keep going when the inevitable negative events happen in life. My faith is the positive place I go to escape the realities of a harsh world. It provides me with positive thoughts and ideas with which to fill my mind instead of the negative news all around me. It blesses me with positive relationships in which to find shelter. I find my relationship with God gives me a shelter in which, like my dogs, I can find blissful ignorance of the fragility of my life.

There are probably many other ways one can employ to help us “make up our minds to be happy”, but these are just a few simple things than can keep us focused on happiness.

Every minute of life is not meant to be filled with happiness, but rather the events of our individual lives are meant to be underscored by happiness. I can be in the middle of a crises in my life, but it can be lessened by the positive view I choose to take of my life overall. What is you outlook on life, could it use a new perspective?