Somewhere I came across these five rules for happiness:

1. The grass is NOT greener anywhere else. Life is what you make it. Avoid the 'if only...' syndrome at all costs.

2. Keep a close watch on attitudes. The Bible provides excellent guidelines for attitude checks in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5,6,7.

3. Give yourself away to others if you really want to be happy. St. Ignatius of Loyola says in his Spiritual Exercises: 'Fallen humans love to be their own master, to be independent, to act according to their own will. Here is the source of all their misery. They are unhappy because they seek happiness within themselves. They indulge their passions and become their slave...' On the other hand, to serve God is to enjoy peace and freedom.

4. Appreciate, appreciate, appreciate others around you, what you have, God and all creation. It's amazing how many blessings we have when we begin to count them.

5. Put yourself wholeheartedly into whatever needs doing.

These five attitudes can change your life. Try them and see.

Lord, I come to you, not alone, but in the company of others. We share our happiness with each other - and it becomes greater. We share our troubles with each other - and they become smaller. In the name of Jesus. Amen.