Please continue the phrase: “What a blessing that I am not...” Repeat this exercise 5 times. How did you feel? The fact is that we are used to comparing all the time: our salary with a friend’s salary, our car with a friend’s car, square meters, repairs, fur coats... we compare all the time and often not in our favor. Now continue the phrase: “I would like to be (have) ...” what intensified - the feeling of happiness or disappointment? Several years ago, at one of the therapeutic groups, a participant stated that to solve his problems he needed a salary of 500 USD, and then depression, disappointment would go away and he might even think about children. A year later, the same participant, having already received the previously desired amount, remains the same, dissatisfied with his life. We compare our lives yesterday and today or compare ourselves with those who are more beautiful, successful, healthy, who are smarter than us, and as a result of such comparison we fall into the traps of envy, bitterness, and disappointment. There are several factors leading to happiness - of course, this is health, of course - these are material wealth (or satisfaction of needs according to Maslow), the presence of friends, relatives, etc. And yet, the decisive factor, one might say the key, is the state of mind, our perception of the world. The state of mind and mental balance also play a huge role. And this is not “not giving a damn” (in the words of my client). At the heart of peace of mind is love and compassion. By developing these qualities in ourselves, curbing our endless, unsatisfied desires, we internally discipline ourselves, our mind and achieve mental balance, which is the basis for joy and happiness. No amount of material wealth or other external factors will make us happy. But, being in a state of mental balance, even in the absence of attributes supposedly necessary, according to society, for happiness, we can experience it. Now I feel a great temptation to refer as an example to the life of the “enlightened” in Buddhism, monks in Christianity, the “new” Catholic Pope is very nice. But even in our everyday life, “in another dimension,” you can meet happy people where you don’t expect them at all, if you take a closer look. In conclusion, we can say that if we strive to be happy and are ready to take responsibility for this, we should start with awareness, working with our consciousness, disciplining our mind, developing love and compassion in ourselves - we find peace of mind , we bring something new into our sense of the world. This is work, this requires certain actions, this is the path.