I have a notebook that I paste snippets of this and that into. If I'm flipping through a magazine and I see an illustration that grabs me, I'll tear it out for my notebook. When I visit art galleries I pick up the postcards that are often on offer (they're usually extras of the invitations that were sent out for the show), These too get glued in my notebook.

Of course, my notebook also has words in it. If I read a great quotation I jot it down in my notebook. Or if someone says something nice to me I record it in my special book.

And when I get photos of people or things that I find especially dear, I add them to my notebook rather than leave them hanging around in a drawer waiting to be put in an album.

On a practical level, I find it important to have my notebook accessible. I keep it on the table next to my reading chair, as that's where I'm most likely to be tearing things out. I also keep a glue stick handy so I can paste it in right away.

In this way, I create a deeply personal record of things that bring me joy. It's always there to brighten a rainy day or to provide inspiration for artwork or writing.

I'm very pleased to be able to share this essay written by my colleague Noel Posus. Noel is one of the most delightful people I've ever met. I think when you read his article you'll understand why I say that. Enjoy!

"Everyday I feel joy, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. I must admit however that there have been times when joy seems a bit hard to come by, and during some of those darker moments, the search for joy itself seemed to be even more difficult.

I’ve learned a number of lessons regarding joy over the years, and many of them in the past nearly twenty years as a life coach. Coaching may have taught me the tools to connect with joy, but it’s actually been other experiences that anchor the most joy in my life.

And by creating metaphors for my life, for strength and for any time when I need to tap into my inner resourcefulness, I have learned how to connect with joy in an instant!

Here’s my metaphor for joy, and I thank you in advance for allowing me to share it with you.

When I was a professional dancer

Many years ago, before I was a coach, I was a professional dancer. To this day dance is a central part of my life although I don’t spend much time on a stage anymore. Everything I experienced in dance brought joy to my life, even the injuries, the missteps and the unsuccessful shows.

My own coach asked me about a time in my life when I felt the strongest, and that I felt I had the resources to address any situation, no matter what. I instantly connected with dance, and I was able to make a number of connections from the dancing world to my current existence.

For example, the stage itself is also the stage on which I dance life now. It may be the

In this article, therapist and author Dr. Charmaine Saunders provides practical tips for being happy.

Have you noticed that if you just feel happy for its own sake, people think you’re strange? They say things like, `What do you have to be happy about?’ or `What’s brought on this cheerful mood?’

The whole point of being happy on a continuous basis is that there is no particular reason - you feel the joy inside you and you naturally smile and shine, like walking near the ocean on a glorious summer’s day and being grateful just to be alive.

You can have that `bliss’ all the time, in the sun, in the rain, on good days and difficult, when life is going your way and when it appears everything’s against you. It’s feeling `okay’ inside all the time. That is true freedom. And as you shine, those around you bask in the warmth of your joy.

How do we positively work with the happiness principle?

*Look for signs everywhere
*Make positive thinking a choice
*Relax and stop worrying
*Remember life is a daily adventure
*Connect with your inner child every day
*Play every day, not just on weekends and holidays
*Love yourself enough to allow happiness

I think of myself as a `joy merchant,’ someone who sells the idea of joy. If you adopt this philosophy in your everyday life, it’ll change your life. Please write to me if you want to know more about living with joy.

Excerpted from Dr. Charmaine Saunders' article “Happiness” available at iSnare.com