How can being self-aware help make me happy?

Self-awareness leads to happiness. My father Hua-Ching Ni has some very wise advice about how to attain happiness. To paraphrase the philosophy he follows: Your thoughts become words, words become acts, acts become habits, habits express your character and your character becomes your destiny. Imagine if your thoughts were positive -- you would feel happy most of the time! On the reverse side, negative thoughts release enzymes that attack your immune system and certainly don't help your mood.

Observe your thoughts and train your mind to hold positive thoughts. How? Use self-awareness to see your thoughts and to observe which ones make you happy or unhappy. Your mind, and by extension, your mood, reflect the activity of your thoughts, which are influenced by your emotions. To change your mood, actively gain control of your thoughts and emotions. Here is a sentence you can repeat to yourself as often as necessary: "From now on, I am the one who decides how I am going to respond." You might not be able to change your whole attitude overnight, but over time, your self-awareness will develop and your happiness will grow.