There are things that matter and things that don’t. Some of those beliefs and ideas that don’t matter can actually poison the soul and kick us where it counts. Here are 4 things that don’t matter. But they can also lead to destroyed lives of waisted potential and deep sadness. Avoid these pitfalls for a much more rewarding life of happiness and decency.

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.

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.

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!

Have you ever seen someone you couldn’t keep your eyes off? And then, after getting to know them a bit, you wonder why you ever found them sexy in the first place? Have you had the opposite experience where you didn’t find someone sexy UNTIL you got to know them? There is a sexiness more profound than shape and form. It’s a sexiness or person, of personality and character. In a word, it is the sexiness of happiness.

We are all thankful for things like family, friends, health, freedom, happiness and the like. But what of the more ordinary and mundane? Do we think of such things when we count our blessings? The more we fill our awareness with gratitude, the happier life will be.

Welcome to the final post in the series, Quotable Notables on Happiness. Visit the blogs of those posted and feel their spirit and inspiration. Everything the human being experiences can be measured biochemically. That’s no surprise. The revelation is that our thoughts and attitudes, what we focus our attention on over time, can change our biochemistry. Come on in and read the rest to discover ways to live happier, with more joy.

When nothing stands between you and the mirror of life, you will recognize the importance of four basic components of life: 1) Your thoughts, 2) Your beliefs, 3) Your relationships and experiences, and 4) Your character. Each is crucial to your happiness. Corrupt any one of the four components and your happiness will be compromised. Period. End of story. This post explores the importance of character to a happy life.

Thanks all for the emails alerting me of the problem with the comments. Problem fixed! This is the 2nd Edition of Quotable Notables on Happiness. I invite you to read, ponder and apply what you find here. It will make a difference to your happiness. And follow the links to some amazing sites whose authors and creators are engaged in producing some amazing work!

Welcome to my first post in a 3-post series that will now be a regular feature here at M2bH. We bloggers like to quote people like Abraham Lincoln and Gandhi for their wisdom and eloquence. But I’ve found many “ordinary” bloggers to be incredibly wise and eloquent too. I use their quotes as springboards into the topic, in this series, on happiness.

Inaction is one of the universal anti-principles to living – it produces apathy and boredom, laziness, anxiety, ill health and depression. Happiness, on the other hand, requires action. We must do certain things. And as we do them consistently, over time, we reap the benefits of a happier life. Action takes effort. Doing requires determination and desire. But doing can also lead to being.

We are what we think. And what we think and how we think it plays a significant role in the happiness we enjoy or in its elusiveness. Do you want more happiness? Come see what ways of thinking will automatically add more joy to your life. Learn to be possibility, long-term, and solution oriented. Think positively and learn to choose the thoughts that fill your mind.

Do you spend much time doing things that make you feel good and laugh or feel inspired and happy inside? The more we can fill our lives with joyous moments, the happier our lives will be. It’s the little things that really often count the most. See if any of mine resonate with you.

Quote #16 in the series 16 Principles of Happiness by the 16th President: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Just as nations can be wounded and divided, so can marriages. But just as the nation was healed, marriages can too.

Quote #15 of Series, 16 Principles of Happiness from the 16th President. “We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.” Are you thin-skinned and easily offended? You can be happier by applying any of the 10 principles in this post.

Part II of How to Stay Happy on a Rainy Day. Is life raining down cold, bitter darkness? How can you find purpose in your trials? Change what you do, your thinking and your beliefs for greater peace.

Jefferson claimed that Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness were God-given self-evident truths. What do those truths mean to us today? Does Life have meaning? Is Liberty essential to happiness? How is Happiness pursued? Jefferson’s immortal words still speak to us today in ways that can motivate and inspire.

The 16th President of the Unites States saved the Union and emancipated the slaves. He also had some wise things to say that apply to our collective pursuit of happiness: “Most folks,” for example, “are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

The desire to live happy motivates us to pursue what we think will create it. Read More.

When we choose to use our limited resources in one particular way, we simultaneously choose not to use those same resources in any number of other possible ways. Here are some tradeoffs I would advise against.