Almost everyone has heard the hit single "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy. Bobby Mcferin's simple message surely made a lot of people feel better by telling them not to worry.

Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is wonderful, and is good for your health. Being happy actually helps protect you from the stresses of life. And by now, we all know stress is linked to the top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and stroke.

To be happy is relatively easy. Just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people, for most of the time, can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, how bright or dull their outlook on life to be. He coined the phrase "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." The choice is simple really. Choose to be happy.

Happiness can be found in everyone. Increasing our happiness is a way to make our lives more wonderful and healthier. Here are several ways you can do this:

Attitude of Gratitude -Being grateful is a great attitude. We have so much for which to be thankful. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely. Thank the cook for a wonderful dinner and thank the guy who cleans your windows. Thank the mail carrier for bringing your mail. Thank the police officer for making your place safe, and thank God for being alive.

Total Recall - Remember the happiest past events in your life. Keep pictures or mementos of these events in your home or office where you will see them daily.

No News is Good News - News is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can't start their day without their daily dose of news. Try to think about it. 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news doesn't seem to be a sensible thing to do.

Can't We All Just Get Along - Our personal relationships are essential to happiness. People are different. Accept people for who or what they are. Avoid clashes and constant arguments, and let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable, still make an effort to understand the situation and you might just get along better.

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights - Manage your time. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Develop an efficient personal time management skill. Time management involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood and utilized. These basic skills can give you that extra reserve to achieve the results you desire.

Tickle the Funny Bone - Laugh and laugh heartily everyday. Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say - "Laughter is the best medicine."

Express Yourself - Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep pent up anger or frustrations. This is bad for your health. Instead, find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.

Git-R-Done - Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. We get a feeling of being competent when we complete our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us; they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel are worthy of your time.

Learning is a Joyful Exercise - Try to learn something new everyday. Learning makes us expand and broaden our horizons and could give us more opportunities in the future.

Get Off The Couch - Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was created to do. Feel alive.

These are just a few simple things you can do everyday to help you be happy.

Always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Gina