When was the last time you were truly happy?

[Satsumastangerinesorclementines]

As above

Right now, since I came off the pill after twenty six years.

During Covid. And a year or so after. Since then it's been a shitshow.

3 days ago, before the worst sickness bug of my life decided to take up residence in my gut.

When my dcs were little and I thought dh and I were totally in love and loyal to one another. Before I found out he’d been on hookup sites and was messaging other women.

I don’t think I ever really fully got myself back after that and that (amongst other things) has over time given me a very cynical view of the world.

My db lives abroad and only visits our elderly parents for a few days every 3 years. Yesterday we sat the 4 of us for lunch. Happiness for me was looking at my mum’s face which was pure joy.

2004 I think 🤣
or today , when my daughter gave me a cuddle after her bath.
My partner has a phrase that happiness is a past feeling.
I never stop and think ‘I’m happy’ . Sometimes I feel content in the moment, but I’m not sure what happiness is.
I do have memories that I look back on fondly so maybe that’s it.

I’m happy more days than not.

Right now, and I never take it for granted.

No one can be happy all the time. I aim for contentment.

I think happy can mean a lot of different things. We can say we are generally happy but moment to moment throughout the day how many of those moments we would tick ‘happy’ or ‘content’ against? Vs all the moments of dissatisfied or annoyed or even neutral? Do we mean jubilantly ecstatically happy or calm and content ‘I don’t need a single thing from anyone or anything’ happy?

I have happy moments throughout most days, usually if I am feeling warmth towards people around me or doing something I find meaningful. But these are interspersed with moments of frustration, worry and dissatisfaction. I think most people are the same. I think deeply contented, peaceful happiness is rare and only comes through concerted effort and decision to turn your mind in that direction.

I've already posted in this thread, but reading some other people's comments has also made me happy.

Plus, I have just drunk my bedtime mug of camomile tea, done my skincare routine, got into clean pyjamas and between clean sheets, and am snuggling down ready to do a cryptic crossword. This is happiness, too.

I so sorry for those that have lost children or loved ones too soon.
I am very lucky and am happy or content most of the time. I obviously have shit times (chronic illnesses) and dull times (lots of work and quite skint) but generally I am happy.
Over the years I have managed to collect some.amazing friends and decided after a near death illness to enjoy life as much as possible. Obviously death and ill health getbij the way but I now fill my life doing things that either bring me or others joy. My work is all about supporting people to improve their communities and so spend my days around people who are working to make things better. This means generally they are decent people driven by positivity not the pursuit of wealth. My friends tend to similarly be involved in jobs that improve our world and again have positive values.
It made such an improvement from previous jobs driven by money and surrounded by people who viewed their happiness through owning stuff. A endless search for a bigger and better house/car/holiday.

8th December. Been a shit show since then.

Yeah, this is a good way to look at it. I was quite depressed reading your question op. Because I thought I honestly don't know when I was truly happy although i'm sure I have been. Without your question, I wouldn't have even thought about it so I think content is the right emotion for me and it's made me feel better.

But maybe I'll think about what would make me happy

A long time ago. I have moments of happiness most days, but I'm not wholly satisfied/happy/at peace as I'd wish to be.

Christmas 2016, after we moved back to be nearer family and were looking forward to spending happy times together in future/enjoying our new lifestyle. DDs were 12 and 10 then. Then in early 2017 DH was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer (he died in 2019). BIL also died suddenly in 2019 and MIL died in 2021.

Since then it's been mostly carrying on and trying to look happier than I really am, but part of me is missing.

Last summer on a boat trip,with my ds 1 and 2 in Italy. For a couple of hours anyway.
Prior to that probably 1998 when I had am amazing job and was free and single,

There are times when I am "passing happy" in a moment, or for a few hours - watching a play two weeks ago for instance - but the last time I was "fully happy" where I wake up feeling happy, happy all day, happy when I go to bed, happy with my lot happy? 2021

I'm always happy whenever my lovely adult daughter is around. She literally makes me happy just by being there.

I'm happy every day and have been for 2yrs now. I wake up smiling.

The last time I was truly elated was last November. I went to Paris and I was literally giddy.

Now, earlier tonight, this morning, last night, I find happiness in the small things & appreciate how lucky I am a lot.

And I have plenty of shit things going on

Those on this thread that are really content, do you have any tips for those of us who aren't? 😂

This morning on our dog walk. The two dogs who live in the stables at the edge of our village were out having a stroll on the cul de sac. Normally they are behind the fence in their huge garden and always come to the fence to say hello to ddog. He was so shocked and excited when they ran over his morning. They all got the zoomies and it was joyful.

Then when I passed their other field where they keep Pygmy goats, we saw they now have two new babies. Tiny baby goats!!! 😍😍😍

I have brief moments of contentment occasionally. Closest thing to happiness is at gigs but I don’t do that often.
I don’t have an expectation of happiness any more, life seems 99% about getting through stuff.

But I know it could be much, much worse.

Today. My husband was at work and I had a lovely day with the children (4, 2 and baby) just pottering around in the rain and having a coffee and doing colouring in at a cafe. I love how they see the world and how they make each other laugh.

I tend to sweat the small stuff and find things to worry about, and the children lift me out of myself and I love them and I’m so grateful for that. The small joys can’t be overlooked when there are also such horrible goings on in the world.