I believe that people are constantly searching for happiness.

Whatever they do, whether it's the relationships they try to develop, whether it's the friendships they initiate, career choices they make, citizens always want to do and be better. Maybe this is the reason why being human is so beautiful - because of this longing to travel towards better pastures.

We work hard to be happy. We fret to be happy. We even lose sleep to be happy. We might pray to be happy.

The feeling of serenity and peacefulness is such a beautiful emotion. It is only when people hit a sandbank and this lovely feeling is ruffled that we realise what we have missed.

Last Saturday during the programme I anchor, Għandi xi Ngħid on Radju Malta, we discussed happiness and tried to comprehend what makes us cheerful and what makes us smile, the latter an expression of the former. With Ronald Briffa, Salvu Mallia, Vince Fabri and Trevor Zahra on the panel, together with a number of clips I had from an interview with Hon Mario Galea about his recent publication, iċ-Ċirasa, the fun in discussing this subject was guaranteed.

During this debate we tried to grapple with recognising why people struggle with this emotion and why they are caught up in depressive moods - is it pathological or is it our social circumstances and choices that make us dismiss this mood of joy and calmness?

Throughout the radio show it emerged that the challenges that we are faced with have an impact on how we feel. Let's face it, it is an extremely demanding lifestyle most of us live and trying to keep up with these sentiments at times might be thorny. We may perhaps forget that happiness lies in the simple things that our life is decorated with; the sound of the rain as it pelts against the windowpane, the trees that rustle with the breeze, the warmth of the sunshine, the brightness of the sky-lit moon, the crackling sound of the leaves in Autumn as we step on them, the hugs and the cuddles of the people we are surrounded with, the bruises and bumps we get when greeted by our dog after a day's work.

Happiness lies in the swing of a hammock, in a dinner, in a Facebook comment we might get as a private message or a status that draws our attention believing it was written just for us. Happiness lies in a WhatsApp message that calls for our attention and a reassuring feeling that someone is at the other end of the line or maybe getting an email you would have been longing for that announces an achievement we might have been working hard for.

As Dr Natalie Kenely said, "we are born with emotions" and from the moment of inception even children who haven't yet seen the light of day, who still lie cosy in the womb of their mummies are starting to nourish these sentiments.

We all have emotions and happiness is probably the grandest of them.

Emotions need to be courted and incited and we need to give them sustenance. Emotions are neutral she said and it's what we do with them that matters most. Dr Kenely reiterates that we need to learn how to understand and manage these emotions certainly not by denying the feelings of discomfort, tenderness, glee or happiness.

For example, she says that the experience of sadness is an emotion that we need to face, struggle and kick up hard if we want our life to go forward. Mind you, it's not easy when we are going through a shadowy spell and you sense that terrible feeling of being shrouded in a murky veil unable to experience a glimmer of hope - but hopefulness is there, because life is founded on the principle of expectancy.

We might struggle because people are emotional beings and our soul is founded on these tendons we call sentiments that not even with the most effective eraser can ever be removed.

People celebrate what they are feeling and talk about it. It is the beauty of community that helps us take care of each other. Maybe instead of wasting our time judging each other we might want to ask how people around us are feeling and perhaps care more for each other. We might want to sit down and to listen to what people have to say, to share their moments, especially when people's eyes are filled with tears of joy or grief. Just sharing the sound of silence might be enough. The worse thing that can ever happen is that we become numb to each other, not that I believe that this is at all possible because emotions seep through our souls and like roots find their way into each other's spirit. What is important is that we allow each other to sense feeling and forbid society to crush that response. Being emotive is fine, crying is all right, and laughing is okay because we are human and humans carry these intricate moments of pain and treachery.

We need to express our emotions and connect with them. Maybe happiness remains that sensation that is most important to us all. Dr Kenely reiterates that there are some 'habits' we might need to develop to get as much of this sentiment as possible.

For example, she says that happy people have healthy supportive relationships and friendships.

Happy people care for others through volunteering or other forms of services.

Happy people do physical exercise and take on challenges that might stretch their abilities.

Happy people are spiritual and huddle up to a faith, cult or a supreme being.

Happy people use their strengths and practise gratitude.

There is no magic wand but happiness comes with industry. We need to understand what makes us connect with our emotions. We grow because we feel more and when we experience more, we hurt even further.

I'm laying out a challenge here, today; take the risk, make sense of life by flourishing it with positive emotions. All this seemed to be confirmed by Dr Anton Grech, the Chairman of Psychiatry whom I interviewed during the said programme. He said that being positive is very important and that a good sense of humour is healing. He affirms that a positive state of well-being actually strengthens our immune system. In other words, we need to use humour to live a better quality of life because happiness adds to our potential.

At one point I asked Lawyer Katia Mercieca whether happiness is a right. She said that there are a number of rights that are intended to lead to contentment but happiness is not a right on its own.

So there you go, something that one of our politicians could start to champion in a world where happiness is becoming sumptuous - work towards making 'happiness a human right'!!

Dr Andrew Azzopardi Senior Lecturer, Department of Youth and Community Studies Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta & Broadcaster - Għandi xi Ngħid