Can you remember the last time you were honestly happy?

[user83921]

I was thinking about this this morning. Can you remember the last time you felt truly happy?

Im by no means depressed, but I think I'm always waiting for something to make me happy, new job, new house etc. But when that comes I still don't feel the happiness I crave.

I'm not sure if I have an unrealistic expectation of what happiness is, or feels like.

Does anyone else feel similar?

I’m happy now and have been for a long time. Not because my life is perfect or I have no problems or nothing I could be sad about. But because I believe that happiness is when your life fulfills your needs - and mind does. I also believe that happiness is also hugely connected to liking yourself and who you are and what you do. I like myself a lot. I think it’s difficult to be happy, whatever your external circumstances, when you don’t like the person you are.

Happiness is subjective isn't it? My A grade for a supremely difficult law assignment submitted in early November, it was unexpected and I was elated and then more recently, this morning, my 5 year old first thing waking up and looking for me to find me in the kitchen making coffee (oh the need for coffee) and hugging me around the waist with her little arms. I'm not usually mushy but this morning she got me. Wasn't the same this evening when she was overtired and irritating the 7 year old.

I like to believe that everyone at some point feels some sort of pure happiness.

Sometime before November 2009.
My DM was diagnosed with cancer and I honestly don’t think I’ve enjoyed any true happiness since then. I’m quite jealous of these DP hugs and being made a cup of tea. I can’t remember the last time I had warm feelings from / about / towards DP. I think it’s partly / mostly my fault. I very much pushed him away when DM was ill then died and I think we’ve both given up. I have lovely moments with DD and DS and with friends but I do not feel generally happy. I miss that feeling of a partner genuinely liking me.

I wonder if I have low expectations of happiness! But I’d say I was happy right now - I’ve got my slippers on and lemon in my tonic water, what’s not to like?! Then earlier putting the kids to bed (just cos they’re lovely), and when my mum popped round with brownies, and when I ate some pineapple. Lots of happy moments in an average day!

I know it’s a cliche but the simple things make me happy, a walk in the woods with my family and dogs, kissing and burying my face in my cats belly, hearing my dog make her happy noise when I cuddle her, my DD’s face lighting up when she sees me after a day at school, getting a nice message from DH.

They are all fleeting moments but lots of them put together throughout the day or week give me a general feeling of happiness to keep me floating over and above the daily crap.

Now.
Well, I'm happy generally in life.
I'm a 'glass half full' kind of a person, and can find things to happy about in most situations.

I think some of the answers on this thread say a lot more about the mindset of the posters, than the situations they are in, necessarily.

Just tiny things - earlier today, for example, I was happy it wasn't raining when I had to go out. It doesn't have to be anything 'big'.

I have had proper,but wrenching, can't see a way out sadness. So since that, nothing is ever so bad. I can choose to see the bad stuff, or I can look for the happy. I can find something pleasing about every day. I was genuinely delightedly happy on Saturday, having a lovely day with dd watching films and eating a picnic.

Right now, and most days in fairness.
There is some stuff I don’t have, supportive family, and incant have children, but so much I do have.

Since I had my daughter something just clicked.

It’s hard of course, but I look at her little face and smile. I love feeding her and it makes me so happy seeing her grow, smile and develop a little personality. Before DD I just kind of plodded through life, I looked forward to holidays and stuff but wasn’t content like I am now.

I’m nearly always happy. Little things make me happy. My first cup of coffee in the morning. Walking for an hour every morning with my friend. Seeing the dc at school pick up. Having a kiss and cuddle with dc or dh. I am a positive person and always look on the bright side of life.

Christmas Day, it was so nice being with my family, I love that time of year.
I was thinking earlier though about how I never really feel content, all I do is get up go to work, count the hours down til 5pm, walk home, eat watch tv and struggle to stay awake all evening then go to bed to do it all over.
Surely there must be more to life than this?

Yes, I think happy is my default emotion. I am easily pleased and that helps. Got given a doughnut today, that perked me up.

More importantly I am loved by a handful of very good people. That brings me a lot of joy and comfort.

But I know I am not more deserving of happiness than those who feel sad. I try to make good choices but I haven't earned all the good things I have got, and I think knowing that makes me appreciate them more.

The morning of 29th December.

I’m happy lots of times every single day. Because the sun is shining or a hear a lovely piece of music on the radio or I have something delicious to eat. Or my kids stop fighting for an hour. Or I see the snowdrops are coming out in my garden ( yesterday ).

I feel sad for those of you who never or rarely feel happy.

Swimming at the beach with my husband on Sunday. We were recovering from a bit of a hangover from the night before where we celebrated my husband's birthday with some very good friends. It was a really excellent weekend.

I was happy today because I went to the gym for the first time. I'm overweight, unfit and have a physical disability, but I left feeling amazing because I tried things that I never thought I'd have the courage to do.

The last time I was ecstatically happy was last October when I found out that the Masters' dissertation I'd put immense amounts of work into scored 90%.

I understand the general sentiment of the OP, though. I was very depressed for a long time and even pleasant things didn't actually make me feel happiness, just alleviated the misery a bit. I actually think that having had that experience makes the happiness I often feel now more pronounced - there's such a contrast to the way I used to feel, and my accomplishments may be small, but they're things I would have seen as ridiculously impossible when I was at my worst.

I only feel truly happy when I've taken a step forward in life. This feeling may last for 3-5 days then it disappears until the next time i feel like I've achieved something. So really the last time i was happy was in September, for a bit.

I feel happy most of the time now but didn't as a child or younger adult.

Just now, dd's bf giving his mum a vomit flavoured jelly bean and watching her reaction to eating it.

I don't feel happy most of the time, but I do laugh most days (watching Big Bang or Friends, etc), so I'm not sure what that says.

I laughed so much when we watched Jumanji at the cinema, that people turned to stare at me and the dc hid in their seats..

I also cry very easily though.

I think it's not what we imagine it to be and only tough times help us understand this. I nearly lost one of my children a couple of years ago. A doctor said he couldn't say if she'd make the night. I genuinely considered if I was up to performing last offices on my own child. Since then I kick myself up the bum whenever it's needed.
A good song, exercise, a lie in, washing up done, good film.... There's bits every day we take tiny bits of pleasure in. We just need to appreciate them more.

When talking about the purpose of therapy Freud said happiness was not realistic. He said we should all be aiming for 'ordinary misery'. I loved it when I read that!

I feel happy most of the time to be honest. I felt unhappy today at a bill for £160 in the post which I had tried to appeal. But honestly this evening I felt happy at having a decent cup of coffee, having a really hot bath, having a really nice DS and Real Housewivies being on.
Stuff could always be worse and indeed is for many people at any given time.

I was really happy during my wedding but the days before it was exciting I was buzzing. I was so happy when I was waiting for my husband to come home from the military these few months I was so happy with excitement. It’s having something to look forward to

2006. I was 18, in sixth form. I had friends, I had a crush on someone at my waitressing job and we would flirt like mad, there was no worry about bills and money and where the next meal was coming from or how I'd buy my son new shoes. I hate how money controls everything in my life now. I just hate my life full stop. I've never been so lonely and anxious.