In my view, there are four essential ingredients to a happy life, all of which begin with the letter "L." The 4 L's of happiness are: (1)  Laughing (2)  Loving (3)  Living  (4)  Learning Nothing puts us in a better mood -- and helps turn a frown upside down -- quite like a good laugh. Whether we're watching a comedy movie or being amused by a pet's zany antics, life just isn't as fun without a healthy dose of laughter. But most of us would agree that funny moments aren't as memorable unless we have others around to share them with -- the people we love. While friends and family don't complete us -- we do that ourselves -- they certainly give us a good reason to wake up every morning. They're there for us (many of them, at least) in good times and bad. As human beings, we all yearn to love and be loved.  The next one is fairly straightforward: we can't be happy unless we're living -- literally and figuratively. But some wou...

That is, if your goal is to become (1) rich in knowledge (2) rich in laughter (3) rich in health (4) rich in family (5) rich in love, and   (6) rich in experiences. Does money buy comfort? Yes. Does it buy security? Yes. Does it buy long-lasting happiness? It could, but that's not always a given. If it were, you wouldn't have wealthy celebrities battling drug and depression problems. Life is about more than money. Material possessions can only bring us so much happiness. Nine times out of ten, I get more enjoyment out of learning new things through a great book, compelling documentary, or visit to the museum than I do buying shirts, household appliances, and other stuff I might not even need. There are so many great things money can't buy. You can't put a price tag on the love shared between friends and family. You can't monetize laughter, especially not the kind that makes tears come out of your eyes. And you certainly can't appraise simple, every...

If you were to come up with one word to describe your ideal life, what would it be? If several come to mind, try to winnow them down to the one word that best captures what you would consider the perfect life. Words like "rich" and "wealthy" didn't even cross my mind, for I am the farthest thing from materialistic. I think the best things in life tend to be free -- love, knowledge, laughter, companionship. For me, no word encapsulates the ideal life quite like simple . A self-proclaimed minimalist, I try to reduce as much clutter in my life -- both mental and physical -- as I possibly can. I respect those who find great fulfillment in owning the biggest houses, roomiest cars, and shiniest baubles. But that's just not me. I am much easier to please, finding satisfaction in the simplest things -- like reading a great book, taking a relaxing walk around the park, or watching an interesting documentary on TV. You're probably wondering whether ...

In this post, I'd like to share what I find are the three ingredients to a joyful, satisfying life. I call them the 3 Ls: live, laugh, love . The fact they all begin with the same letter surely makes them easier to remember. 1. Live : It's fine to be cautious and prudent, but we needn't live so austerely as to inhibit ourselves from enjoying life. In other words, we should strive to  live our lives, but in responsible ways . The trick is to achieve a sensible middle ground. Running up credit card debit and drinking while driving don't constitute living  life to the fullest. They're examples of reckless behavior that can get you in heaps of trouble, if not endanger your life. Instead, we should make the most of our lives by soaking up memorable experiences. Travel the world (without overextending yourself financially, of course). Hit up new restaurants close to home and far away. Try your hand at skydiving, scuba diving, and other exciting activities you never th...

I grabbed this from a picture someone posted on Facebook. It shows things we should/shouldn't do and consume more/less of if we are to live a truly healthy lifestyle. After reading the text, all I could say is "so true," and I'm sure you'd concur. It certainly makes for a nice list of potential New Year's resolutions for many of us: Less soda, more water Less alcohol, more tea Less sugar, more fruits Less meat, more vegetables  Less sitting/driving, more walking/exercising  Less worry, more sleep Less anger, more laughter Fewer words, more action Everything that follows "more" is known to contribute to a healthier life. For example, sleep is certainly essential to one's well-being. Without sufficient rest, one can't think clearly, adversely affecting their work, social interactions, and even their self-confidence. What's more, people who laugh and exercise more typically live longer lives, as many studies point out.  ...