Can true happiness ever be attained from things outside yourself?

I personally believe, it doesn't. I used to be happy due to external factors till those external factors were taken away from me. I still remember when I first got my very first Nokia black and white phone. After a few months my dad was pissed at me and he broke my phone. I cried for days because I always wanted a phone and I finally got it but it was short lived. Another incident was when my best friend and me stopped talking for a year. I was upset that I could not share my happiness and sadness with her. She was not there when I wanted to celebrate and enjoy life. Thereafter, I realized that I was dependent on things and other people for me to be happy in life, to celebrate my happiness and achievements and to be there for me when I needed someone.

I changed all of that when I started questioning what is happiness to me. If no one is there for me, I will be there for myself, if I have no one to celebrate my achievements, I will celebrate it on my own. Why should I be dependent on someone and something else if I can make myself happy. In one of my earlier post I have mentioned that happiness is a choice and a perception. I choose to be happy whenever I want. Even in times when people feel it is difficult to be happy, for instance death of a loved one, I choose to be happy and see death differently.

In my opinion happiness should come from within you. It should not be attained from things outside yourself as once those things are taken away from you, you will not be happy. When it comes from within you, it is a choice you make to be happy regardless of anything, anyone and any situation you are experiencing. So be happy for no reason because that is true happiness. You do not need reasons to be happy. Ask yourself what makes you happy and what does true happiness mean to you. If you think it is attained from things outside you, then sit down and ponder if you need to change that.