Do you work with, or know of someone who always displays the same joyful outlook on life whenever you see or meet this person? They have a ready-smile, a cheery word, something positive to say, a calm demeanor.

You might be forgiven for thinking we are referring to a fictional or perfect person. But we’re not. These people really do exist – and on this planet too!

What you are witnessing, when you meet these people, is the manifestation of joy, or the quality or condition of happiness and contentment.

What do we mean by the terms joy, happiness and contentment?

Well, happiness is a feeling, a showing or expressing of joy. Contentment on the other hand, is a mental or emotional condition. It’s when a person is satisfied with things as they are. It’s a peace of mind, a mental or emotional satisfaction. It must be said right away though, when we say a person is satisfied with things as they are, that it’s not to be confused with thinking a person as resigned themselves to be content with the way things are in their lives, because they feel powerless to make things better. These are two very different, and opposed approaches to life.

Someone who resigns themself into believing their lives will never alter, have resigned or given up on life. And they have not only given up on life, they’ve also given up on themselves.

How then, does a person achieve joy or happiness? Good question.

If I were to ask the public that question, there would be many and varied replies. Many would be led to believe that money brings happiness. Others would say the acquiring of material possessions leads to happiness. Still others would say getting a good education and career brings them untold happiness.

If you were to ask John Paul Getty, were he alive today whether money brought happiness, his reply would be: “unhappiness rather than happiness, is more akin to having wealth.” And that kind of comment would come from a man, who at the time, was the worlds richest man!

Think then for a moment about your own life. What events or situations have brought you the most happiness? Have any of your most happy times had anything to do with wealth or possessions? Or rather, have they not had more to do with people – family, friends, relatives?

The most contentment and happiness we all probably have experienced at times in our lives, has had more to do with people and relationships, rather than with money or things! Again, we are not saying that money and possessions are irrelevant. What we are saying, is it’s what matters most, and what leads to real happiness that’s important.

You probably know of people who have little in the way of money or possessions, yet they are among some of the happiest people you could ever know. They are not forever striving for the next best thing – which tomorrow will not be the next best thing, because the next best thing is already out of date!

We can achieve happiness, it just depends upon your interpretation of what makes you happy. It’s good to be reasonable too when it comes to happiness. Happiness is not a feeling we have 24/7. Happiness is connected with specific situations and experiences we have. We can’t always be walking around with a smile on our face. People would tend to think we were on something! Or they would think we were just “happy-go-lucky” people, going through life without a care or sense of responsibility.

Finally, happiness can be maintained if we have a balanced and reasonable view of life, ourselves, and others. Abraham Lincoln once said: “We are as happy as we make up our minds to be.” Are you a happy person?