This reminds me of the old Peanuts bed sheets I had that had pictures of all the characters as well as "Happiness is..." quotes for each of them. I miss those sheets.

I am happiest when in the now. Like when I am cozy in my sheets, cozy in my skin, challenging myself to be more than what I am.
Often, my happiness lies in the pursuit not in the outcome because I am holding onto hope and letting it inspire my action. It has been disappointing to see people marginalize the power of thinking that big beliefs and emotional attachment to ideals yields no results. It's absolutely not true. Without a kernel of hope, nothing grows.

It's no wonder why, when many reflect upon their past struggles, they think of them as the good old days. Happiness is certainly in the pursuit, on the pathway and there is always pain on the way.

I am a big believer that we have to embrace our pain for the gift it can be (depending on how we use it). One of the very few things the president of my former company said was "Conflict is your friend." It gives us the opportunity for growth and a segue to deal with editing out things that are not working.

Gratitude, laughter, good friends and knowing that I have a choice about my experience. And accepting that happiness, like all feelings, is transient and to be created and enjoyed when possible but not clung to...and that clinging to a desire or expectation of being happy is a great way to destroy happiness!

A variety of things keep me happy. Here, in no particular order, are the linchpins of my happiness:

1. Family ~ Keep in close contact with your family and stay abreast of their lives. They'll give you encouragement, and help if you need it.

2. Friends ~ Good friends are the glue to a good life; they'll help you through tough times.

3. Exercise ~ Keep your body trim and your endorphins high, and your spirits will be much lighter.

4. Cleanliness ~ Not just your body, but also your home. If your furniture is piled high with papers and junk, your spirits stay low. A neat home is the key to a happy life.

5. Good manners ~ Hold the door open for an elderly person, smile at a stranger, use correct grammar in your emails. Doing it right the first time shows that you care, and it brightens the life of those around you.

6. Eat Healthy ~ Balanced meals may seem boring, but you feel better in the long term.

7. Dress neatly ~ Good taste in clothes and good grooming habits pay off, and will earn you the respect of those around you.

Finally, if you feel down, work hard to chase away the blues. Sometimes all it takes is a good mental attitude. Remember these words,

"There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender." -- J. Michael Straczynski, American screenwriter.

do not do what i do

Stop looking. Listen. You are the key. I am the key. We are the key. Emotions change very quickly. Mad, sad, glad, scared. And, sometimes emotions are depressed. Why would I want to feel stuck feeling happy? Feeling stuck, I eventually break. I break down, we might break up, someone else might break out, and feel ... a ... different ... feeling. Maybe happy.

I like feeling grounded. Breathing. Listening to body. Body is intelligent. Losing the mind. Going mad.

To feel grounded, let's start with anger. I need to let go of my anger. So what does "letting go of my anger" mean? Letting go of my anger means feeling angry, really feeling angry. Perhaps, in the mean time, something triggers my anger. Anger doesn't need a reason. So what do I do when I feel angry? When I feel angry, I yell stuff. The stuff I yell doesn't need to make sense, I just yell loudly anyways. I hit a bag, pillow, or mattress again and again because I am feeling mad. I am not feeling mad at myself. I am not feeling mad at you. I am not feeling mad at anyone. I am feeling mad. And, feeling mad is okay. I feel happy feeling mad. Eventually, my anger may transform. I don't feel angry in the moment, I may suddenly feel sad. I love feeling sad, crying, letting my tears and myself fall, fall into grace. Happy and sad live side by side in my heart. I cry and cry until I feel a different emotion. Maybe fear. I feel scared, I scream and my body shakes, and I start to feel cold. And, perhaps I don't feel scared after a while, maybe I feel angry again. I feel so angry, and I start yelling and hitting the bag again and again until I have no anger left in the moment, and no more fear in the moment, and no more sadness in the moment, and suddenly and so very quickly and instantly I feel happy. Happiness. I start to laugh uncontrollably. I cry. I cry because I am feeling so much joy. I won't help but smile. And, eventually my feeling glad subsides and I feel grounded again. Well, at least for a little while until something else comes up...