Jeepers! I wrote the following in April this year, and I still haven't got through the swag of emails. I am so sorry everyone! This is what I wrote in April
"I started this blog last year with such enthusiasm, and received a swag of emails daily from people all over Australia, the UK and little places in between. And havent I failed you all miserably! So.... sorry to those who sent me their amazing thoughts on happiness and were not rewarded by having their philosophy posted on the blog. The past year has whizzed by and when I logged in to the blog tonight I had imagined that it was perhaps 3 months or so since I lasted uploaded some words of wisdom from the wonderful folk who took the time to put their thoughts into an email. Imagine my surprise when I realised it is almost a year. I will upload some of the emails tomorrow. I have about 200, so bear with me as I squeeze a few in between work hours. Cheers, Ab"
WHAT A SLACKER! Well, it is New Year's Eve and I am making a commitment to keep this blog up to date as so many wonderful people have shown an interest by emailing me their incredible musings and philosophies on what it is we need to have a happy life. So...tomorrow...or maybe the next day? And for those who want to contribute, please leave your comments or send me an email with your secret to a happy life. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. May you be blessed with peace and joy. 

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Robbie (47) of Fremantle, WA:
"To be happy you have to like yourself, but more importantly you have to like other people."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Anne (67) of Brisbane, Queensland: "To be happy you need to accept that other people are different, and yet the same. We all want to be accepted, nurtured, liked, loved, respected etc. If this is what you want, then practice the same with other people. Learning to be with other people will lead to happiness."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Marty (71) of Brisbane, Queensland: "People who live on their own can grow to be selfish and impatient of others, and this can make them moody and unhappy. So people on their own should get a pet, with four legs not with fins, and they will find that through caring for and loving the pet that they will be more tolerant of people, and this will help them to be happy."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Joan (59) of Inglewood, Perth WA: "People delay their opportunity for being happy right now, in this moment. They think they will be happier once they lose weight, or get another job, or win the lotto, or move to another town. These things can make you happy, but what if they never happen? Dont live for future happiness, or even past happiness. By accepting your life situations as they are at this moment and endeavouring to live your life in a way that will nuture happiness, you will become happy. JUST DO IT!"

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Eve (29) of Hamilton Hill, WA: "The secret to being happy is quite simple. Just believe you are a happy person and you will be!"

The secret to a happy life is revealed by John (41) of Bayswater, Perth WA: "There is no excuse for being a moody, miserable sod. Who is responsible for creating that person? You are! You choose how you react to your experiences, and if you choose to be the victim then you will never be happy. Crap stuff happens to people every day, and it is how you choose to deal with it that will determine if you live your life unhappy or happy. So choose to take charge of your situation and begin the road to happiness."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Pauline (64) of Bournemouth, UK: "So you just got the sack, got a gruesome illness, your husband left you, and you are about to get kicked out of your flat for not paying the rent. You are miserable and unhappy and life just sucks and you hate people who tell you to cheer up. Well I'm here to tell you that the secret to a happy life is acceptance. Accept the things that life dishes up to you and find ways to deal with each situation and although dark days may come you can feel happy in the knowledge that you have accepted the experience and are making an effort to put your life on track."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Mitch (44) of Auckland, NZ: "To be happy you can't blame other people for your unhappiness. If other people make you feel unhappy then don't hang out with those people, or work for them, or be in their team, or whatever. And if those people, for whatever reason, have to be in your life (like your family!!) then find strategies to deal with them. Be proactive in your path to happiness."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Diana (14) of Essendon, Victoria: "To be a happy person you only need to practice one thing. You need to practice the art of not worrying. Worrying destroys the ability to think happy and be happy. So stop worrying!"

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Timothy (37) of Dunedin, NZ: "Value sincerity above all things and you will have a happy life."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Ellen (92) from Wales: Drink tea with a friend, smile a lot, walk slowly, write letters to loved ones, say hello to an animal, touch a tree, smell a flower, enjoy being you.

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Bill from Sussex, UK: Dont hang on to stuff that makes you uneasy, frustrated, or miserable. Get rid of the objects, people, job or whatever it is that causes you unrest and puts you in the doldrums. We hang onto these things and people because we hang onto 'the familiar' things in our lives, but if they dont push our happiness buttons toss them aside and start from scratch. Its a scary prospect for most of us, but it will wipe the slate clean and enable you to choose things and people that enrich you rather than ditch you.

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Patrick from Esperance, WA: Be considerate and responsible with the words you write and the words you speak, both to yourself and to others, and you will find that this will enhance happiness. Unpleasant words will eventually cause turmoil for you as they will tangle up in your mind and cause you unrest and distraction and you will never be happy.

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Anne Marie (19) from Adelaide: Although I am young I am also a truly happy person. My parents taught me to not live in the past, not to dwell on the future, but to live right in the NOW! Reminiscing too much will hold your thoughts in another time and place; projecting your thoughts too much into the future and making too many future plans may create anxiety and expectation; but living your life right as it is, right at this moment, with absolute sincerity and honesty to yourself and others will show you true happiness.

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Peter (39) from Brisbane, QLD: Its been said many times over the centuries but we each create our own universe. Dont blame others for creating your unhappy life - blame yourself! The choices you make, or dont make, and the way you conduct yourself every day will shape whether your life is happy or unhappy. Its elementary isnt it? CHOOSE to live a happy life and then set about creating it.

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Winona (27) of Hobart, Tasmania: Dont avoid conflict, EVER! Avoiding conflict will make you unhappy in the end. If an issue arises you need to deal with it in fairness and openess, and as soon as you can. These will free you from the turmoil of thoughts that surround conflict, and by doing so you will live happy and be happy.

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Rosalind of Ballajura, WA: Never try to control your life, or the life of others. A controlling personality will never be happy.

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Dawn (51) of Tullamarine, Victoria: An overstuffed rigid mind dwells in the head of an unhappy person so keep your thinking simple and open to all ideas. That doesnt mean you have to agree with everything and everyone, but it opens you up to the possibilities that the life outside your own can enrich you daily and lead to your further happiness.

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Geoff (87) from Glebe, NSW: Be sincere and truthful in everything you do. You cannot be unhappy when you hold fast to these two principles, because you will not gossip, lie, do anything to hurt someone else, be manipulative or mean. Even if you tell someone a truth that may hurt them, your sincerity in the motivation to do so will cancel the hurt very quickly. Living by these two virtues will enhance your life and you will be happy.

Sorry Sorry Sorry!!!

I started this blog last year with such enthusiasm, and received a swag of emails daily from people all over Australia, the UK and little places in between. And havent I failed you all miserably! So.... sorry to those who sent me their amazing thoughts on happiness and were not rewarded by having their philosophy posted on the blog. The past year has whizzed by and when I logged in to the blog tonight I had imagined that it was perhaps 3 months or so since I lasted uploaded some words of wisdom from the wonderful folk who took the time to put their thoughts into an email. Imagine my surprise when I realised it is almost a year. I will upload some of the emails tomorrow. I have about 200, so bear with me as I squeeze a few in between work hours. Cheers, Abi

Email Savvy Elders!

I have had a swag of emails from some wise elders who live in Victoria. Do you all know each other? I will upload the rest of the emails during the week. Thank you all so much for your wonderful contributions to this site. Please keep your revelations coming folks! Regards, Abi

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Meredith (77) from Sorrento, Victoria: "We cannot make someone like us, or even love us. If you think too much about how other's see you it will eat you up and make you feel insecure and uncertain of your place in the world. No one can be happy feeling this way. Learn to love the person you are by doing to others as you would do for yourself. This is how to live a happy life."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Eric (74) from Sorrento, Victoria: "To be happy we need to let others be as they want to be. We cannot control the life path of others - we cannot decide what others should do with their lives, or how they should react to us. When we try to control the life of another person, it consumes us and stops us from living the life we should live for ourselves."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Edna (74) from Sorrento, Victoria: "Never wish for anything. When you wish for something you start longing for it, and when you long for something you feel restless in your tummy and your mind feels like it is set on fire. How can anyone be happy feeling like this? Wishing is such a terrible waste of time. Wishing just takes your focus off the important thing in life...which is, quite simply, living in the world with others."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Anne from Christchurch, New Zealand: "Having a happy life comes down to two simple things; how you behave in your life, and how others react to that."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Mal (57) from Toronto, Canada:

"Be a happiness warrior. Make it your mission to bring a smile to many faces in a day. That doesn't mean cracking jokes all the time. It just means doing things during your day that will make others feel good, and make them smile. When you make others feel good you make yourself feel good. You will have a happy life if you feel good about what you do with your life."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Ted from Byron Bay: "Get enough sleep. When you are well rested your mind is well rested, and when your mind is rested you are less likely to be reactive to situations, and if you are less reactive you are less stressed, and if you are less stressed you dont worry as much. So, the secret is simple. It is SLEEP."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Murray (73)from Tunbridge Wells, UK: "Worry is what causes stress, and stress erodes our happiness. We worry about all sorts of things that we dont need to stress about. Humans are probably the only creatures on earth who stress over 'imaginings', so just stop creating scenarios in your head and deal with problems as they arise. You can have problems in your life and still be a happy person."

The secret to a happy life is revealed by Theresa (42) from Sorrento, Victoria: "Live your life as though someone is writing a song about you. You wouldnt want them to be singing about some miserable old cow who no one felt good being around, would you? Be the amazing star in your own song, and you will live a happy life."