The pursuit of happiness is considered an inalienable right. The conundrum, however, is how hard it can be to recognize what will bring us lasting happiness, and what that happiness will even look like. With many of us drowning in errands, bills, work, emails, and all the other to-do lists items that seem to magically appear each day, it’s easy to assume happiness springs from a life free of challenges and stress. But often what prevents us from being happy is that we would much rather not have to deal with uncomfortable experiences, which- let’s face it- we can’t really avoid.

Discomfort and difficulty are inevitable. Can we try to be happy- or at least be ok with whatever comes our way?

In practice, part of the goal of therapy, and potentially the path to happiner-ness, is helping clients turn with curiosity toward people, events, or situations that they experience as difficult. When we meet and greet our discomfort, we gradually lean that our lives are Ok as they are. Over time, and with practice, this helps us build resilience, allowing us to face bigger and less predictable challenges with equanimity and curiosity. Embracing that, we can find confidence, strength, and happiness born of welcoming our whole-lives- bumps, bruises, and all.

~Elaine Smookier

and then it was time to notice how happy I really am

inquiry for today~ you, too, may feel less than happy- but where do you find meaning?

the flair of truth

There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don’t you?

~Rumi