The key to happiness

What do you think is the key to happiness? Is it being able to overcome a hard time? Laughter? 
Maintaining a positive attitude? Tell us what you think and why. #HAWMC

I think the key to happiness is different for everyone. I know for a fact that my happiness is not based on a positive attitude, since I rarely have one (I tend towards cynicism).  I don't know what the key to my happiness is, but I do know the things that make me happy:

- Happiness is the first sip of an ice cold Dr Pepper
- Happiness is hearing my children's laughter
- Happiness is holding my husband's hand
- Happiness is feeling the warm sunshine on my face
- Happiness is watching the mother bird in my back yard feed her babies
- Happiness is hearing the good news of my family and friends
- Happiness is Blue Bell ice cream on a hot day
- Happiness is standing on the beach and feeling the water lap at my toes
- Happiness is laughing with friends
- Happiness is waking up on a cold morning and snuggling under the comforter, knowing I don't have to get up.
- Happiness is biting into a peach and having the juice drip down my arm.
- Happiness is seeing my daughter dance
- Happiness is hanging out with my sisters
- Happiness is giggling with my son and making silly faces
- Happiness is a steaming cup of hot chocolate
- Happiness is snuggling with my kids
- Happiness is meeting one of my goals
- Happiness is helping another person and seeing the fruits of my efforts

After looking through this list I realize that they key to my happiness may be focusing on the little things. I mean it's a little sad, but there's a reason Dr. Pepper is #1, because it's heaven on earth (or maybe since I haven't been letting myself have soda for a while I'm just starting to hallucinate about it). That's a really minor thing that brings a little joy on a difficult day.  It's also worth noting that most of the things on my list are not dependent on my health at all, but they make my day to day life better. While I do sometimes struggle with smiling through the pain, there are a lot of basic things that can lift my spirits.