Happiness is a trait shown by people who are emotionally resilient. What is happiness exactly? Sometimes it is helpful to first review what happiness is not.

Contrary to popular belief, happiness is not about driving the right car, living in the right neighborhood, or having the latest gadgets. Instead, research has actually proven that how happy you are depends on how you approach your life and the people around you, not on possessions or income level.

So what does make some people happier than others? Researchers have found four qualities that make people more likely to have positive attitudes and feel content or happy more often then not. You may notice that some of these are traits we have already discussed. They are:

• a definite sense of self-worth and belief in their own competence
• belief that they have control of their own destiny and are not passive victims of fate
• Optimism. Happy people have positive, hopeful feelings and beliefs about the future
• a tendency to be outgoing and enjoy being around other people

But what if you were not born an optimistic extrovert! Click below to learn how to include happiness inducing habits in your day.