During the last few days the sun has shone brilliantly upon the Isle of Man. Each morning I have awoken to see a beautiful red globe rising slowly upwards from the ocean, casting crimson rays across my bedroom. I never cease to find this scene simply magical. It makes me want to spring out of bed and watch the play of colors upon the water.

Unusually, there has been little wind during these days and the water has looked fairly calm and shimmery in the early light. It always amazes me how quickly the sun rises and bright light spills across the sea and land. Seeing the sun and feeling its warmth makes you feel so good, doesn't it? Springtime doesn't fail to lift your spirits and provides a lovely warm glow of anticipation. Just to feel this warmth certainly makes me feel content and happy.

There are so many little things which happen all at once as spring arrives. Buds appear on the trees and the tips of daffodils can be seen pushing their way upwards from the ground, eagerly reaching up towards the sun. The dawn chorus can be heard in the early hours, with all those different birds chirping sweetly in the morning light. The same things happen each day, each year; and yet every day there is something different to see. The scene is never static or stale; it is somehow clean and fresh and exciting to watch and to be a part of.

What would we do without the sun? Its power is so immense and wide reaching. It is no wonder that our brains are "hot-wired" to release good feeling endorphins whenever the sun is out. The effect of the sun is not just imaginary or illusory; it is very real and can be scientifically proven in this chemical reaction - this secretion of endorphins which provide us with an instantaneous feel-good factor. No wonder we feel happy when the sun is shining.

When you hear the phrase "happiness comes from within" what does it mean to you? Everything is open to individual interpretation, and this saying is no different. Happiness comes from feeling content where you are, from accepting that you are in the right place at the right time, or perhaps happiness comes from being able to enjoy the moment, to be "in the now". Happiness comes from holding your face up towards the sun and feeling its warmth upon your skin, or happiness can come from those endorphins as they are released. The thought of your child’s face smiling up at you can make you catch your breath in happiness.

There are many, many things which can provide happiness, so long as you allow them the environment in which to dwell. This proviso is at the heart of why happiness truly comes from within. You have to allow yourself to be happy to enable happiness to enter your life. If you do not look out of the window to watch the sunrise you will not see it, or if you do not open your ears to the dawn chorus you will not hear it. Happiness does come from within, but once it does come, it can come to you from everywhere and everything.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis downloads for happiness.

P.S. Would you like to feel happier or more confident? Grab a free hypnosis mp3 from my website.