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.

2004 was when I was truly happy and I’ve been saying this since about 2009.

I had a very crappy paid job but I liked it and I hadn’t had any abusive relationships by that point, I was only 23 and life was full of so many possibilities, now at 37 then I know there aren’t that many great things ahead for me now.

2004 was also before I got messed up with drugs.

I am depressed and I’m on Antidepressants.

I’m also still waiting on the one

Sorry to hear that scots. I haven't been happy since 2009. Not sure why but nothing excites me or makes me really happy anymore.

Not really.
Probably many years ago when child was small.
I'm not actively UNhappy now but have little enthusiasm.

No I can't I have a very annoying brain (anxiety, low self esteem) that rules me. I have everything I've ever wanted and I still manage to feel depressed and moan a lot.

2005, when I was single.

Yes, I am generally very content with my life, not everything is ‘perfect’ of course but I count my blessings and am usually pretty happy and upbeat. I have a part time job I love, a comfortable home, wide circle of friends, my parents are elderly but in good health, my own & immediate family’s health is good, I have a lot of interests and am involved in the community, I have a strong faith. So yes, I would say I am happy.

I know about this one. Had a rough couple of years.

Found out that cheesily!!!!! It's because I was looking for things to make me happy that we're external to myself. Apparently that's backwards....we have to look internally (did say it's cheesy) to make us happy then all these external things are bonuses. Equally when the negative shit happens because I'm happy internally (Bork) the negative doesn't affect me as much.

It's the first time in along time that I can say I'm content as a standard rule.

I could tell you how I was told to do it and what else I've found that works but I realise that this type of stuff is for everyone.

You've already started an exercise so I'll add some more to that.

Get some paper and write down all the times in your life you were happy. Look for the common denominator. They'll be a theme. Whatever that theme is do more of it....this is something that recharges you.

Yes I would say I'm happy. Been married 23 years to a beautiful and kind woman. Two teenage sons who are finding their feet in the world. Good social life. Very good health and only 8 years to retirement (although I do like my job). Only thing I'm not happy about is Brexit, but I can't influence that any longer!

I got divorced four years ago & I've been happy most of the time ever since.

I don't regard happy as a constant state though. I am content in most of my life but every day has ups and downs. There are moments of happiness, ds achieving something in his marital arts lesson, meeting friends for dinner and having a laugh, enjoying a cup of tea and a good book. These things make me happy but I consider looking to be happy all the time as looking for trouble almost, life doesn't work that way. Moments of happy are what you need, stitch those together with everything else and life comes out ok, if it's going well. I say this as someone who has lost a parent in childhood and a best friend a few years ago so my life hasn't been negative free and I would say I still usually look for the positive. If that's not your outlook then I suspect happy is harder to find.

I'm quite easily pleased I suppose, so I'm happy when I start reading a book I know I'm going to enjoy while eating a tasty, healthy breakfast - I did both of these this morning. I think the reason for my attitude is having had a very serious illness in my early twenties that I almost died from has made me appreciate just being alive more than most people do.

What do you mean by happy? I have lots of stresses and worries but overall feel very fortunate and probably the last moment I felt what I would describe as “happy” was at 6.30 this morning when H and I were cuddling our 8mo in bed and making him giggle before H had to leave for work

I’m happy. My motto is you can’t wait for stuff around you to make you happy, be happy regardless. Even if you lose your job or break your car etc etc. It’s very liberating to not base your happiness and the stuff that goes on in your day. It’s so risky to only be happy when things are going right! Things go wrong all the time! Just be happy anyway, then it doesn’t matter if things go your way because you’re happy anyway. So yeah, I’m happy.