It’s a fact of life that most people will adopt a follow-my-leader mentality. They’re not interested in their work or bettering their lives, they just want to do the minimum necessary in order to pick up their wages at the end of the month.

These are the followers. Why would you want to be one of them?

But you’re a leader, aren’t you?

You get frustrated because you see people milling around all day and nothing seems to get accomplished. You feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head and not the tail.

You feel that maybe its time for you to stand up and be counted, to accept that leadership just might be your destiny.

So how do you define a leader?

To be a leader you must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal or objective. You have to get others to follow and trust you.

You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision and actively seek out a solution.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It’s not about power, harassing people or driving them using fear. It’s about who you are, what you know and what you do.

People will only follow you if they see a clear sense of purpose, an idea that you know where you are going. If you don’t know where you’re headed, how can you expect other people to follow you?

Leadership is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It’s getting everyone singing from the same hymn-sheet and helping them see the bigger picture.

Good leaders are always working and studying to improve their natural skills. Without practice, drive and enthusiasm there can be no true development in leadership. This takes a commitment to continually improve in whatever endeavor you choose.

Communication, good judgment and decision-making are vital ingredients of good leadership. Without these you can not be a good leader. It is this judgment, knowledge and technical expertise which you must be able to clearly impart to other people.

It’s about the dog!

You should not claim to know everything and you should not rely on your skills alone. Good leaders are not do-it-all heroes, they use the skills of those around them to the best effect. They know that efficient management is not just about the ‘head’, it’s about the ‘dog’ as a whole.

Being a leader takes commitment and a good deal of work and time, it is not learned overnight. Some people believe that great leaders are born, not made. I do not agree.

While it may indeed be true that some people are born with natural talents it is perfectly possible, with the right attitude and application, for anyone to develop these skills.

So if you have the drive and the desire to be a leader instead of a follower then take your stand and start right now. Leaders do not procrastinate, leaders take action!

Sung ‘a capella’ (no instruments), the song has a very catchy and simple message: Don’t worry about lifes ups and downs, just smile, be happy to everyone and life will sort itself out.

Happiness is found in everyone. Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is a wonderful thing and can help you stay around longer. As a significant by-product it’s also good for your health.

Being happy actually protects you from the stresses of life, and as we all know stress is linked to many causes of early death, such as heart disease, cancer and strokes.

To be happy is relatively easy: just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people for most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, or how bright or dull their outlook should be. So the answer is simple really…

Just choose to be happy!

There are several ways you can do this. Being grateful is a great attitude, we have so much to be thankful for. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely, thank the cook for a wonderful dinner and thank the guy who emptys your dustbins (trash cans).

While you’re at it why not thank the mailman for bringing you your post, thank the policeman for keeping you safe and thank your chosen Superior Being for being alive.

Avoid the news, news is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can’t seem to start their day without their daily dose of news. When you think about it, most of the news we hear or read is bad, bad, bad. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a very sensible thing to do, does it?

Laugh, and laugh heartily, everyday. Heard a good joke? Tell it to your friends and family. There’s truth in that old saying, ‘Laughter is the best medicine’.

Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness but people are different, accept them for who they are.

Avoid exposure to negative elements and people who drag you down.

Avoid clashes and arguments, and let go of your resentments. Try not to keep anger and pent-up frustrations bottled in, this is bad for your health.

Instead find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone. If arguments seem unavoidable try to make an effort to understand the other person’s point of view. I know it’s hard but you’ll feel better for it.

Expand your knowledge. Learning is a satisfying and joyful experience. Try and learn something new everyday. Learning also broadens our horizons which can lead to more opportunities in the future.

Take regular exercise. Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was made for. Get out there and feel alive.

And always remember that quote from Abraham Lincoln: “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

These are just a few of the simple things you can do everyday to be happy. It’s your life and your choice but if you just do them you will feel the difference.

And it will make your life, and the lives of those around you, infinitely better.