Image by: Bexx Brown-Spinelli
By Mike Venture

You hear quite a bit these days about happiness and finding it in everything you do. The sad truth is that you cannot possibly be happy all the time. Well why not Mike? Who are you to tell me when I can and can’t be happy?

Let’s pretend I’m your ego for a little while and I’ll tell you from my point of view. And hey man, it’s not easy for me to do this because as your ego, I’m all about the good times. That’s why it takes a little sacrifice on both of our parts to begin experiencing what happiness is rather than trying to constantly chase after what you think it should be.

• In learning advanced happiness skills we are going to see that it’s really more about avoiding potential negative experiences to keep the joy alive
• Then see why being rich has nothing to do with having lots of money, but it can certainly help you get some
• If you are stuck in a creative rut, these simple ideas might help you break the barrier
• And this one phrase could also be the thing that keeps your relationship going strong

So as your ego, I would normally be the one adding fuel to any fire I could. When you argue, I want you to win. When there’s a party going on, I want you to be the center of attention. And when times are tough, I want you to be the hero.

However, always winning and getting your way is not what happiness is all about. Those things might make us feel good, but life is not ONLY about that. I know, this is hard for me too. Let me step out of character for just a second here.

Two days ago I was at a store that only accepted cash and like an idiot I bought more than I brought with me. As I stood there thinking of what to put back, the guy next to me wiped out a five dollar bill and insisted I take it. After I protested a little, he said, “Just go out and do something nice for someone else.”

I know it’s only a little thing, but it really touched me. This guy just warmed my heart like I was the Grinch listening to all the Who’s down in Whoville.

And that is exactly what creating happiness is all about. He gained nothing by doing what he did and he still did it.

Now back to being your ego. You don’t have to run out there and give people cash to experience happiness. Sometimes all it takes is learning to be passive about situations and detach your emotions from getting in the way and creating negative energy.

Check out what Ph.D. Robert Puff has to share about further advancing your happiness skills and getting me to accept the challenge of reigning in explosive emotions.

Like when it comes to success, creativity, and relationships.

If you want to be rich, you have to adopt the belief that it is not about just getting lots of money in your bank account. That’s nice, but it is an effect of your success.

Self-made millionaire Daniel Ally shares The Only 5 Ways You Can Become Rich that start with you shifting your mindset to that of being someone who produces instead of consumes.

So instead of just eating the food you love, you make it for others. You don’t just watch funny or insightful videos on YouTube, you make them. Ally says that, “Every producer is a millionaire,” and you’ll find that it is because they would rather create products and services to help people instead of just work for a place that does.

You could say that when you learn to become a producer, you are engaged in the observational stage of Dr. Puff’s advanced happiness skills. You care more about the happiness of others and in return you benefit from it. Hopefully financially as well as spiritually.

Another factor in generating happiness is being creative. Remember when you used to build ramps to jump your bike or skateboard off of and the whole neighborhood seemed to be interested? It might just take something awesome like that to get your imagination working again if you’ve been overexposed to reality.

In writer Rachael Shultz’s piece 4 Simple Things to Do When You’re Stuck In a Creative Rut, there are a few other ideas along the same lines. Like trying out a sarcastic tone when it comes to problem solving or writing down 10 times the amount of ideas you normally would to let your mind play.

I’m all about you letting me goof off, so please indulge when necessary.

And to really bring some easy joy into your life, try saying “thank you” more to your partner. It’s a simple way for you to show your appreciation to the woman you love and will make her feel well loved.

Learn to say it as easy as it was for that guy to give Mike five bucks, but know that the meaning behind it goes much deeper.