Having your brakes not be there ...
and finding your friend is.

Preparing to take the trash out during a severe downpour ...
only to have it stop when you step outside.

Being ok with waiting ...
and then, not having to wait.

Having friends who have their priorities in line ...
and keeping yours.

Being tired ...
and genuinely happy.

Finding out about too many weeds in your yard ...
before the a/c guy does.

Waking up too darn early ...
to a friendly voice.

Planting flowers in your yard where you can't see ...
so your neighbors can enjoy them.

Happiness Is ... Everywhere you look with your heart and not your stress.

When I run into someone I haven't seen for a while, usually they ask me, "Who's the guy?". When I say, "There is no guy", they have a difficult time understanding how I can be happy if I don't have a steady man in my life.

I know that people fall in love and exude happiness that the world sees. I am not denying that I was the girl who fell (hard) in love with a guy and had an obvious happy glow for many months. I know it happens. There are reasons for being happy, other than having a great relationship.

I am happy...because I am happy. Life is good. Things are progressing in a positive manner. I like my "will work for money" method of making an income. I enjoy my job. Really! Don't tell my clients, but I would do it all for free.

I am happy because I feel good about myself. I am proud of the weight I lost. It makes me feel good when I buy clothes that I don't have to suck in my stomach to see how they will look "someday". I like that my hair is long again. I'm keeping all my grays. I have just enough wrinkles that my life shows, and not so many that I look my age.

I am enjoying activities that I really want to do. Sometimes a wonderful friend or two will join me, sometimes I go alone. At first, I thought it was sad to go to an event alone. Then, I realized a benefit to it. When I go alone, I don't have to adhere to a friend's time deadlines. If I decide at the last minute to change my plans and do something different, or stop somewhere along the way, I don't have to "clear it" with someone else first.

I am comfortable with myself. I accept my flaws and my victories. I know that both are a part of me. I don't expect myself to be perfect. Perfect would be boring. I have just enough flaws to be interesting. I have more victories than I ever wanted. Of all the things I've done in my life, being me is what I am best at!

Maybe I am a slacker. It was the one thing no one else thought of being, so I took the opportunity. It fits so nicely with who I wanted to be, I just kept being me. Then, I realized I like doing that.

Here I am. Being me. Being happy.

I was recently asked who is my Psychiatrist. When I said I don't have one, I was asked for the name of my Therapist or Counselor. When I said I don't have those either, the person that was asking seemed perplexed. She said, "But you're so happy and positive. You're in a good mood all the time. You're not seeing someone?"
No, I'm good. Thank you.

A person can be happy. A person can be positive and in a good mood without counseling or therapy. Any good Psychiatrist will tell you that they don't fix your problems, their job is to help you define them and discover ways you can fix them yourself. I don't need a Psychiatrist to point out what I need to fix in my life. I already know what's wrong in different areas of my life.

I am constantly working to improve all areas of my life. I know there are things I need to do better, or more of, some things I need to eliminate. I have many flaws. I have many things to fix in my life. Everyone does. I don't have to be stressed, bummed or saddened by the things I need to do to make my life better. I embrace my bad habits as being a part of me that I acknowledge. I am working to have those bad habits make less of an impact on my life. I don't have to hate myself because I have trouble being on time for things. I need to understand that it's a problem and find ways to overcome it. I don't have to be down on myself until then. I can be happy and still see room for improvement with my efforts when I don't make it on time to something.

Being happy is not being perfect. Being happy is not a matter of constantly reminding myself of my shortcomings (no pun intended, for those who know my height). Being happy is about giving more effort to my downfalls so they happen less and less. Being happy means that I don't verbally abuse myself in my mind when I mess - up. I don't need someone else to sit and discuss my areas for improvement. I already know most of them. What I don't see, my dear friends will point out to me. (It is a matter of listening.) Then, I will take steps to learn and move on.

I don't need a Therapist, Counselor, or Psychiatrist.
I don't need to be crazy to be happy all the time. But, it helps!!!