Happiness is Acceptance, Patience and Persistence

Dawn at Burning Man

If there is no struggle, there  is no progress ~ Frederick Douglas

There is a specific reason for the quote I used tonight, I’m struggling with happiness.  I know, the guy who writes the happiness blog probably shouldn’t admit he’s struggling with happiness.  But if I can’t be honest with your dear friends, where’s my credibility?

Now let me be clear, I’m generally pretty happy.  This journey I’ve been on over the last 20 years, to become a happier person, has certainly been successful.  I routinely used to suffer from bouts of depression, some near debilitating, but something in my blue-collar background just wouldn’t let me pack it in and stay in bed.  So I would find a way through what I used to call falling into the well.  Luckily, I’m apparently not someone with the type of chemical imbalance in the brain that can’t be fought.  Those folks can’t function without drugs to balance them out and I have incredible empathy for their struggle.  My struggle has always been purely psychological, not chemical.

Fear is killing your happiness

Quite frankly I can’t even remember the last time I was truly in the well.  I have my dips, usually when I’m not getting enough sleep, eating badly and not exercising.  Not that I’m in some perfect bubble of happiness.  At times, my overactive brain will run down a path and for a moment I’ll get absolutely lost and the thought I should just end it crosses my mind.  The thought is immediately dismissed,  I believe that the thought is just me, for a just a second, hitting the limits of my exasperation with some of the realities I face that I’m not happy with.

Of course, part of what this journey has been, has been me working to change those realities that I’m able to change.  I’m happy with the progress I’ve made.  And generally, that progress is what keeps me happy.  Right now a couple of the realities I’m facing that are beating me up a bit are related to my eternal lack of patience.  As I get closer to understanding exactly what I want my life to be, and what I need to get there, I struggle with not being there right now!

Patience

Like all of you, there are bills to pay, and a job to work to earn the money to pay those bills.  Add to that all of life’s realities and responsibilities and the time they consume and the time left doesn’t allow me to make the progress I want to make.  I know you know what I’m talking about, for many of you it is a job, kids, bills, household and family responsibilities.  All of this wears us down and steals precious time for our goals.  But that’s reality, and although the path through is acceptance, patience and persistence it’s not always easy.  And not always possible to do it with a smile and be happy about it.  And that’s where I am, recently I’ve just gotten worn down and am finding it hard to accept reality.

An oldie but goody, Mork from Ork

In the end, we have no choice, so forward we go.  Acceptance, patience and persistence that is the lesson.  Then, after some time, you look back and see the progress, the goal in sight and you realize how much it was worth the work.  So my friends, accept your reality for what it is, be patient and keep moving forward, and so will I.  I’m pulling for you and wishing you a happy day my friends. ~ Rev Kane

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Fear is Killing Your Happiness

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