“Many people think excitement is happiness…But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.” ~~Thich Nhat Hanh, The Art of Power
“Maybe you think you’ll be entitled to more happiness later by forgoing all of it now, but it doesn’t work that way. Happiness takes as much practice as unhappiness does. It’s by living that you live more. By waiting, you wait more. Every waiting day makes your life a little less. Every lonely day makes you a little smaller. Every day you put off your life makes you less capable of living it.” ~~Ann Brashares, Sisterhood Everlasting
“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.” ~~Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
Statement #3
Happiness is a habit I am developing.
Happiness is created, not waited for.
Before sobriety and New Life, happiness felt elusive and fleeting, and almost always out of grasp. It was something to be captured, for safekeeping. But happiness cannot not be held down, and no amount of alcohol or substance can bring happiness to life.
Happiness comes to life through the living of life. Sobriety and Statement #3 in action enable the experience of happiness to flow from within. Initially, I had a hard time experiencing happiness in sobriety since my feelings felt flat but with time, joy began to flow.
In our WFS Program booklet, Jean writes, “Happiness never came to me until I learned the secret of making it for myself, of finding an inner glow that somehow made all other things right.” This week make happiness your daily habit and unleash joys in your life.
Hugzzz
Karen
Hi 4C Women,
There are so many thoughts that go through my mind when I think of how creating happiness is such an individual process. We all have our personal definitions of what happiness means, how to create it, acknowledge it and retain the memory of it. In looking over some of the material I have on happiness, I am astounded at the many suggestions there are so I’d like to share a few, several that I utilize personally.
I am creating happiness for myself by thinking before speaking. I am happier without a foot in my mouth. This was from an online chat a few years back but I thought it was humorous and true!
I am happy when I let go of toxic people.
I am happy when I let go of regret and past mistakes.
I am happy when I set healthy boundaries and adhere to them, creating consequences when boundaries are crossed.
I am happy when I stop and look up at the blue sky or a beautiful sunset, observing with pure joy.
I am happy when I approach new experiences as opportunities for fun, to learn and not as possible mistakes. What a difference that makes.
Music makes me so happy and singing while no one is listening is fun too.
One of my favorite things that I have done is to make an alter of joy on my nightstand. I change it now and then but the purpose is that when I go to sleep and first thing in the morning is to see items that bring a smile to my face and heart. It is sometimes a photo, a poem, a book or knickknack that reminds me of a loved one.
Lastly, being a moderator has brought me the greatest joy of all. It is giving and receiving all wrapped up in one.
Bonded in creating our own personal happiness,
your 4C sister