Lifestyle, however, is only part of the happiness equation. Your attitude about life and the things that happen to you each day can also greatly impact your overall level of happiness.

it’s probably no secret that optimists tend to be happier people, but you may not realize that there’s more to optimism than "putting on a happy face" or "looking on the bright side."

Cultivating an optimist's mind can not only mean cultivating happiness, regardless of your circumstance, but it can actually bring more things into your life to be happy about.

many people pursue goals that they expect will make them happy, but happiness isn't always the end result.

There's no happiness quick fix. It's a balancing act, so don't devote the lion’s share of energy to pursuing a single goal to the exclusion of other important lifestyle factors.

As you set your goals, remember all of the areas of life that are important to you. Map out a detailed description of how you would like your whole life to look, or set goals and develop healthy habits for a different area of your life each month.

If you're trying to make positive changes in your life,

it’s important to set yourself up to succeed:

1. First, set small, attainable goals. Work your way into a new habit with baby steps, and you’ll feel more successful every step of the way, and be less likely to give up.
2. Next, reward your progress. For each small goal, you reach, allow yourself to feel pride, and perhaps give yourself a small reward.
3. Don’t forget to enlist social support. Tell the supportive people in your life what you’re attempting to achieve, and tell them about your successes. This will give you added strength.

• Keep a gratitude journal: Research suggests that feeling a greater sense of gratitude may also promote more feelings of happiness.
• Go for a walk: Research has shown that walking can be a great way to boost mood. Exercise itself can have a positive impact on mood and mental well being, but you can maximize the impact by going for a stroll
• Seek wonder: Studies have found that people who experience a see of awe tend to have lower stress levels and greater feelings of satisfaction.