Happiness isn’t much like most other goals we pursue. You can aim directly at losing weight, for example, or learning Chinese. But not so much with happiness because happiness is the natural byproduct of other traits that can be more directly targeted. So what is happiness? What are the characteristics that compose it? Come read and see how much of its parts are a part of you.

Guest post by Stephen Martin: Much of what I’ve been able to accomplish over the past few years – being a father, writing a book, staying energized in my day job – came about largely because of what I learned from doing laundry. Gradually, three principles emerged from the never-ending supply of dirty socks. Following them not only allowed me to keep my kids clothed most of the time. They also nurtured a personal breakthrough, taking my writing career in new directions during the absolute busiest time of my life.

Guest post by Stuart Mills: Instead of enjoying the life they already have, many people spend their waking moments worrying about all that could possibly go wrong. Death is seen as something to be avoided at all costs – the idea is to live as long and as safely as possible. Instead of thriving, these people simply survive.

The test of one’s moral convictions is not in the safety of a questionnaire or in the sterile environment of a trial study, but in the field, in real life, when and where it counts. That’s where true moral courage is necessary. And it’s in those moments that standing up for what’s right can make a world of difference. What kind of world are you willing to help create? One in which we collectively sit and wait? Or one wherein we stand to be counted?

If a statue were to be erected in your honor, what would it be sculpted to look like? Would the statue be holding a pen, a ball, a child or lifting a fallen stranger from the ground? Or would it instead be clutching a TV remote and a bag of chips with the look of boredom dully etched onto its granite face? What are you doing with your life? Are you living it primarily on your butt or on your feet? What do you stand for? What are you committed to?

Countries have constitutions. Companies have corporate mission statements. Clubs and other organizations have vision statements, taglines or mottos. So why not us? I recently asked some blogging friends to share their mottos here at M2bH. The result is 15 mottos that inspire and motivate.

Our mottos become guide posts and verbal beacons along the road we travel. They are the street names on the map of life. They are the rhetorical equivalence of a compass to help us get our bearings and stay on course. They also reflect the heart of our hearts. They are terse statements of deep value, of what we aspire to be. They also help teach the fundamental ideas we want to pass on to others, especially our children.

Millions upon millions of corporations, nations, cities and states, government agencies, non-profit organizations, clubs and events have created and adopted mottos as expressions of what they want to be and how they want to be seen, what they strive for and as a reflection of their core beliefs and values and as a way to infuse into the organization those values they want absorbed into the organizational climate. Why not individual and family mottos as well?

Guest post by Hiten Vyan: What stops you from breaking through the brick walls in your life and experiencing the life you dream of? Most obstacles to doing what we want are self-imposed, created in the chambers of our minds and hearts. One of those self-defeating ways of thinking is to think in worst-case scenarios. Come read 5 ways to break through that mental trap to the life you truly want.

Guest post by Mohamed Tohami: “I believe that you are only one idea away from realizing your full potential and turning your passion into a wildly profitable venture. One bold crazy idea can generate mega buzz in your market that turns your passion into a worldwide sensation. Here are 10 ways to find such creative ideas that turn your passion into profits.”

Have you ever revisited your priorities because of some unexpected external shove? That recently happened to me. It all started when my router coughed its last breath and went off to router heaven. I was stranded, alone, disconnected, afloat in the sea of internet loneliness. Until, well, you’ll just have to click on in to read the rest …

If you’re a blogger, you know a dashboard is more than the place you instinctively glance to check your speed when you pass a police car. A blog’s dashboard is where much of the behind-the-scenes work of a site happens, allowing us to individualize the appearance and functionality of our blogs. But these same characteristics can also be found in our own lives as well. What’s on the dashboard of your life?

Great and noble ideas have led to great and noble lives doing great and noble things. They have led to the creation of nations built upon the conviction that freedom is the heart and soul of good government. They have led to the exploration and discovery of the inner workings of the human mind. They have gone far to uncover the mysteries of life. Ideas truly matter. They also matter on a personal, human developmental level.

Ideas matter. They have consequences. They lead to great civilizations doing great things or to human depravity on monumental scales. They also change us on a personal level as we discover what they are and apply them to how we live, how we think, what we do, what and how we believe. The following ideas are some of those that can change your life. Forever.

I’ve been married for over two decades now. And while I don’t have all the answers or do the “love and marriage thing” perfectly, I’ve learned a thing or two over the course of that time. By applying these timeless principles to our most cherished relationship, we can deepen the love and happiness we feel in our families. We can have happy marriages as we learn and apply these lessons. Come on in to see!

Happiness can be a difficult thing to attain. It requires living your life according to principles that create it. It requires uncovering the internal obstacles and overcoming them. It requires developing certain traits that are conducive to it. And it requires establishing some habits and attitudes of thought and perspective that can take some sustained effort over time to acquire. Bottom line, happiness is no wimpy trait. Come see what I mean!

Guest post from Naveen Kulkarni: Faith and doubt, two powerful states, both able to change our experiences in life. One can propel us forward, pushing through obstacles, overcoming caverns of opposition, reaching and stretching further than could have been imagined. The other creates the very opposition that thwarts achievement, slows progress and prevents us from following our dreams and passions. Come read Naveen’s insight and motivational post to help you past your doubts to have faith in your capacity to take action today.

Today’s post is very different from my usual writing. This is a letter written directly to you, my reader. I want you to know how I feel about you, that I’m proud of you, believe in you, appreciate you and believe you can become just about anything you decide to become. You are important and beautiful. You were meant to be happy and amazing, after all. Thank you all for the honor and trust and interest you’ve given to the principles and ideas I share here at Meant to be Happy.

While a new year is a nice benchmark of sorts, its really only one day after the day before. It holds no magic. Perhaps better than endless New Years Resolutions that seem so often to start and stop and start and flounder and start and end, would be to daily resolve to live that one 24-hour chunk of time to its fullest. Maybe by carving out an amazing day, all those amazingly meaningful days would add up to an amazingly beautiful life.

This is a Guest Post by Alex Mangini. Think of the last time the odds were against you. Maybe you were considered the underdog in a sporting event, or were told that your goals in life are unrealistic. Whatever the case may be, the only thing that’s important is how you overcome these problems. Some people thrive on adversity and use it to fuel success. You can learn this invaluable characteristic too. Steve Jobs exemplified this well.