Anna

You can always choose happiness. It's really that simple. It's within you and it's always available. It's not something that you need to get from someone else or from other circumstances outside of yourself.

tomsteve

I don't think my stage 3 metastatic melanoma diagnosis 13 months in was much to be happy about. had quite a bit of fear surface through the 3 year battle.
yet, I STILL managed to find happiness. I STILL was able to have gratitude. I had to work for it, but I had it.
because I chose to.

FBL

I've found that happiness can be found in the little things. A kind word from a friend, a brisk walk, a chocolate chip cookie, a good laugh. These are things that I can appreciate so much more now that I'm not stuck in an endless cycle of addiction.

2muchpain

Thanks for the reminder. Sometimes I forget being sober means appreciating the day to day stuff; the little things. Sometimes I wonder why I should bother to stop drinking cause I don't have this or I can't do that, missing the point. John

paulokes

Let me echo this...the realization that I can be happy...even in the midst of incredibly difficult/frustrating/upsetting life circumstances is the biggest side effect of my ongoing recovery. You might even say it's one of life's deepest secrets. Like the Buddhists say Life is Suffering...so what do you do with that information? Stay sober and miserable, stay drunk or look for a third way?

Am I happy all the time? Hell no. But I am amazed at my ability to sometimes find happiness regardless of outside circumstances and without turning to drink to blot everything out. Only found this out because I came to realise drink no longer works.

I've heard them say recovery is an inside job. Not being able to find peace...regardless of whatever storm is going on outside us...maybe that is the biggest factor in a lot of people's relapses.

P

soberlicious

This is exactly how I feel. This was my point earlier, that no matter what...no matter if I can figure out the answers to my childhood issues, or my anxiety, or I'm down on my luck, or whatever...drinking in the face of that will never be an option for me. I cannot accept that only if these things are taken care of and all is well, then I won't drink. That's too risky for me.

Excellent snark, Dee.