Which came first?

We often think that, when we have the object of our desires in our possession, we will have happiness and joy. Unlike the eternal question of which came first (the chicken or the egg?), the answer to the first situation is an easy one. When we achieve a state of happiness and joy, the process of manifesting flows. There are a number of ways that we can achieve this state. We can look for opportunities to express gratitude for what we already have. We can share our appreciation of others for what they contribute to our well-being. We can acknowledge that we have the power to create our reality. We can look for positive qualities such as love and caring and find ways to practice those qualities in our daily lives. We can focus on being open to solutions and not living in the problem which only tends to generate more of the same. Soon we notice a shift in our overall feeling of happiness and joy in being alive today. All of the actions needed to achieve this state do not cost a penny and yet will yield a great fortune. Where are you today in this equation and what steps are you taking to be happy and joyous?