How does one choose to be happy before anything happens to make one happy? There are many ways to do that. Here is a simple technique suggested by the famed Buddhist monk, Thich Nat Han: smile five times a day for no good reason.

Smiling actually produces a biological effect in your body. It sends chemicals racing around your body and actually lifts your spirits. Try this today. Then, every day this week, smile five times a day for no good reason. Do it sitting in traffic. Do it standing in the shower. Do it walking down the street, or working at your desk. For no good reason, just break into a smile. Watch your mood change, even though nothing in your exterior has shifted. (Conversations with God News, April 7, 2006)