On July 7th, I wrote this but I had not posted it...maybe because I wanted to wait and see if it was temporary.

I am finally happy. Nothing changed around me. I live in the same city, same apartment, with the same husband (whom I love dearly). I work in the same office, with the same people. I have the same job. What changed then? I changed. My mindset changed. I am the same person who was once miserable and who is now happy. How am I happy, you might ask? I don't think there is a recipe for that, but looking back at my lasts posts, this is what I gathered:

1. Recalculating: Something happened in my life that shook my world and made me realize that life is short. This put everything else into perspective. I was going into one direction, thinking that success was measured by accomplishments, titles, promotions...money and power.

2. Be Present. Start Living: I realized that I was missing so much by focusing on the future, in my plans, and by obsessing with the past, the things that I said or did not say, the things that I did or did not do; instead of enjoying the now, the people around, nature.

3. Realizing who is my handrail: when something shook my world, I needed to hold on to something so that I would not fall. I had to put my priorities in order and realize who was there for me my whole life, that constant support, from beginning to end, who is always there, who will always be there for me. For me, is God. It has always been God.

4. Remembering what made happy when I was a kid and looking for ways to enjoy life like a kid once again: playing out side in the backyard (now gardening), creating things (cooking, painting), going to the beach, spending time with family and friends, yoga.

5. Realizing that I needed peace, but for that, I first had to suffer, to be stressed out, anxious. That was the only way. It was necessary. Otherwise how would I recognize peace?

6. Realizing that God loves me more than everyone else. And that my whole life, everything I do, and everything I have should move around Him. He is the center of my life.

7. Realizing that I can make a difference right now in someone's life. I don't have to wait until I create that company, that product or service. I can give hope to someone today.

8. Stop judging: Realizing that I should not judge others. That I should Love myself and others.

9. Living everyday like it is the last, and by that I mean – if someone were to tell me that today is my last day alive, to whom would I say “I love you”; “Thank you”; “Forgive me”; “I forgive you”? So that when it is time to go, I will not have any regrets.

10. I am still figuring this out. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Sincerely,

Valerie