Accepting What IS

Over the last few years, I've made something of a study of happiness. You see, I wanted to be happy. So I paid attention to myself - really spent a lot of time getting to know who I am and what I care about. I paid attention to others, to my friends and their experiences, to how I saw their lives unfolding. And I did a bit of reading here and there, kept up with new studies, that kind of thing.

And to some extent, happiness can be created for oneself. At least, I have had good luck in creating my own happiness.

I started by taking a good look at things as they are. Then I focused on appreciating whatever I could. Whatever would give me a bit of hope. A tiny lift. A smile across my face.

Hope is a wonderful thing. And whatever gives you hope, you should nurture. You need to think that life may indeed get better in the future, no matter what your experiences have been up to this point. And Hope provides that.

Look at what is, what is around you right now. Then know that the more you can make peace with things as they are, the more Hope and Time can lift you into something better. Something more peaceful, more loving. More contented. Something like Happiness.

Everybody deserves a chance to experience that change for themselves.