The “Happier” post really struck me for a variety of reasons: the topic itself, the sometimes intense reactions to it, the fact that basic needs have to be met in order to begin to pursue happiness. Money/job/security is part of this basic need – when these things are unsure or unstable, well, happiness suffers.

There are a couple of practices that are part of what help me find happiness in the moment (when I calm down enough to do them One is to stop, in this moment, right now. In this moment, do I have everything I need? Shelter, food, love, clothing? If I can answer yes, then I am OK right now. Doing this over and over is excellent practice for me. It gives me continuity for actually being happy – or at least reassurance that I’m OK in this moment, over and over again.

The second (related) is to stop and meditate for even just a few minutes. I just do a simple focus on my breath. What’s amazing is that when I’m in that keyed-up, anxious place, I can FEEL it, separate from my attention from my breathing. It literally feels like a blanket of energy on me. The second amazing piece is that it actually starts to fall away if I can just focus on breathing for a few moments. I can come down from that anxiousness and kind of come back into my body, which actually has a bunch more wisdom about my current feeling than my head does.

I went through my first layoff this past spring (and I know which company you’re talking about . I knew it would bring up many of my issues about money, and indeed it did (and still does). What’s been interesting is stumbling upon those moments of happiness – the sudden realization that, hey, I am actually quite content at the moment! – that have nothing at all to do with money or monetary worth. I often laugh out loud because it’s so surprising!

The other piece for me is trying to shed the idea that happiness means CONTINUAL happiness. This is not a realistic expectation of happiness. In fact, the contrast of anxiety, fear, etc. often makes the experience of happiness that much more intense, and makes me appreciate it more.

And of course, now I have some ideas for podcasts on happiness

I don’t know how you break it down and live in the moment because I’ve never been that successful @ it. At my hardest time I celebrated small things each day, which helped. But what really helped? Resolution.

Sorry!