Every time I walk into a bookstore I feel that the self-help section is slowly eating away at the rest of the shelves. Happiness has become so elusive in our culture that people will pay $29.99 to have someone else tell them what it means to be happy. People read and read these books searching for the true meaning of happiness in the hopes that once the dust cover is placed back on the book and the bookmark is removed and wallah they'll be happy. I'm sorry but am I the only one who thinks that these books are the biggest scam? No one can tell you how to be happy, because you're the only who knows what makes you happy. How can people expect to learn how to be happy from someone else? Here we find the root of the problem as to why happiness has become so elusive; People are not willing to take the time to recognize the things that makes them happy.

The main problem I find with self-help books is they over complicate happiness. They make a very simple act into an overcomplicated, ten step process. There is one self-help book though that I do believe can make someone a happier person, though. "14,000 things to be happy about" is a book that should be in every house. Whether it's put in the bathroom, the nightstand, or the coffee table this book she is somewhere in your life.

What makes this book so great is that it is literally just a list of 14,000 things to be happy about. That's it. There's no fluffy scientific research behind it and no Dr.Phil advice thrown in between the pages. Just simple things like sheets fresh out of the dryer, and the sound of rain. This book is so fantastic because in reality the truth is all we need to be happy is the reminder that, as cliche as it sounds, it's the little things that make the difference.

In my opinion, the world would be a much better place if more people lived their lives with even just a few of these 14,000 happy things in mind. Imagine a world where everyone jumped for joy when they were given a popsicle, or saw a puppy. Isn't that a nice world? I know I'm just another idealistic, optimistic, liberal arts college kid but I still feel that this concept is worth exploring. Why have we let things like overrated self-help box overcomplicate what it means to be happy? Why can't a businessman find happiness inside a cup of really great coffee and why can't we all just be comfortable being happy?

When I was little the gift of an ice pop would make me absurdly happy but, unfortunately, now I find myself rushing through life taking the ice pops for their face value. I've let the world and the daily struggles that make life, life gets in the way of the simplicity of happiness. As we rush through life we forget to appreciate the simple things that happen every day yet we still wonder why we find ourselves sitting on the floor of a Barnes and Noble flipping through the latest Self-Help book. So do yourself a favor, appreciate the ice pop and invest in "14,000 things to be happy about" or better yet start to write your own.