So many times I hear people say that they will be happy once a certain event occurs. They think that once they move into a new house, start their new job, travel or retire they will be happy. But it doesn’t work that way.

If you truly want to be happy, here’s what to do.

You are not just a victim of circumstances or your emotions. Think about it this way. If you are in a horrible argument with someone, and the person you most respect enters the room, what will happen? The fighting will likely stop immediately, your mood will change, and so will your behavior. You do have control, and you are the one who decides how you will face the day!

We are never disappointed unless we have expectations. If you base your emotions on the need for certain things to happen, you will likely be let down most of the time. Instead, work hard, and treat everything good that happens as a bonus for which you can be thankful.

Don’t get too wrapped up in issues involving friends or family. We are each responsible for our own lives, and even when someone makes a bad mistake, it is not up to you to make things better. And remember that worry doesn’t help anyone!

You might not be satisfied with your income, but there’s no point complaining about it. Improve your diploma so that you can get a better job in the future. You may have an incurable illness, such as diabetes, but the fact that it’s incurable doesn’t mean that it cannot be managed.

   You don’t have to be a Pollyanna(盲目乐观者)about life, but you can see the bright side of almost every situation if you just make a point of looking for it. Happiness is not an uncatchable mouse! Once you have made up your mind that you are going to be happy despite what is going on around you, the task becomes easier. One of the key things to remember is that happiness doesn’t come from outside but begins on the inside and actually spread outward, and can influence everyone around you in a positive manner.

Crystal, one of my classmates, came into my class last year．Honestly, she was unfavorably impressed (给……留下印象) on me in the beginning．She was short and had fairly dark skin．She was just sitting in front of me．She didn’t say much, and yet I almost always saw smiles on her face every day．I hardly spoke to her for about one week since she joined us．Anyone else in my class didn’t, either, but it seemed that she never paid attention to this．She always smiled at everyone．

One day, we all studied overtime．“It is raining again! What a day!” someone complained (抱怨)．Turning around, she said, “Do you have an umbrella, Jenny?” “No,” I answered．Then she was out of the classroom．After a while, I saw her entering the classroom with an umbrella in her hand．She walked up to me．“Here you are! And the rain is heavy now．You’d better wait a second, otherwise you’ll get drenched to the skin,” she said and gave her face a wipe ．I stood up beside the desk and couldn’t say anything at that moment．I was very uneasy．“Th-th-thank you,” I said after some minutes．She gave me a bright smile．