A lot of people can offer you advice on finding happiness, but how many can and will admit to those things that send you spiralling off into a future with disillusionment and lesser fulfilment than you envisioned? At thirteen, you envision yourself as a future somebody, a big shot calling all the shots, or making all the difference in the world. At thirty, you find yourself at a desk job or at home, no longer sure how or why you ended up losing your way. Here’s how to avoid this outcome:

1) Be Flexible.
Let’s face it, Plan A rarely works out. You lose interest, you lost the seat in that much vaunted college, or you simply had to make the best of what you had. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Many find their vocations quite by accident. Embrace the change.

2) Take chances
It just might happen that you want a change in your life. You’ll never know if won’t try. There will be nay-sayers, but said people will change tune once you learn and prosper in the new trade. No pain, no gain. If you never taking the risk of losing, you may never have the chance of winning it all.

3) Find a cubby-hole
A cubbyhole – houses your pockets of joy and happiness. It could be singing, salsa dancing, volunteering, learning to swim, even a secret indulgence for chick-lit. When life becomes too monotonous and blue, retreat into the cubby hole.

4) Make somebody feel special
Everyday, make it a point to make someone the centre of your existence. Making someone feel good is one of the most rewarding experiences. What goes around, comes back around. Ten fold.

5) Reflect
Take time out for yourself, as often as you can. If you feel frustrated and depressed or angry, don’t attempt to escape it. Meditate on yourself. When your soul doesn’t get the nourishment that it needs, it sees and attracts only the negative. Find what needs aren’t being met and take measures to address them. If your current profession is leading you nowhere, it may be time to move on.

Everybody’s path to fulfilment is unique. There is no universal formula for success. It’s like the Metallica lyric- “One man’s fun is another’s hell”. At the end of the day, happiness is not merely achievement: it’s about getting a thrill out of what you do. Don’t let society talk you out of the happiness you deserve.