Which comes first, happiness or achieving a goal? A lot of people say they will be happy after they have enough money in the bank, or when they lose the weight, or when they get the job of their dreams. Here is the real truth. Happiness always precedes goal achievements.
When you are happy, you allow your creative side to open up. You are excited to work towards your goals and find ways to achieve them. If you are miserable, you will most likely sulk, and feel sorry for yourself, and when this happens, no one wants to be next to you. When you are happy, people will be attracted to you, and you might find your significant other, or even a person who knows how to help you achieve your dreams. 
Now, how about if you do not feel happy or if you have serious personal problems, how can you feel happy? There is that old adage that says, “fake it, until you make it.” This is easier said than done. If you just smile, even if you do not feel like it, you will realize your whole disposition will change. You can’t be angry or upset if you smile, even if it is fake. Researchers have found that being able to offer the world a sunny disposition, regardless of your inner mood state, actually encourages you to feel better physically.
Smiling will also change your thought processes and even though you still have the same problems, your attitude will immediately change, allowing you to conquer your problems instead of ignoring them. Now, while trying to achieve your goals, you might come across a few obstacles which can cause stress, unhappiness, and even thoughts of failure. In order to be happy while achieving your dreams, you must enjoy the process. Grab a notebook and call it your gratitude journal and every day write down 3-5 things or people that you are grateful for. Write down daily what did you do today to get closer to your dream. Every Sunday review your week and look back at what you have accomplished. I bet it is more than you thought you did. You see, we tend to focus on the negative, the things we didn’t do, versus the things we did. Know that life is a journey and you need to enjoy it every day. Your days on this earth are short, so make the most of it. Just make sure you smile every day.
