Wabi Sabi Happiness
Lately, I have been ruminating on the concept of “irreversible happiness.”
Photo credit: Sunstar
I’ve been asking myself “what does that really mean and is it even possible?” As a child and young adult I suffered from depression and at times was even medicated for it. I often felt trapped under a dark, oppressive cloud of dread.
In my early thirties I decided to do whatever it took to become a happy person and spent a solid ten years focused on this. My journey included therapy (many forms) workshops (from one hour to 8 days in length), a variety of techniques, tools, prayers, processes, nutrition, supplements, and even life coaches. It all worked.
Baby-step by baby-step I slowly learned to change my thinking, manage my emotions, clear out the anger and resentment and old stories of the past, and ultimately ended up as someone who is happy most of the time.
And, even when I am stressed, angry, upset, or sad, I now know that I have the tools and experience to return back to my core happy place.
It’s not a spiritual by-pass or a sweeping under the rug, it’s a utilization of myriad tools to work through the feelings, solving the issues, or righting the wrongs.
During one of my darkest periods (my business, health and relationship all failed at the same time), I found a line from A Course In Miracles that changed my life:
“In this moment I have everything that I need.”
This became my mantra. When I would take the time to shift into present moment awareness, I could find the truth in this statement. I would think to myself “In this moment I have enough air to breath, enough water to drink, there are people who love me, I am safe.”
And then, rather than try to figure out the rest of my life, I would look for the one next step I needed to take and keep myself as focused as possible on the “now.”
Along the way I also discovered that the things that I thought would make me happy – reaching a certain number on the scale, more money in my bank account, or achieving a particular goal, added some momentary “enjoyment” but these things did not become the source of my inner joy.
Happiness was no longer the opposite of suffering but became a conscious choosing. I began to consciously choose to live in gratitude, in a state of trusting and knowing that I was enough and had enough. I realized that I was powerful enough to co-create my life with the Universe and also gracefully survive whatever roadblocks might be thrown in my way.
I found that I did not have to be perfect to be happy.
Life did not have to be perfect for me to be happy.
I began to live in a state of being where I find love and appreciation for me and for my life, exactly as it is showing up.
This is where my true Irreversible Happiness resides.
Can you relate? How does happiness occur for you?
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this is lovely!!!
Thanks Lovely Angel!
Love, Laughter and Magical Kisses,
Arielle
My inner happiness comes from gratitude. I am grateful for what I have, and I feel my life is truly blessed. When I focus on being grateful for life, happiness follows.
Hi Caroline,
You are so right and thank for the reminder. Gratitude has been a big player for me and Bri in keeping our Wabi Sabi Love burning brightly. Thanks for your thoughts!
Love, Laughter and Magical Kisses,
Arielle
I loved reading this – thank you for the reminder and inspiration. I too have struggled with depression, not feeling good enough and not being in the present. I would get lost in the past or lost in the future. I would be despondent about my life and my lonlieness. Your words of wisdom are a wonderful reminder to stay present and realize that we are all good enough and have enough.
Hi Bluebird,
Thanks for stopping by. I am glad the Art of Wabi Sabi has crossed your path. Come back often and you will slowly but surely see yourself with a little less judgment and a lot more humor!
Love, Laughter and Magical Kisses,
Arielle
Happiness is indeed a choice. Regardless of external circumstances, we have the ability to choose happiness over sadness, joy over despair. I think it’s important to allow those feelings to emerge, whatever they are. The moment we embrace them is the moment they subside and our truest nature of pure bliss can reemerge. As Debbie, Deepak and Marianne talk about in “The Shadow Effect”, what we resist persists. So allowing the shadow side to be heard is a real key to finding that ever-lasting love. It’s all about integrating every part of ourselves. Wabi Sabi Love can help us do that. Thank you, A! 🙂
Arielle,
I have been going through a very similar situation – I am in my late twenties and currently going through a very difficult, vigorous graduate program. Your blogs, especially this one in particular has been so helpful on refocusing my perspective to the here and now and what is really important. I am having such a tough time focusing on the now, I tend to look ahead and anticipate negatively what may happen when instead I could be focusing all that energy towards the task at hand. I want to thank you for this blog, and keep the great words coming – you are truly inspiring!
Molly