We all want to be happy, but we don't always know what's good for us, and we often seek happiness where it can't be found. We try to earn more money to buy more things, and we seek ever new experiences and relationships. But psychologists have learnt that this is often a poor way to be happy, especially in the long term, and that we are happiest when we orient our lives in other directions.
It turns out that the simple things of life - good relationships, caring for others, being 'easy' on others and believing in a 'cause' that is 'bigger' than we are - generally lead to greater happiness and life satisfaction than do money and possessions. Of course advertising and our culture often push more materialistic values on us, so we need to know what 'works' and what doesn't, and be willing to swim against the tide.
If we learn these lessons, we will be happier people, and we will also be changed people, better friends to others and leave the world a better place - so everybody's happy!
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