Hmmm....good one Pierce.
I think it was important to develop my own ideas and to seek less validation for my subjective reality. I quit keeping track of how I'm feeling every second and dwelling on it. I think it keeps me from naturally changing. And I'm going to agree with Dana about giving myself such a hard time. Everyone does this I think...and it's a definite block to a quality life. I was recently so unhappy and in complete turmoil but there was something telling me: everything may not be as bad as you think....keeping walking in the light. That isn't spirtualist hooey, I just have to remind myself that no matter how bad things are....there are people out there suffering worse than I am, and maybe I should get my pasty ass off the computer or the couch, and go do something for someone else. When I'm too self-serving I fall into misery.
Anecdote:
My husband and I were still dating and I was in between jobs and broke. He wasn't doing so well either. We weren't even scraping by. We had a regular habit of going to help down at the shelter serving food.....This one particular fall Sunday we walked down to the shelter and served the food, and had to grab a bag of bread to go ourselves. We were happy the whole time...and had fun. The point being, don't sit on your misfortunes, and go flipping do something for someone other than "I" or "me" "me". We are comfortable again, and learned to grow our own food...which is also fun. I think happiness is directly related to misfortune I guess........
I think you have to first..
let yourself be happy?
Hmmm. Maybe I'll think about it more and come back to this. There is a better point that I feel I should be making.......
Or maybe happiness is just my husband holding a Klondike bar.... yea....that makes the most sense to me I think.
