We'll Be Happy When...

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that state. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on vacation or when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy then right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes come from Alfred D. Souza. He said, " For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin, real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gained, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me, that these obstacles were my life."

There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer until fall, until winter, until the new year, until you are off welfare, until the first or the fifteenth, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you are born again. Decide that there is no better time then right now to be happy. Happiness is the journey, not the destination.