One of the greatest challenges facing us on a daily basis is being happy. As Mildred Barthel said, "Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response."

By using these five steps, you can increase your happiness TODAY!

Numero uno - SMILE. We know that smiling is free and has no expenses attached. So why don't more people take advantage of this freebie? Got me? However, research has shown that smiling by itself can make you happier. More importantly (in one sense), smiling makes the people around you happier too. Therefore your day goes even better.

Two- Yawn. Yawning is also a natural and free resource. Yawning causes us to feel more relaxed, to be calmer and more alert. In the brain, yawning releases special neurochemicals that make use more aware and self-sensitive.

Three - Breathe. There are two strategies to maximize your breathing. The first is to breathe with your stomach (diaphragmatic breathing) and the heart-math breath. In stomach breathing, you make the stomach do the work and just relax. In the heart-math breath, you imagine the breath coming through your heart as you breathe in and out to a count of five or six.

Four- Appreciate being here and what you have. Appreciation of your life (yes, someone else does have it worse) can put a big smile on your face and lead you to gain perspective on your problems. As Alan Cohen said, "Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts."

Five - Take Time for You. When you make sure that your needs are met and you realize that they are, then you will be happy too. This does not mean you get the big screen TV but that you have time for exercise, for friends, for family, and for striving to achieve what you feel is important in your life.