In my pursuit of happiness, I’ve been doing an informal survey amongst my friends, family, co-workers and you precious Inspiration Report readers to discover what makes you happy. Interestingly enough, there were a lot of items that appeared on everyone’s list.

Most people who were married mentioned tender moments with their spouses. Parents enjoyed time with their children. And just in general, time spent with those you care about is always time well spent.

Nature was also popular. Whether it was out on a kayak in the ocean or hiking through the woods, we all seem to love the great outdoors.

Not surprisingly, food was also high on everyone’s list (and might I add, no one mentioned salad and carrots; apparently, junk food is a universal joy).

The happiness of others ranked high on the lists. We love to serve others, and we really love to make people laugh.

I was also intrigued by the things that didn’t make the lists. For all our chasing of the almighty dollar, only one person mentioned money as a source of joy. Material things weren’t very common either. Even some of my technological friends who always have the latest gadgets didn’t mention anything about the new iPad (in fact, one of them said hearing his children laugh brought him joy).

To me it seemed like most of the responses fell in two camps: how we relate to others and how we relate to ourselves. We love to nurture those we love and pamper ourselves as well.

So now that we’re aware of the things that make us happy, recognize them when they show up in your day. Be grateful for them and do what you can to foster them. After all, habitual happiness takes practice.

For more:
The Path To Joy
7 Ways to Discover Joy
31 Days of Self-Love