Living a happy and optimistic life is what we should always strive for, and it's proven to be good for your health. Being happy protects you from the stresses of life. And stress is linked to the top causes of death like heart disease, cancer and strokes.

One of the best things ever said is - 'The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change', and in our life we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change.

To be happy is relatively easy, just decide to do it and remind yourself everyday that you are 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 to be. The choice is simple really, choose to be happy.

Here are some suggestions by which you can do this. Being grateful, we have so much to be thankful for. Thank your better half for being so wonderful to you, thank the cook for a delicious dinner and the guy or gal who cleans your floors. Offering praise makes you feel good and makes them feel good too. Making other people happy can bring joy to you.

Stop watching the news, news is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can't start their day without their daily dose of news. 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do. Avoid watching so much news and see how much better you feel.

A spiritual connection is another great way to promote happiness. Being part of a group that promotes peace and happiness with singing, chanting, prayers and meditation can help foster inner peace.

Manage your time. Time is valuable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed as a list of rules. You should schedule your time, set goals, make a plan, create lists of things to do and prioritize. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood and implemented to develop an efficient personal time management skill. By managing your time you will reduce stress and anxiety, increasing your productivity.

Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent when finishing the task. Accomplishments are necessary to increase self worth, they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel worthy of your time.

Learning is also a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday. Learning also makes us expand and broaden our horizons. Learning also opens doors giving us more opportunities in the future.