A great obstacle to happiness is expecting too much happiness.   - Bernard de Fontanelle, French writer

Understanding happiness
Happiness is a state of mind, not a way of life or a destination that you'll reach  one day. Bumps in the road of life are to be expected, and we cannot let them  ruin our days. We often think that if a combination of factors would just fall into  place THEN we would finally be happy. Satisfaction can only come from within,  through truly accepting yourself, your life, and your circumstances. During this life  you'll have many hard days--long work days, sleepless nights, worrying about the  future, etc. This week, think about the joys of your life. Find creative ways to  enjoy the little bumps in the road.

I've been reading and posting to people's Blogs regarding weight loss for a few months now and  the biggest obstacle I see in many of them is that people expect their happiness  to come from losing a pound this week or losing an inch off their waist or hip or to  not eat any "bad" foods. I've told many person through comments that their  happiness cannot come from doing things or achieving things, it has to come from  within yourself.

Yes, achieving goals adds to the joy we feel. But even if we reach our weight loss  goal, we are not going to have an eternal celebration. We will clebrate and enjoy  the victory for a while, but then we settle back into life and we face other goals  and things to achieve. That means our focus is off the achievement. Does that  mean our happiness has to stop? NO WAY! Our happiness, before achieving any  goal and before anybody's approval MUST come from within ourselves. If we are  not happy with who we are as a person, we cannot maintain that happiness after  achieving one goal. We will want to achieve another and another and so on so we  can keep that high. Don't look at the outward apperance of yourself as a guide to  happiness. Think of the qualities that make you..YOU.

Consider if some of the following describe you...and remember this is NOT an  exhaustive list:
Loyal, Affectionate, Ambitious, Caring, Cooperative, Perseveres, Faithful, Thrifty,  Honest, Responsible, Sincere, Thoughtful, Trusting, Hard-working, Adaptable,  Humourous, Stable, Outgoing, Creative, Organized, Patient, Decisive, Encouraging,  Helpful, Do not speak badly of others, values manners, Happy, Accepts  Constructive Criticism, Team Player, Tactful, Open-minded....and so many more.

If you are having a hard time with believing you are the only one who can make  you happy, sit down and write out all the good things about you. Then write out  all the accomplishments in your life, from going to school, to working at a job or  volunteering etc. Write down the names of friends you have had since childhood,  even if they are not in your life anymore. Write out what you enjoyed doing with  them. Write out the things you have in your life, be it your computer, your  bedroom items, your family, your health...etc. When you get done, I cannot  understand how you cannot see that happiness truly does come from within your  own being. It does not come from DOING something for somebody or MAKING  something of yourself. You are already A SOMEBODY, A PERSON OF IMPORTANCE.  You just need to discover this for yourself, and practicing the above activities will  help you with that, if you are truly interested in finding it out and believing in it.

So don't TRY to be happy, find out what makes you happy from the inside out. if  you are happy within, it will shine without and others will be drawn to you and  your happiness. Then YOU can be the motivating factor that teaches them that  their happiness truly is found within the person themself. Don't strive, thrive!