The Art of Happiness

What does it mean to be truly happy? I have found that in life happiness comes from a state of being content with what you have. It also stems from the people who are in your life, should you choose to surround yourself with good-hearted ones. When we are able to strip away the stress of everyday life and not dwell on that which we do not have, we are able to see all that we do have and can appreciate it and be grateful. I think that is the first steps to being happy. Everyone experiences flashes of happiness, but is it constant? No it's not, it seems like this world is becoming more sad, depressed, and unhappy by the second. All these material things that people lust after because they think that once they acquire them they will be happy. How quickly that happiness fades once the object is acquired and then on to the next thing. It becomes a never-ending cycle of fading glory. Never being able to truly look at what you do have and be happy with that.