What is your secret of being happy ?

I look for little things in life. Having access to food. Having access to a place to live. Setting up realistic short term and long term goals that I work towards that and meet at some point in my life.

Taking time out a few times a week (once a day ideally) to just do something that I want to do and not something the clock forces me to do like work or other engagements)

Keeping my home organized so I do not have to maintain an additional responsibility when I am feeling unhappy.

I have a pet I care for and the affection they give me in exchange for caring for them makes me feel wanted and thus keeping me happy.

It is just being self aware and appreciating what you have and if you can appreciate that, you can try to pursue other things in a more reasonable way and this will at least keep you on a level of mood that will not be too negative.

Music

Being medium class kind of poor in your childhood and meeting friends that like you unconditionally. Being filthy rich in your teen years to the point where you come to realize that money can't buy you a real life partner or real friends. Being broke again as an adult and appreciating life for what you got, making real friends and having a life partner. Living your life out to the point where you live for good times and appreciating the finer things of life. Having an apithany at 35 and realizing your life wasn't so bad and going with the moment instead of taking life for granted.

Staying positive is my secret of being happy. But now that I told you it's not a secret anymore xD

My secret for being happy is to stop caring about being happy and to just be real with my real emotions and to hell with the rest of the ******* world.

I don't care if people see me as happy or not what matters is that I'm being authentic with myself.

It's not natural to always be happy. Experience and feel every emotion. You can't control your emotions. You can't control happiness. People try. It just seems really sad that happiness becomes a goal to accomplish.

Happiness is the natural state of being. Not a goal to accomplish. But in this three dimensional reality, we go through pain and all kinds of negative emotions because this is what it's for.

We forget that darkness is nothing but the absence of light.

You would be brain damaged if you were happy 24/7. when I sing, I usually feel happy. Physically speaking, singing can build endorphins in your brain because you are taking in oxygen with each breath. I also love creating collages on greeting cards. And of course, there is chocolate!! Helping people is another activity that makes me feel 100% like a happy and decent human being.
Trudy

Books

Lots of good answers here, like music and art. I'd add nature and people to whom you are close. It's also good not to buy into the stereotypes pushed on you by the culture, or friends, family and people in general, esp. those on TV or movies--those aren't real! Figure out which state of being (could be solitary--not everyone has to be outgoing) makes you happy and go with it.

I realised this in early high school--I had moved to a town just before entering junior high, in which NOBODY wanted you as a friend if they hadn't known you since childhood! I had one friend. I tried to fit in and be "popular" but without success. Then I thought: if these people are such jerks, why would I want them as "friends". Then I resolved not to care what anyone thought of me. It took less time than you'd think. Suddenly, I was happier than I'd ever been, taking walks, listening to music, getting into art, hanging out with only a couple friends, and that was okay.

I also rejected the absurd idea that everyone MUST have a boyfriend (or girlfriend) in high school, or even college and that I was happy being unattached--fewer expectations and head games! Love can't be forced. Eventually, I got into a serious relationship and it was great. But as we grew up, we grew apart and that was okay too. I found that 5 years of partying and meeting new people, or just hanging out at home was very freeing! Definitely party when you're young (but watch the drugs and booze, eh?).

At the "old" age of 35, I met my soulmate and we married a year and a half later. We had a son and are together after 26 years, through good times and bad. Our main joy is the new relationship we have built with our kid who is now an adult. The other key to happiness I learned from this is to accept the one you love, faults and all (unless the faults are dragging you down--then go to counseling or end it). Most importantly: learn to love yourself and let yourself be loved.

Good food, good friends and a loving family.
Mainly the food thing though - I'm greedy.

Apparently some research that 'they' have done shows that one of the few things that keeps happiness at a decent level is helping others.
The participants were apparently somewhat unhappy then were given more money, bigger car, bigger house etc but happiness levels quickly went back down to previous levels. It was supposedly helping people that maintained happiness levels.
Don't know if this is just a rumour though as its always suspicious when we don't know who 'they' are.

I think of my future and the people that will be around me. since I'm 17 with no kids I tend to think of that of being the future of a family that I get to teach them what important to me and be as great I hope for and more. I tend to feel not important and not able to give anything new as a leader besides make leaders and I know that will take time I'm not as charismatic and people person I would like to be I feel pathetic so really thinking what I can do as a woman form a family I ideal the most and make that happen most or something to of what is in my head that makes me happy. The one thing a fear the most is not be able to find a guy that I want that is on the same level with me. I know or at least hope that I do find him and that he is single and be happy no matter what I do that is safe and understandable. I don't use anything else to delouse myself what is important how people treat each other and have everyone get to be safe solve others people problems reasonably and safely. Get people to think, know what they're doing.
I find when I don't know something to be leads to a disaster so much unexplainable noise at once telling me something is wrong till I find out different. I don't want to feel so much concern about safety so I want my kids (and husband) to know a bunch of what they want to do because how long someone does know something might lead unnecessary result as disappointment, broken limb, death etc. I feel like someone would say something about disappointment and not have lead them to be that so I want to say I won't do that I want them as happy as possible so do whatever that might lead to a concern to me then I want the best hope of what they do will make the most achievements to make great and admirable memories.