(Please try not to be upset by that, it's that everyone is right because everyone is wrong, so all opinions mean nothing.) That being said, when people are doing something that you decide is very, very wrong, having conviction can mean multiple things. It can mean standing up and butting in, helping those people understand what they are doing is wrong, or another thing it can mean is to know to not be involved at all and walk away. You are never alone (as we now understand) so there is no reason you cannot leave a party of people doing something that does not sit right with you. This, in almost every case, speaks far louder than had you opened your mouth. It also shows people what conviction is and what character looks like in true form, something more people nowadays need to experience.
7. Know when to stop.
This is the hardest part. Once you find something that brings you a slight and temporary bit of joy, you know that as fish are with food, that you may never have it again, so in an attempt to be gluttonous, most people continue doing something even if it doesn't bring them joy anymore. Just like with cigarettes. Knowing when to stop, doesn't stop there though. It can go really, really deep, and into very uncomfortable places in common society’s current heart states. It can mean parting ties with your spouse even if you have children, not for their sake, but your own (One day they'll understand, hopefully they won’t have to). It can mean shutting down a company you've vested in for many years that's actually tanked a long time ago but you're just sure this next thing is going to be your big break. Knowing when to stop goes a whole other direction to though. It also means knowing when to stop being weak and go for it. It means being settled and content, but not at all complacent.
Life is full of so much, so many, and so few and if you miss any of it, it was your choice and your choice alone. Maybe you'll say, but I am locked in a prison cell somewhere and I can’t experience anything here :( You can close your eyes and see worlds beyond this one, let your heart love and your mind wander. There is a thing that we lost when television was created called imagination. There is nothing you can't do when armed with that. These 7 steps don't have to be followed in any particular order but must be followed all at the same time all the time or it won’t work, and by doing so you will no longer be in the pursuit of happiness.
You will be living it.
-J.Feelgood