(Source: orientslayed, via randomness-is-epic)

1. They are ‘glass half full’ people – while still being practical and down-to-earth.  They have an ability to find the good in any situation.
2. They understand that happiness is a choice, and consciously and methodically create their own happiness, while others hope happiness will find them.
3. They are ambitious.  They don’t believe in, or wait for fate, destiny, chance or luck to determine or shape their future.  They take control and choose to live their best life rather than spending it on auto-pilot.
4. They have clarity and certainty about what they want and don’t want for their life.  They visualize and plan their best reality while others are merely spectators of life.  They have identified their core values – what is important to them – and they do their best to live a life which is reflective of these values.
5. They ask the right questions – the ones which put them in a happy, creative, positive mindset and emotional state.
6. They rarely complain because they know it’s a waste of energy.  All complaining does is put the complainer in a negative state of mind.
7. They don’t procrastinate and they don’t spend their life waiting for the ‘right time’.  They are busy, productive and proactive with their goals.  While most are laying on the couch, over-planning, over-thinking, sitting on their hands and generally going around in circles, they are out there taking steps in the right direction.
8. They are fearful like everyone else, but they are not controlled or limited by their fears – they face them and grow beyond them over time.
9. They don’t blame others.  They take complete responsibility for their actions and outcomes, or their lack thereof.
10. While they are not necessarily more talented than the majority, they always find ways to maximize their potential.  They get more out of themselves by exercising their talents and their passions.  In other words, they use what they have more effectively, which leads to long-term personal achievement and happiness.
11. They avoid toxic people, and spend time with positive, like-minded people. They understand the importance of being part of a team, and part of healthy relationships.
12. They take calculated risks that that help them expand their horizons and grow – financially, emotionally, professionally, etc.
13. They deal with problems and challenges quickly and effectively, they don’t put their head in the sand.  They face their challenges and use them as vehicles for personal growth.
14. They are solution focused.  They learn a lesson and move on to bigger and better things while others are still stuck on the problem.
15. While many people are reactive, they are proactive.  They take action in pursuit of their goals and the things that make them happy.
16. They are life-long learners.  They constantly work at educating themselves, either formally (academically), informally (watching, listening, asking, reading) or experientially (doing, trying).  And their education helps them discover new vehicles to happiness and success.
17. They are humble and they are happy to admit mistakes and to apologize when they should.  They are confident in their ability, but not arrogant.  They keep an open mind, and are happy to learn from others.
18. They are more effective than most at managing their emotions.  They feel like we all do but they are not slaves to their emotions.
19. While many people are pleasure junkies that avoid pain and discomfort at all costs, truly happy people understand the value and benefits of working through the tough situations that others typically avoid.
20. They sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term happiness.  They are more interested in something being effective than they are in something being easy.  While everyone else is looking for the quickest shortcut, they look for the course of action which will produce the best results over the long term.
21. They are multi-dimensional, and create balance in their lives by properly managing the time they devote to family, friends, work, hobbies, etc.  Because they realize that too much, or not enough, of one of these things creates stress and unhappiness.  They realize that not only are they physical and psychological beings, but emotional and spiritual creatures as well.  They consciously work at being healthy and happy on all levels.
22. They are adaptable and embrace change.  While the majority are creatures of comfort and habit, they are comfortable with, and embrace, the new and the unfamiliar.  They are strong, and they are happy to take the road less traveled.
23. They aren’t as concerned with what others want for them as they are with what they know is right for themselves.  They are happy to swim against the tide, to do what most won’t.  They are not people pleasers and they don’t need constant approval.
24. They are secure.  They do not derive their sense of self-worth from what they own, who they know, where they live or what they look like.  Their self-worth is a reflection of who they are and how they choose to live.
25. They are generous and kind, and take pleasure in helping others achieve happiness too.  They are happy to make others look good rather than seek their own personal glory – they share the goodness every chance they get.
26. They keep themselves in shape physically, not to impress others, but because they understand the importance of being physically well as it relates to their happiness and longevity.  Their body is not who they are, it’s where they live.
27. They don’t invest time or emotional energy into things which they have no control over.  They concentrate solely on the things they can control.
28. Their career is not their identity, it’s their job.  It’s not who they are, it’s what they do.  And over time, they gradually align their career with their values – changing positions, employers, and careers as necessary.
29. They have an off switch.  They know how to relax, let loose and enjoy what they have in their life right now.
30. They practice what they preach.  They don’t talk about the theory, they live the reality.  They do what they need to do, for themselves and their loved ones – for the sake of long-term happiness and success.

Bottom line:  You can be happy – you can choose happiness.  And you don’t even need to develop all 30 of these traits to get there.  Start with one of them that you know you struggle with.  Work on just that one point until you have it mastered, and then move on to another one.  Gradually, you’ll discover yourself becoming a better version of YOU – and that by itself is something worth smiling about.

Let’s look at the world a little differently. Video about other things a security camera captures in the world.

"Give up defining yourself - to yourself or to others. You won’t die. You will come to life. And don’t be concerned with how others define you. When they define you, they are limiting themselves, so it’s their problem. Whenever you interact with people, don’t be there primarily as a function or a role, but as the field of conscious Presence. You can only lose something that you have, but you cannot lose something that you are."

Sometimes you feel you just aren’t good enough.
That you don’t fit into anywhere in this world.
Every force of the universe is working against you.
And that you just can’t accomplish everything that is thrown your way.

Remember that kites rise highest against the wind, not with it,
and no person has any right to make you feel less of yourself.
You are perfect, you are persevering, and you have a purpose.

Dear you who think that the world is against you, I don’t know what  you’re going through. Maybe I’m judging you wrongly. Heck, we haven’t even met yet. But you wallowing in self-pity and shutting people away from your life because you think the odds haven’t been in your favor is bullshit. As much as I would want to understand what you’re going through, I just don’t get how in the world you have the guts to act that way when there are people who truly care about you.

Dear you who think that the world is against you, it’s frustrating for people who care about you seeing you wasting your life. Believe me, there are people who care. You deserve more than what you’re doing with your life. See the good in you rather than dwelling on the negative. You are not alone. You are not the only person feeling what you feel right now.

Dear you who think that the world is against you, the world won’t stop turning just because you’re wallowing in self-pity. People won’t stop living their lives just because you choose to stay in the cozy corners of your room and wait for some miracle to happen. You have to create you own miracle outside your I-don’t-think-it’s-still-a-comfort zone. Big things are waiting for you if you start giving people second chances. A promising future is already anxiously waiting for you.  

Dear you who think that the world is against you, I’m not meddling with your personal affairs. I’m not even asking you to heed my advice. I’m only asking you to enjoy the world. I hope it’s not too much to ask. The world is not against you. It is simply what it is. It is merely how you see things that may have given you the wrong impressions. Opening your mind and heart to the world shouldn’t hurt. Appreciating the people who care for you and are damn worried for you shouldn’t further break your already shattered esteem. In fact, it may just save your life.

Dear you who think that the world is against you, don’t get me wrong. This is again, just a friendly and probably what you may think as a shitty piece of writing trying to reach out.  I am not against you. I am only trying to help.

Dear you who think that the world is against you, hold on and be strong. Always keep the faith alive. The world will still be happy to welcome you back.

(Source: makeamiraclehappen)

(via mrpauljustine)

• Interviewer: Give us your best tip for overcoming depression.
• Stephen Fry: To regard it as being like the weather. It's not your responsibility that it's raining, but it is real when it rains, and the fact that it's raining does not mean that the rain is never going to stop. The only thing to do is to believe that, one day, it won't be raining and accept it so you can find a mental umbrella to shield yourself from the worst. The sun will eventually come up.