If today were my last day on Earth and I could share 500 words of brilliance with the world, here are the important things I’d want to pass along to others…America’s founding fathers were wise to embed the “A pursuit of happiness” in the DNA of the country – in the Preamble to the Constitution. It was a profoundly new idea that changed the world. Clients tell me, “I want to be happy!” and I show them how thoughts affect mood. How you relate to yourself can lift or dampen your spirits.

Happy people have an easier life, bounce back from problems, and generate love. Research demonstrates we are hard wired to focus on problems, which creates physically and emotionally damaging stress. As we learn to focus on gratitude, the positive effects are obvious. Practicing gratitude helps you notice good things, reduce your stress and anxiety, and feel better about yourself, your friends and family, and your life.

You can improve your relationship with yourself, your relationships with others, your work life, your home life, and even your health when you congratulate yourself on your personal pursuit of happiness, because Celebration + Appreciation = Motivation. The more you appreciate your effort, the more motivated and happy you will be.

The three components of happiness are:

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