Can you touch happiness? No. When you imagine happiness, do you think of specific places and things or do you see a flood of ideas? I'm betting there's a long list of concepts swirling around your head as you consider what happiness means to you. This is why many people have trouble finding joy and success in life, their definitions are too abstract.

     What are some other areas of life contributing to your happiness? Family, success, love, pleasure, and charity are just a few of those aspects. Notice they all have something in common; they're all concepts. You could picture your spouse and children when you think about family, but that's providing a framework for your idea of family. Since we were all raised in different families, our level of happiness associated with that image will always be unique. Unfortunately not everyone had a positive upbringing, so family may not be a happy idea to you.

     I know you've seen a shiny new Mercedes pull up at the light and thought, I would be happy driving that to work day after day. It's true you would be excited when you got the new car, but eventually the thrill wears off. Suppose you've had a reservation at your favorite restaurant for weeks and you know exactly what you'll order when you get there. The night comes when you sit down to eat and sure enough the food was amazing. You leave feeling both happy and full!  The next morning all you have is the memory of dinner, but the happiness has to come from somewhere else.

     Some "things" will give you pleasure. The feelings could last longer (buy a new car) or shorter (eat a great meal), but neither will sustain your happiness. You could shop and eat all day, but even the biggest bank account and the fastest metabolism wouldn't be able to keep up with the need for more. This is why you must create your own happiness! You've already seen why that's challenging, so here are some skills to practice making happiness feel more real:

·    Surround yourself with positive people. There's no faster way to squash a good mood than to strike up a conversation with Debbie Downer. The people in your world are the most real things in your life, so make sure they're adding to your happiness and not taking away from it.

·    Choose one happy image and burn it into your brain. This must be a vision of your happiest moment and feeling. When you're stressed or just down in the dumps, practice concentrating on your image. The next time anyone asks what makes you happy; this picture will be your answer.

·    Be appreciative for everything you have. Practice telling those closest to you what you're thankful for and do it often. You might feel as though you have less than others or not as much as you did last year, but I guarantee it could be worse. This will ensure your happiness will survive in any condition.

The concept of living with less was becoming trendy before the economy completely went south. Now more people are forced to cut back on everything from luxuries to basic goods. When you have no choice but to cut back in areas of everyday life, changes must be made. The list of adjustments to your life must also include your criteria for happiness. 

Concrete happiness can be part of each and every day, but it's necessary to focus on where your real joy and satisfaction comes from. The time to practice your skills of happiness is now! Instead of learning to live with less, pay attention to what you have and realize how rich you are. Find your concrete happiness and you will have a happy life.  

You've just leanred a new skill of happiness, start practicing today!