It’s different things for different people but it generally means that a person’s positive emotions outweigh their negative ones.

Happiness is very good for our health. Studies have shown that happy people have lower blood pressure, stronger immune systems and even live longer. It’s good to know that happiness is something we can actively strive for and achieve.

How can we get more happiness in our lives? We have to put it there ourselves, because happiness is largely a state of mind.

It begins with a focus on the positive things in your life. Take a sheet of paper and write out ten things in your life that make you happy. A favourite food, perhaps, or going to a special place on holiday. Just thinking about these ten things while you write them down will give you a more positive outlook.

Now listen to a piece of your favourite music. Whether it’s a popular song or a symphony doesn’t matter, as long as it makes you happy to hear it.  You’ll feel an uplift in your mood that demonstrates the power music has to increase our levels of happiness.

These two simple exercises should convince you that happiness can be achieved if you have the right elements in your life. Now consider some other aspects of happiness that you can experience every day.

Friends and partners can make substantial contributions to the happiness in our lives, so welcome the involvement of other people in both your working and personal life. Share your feelings, your emotions and your perceptions with others.

Aim your thoughts in a positive direction. It takes practice, but it’s possible to cancel negative thoughts as soon as they arise and turn your thinking instead towards something positive.

Have a mental ‘arsenal’ of positive subjects ready to think about. When a negative emotion or thought comes to the surface banish it by thinking about something that makes you happy.

Surround yourself with positive people. Think of the people you know who always seem to be ‘happy’, who can make you laugh or just feel better by being around them. These are the friendships you should cultivate, just as you should try to keep your contact with negative people to a minimum.

Finally, look after your physical health with regular exercise and a healthy diet. Studies have consistently shown that there’s a correlation between health and happiness, and the healthier you are the happier you’ll be.