Happiness. What a vast emotion it is. What do we really make it out to be? What do we define it as? Some of us classify it with coffee. Some of us categorize it with the perfect book. Others can associate happiness with simply waking up and being alive.

But, all of those little things make us feel the same way. Happy. That tingle in our stomach. That tiny spark of warmth in our heart. That smile that you can’t stop yourself from.

We sure are blessed to have a feeling like this. And if you’ve never experienced this, you really should try it. Choose to be happy. It’s actually not that hard. What you’ve got to think about is the smallest thing that makes you happy, or would make you happy if you’ve never tried it. Happiness isn’t about something extravagant that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. It’s a choice.

All that crap in your head that’s telling you to be miserable, it’s an illusion. Trust me. Being happy is real. Being happy causes you to, quite literally, jump and dance around. What does being upset do? It causes you to think that something is dragging you back from doing whatever you want to do. Guess what? IT’S NOT. It’s not! Is there a physical, literal chain holding you back? Where is it? It’s not there. You aren’t a puppet. You can do whatever you want.

There are people in your life that are trying to make you happy. But, the crap in your head is filling your mind up to the point where you ignore everything and everyone else. Those over-positive people, we all know a few. Don’t you dare push them away from your life. You have to keep them as close as humanly possible to you, because you can bet that they’ll teach you how to be happy better than anyone else. Those people are my role models. I wonder how they do it, how they can genuinely smile even at people who hate their guts. I aspire to be like them, and so should you.

You absolutely, positively have to get up, wipe away the negative thoughts, and walk away. Because that, that is the only way you’ll get over it. Moping will not cause happiness. Reading sad quotes online will not cause happiness. Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling or your laptop will not cause happiness.

“Okay,” you may be thinking, “I’ve gotten up. What now?” Well, as I’ve stated before, think of extremely small things that make you happy. Read a book. Go to the dog park and watch puppies go nuts. Bake some cookies. Go to a nursing home and listen to all those crazy anecdotes that the elderly tell. Pick up on an old hobby or project you’ve forgotten about. Anything at all.

If you’re reading this and you’ve already done all of these, then go out and find someone who is going through a rough time. They need someone positive in their life, even if they don’t know it. Just start a conversation with that person next time you see them. That might be the very highlight of their day. We’re all humans here. We all need happiness, and none of us own it. So, pass it on.