There is nothing better for a man than to be happy and to enjoy himself as long as he can.—Ecclesiastes 3:12 (TLB)

I believe that we only need five things to be happy: someone to love, something to do, something to hope for, something to believe in, and something to laugh about. I believe in it so strongly that I even wrote a book about it a few years ago. During my research, I asked people what they needed for happiness. They said things like lots of money, good chocolate, the perfect figure, an expensive car, good health, or a cruise around the world. But I stick to my five things because, so far, they’ve kept me very happy. 

I can even narrow it down to the two most important: something to believe in and something to laugh about. 

If we believe in God and have faith that our lives will turn out okay with God’s help, then we truly have nothing to worry about. Faith, believing in that which we cannot see or understand, is not only a blessing but also a gift, and not everyone has the gift of faith. Faith equals God— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—a combination that takes care of us no matter what. 

Laughter, the other most important ingredient for happiness, is so easy to spread. I send funny birthday cards to friends and family. I share funny cartoons and play silly jokes on friends. Sometimes, on game day, I post a photo of myself on Facebook wearing my Green Bay Packers cheese head. Other times, I wear my Groucho Marx glasses, with the bushy eyebrows and big nose, in the car when running errands. Then I wave to people just to enjoy their laughs.