Do you have a great life, or are you just getting by? If you have to think about that question, keep reading.

A great life doesn’t come by accident, and those happy people you know are not just lucky or more intelligent than you (though it may make you feel better to think that way).

For years I’ve had people tell me that I’m lucky, and after working my buns off to show that I “deserve” this good fortune I finally realize the hard work and planning is what makes me lucky.  And lucky makes me happy.  I began to study other happy people to find out their secrets to having a great life.

Guess what? Their secrets really aren’t that secret.  Just good old common sense that your grandma could have told you.  Some people come by it naturally, and some people have to work at it.  Either way, though, it isn’t rocket science.

Happy people with great lives still have challenges, sadness and disappointment just like you, but with these 5 “secrets” they have a support system in place to keep them from spiraling out of control.