For the first time in a long time… quite possibly ever? I feel like I’ve figured out what happy really is. It feels as though just as I’m finding happy, a lot of my dearest friends are losing theirs. Maybe that just means it’s my turn to give. I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs, I’ve shared my sadness because it was the only thing I thought I had, I’ve been quiet and down graded myself because I didn’t think I deserved anything better. I bought into the lies that so many had forced upon me. 

But I was fortunate enough to be able to take a step back from it all for a couple of months, to retreat into a beautiful mountain town and let all of that sadness out, learn from beautiful souls, and open my heart. 

Being real. All the time. Not faking a smile or a laugh. Real and in tune with your heart. That’s what happiness is for me. 

Life isn’t easy, don’t buy into that lie. You don’t go through life without getting a couple of scrapes and bruises a long the way. Life is arguing, missing, wanting something you can’t have, tears after a long day, frustration that something didn’t work out the way you thought it would, stress, no money in the bank, losing a job, or making poor choices…but life is also singing with your best friend, painting all day, watching birds bathe, beautiful flowers, a funny comment, the approval of a friend, random people singing on the bus, long hikes, moon watching, smiles, coming home to your own bed, it’s laughing, breathing & loving. And when it comes down to questioning your happiness a really wise friend once told me that you can’t count the reasons you have to be unhappy, but the reasons you have to be happy. Because when it comes down to it, we all have pretty blessed lives.