For whatever reason, I had it in my head that a great deal of my happiness should come from my marriage. Because of this, when I wasn’t happy I’d often blame my unhappiness on G-Man Master De either in my head or right to the poor man’s face. To heal this disordered thinking I was taught to keep the focus on myself.

One of the ways I did this was by shaking up the family calendar. I put myself on the schedule first. In addition to my office hours, I physically wrote in when I’d be doing things to care for my mind, body, and spirit. My efforts yielded positive results and definitely shifted the energy in our home.

But now, years later, I’m learning about a different kind of happiness. The happiness that’s available any second of any day. The happiness that doesn’t require an ideal relationship, or a thriving career, or a gym membership, or tidy children. These things certainly make it easier to connect to peace, but I needed to be reminded that true serenity wasn’t something to find or do, it’s a contentment that exists within me. I just have to take time to connect to all the things that I have, rather than all the things I don’t.