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Do you believe your life is going to be a masterpiece like the Mona Lisa, or is it some smudged finger painting? Ultimately it begins with a choice. It begins with a decision that no matter what, you are going to live your life as a work of art. Michelangelo said that David was already in the block of Marble before he started carving. All he did was to chip away the marble that was imprisoning the sculpture allowing David to be born. The next time you are deciding between ice cream and cake, buying a car or taking a trip to Europe, accepting a new job or keeping your old one, you should remember two things: First, your decision is rooted in the desire to become happy -- or at least happier than you are now. Second, there's a good chance the decision you make will be wrong. It's just like putting paint on canvas. When Sofan paints, she starts with a clear idea of what she wants to create, a brilliant image shining in her mind. Slowly, one brush stroke at a time is applied until after much time and joy, the painting appears. The wonderful image in her mind comes alive for other people to see and experience. Every thought you think and every one of your actions is like a brush stoke on the canvas of our lives. To live your life as a work of art it is first necessary to have a clear idea of what it is that you really want to do, and then make the commitment that no matter what, you will take the necessary steps to achieve this dream. Sadly, most people only know what they don't want to do. They are so busy, so caught up in living their day to day existence, that they are unable to take the time to really think about what they want to be doing. We all need a special dream to spur us on towards actions. It all begins with a dream. Your dream. What is it ? Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert summed up our failings this way: "People have a lot of bad theories about happiness." It's not for lack of trying. The Declaration of Independence affirms that we have an inalienable right to pursue happiness, and it's something we do with a vengeance. Americans will spend $750 million on self-help books this year and more than $1 billion on motivational speakers. More than 100 colleges now offer classes in positive psychology -- the science of happiness. With all those resources focused on achieving happiness, we should all be brimming with joy. So where do we go wrong? Gilbert, author of the recent book "Stumbling on Happiness," blames our culture, our genes and our imagination. Our culture implores us to buy bigger, newer, better things, but research shows "stuff" does not buy happiness. By and large, money buys happiness only for those who lack the basic needs. Once you pass an income of $50,000, more money doesn't buy much more happiness, Gilbert said. Our genes hardwire us to reproduce, but children have a small negative effect on happiness, research shows. If you're a parent reading this, you're most likely shaking your head. But Gilbert said the findings are clear when parents are asked about their level of happiness in the moment. "When you follow people throughout their days, as they're going about their normal activities, people are about as happy interacting with their children, on average, as when they're doing housework. They're much less happy than when they're exercising, sleeping, grocery shopping, hanging out with friends," Gilbert said. "Now, that doesn't mean they don't occasionally create these transcendent moments of joy that we remember as filling our days with happiness." Finally, our imaginations fail us, Gilbert said, because when we envision different futures we see either perpetual gloom or happily ever-after scenarios. In fact, neither unhappiness nor joy last as long as we expect. As you've probably guessed, winning the lottery will not guarantee a life of bliss. Dr. Robert Puff, Ph.D. is a meditation expert, international speaker, and avid blogger who’s wisdom can be found on http://www.Meditation-Enlightenment.com. Dr. Puff is the creator of the weekly Meditation for Health Podcast, available at http://www.MeditationForHealthPodcast.com. Additionally, he has a weekly podcast that explores the world of Happiness, available at http://www.happinesspodcast.org
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