Thoughtful Thursday: What is Needed for a Happy Life?

There are lots of things to think about on this early morning. There are tragedies happening all over the world, there are decisions being made about how to respond, there are people with illness, disease, and personal difficulty going on in their part of the world. There are joys as well. There are frisky cats running around at 3am. There are people who are working for change in all areas of life. There are babies being born and friends who are celebrating the lives of loved ones. There are lots of things to think about.

The quotation on my desk is the following:
...very little is needed to make a happy life. - Marcus Aurelius

Wow. That is resonating with me right now. What is actually needed for a happy life?

I have studied Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I have read about attachment and bonding. I have pursued learning in the areas of psychology, cognition, and neurology. I have studied the role of spirituality in the lives of myself and my clients. All of this knowledge hasn't answered the question of what is needed for a happy life.

There is no easy answer to this one.

I believe that I am at my most happy state when I am challenged by my day-to-day job, have enough money to be able to pay all of my bills without having to juggle, and know that my family is healthy. These are not necessarily things that I can control completely, but there are times when everything falls into place, and I glimpse what I know to be happiness.

What makes for a happy life for you?

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