The things that make you happy

So Andy bought me the "Art of Happiness" by Dr. Howard Cutler and the Dalai Lama.
I guess I haven't been very happy lately...

I will admit, transitioning a career to one where you are captain of your own ship has been a difficult one for me.  Surprisingly not difficult in the exterior sense. I have gotten some amazing work and opportunities to expand my learning.  But difficult internally - I guess I didn't realize how attached I am to my ego around work, career, and professional value.  And all this uneasiness has definitely caused some unhappiness.  But I know better and I know that times like these are opportunities for finding things out about yourself so you can change and grow.

What I have learned so far:
- I am a very good crier
- I might need to let go of my ego a little
- friends and family are truly my savings grace
- an emergency hospital room will make you feel so very grateful
- a run or a yoga class will humble that silly ego

Finding happiness is a little like finding sustainability.  Think about that from this list of the lessons from the Art of Happiness.

1. The purpose of life is happiness.
2. Happiness is determined more by the state of one’s mind than by one’s external conditions, circumstances, or events—at least once one’s basic survival needs are met.
3. Happiness can be achieved through the systematic training of our hearts and minds, through reshaping our attitudes and outlook.
4. The key to happiness is in our own hands.

I don't see my path to happiness is finding some specific vision of my career or acquiring all kinds of new clothes, or red velvet cake.  Those things are good, but when I become too attached to them, its game over - the stress starts up, the craving, the opposite of happiness.
So it takes some work to find happiness - and it takes some work to find sustainability, but those are the journeys worth taking.

So off I go to keep reading - this is one lesson I would like to adopt sooner than later.