We all want to live a happy life. However, not everyone is lucky enough to make it happen or brave enough to make the required changes to make their life better and more fulfilling.

There are, of course, those who are happy but don’t realize it, continually looking for more. Also, let’s get real, how do we even know if we’re really happy? How do we become aware of the difference between the illusion of happiness and the reality we’re living in?

We’ve all known that one person – or we’ve been that person – claiming to everyone they’re happy and then something happens, and you realize that it was a lie. They didn’t have this perfect life. This is becoming increasingly common thanks to social media.

Perfection, too, is an illusion, and something you cannot strive for.

Someone can be over the moon even though they are poor, while another person can be severely depressed despite having riches beyond most people’s wildest dreams. So, perfection and happiness, in fact, are what we make them to be. Everyone will perceive happiness as something different.

To figure out whether you’re truly satisfied with your life – truly happy – you need to ask yourself some really important questions.

Here they are:

Am I happy from within?

Happiness doesn’t come from any outside sources or third parties, despite it sometimes feeling that way. It comes from within. It’s important, every once in a while, to ask yourself if you’re happy from within. Do you feel joy when waking up? Do you feel satisfied with yourself? Are you proud of yourself?

This comes from your inner satisfaction with how your life is going so far – is it everything you’ve dreamed it would be? Or different, but better?

Happiness from within is being happy about the work you do every day, about your hobbies and activities and things you do every day.

“If you feel like you’re not happy with a certain aspect of your personality – change it. For instance, would you like to get outside more and spend more time in nature, perhaps because you spend too much of your time in an office? If so, that’s one of the things that you would really like to change about yourself, and it’s quite easy to do so,” recommends Harry Myers, a health blogger at Essay Writing Service and Assignment Help.

So, do it – create a plan that will work. Have a goal – for instance, spending 4 hours a day outside. What will you do outside – go for a walk, ride a bike or visit various places?

What can I do today that will improve my life?

This is the second question you should ask yourself, hand in hand with the question above, is what are some of the things you dislike about your life. It doesn’t matter if these are things you won’t be able to change right away.

For example, quitting your job and starting a company of your own might be something you adore the idea of but haven’t thought about doing it. Of course, you will have to wait until you have some money saved up, then you’ll have to quit and start planning for your company and look for funding and so on. The whole process could take years.

However, figuring out what that dream is, and then the first step you need to take can be done today that will help you advance your career. What can you do today that will make you one step closer to your goals? It can be a simple act – maybe you’ll figure out what your company will be about, or you’ll just come up with a name.

It doesn’t matter – the only important thing to remember here is that you’re doing something that will make you do something else tomorrow. It’s as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. There’s a problem? Solve it.

Most people want to change something in their lives, whether it’s big or small. However, they don’t do anything about it. So, don’t be that person – improve your life.

Am I spending time with the right people?

You are who you spend time with.

“If people around you are not motivated, not successful (in any way) and not happy with their lives, neither will you be. That’s the thing – you may like your friends, but if they’re scared of change, and scared of being happy and doing something different, they will make you afraid as well,” explains Shirley M. Layman, a spiritual writer at Paper Fellows and Custom Writing Service.

While changing your friends isn’t always pleasant, simply expanding your network and hanging out with more people who are willing to change things and improve their lives, you’ll be more like them.

For instance, you want to start a company, but your friends think it’s ridiculous to risk everything like that for more work – because let’s be honest, being a business owner is more work. So, you’ll feel stupid for even thinking about it. They got to you.

But if your friends were supportive and giving you extra ideas, and are just as excited as you, you’d be even more motivated than before to chase your dreams.

Where am I in comparison to where I want to be?

You need to figure out every day how far along on your life path you are. Are you far or close to the life you want to be living? What is your progress like? Is it what you want it to be? If not, make some changes, invest time and effort into making everything go faster and better.

What will make me happy today?

How are you feeling today? What will make you happy? Is relaxing at home going to make you happy, or would you rather be working, hanging out with friends and family, or something else entirely? Figure it out at the start of your day and make the most of each day you have by doing what you want to do on that day.

What can I learn and do today?

Every day is a new chance to learn something new. Every day you should wake up and ask yourself what you can learn, what you can do.

Maybe it will be a new skill, maybe just a single lesson. Maybe you’ll read a book or research course options. Maybe you’ll read an article or research a new subject. No matter what it is, you should always devote yourself to your learning experience and always keep growing.

So, happiness is not an illusion, at least not to you as an individual. It matters. But in order to truly achieve and have things that will make you happy, you need to understand what it is you need for happiness and how willing you are to get it.

Analyze your life with these questions once in a while – they will startle you and make you answer honestly. Then you can make the necessary changes.

Chloe Bennet is a spiritual writer at BoomEssays and Australian Assignment Help websites. She writes about meditation, yoga and health. Also, Chloe teaches grammar at Essay Service portal.