During months of solitude trekking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Sacred Valley in Peru, Dr. John Izzo crystallized ideas for his book, The Five Thieves of Happiness. 

His central premise is that our natural human state is one of happiness. So, instead of following the predictable path lined with books about the science of happiness, Izzo identifies not what we need to do to become happy but what we must do to stay happy.

Yet, constantly lurking at our door threatening to rob us of our happiness are five "thieves." These include control, conceit, coveting, consumption, and comfort.

1. Control: “Two of the most obvious things we try to control are the past and the future. Of course, we cannot control that which has already happened, and we cannot control that which has not yet occurred. The twins of regret and worry (first cousins of control) take away moment-to-moment contentment.” The opposite of control is surrender, so happiness comes when we learn to accept outcomes beyond our control.
2. Conceit (AKA ego) is conquered by service. Just as Christ taught centuries ago, we find ourselves by losing ourselves. And the quickest way to experiencing that kind of happiness is to think of others and serve them.
3. Coveting disguises itself, making us ask how we compare to others. “It takes away our capacity to be grateful…It infects our personal happiness, but it also undermines our relationships with others. Instead of celebrating and sharing the happiness of others we resent their happiness and good fortune.” To unmask the thief of coveting, show gratitude and a genuine pleasure for others' successes. These two practices are especially effective when avoiding the trap of coveting on social media.
4. Consumption, a plague of our prosperous period in history, is easy to identify. We know this thief is near when our thoughts gravitate toward, “I will be happy if...” or “I will be happy when....” To be happy, focus on the moment, not wishing for anything other than our present reality.
5. Comfort is “the subtlest of all thieves.” At face value, comfort does not seem like a threat to our happiness. But we if we become too comfortable with old patterns, we can miss out on the thrill of learning new experiences and skills.

To help “kick the thieves out of the house,” Izzo's proposes three solutions to use over a 30-day period: repeat written mantras day and night, keep a gratitude journal, and consciously note at the end of each day if the thieves showed up. The most effective solution to combatting the five thieves of happiness is the one that works best for you.

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