Being happy is the best feeling a human can have. There is a difference, however, between being happy and genuinely happy. When you're happy, it is only for that moment or a short period of time before that cloud comes back over you. When you're genuinely happy, however, it feels as if nothing can bring you down and everything is going right. The only way to become genuinely happy is to start being happy now.

One of the best ways to accomplish this, life altering task, is to understand that there is always a reason to smile.

A smile is the beginning of being happy. One smile can change your attitude. I'm not saying force a smile because that is fake happiness which is worse than holding in your emotions. But, when there is a day when everything seems like hell came up and punched in the face, you can always find a reason to smile.

Look around you and find out what it is that makes you happy. It may be your friends, family or a memory but if it makes you smile then it reminds you why you want to get away from that gloomy attitude and live your happy life again. A lot of the times it can be the little things. Events that seem to suck the life out of your day are not the only things that occurred. Look more into your day and find those small things that made you smile even when you thought you couldn't.

Choosing to be happy not only affects you, but all the people around you. Whether you know it or not, people's actions and emotions can be influenced by yours.

Be around happy people. If a person is smiling all the time, you will think, "Why the hell are you always happy," and come to realize that person is living a great life because they are always smiling. There is something inspiring about a person who can look at everything and always find the good in it. These are the type of people who have figured out how to live a genuinely happy life and who everyone should be around.

Start being happy with what you do have and stop being sad because of what you don't have.

If you are always looking at your life and thinking you'll be happier if you have more, then you will never be happy. A genuinely happy person loves their life. Loving what you already have makes your life better because you appreciate it for what it is. Appreciate what you have now because most people don't know what they have until it's gone. And that is the saddest concept.

I believe that choosing to live a happy life and looking at it for what it is will set you on the path for a great future. Creating happiness for others is the best feeling because everyone deserves to live a happy life. It doesn't take much to begin this path. It starts with a willingness to change your attitude and to be grateful for all the things you do have. There are people who look at your life and aspire to live it, appreciate what you do have and smile as much as possible. One smile can change everything.