What makes you happy?

[dessislava]

Any thoughts on what happiness is? I am a great achiever, perfect grades at school and college, jobs that required lots of hard work but well respected, and as far as family goes ? fantastic! So what is missing? I was reading somewhere that the search for happiness is the new Holy Grail, and also that you feel happy in the process of achieving things, rather than getting them. Somewhere in the process of creating my perfect life a have lost myself, hence the drinking. I know that life is about today and the little things that make us happy and I am desperately trying to apply that in my life.

Anyway ? what makes you happy?

[Bella]

What makes you happy?

This is a good thread dessislava....... I too have wondered about 'happiness'. There are some people who are naturally happy and some who are naturally unhappy.. Obviously alot depends on your circumstances but I think it has very little to do with what you have or have not got in your life. My mother in law constantly amazes me. She is always content and sees so much beauty in everything and everyone and consequently enjoys her life so much even when things aren't too great her. i admire that so much in people. I tend to struggle with happiness, i strive for it and am very aware( always) that my state of mind is not naturally in a happy place. So I try hard because life is so much more fun and easy if we love it!!! I am probably interested in all this because I suffer from bouts of depression, so it is vital that I stay happy.....

What makes me happy?? Being loved makes me happy and loving back.... Not drinking is a great one for the old self-confidence, that makes me happy.....having peace in my mind always makes me feel very lucky to be alive....... oooh, lots of other things that I would have to spend more time thinking about. Great thread. Love, Bella xxx

[Guest]

What makes you happy?

I love this thread! Happiness can mean so many things to many different people.

My daughter makes me happy. When I look at her sweet curls, and breathe in the smell of her hair, touch her soft little cheeks and see her run to me smiling because she wants a kiss or a hug for her Mom makes me very very happy.

My husband, even though he works so much still manages to make me happy by calling me during the day to ask how we are doing and what his little babe is up to, and to tell me that he loves me and misses me.

My parents make me happy, I love my parents. My Mom will be here in 2 weeks to be with us before we fly home for the summer and I am so excited to see her again.

My dogs make me happy; they are cute and fluffy and are always open for hugs and kisses and to play with me, or just lie beside me while I pet them.

Having enough food to eat; knowing my daughter will have her University paid for by us, knowing I can always go home, knowing that we are all healthy and there is nothing seriously wrong with us.. there are lots of things when I think about it, sometimes it's too easy to lose site of it though.

[paula]

What makes you happy?

MY husband ,children, grandchildren, my work. My life in general at the moment
because I am in good health and not drinking. I believe happiness is a state of mind
and can't be bought but can be earned, you could be the richest person in the world
and also the most unhappy, you could be the poorest and happiest.
I agree with Bella this is a good thread, wish I had more time to spend on it but I am
happily going off to work.
Have a happy day every one. Paula.

[garden girl]

What makes you happy?

my childrens unconditional love.

[samadhi]

What makes you happy?

Well you know what they say, you are about as happy as you decide to be. It's all in your attitude. I played a game with my son the other day. If you had one wish, what would it be? My son said a million dollars (and he assured me he'd give some of that away). I thought about it and said, I would like to be happy with every situation I ever find myself in. That way if poverty, sickness, disaster strikes - I'm still happy. I really desire internal peace - the kind that you don't have to drink to try to simulate.

[Guest]

What makes you happy?

My children.....their smile, their hugs and kisses.....watching them play and laugh. That can never be replaced by anything.
My Parents.....they are divorced, but I love both dearly. I may lose my Mama soon, but i am so grateful for this time I have to care for her.
My best friend...I have a wonderful friend....seen me through some really rough spots. Losing my fiance', caring now for my Mama, my drinking problems. Stuck by me through it all.

[Change]

What makes you happy?

Good thread.

Bella, i used to have a naturally depressed mind too, but not long ago, something shifted.

Sure, i get bouts of depression, mainly due to drinking (it is a central nervous system depressant), but something in my general being shifted. I think it had something to do with making a conscious decision to be happy and to becomiing more true to myself.

I hope you can find the happiness that you see in your mother-in-law. Maybe one day you will. I'm tending to agree with Paula, i think, in some ways, happiness, or at least contentedness, can be earned.

Happiness: a good night's sleep, peace and quiet

[Breez]

What makes you happy?

Being AF.


I now know what it feels like to live. Live to appreciate the love & respect of my family and express it back, live with AF eyes wide open & experience life with it's good & bad, never regretting I made a decision because of booze, living each moment to it's fullest & not in some blackout or sleep mode, being able to wake up each morning & say "Bring it on". My choice to finally be AF is what is making me happy. Because of it everything else falls into place and makes my life content.

[Guest]

What makes you happy?

Good thread Dess, I have really sat here and thought. I think overall it's my quality of life. I am blessed to be healthy,have a home and family and to live in a country (while I currently don't agree with it's policies) that is filled with abundance and oppurtunity. My beautiful Grandson who tells me I'm the best MamNan ever! My husband who tells me I am beautiful and sexy after 15 years of marriage.He says its like we just met yestereday. When I can slip into the size smaller pants than what I normally do. Laughter, god knows how I need laughter. I am blessed enough to laugh at something daily. These dogs of mine, so much love and devotion. New shoes!!! so many things. As much as I hate getting older, I love the wisdom that comes along with it! Biggest thing being now that my drinking is under control, I can enjoy all these things so much more and even better than that I can remember all these things the next day!
Always Smiles
Mar

[nancy]

What makes you happy?

happiness and unhappiness

I have struggled a lot with unhappiness. I feel happiest when connected to other people in close relationships and don't like to be alone, which unfortunately is a big part of life if you are single. Fulfilling talents and dreams is hugely satisfying.

More generally, I have an underlying depression and chronic sense of dissatisfaction and emptiness.

I am reading an interesting book suggested by the MWO member named Bird, as I recall.

It's called the Thirst for Wholeness, attachment, addiction and the spiritual path by Christina Grof.

like others raised in establishment religion, i ditched religion and dogma many years ago and for the most part have lived by humanistic principles. this book explores the loss of spirituality and relation to addiction. It looks at chronic feelings of dissatisfaction, despite achieving some things we thought we always wanted.

Like the buddhist idea, the author believes you can find the divine within the self, with no intermediary. According to Jung, humans have a deep thirst for our own wholeness, our spiritual identity, our divine source, or God.

People of all ages distort this immensely strong impulse into addictions of all kinds, not only addictions involving chemicals, but also eating disorders, sex addictions, addictions to power and money and countless other addictions.

The author talks about these feelings of chronic restlessness (boy can I relate to that).
and says:

No external acitvities or substances satisfy the initial craving or the feelings of emptiness. Many people attain the object of their desire and the insistent ache remans...

In a frantic effort to kill the void, some people consume enormous quantities of alcohol , smoke increasing numbers of cigarettes, or inject drugs in a wide variety of combinations, however many recovering addicts and alcoholics report that once the physical craving for the drug is eliminated, a deeper craving remains.

sorry, i guess my post is more about unhappiness...

[Niblet]

What makes you happy?

For myself, happiness is the little things in life... Having either of our 2 teenage sons give me a hug even when it's not "cool" and still saying "goodnight, love you" everynight...
There is a certain giggle my hubby has sometimes that is absolute music to my ears. When I look deeply into my dogs' eyes and see their beautiful soul... Smelling the fresh air after a spring rain... Hearing the birds sing.. I ABSOLUTELY love to go nose to nose with Cody, my best friend(horse) and smell sweet grass... For myself, I cannot buy the things that truely make me happy, they are free for the taking and enjoying. These are just some of the things that make me happy.... Loved this thread, now I'm all warm and fuzzy,,, Have a wonderful day all, ~Niblet~

[hablur]

What makes you happy?

Who needs a therapist when we have such thoughtfull folks on this board always challenging us with such incitefull questions.

I am really thinking about this one. I would have to say overall that I am not happy. I have happy moments but they generally only involve my son. I still love my wife but with being the primary care giver to another adult is extremely stressfull.

I find tremendous joy in my little boy. I love seeing him laugh and playing with him. I have also really fallen for my new kitty as she is such a sweet heart.

I hate to say it but there is not a whole bunch of happiness in my life atm. Of I was very pleased with myself fencing in the back yard a few weeks ago so my son can run around freely

[nancy]

What makes you happy?

Hablur,

I am also chronically unhappy so i can relate. i am really trying to stop negative thinking patterns, which I think contribute greatly to depression.
Why are you the primary care giver to an adult? is your wife ill?

[Saint Jude]

What makes you happy?

Great thread!
I'm pretty easy to please, for the most part. Maybe that comes from living in a tree house for 18 years! I just love waking up in the morning with a clear head! Good morning kisses are a great way to start day .. along with "I love you's"...
If it's a sunny day out ...BONUS!
I love being out on the river with my doggie, watching the Eagles & Osprey soaring overhead. Seeing Great Blue heron, Egrets, merganzers, malards,Canadian Honkers. Once in a while spot a bear.(hopefully not too close!)
Or getting up close to the river otters playing on the banks or hide & seek near the surface w/you. Then there's always a wave or 10 to catch when the big tour boats come by...
Sometimes I love to just kick back on the beach and feel the sun on my skin. Or walk along the many trails along the beaches, picking berries & flowers. Watching the sun set over the ocean...
I'm with Mar.. just living in a country where we have the FREEDOM to do what we can... buy new shoes!!
Oh yeah! Thrift stores! I love em! Support a great cause & decorate myself w/new treasures!
Wonder bubbles!:H
I'm also blessed with my health & a wonderful...(most of the time...) Family
I could go on...