OK, so I started off this series by challenging you to take responsibility for own happiness, especially at work. I've tossed out some ideas from ttp://www.theexecutivehappinesscoach.com/ as if you're remodeling your internal home. Check out his website for 13 Principles of Happiness and 75 Ways To Be Happier. Hopefully, it's given you some things to think about and some things TO DO.

Here are a ten ideas of my own that have helped me chase the elusive happiness dream.

1. Mondays really aren't all that bad, unless you make them so. In fact, if you choose to make them as good as Fridays they will be...ok maybe that's a stretch, but as good as Thursdays is realistic.

2. You gotta take the bitter with the sweet - though we want to be happy all the time, it's not possible. And anyway, without bitterness we wouldn't appreciate sweetness.

3. Take special notice of the sweet moments - we like to complain about bad weather, co-workers, workloads, but do we say, "Wow that was a great meeting, report, client, patient, etc?"

4. Create a gratitude list from those moments. Write them down or remind yourself of them regularly

5. Wait - be patient, at least wait till the next day. Even after my worst days when nothing seems to go right, the next day is often smooth as silk.

6. Don't watch the news before going to bed...watch Seinfeld.

7. Complaining is ok...in limited doses. We usually do this with friends at work, the problem is it can easily get out of control and you end up feeling worse, more depressed and less hopeful than ever. Spend at least as much time coming up with helpful, supportive solutions.

8. Music soothes the savage beast - for me it never fails to change my mood and uplift me. If you can't listen to your favorite tunes at work, then do so at home and on your commute.

9. Don't compare yourself to others, especially at work - there will always be someone who appears better off, but you just don't really know, do you?

10. Talk it over - don't use EAP. That surprised you I bet! Seriously, I can't tell you how many times I've talked to a friend/colleague/boss and it's taken the edge off. And I didn't even need solutions all the time, just someone to listen, to think out loud and to help me think it through. Sometimes that's all you need for enough of a shift in your head to make it more manageable.

10a. OK, I can't resist, use EAP if you would like to speak to a neutral, professional resource skilled at active listening and coming up with solutions.

I bet you all have lots of pearls of wisdom, especially about being happy or content at work. SEND THEM ON TO ME. Pay it forward and I'll send them back out to y'all.

In the meantime, be well and have some fun!

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it." ~ Mary Engelbreit

Call Solutions EAP at 1-800-526-3485 for assistance for all of life's challenges. It's free, confidential and open to your family members. Check us out on-line at www.solutions-eap.com/

Read "It's Up to You" Part I,Part II and Part III here.