Happiness is.....

That's right.  It's like they say in AA, too.  In your first year of sobriety, get a plant.  In your second year, get a pet.  Only in your third year consider looking for a partner!

I got Daisy almost two years ago.  I was at a new stage in life, having just thrown off a damaging relationship, and I felt the need to be responsible for another life.  In another way, I knew that my mother probably didn't have much longer to live, so getting her was kind of an insurance policy for my own well-being.  If I'd been on my own when mum passed, I could easily have just given up and drowned myself in drink.  But I needed to be responsible for this other dear life.  She's kept me together.  I don't think I'd have bothered with writing the book.  But now, I'm looking forwards.  I want a better life - not just for me, but for her, too.  She's a tie, of course - but a good one. 

As I said on another thread, I'm finding my true zen state at last.  This has been the first time, too, that I've not wanted to pick up a drink to deaden my feelings.  Before, it's always been easy.  It's there.  Now, I barely think about it.

Into the future, but one day at a time!

Your beloved little plant growing. 

Neatly ironed clothes with that fresh line smell and feel. 

Thank you. It's beautiful. That has made me very happy. I'm smiling from ear to ear. :-) 

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. 

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

sweet golden silence

the dawn chorus

high tide

Line dried clothes 

Line dried bedding

"Happiness is ... " reminds me of series of amusing television adverts from the nineteen sixties and nineteen seventies:

www.youtube.com/watch

Dartmoor for me.  I once hiked up to the Higher White Tor, above Wistman's Wood, and just sat there with a 360 degree view of wilderness.  Hardly a sign of human interference, apart from the occasional wisp of chimney smoke...

So ,so agree, Welsh mountains,north,wind,rain,sun,nature,wilderness,laying face up with the earth,leaves,moss on my skin,watching the clouds or sun,or stars at night, having a like minded soul to hold and feel the above.

outside feeling nature, dare I say bare.. no man made anything,

()

Have a tree!  It's in our local park - but I transplanted it to an African plain!

Definitely silence, especially away from all electricity etc and human voices, cars etc! :) 

Oh, and silence!

Trees :-) 

Radio

music

Having my friends dog to stay, she's so cute and has life sussed!

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.

I agree to an extent, however I think it's less the money directly, more the freedom and security it gives you. I'm not rich, but I'm comfortable, having a few million would be nice, but I've got a nice house, a decent car, I won't go cold or hungry and I can afford to live the lifestyle I want. 

Having lots of money, along with the health to enjoy it

Big things and little things, but the biggest has always been family. I have many neices and nephews and enjoy spending time with all of them and they with me. From the older ones asking me to go to the pub or a music gig with them, to the middle ones asking if I'll come around and play on the PlayStation, watch a film with them or if I'll go for a bike ride with them, to the youngest who crawls across the floor whenever I visit with a big smile on her face because she wants me to hold her and have a cuddle.