I've always been a sympathetic person especially for things outside of my control. I find myself sobbing over five minute documentaries on Facebook, and prayer requests on Twitter more often than I'd like to admit. The one thing these people I read about and watch have one thing in common: no matter their situation they are in, they are happy.

Happiness is vital to human life, and the sad part is that it is getting harder and harder to attain. People are surrounded by societal and environmental pressures that drive them into sadness. The hardest part of being happy is being able to overcome these pressures and find what makes you naturally happy instead of synthetic happiness. Again, with mental illness this is not as easy to be happy as it seems, but with the right environment and people surrounding you, it can make the situation all the better.

Happiness can be found in your favorite song and the off pitch voices of all of your friends. Happiness can be found in the sound of laughter from your family when you tell the corniest joke you can think of. Happiness can be found from reading an article where the world finally seems like it's turning back to the great place it has the potential to be. Happiness can be laying out and watching the night sky as you feel the cold breeze against your skin. Happiness is whatever you want it to be. You just have to find yourself, and it will find you.

You have to live every day like it's your last. You have to take risks. You have to open your heart and minds to ideas and people you may not agree with. You have to put yourself in a position where you can truly be yourself and let the rest come to you. The key to being happy is to let the you that you have sheltered from the world for whatever reason out.

This is how you find your real friends, your nice and most importantly-- your real happiness.