Happiness is... a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

When you think of being happy, is it something you find a lot of in your life? Or do you struggle to find more of it? Many of us aren't even sure of what makes us happy. Sisarina has decided it's high time we figure it out.

We started at the core... with our staff! Sisarina's staff was asked to list 5 things which made them happy.  Although Jason sends us all adorable pictures of animals doing adorable things, he was tickled he was actually asked what made him happy.

To Sisarina, happiness is:

Melanie:
1. Helping entrepreneurs. The reason I started Sisarina was due to the happiness I felt when giving the keys to a new business so they can find success. I get to do it every day!
2. Hiking with puppies. Taking the boys on a backpacking trip or just a long walk through the woods always gives me a smile. Puppies off-leash are the best for laughter.
3. Sitting in front of a waterfall with no other thought in the world than the peacefulness of it.
4. Finding a new running trail. Especially when it's around the corner from your house!
5. A puppy licking my face to wake me up. Griffin likes to kiss me awake.

Teresa:
1. Taking care of myself. As a project manager, wife and mom of 3, other's needs usually come WAY before my own. Occasionally stepping out and doing something for myself, even something as small as buying myself a treat at the grocery store, always makes me feel happy.
2. Hanging around with small children. Holding a baby, making a toddler giggle, playing peek-a-boo with a random baby in line at the store. Babies and toddlers always make me smile.
3. Doing something I've been putting off. Finally organizing that sock drawer, making that long overdue call, cleaning the fish tank.
4. Fireflies. Just sitting and staring at the fireflies in our lawn makes me feel content.
5. Digging up old pictures of friends and family. Reliving happy times not only makes me feel good, but also helps me relish the fun I'm having right now and helps me remember to document it for future.

Calicoe:
1. Simply farmers' markets - fresh everything.
2. Taking the plunge - jumping off a boat to swim.
3. Patio get-togethers with friends and my honey.
4. Music and dancing at home any day, every day.
5. Horse barns and mountain vistas.

Jason:
1. Disco. Something uplifting and freeing that makes you simultaneously forget everything bothering you and reemmber why it is that you bother in hte first place.
2. A warm puppy. Charlie Brown said that 40+ years ago but it bears repeating. Puppies are nature's greatest stress reducer.
3. Making cool things. At the end of the day, everything we do goes on "the shelf" in one way or another and being able to visit that shelf from time to makes me enormously happy and fulfilled.
4. Travel. Even if its not to anywhere particularly distant or exotic. The world is filled with millions of smaller "worlds" all occurring and overlapping and colliding constantly. Its fun to be able to get off your normal rails and go live in someone else's world for a bit.
5. Bourbon. Because a gentleman needs a proper drink every now and again.

AJ:
1. My family - they are the driving force in my life and mean everything
2. My job - I love being able to solve critical problems and find solutions that make people's lives easier
3. Gaming - any game, any medium.
4. Food - I am no stranger.
5. Buffalo sports.

Stacy:
1. My family - Having the support of Ryan and my family always makes me feel lucky
2. Cupcakes - How can you be in a bad mood around cupcakes? They are the perfect individual serving of dessert for any time of the day.
3. Letterpress - I'm a designer. A really nice letterpress piece on textured paper makes me happy... I can't explain it. It is just beautiful.
4. Summer - I have spent 8 years in SC, so summer heat makes me happy. There is something soothing about soaking in the sun.
5. Christmas - Christmas is my favorite holiday. It was the holiday when my extended family was always together, and I love giving presents.

Pritha the Intern:
1. Lindt Excellence Macademia Nut Milk Chocolate. True melt-in-your-mouth blissful excellence indeed!
2. Live music with friends. Its unbelievably energizing, unifying, and endorphin surge inducing.
3. Getting really into a good book and still having lots of chapters left. I never want the story to end when I love a book and nothing makes me happier than getting lost in someone else's well written story.
4. Watching a really great show, like HBO's Girls or Game of Thrones in high definition. Nothing like that clarity :) Also, has HBO ever made a bad show??
5. Having nothing to do over the weekend! I always jam pack my weeks so that I can laze around like a total bum on the weekend and its GREAT.
 

Now it's your turn!

Here are 3 very basic steps to help you move toward being happier:

1. Find what makes you happy. 
   Everyone is different. Some enjoy entertainment, volunteering, playing sports and being active.
    
2. Write down 5 things which make you happy.
   Get out a notebook and some markers and actually write them down. Make sure to include at least some easily attained choices.
    
3. Do the things that make you happy.
   Do the easiest first and then start working toward the more "dream" hapinesses on your list.
   [If you're sad and someone tells you a joke, it can bring one kind of happiness.
   In order to give yourself the state of happy you wish for, doing nothing about it will keep you where you are.]
    
4. Tweet @Sisarina with #happinessis & share your happy. 

We send you lots of happy thoughts and happy days. :)