At the heart of all of man's endeavours is happiness. If we think about it, money, love and power are not ends in themselves, but rather the means to achieve the elusive idea of happiness. Ironically, it is our very pursuit of happiness that makes us sad, because we think unless we have that great job, big house and a successful marriage, we can't be happy. But that's far from the truth.

There's an adage: 'Happiness is an inside job.' Neuroscience agrees. Because happiness in purely scientific terms is called hedonia or the presence of positive emotions and the absence of negative ones. You can develop happiness from within and all it takes are four simple steps. Alex Knorb, UCLA neuroscientist and the author of The Upward Spiral, lists four techniques that can create happiness in your life.

1. Ask "What Am I Grateful For?"

We are often fixated on things we don't and cannot have, creating a sense of unhappiness and discontent. Instead, Knorb recommends you ask what you are grateful for. Gratitude triggers dopamine production and serotonin in the brain. And as we all know, both are the feel-good hormones that make us feel better about ourselves. The surge of dopamine also makes social interactions more pleasurable. Similarly, gratitude can kick-start the production of serotonin in the anterior cingulate cortex of your brains. So the next time you feel down in the dumps, count your blessings. The author adds that expressing gratitude to other people also creates a "positive feedback loop" in your relationships.

2. Label the Negative Feelings

Feeling bad lately? Call out the negative thought by giving it a name. In an fMRI study, participants were asked to look at pictures of people with emotional facial expressions. Each person's amygdala activated in response to the emotions shown in the picture. They were then asked to name what emotion it is. When they did, the ventrolateral prefrontal cortext got activated and reduced the amygdala reactivity. This experiment shows that regonising the emotions reduced their impact on you. So if you are feeling low, just identify what you are going through -- guilt? shame? or anxiety? Whatever you do, don't suppress it, acknowledge it.

3. Make a Decision

Grappling with a problem inside your head? Take that step you have been wanting to take. Some people are unsure about the future so they delay taking any decisive step. In Knorb's book The Upward Spiral, he asks readers to make decisions to help your brain feel at rest. Making a decision helps in reducing the anxiety and worry associated with uncertainty; it helps your brain feel that you are in control. Upset about a friend's attitude towards you? Confront him. Depressed about your weight? Join a gym. It will give you a sense of control and help reduce stress.

4. Touch

By touch, we mean with consent. Touching someone you love helps boost your feel good chemicals, reduces stress and spreads happiness. So hug away! As the old cliche goes, 'Man is a social animal' who is need of happy, fulfilling relationships to feel complete. Touching releases oxytocin, the love hormone that promotes empathy, trust and relationship building. Even small acts of touching such as handshakes and back pats are powerful.

You don't need money to be truly happy. It's as simple as being grateful, labelling negative emotions, taking decisive steps and touching someone you love.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2018 04:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).