Happiness is.....

Making someone laugh or smile - especially my service users at work (highly-autistic adults).  My cat, Daisy.  Floating on my back in the sea, staring up at the sky.  Cycling out in the country on a crisp winter day (such as this morning, first thing). Writing.  Reading.  Singing.  Sleeping. 

Money would make things easier for me and give me more choices in life, but another thing that makes me happy is leading a simple life, having few things cluttering it up, and just getting by each day.

The only time in my life when I had some money (when I sold my house), and didn't really need to worry about paying for things, I didn't really feel truly happy.  I felt pressure all of a sudden.  I could buy a car.  I could travel the world.  I could buy nice clothes and furniture.  I frittered a lot of it away on things that I didn't really need, but which I thought would make me happy.  I had a small motorhome - but found myself worrying about it getting damaged, or broken into.  Now that I can't really afford anything except the essentials, I feel more psychologically settled - which is an important component to happiness.

Even someone like J K Rowling, with huge financial resources she's never likely to run out of, had buyer's remorse when she bought Johnny Depp's old yacht for £22 million.  She had it less than a year, and took a £7 million loss when she sold it again.  Peanuts to her, of course.  But she said she never felt happy having it, because of the responsibility that came with it: staffing, maintenance, mooring, etc.

I think Kurt Cobain summed it up for me...

Nirvana's Kurt Cobain on wealth

I'm exactly the same Tom. I've always known that money could never bring me happiness and I went on to experience exactly what you said. Having money comes with huge responsibilities. For somebody to be happy with money, they have to be happy with the level of responsibility that comes with the level of money they desire or that they can comfortably manage. For me, moving forward, I first of all have learn what level of responsibility I'm happy with. When I'm ready, when all the preaparations are in place, which will be about the middle of this year. I'll get a dog, my little Billy, and from there. Once I've trained the dog, we've lived together for a while etc, once I'm comfortable with that level of responsibility then I'll move on to creating an income which will meet my needs. 

I was thrown out into the world when I wasn't ready. Now I understand why I wasn't ready, I won't make the same mistake again. Whatever I do in my life now, I'll make sure I'm ready and able for it. It's like I'm starting my life again. But this time as me and before I can handle a job etc, I need to be able to look after myself. 

I move around the uk a lot and I go abroad but this time I'll be living in a van or camper van which is possible with a cat but not as easy as with a dog. 

I'd love a kitten as well but I've got to consider the future. I won't always be in one place and it'll be more difficult to take a cat with me.

That's interesting.  I chose a cat for the same reason.  Fairly independent, easier to look after, less demanding, and easier to take away with me.  It depends on where you're thinking of going, I suppose. 

Yeah, I follow the 12 steps. I got two plants probably about a year ago and they're positively thriving so the next step will be the dog. I'd love a kitten as well but I've got to consider the future. I won't always be in one place and it'll be more difficult to take a cat with me. I've never really thought about having a pet as a companion before. I've never really thought about having anyone as a companion I don't think, other than because I thought that's what you do. So it's a lovely surprise to be thinking of a dog in this way and already it's motivating me. I know I've got a while to go and that's perfectly alright, it gives me more time to feel excited about its arrival and as you know, when you start living in your true zen state, time doesn't come into it. 

You can never have a better life than the one you have now. Sure, you can have more home comforts or more exciting trips or whatever, but all of those things are just things in our life, they are not and never will be our life. They come and go, like the tide. The trick is to be perfectly happy now and the great thing is, when that happens, all that we ever want, comes to us, we don't have to go and get it. Life is constantly expressing itself, that means it is always giving, we are all always giving and in our giving, we receive. As you know, we only keep what we have by giving it away. It's the way of the world.

Yeah, I follow the 12 steps. I got two plants probably about a year ago and they're positively thriving so the next step will be the dog. I'd love a kitten as well but I've got to consider the future. I won't always be in one place and it'll be more difficult to take a cat with me. I've never really thought about having a pet as a companion before. I've never really thought about having anyone as a companion I don't think, other than because I thought that's what you do. So it's a lovely surprise to be thinking of a dog in this way and already it's motivating me. I know I've got a while to go and that's perfectly alright, it gives me more time to feel excited about its arrival and as you know, when you start living in your true zen state, time doesn't come into it. 

You can never have a better life than the one you have now. Sure, you can have more home comforts or more exciting trips or whatever, but all of those things are just things in our life, they are not and never will be our life. They come and go, like the tide. The trick is to be perfectly happy now and the great thing is, when that happens, all that we ever want, comes to us, we don't have to go and get it. Life is constantly expressing itself, that means it is always giving, we are all always giving and in our giving, we receive. As you know, we only keep what we have by giving it away. It's the way of the world.

I move around the uk a lot and I go abroad but this time I'll be living in a van or camper van which is possible with a cat but not as easy as with a dog. 

I'd love a kitten as well but I've got to consider the future. I won't always be in one place and it'll be more difficult to take a cat with me.

That's interesting.  I chose a cat for the same reason.  Fairly independent, easier to look after, less demanding, and easier to take away with me.  It depends on where you're thinking of going, I suppose.