Finding happiness

We often hear phrases like “finding happiness” and “the pursuit of happiness” implying that we are looking for something that is lost or missing. It also connotes that happiness resides somewhere outside of us. One of the best definitions I heard for happiness was that it is a state that occurs when all our needs are met. I am currently looking at happiness in my own life through a guided meditation I perform daily. While it tends to be future oriented, I have reworked it to the here and now. I call to mind situations in which I have felt all my needs being met in the moment. I recreate the positive feelings surrounding those situations such as joy, peace, and harmony. After clearing any blocks to experiencing happiness, I list all that I have to be grateful for over the last 24 hours. This reinforces the life I have, not what I don’t have. In carrying out this daily practice, I recognize that happiness is not something I have to find or pursue. It is accepting and appreciating what brings me happiness today. How do you experience happiness in your life today?