Through a humorous lens and based on theories and studies from the field of positive psychology, speaker and professor Víctor Küppers highlights six keys shared by people who live with joy—something that, in his opinion, is a matter of attitude.

1. They decide to live with joy

“Of course, these are people who have problems like everyone else, but they have made the decision to live life this way,” he claims. In his view, being joyful is neither a gift nor a stroke of luck, but a choice: “Life is much simpler, but we are not aware of the power of our decisions.”

2. They are good people

This is another factor displayed by all happy people. “Everything in life is about human relationships; people who know you value you for who you are, not for your level of English. The resume is overrated,” he asserts, while maintaining that “a good professional who is a bad person does not exist.” He adds: “We need good people, but not in the ‘sappy’ sense of the word. We need honest, upright, and tolerant people who listen.”

3. Being able to break the loop

Psychologists recommend putting things into perspective—that is, being aware that problems are just another part of human existence. In this sense, Küppers criticizes our modern use of social media, which has become a mirage of a perfect world that doesn’t exist. “If you are facing a tragedy, you have every right not to smile—of course you do. But there are tragedies, and then there are ‘tragedies.’ The problem is that sometimes we don’t understand this until life forces us to put things into perspective all at once,” he warned.

4. Being able to care for what is important

In his opinion, we all know what is truly important in this life, but we keep it in the background due to the frenetic pace of life we endure. “We live thinking the people we love most will always be there, and it’s not true. We often realize what is truly important when it’s too late,” he stated.

5. Finding excitement in everything one does

Without a doubt, another key shared by the happiest people is that they are capable of getting excited about everything they do.

6. Being grateful for everything

As Küppers explains, most people with a “zest for life” are very grateful. “Your life is how you choose to focus your life; you choose in every moment, and this is the most important thing. If you follow these steps, over time you realize that life becomes thrilling,” he concludes.