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 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.