I find myself feeling easily grateful for the little things, and I think that's enough for me, even when there is stress.
I've been in worse spots than I am now. I've felt inner turmoil before that has probably been the worst thing I have ever been through. I don't want to speak generally because I have not been through some of the trauma that I know others endure, but in my experience there is little else from the outside world that can really rattle me as long as I am fundamentally okay. So that is my goal, to stay okay within me and in doing so I can deal with life outside of me. It is also to create a space for myself, a physical space, in this world where my need for peace and quiet is honoured and respected, because noise is something that can be unhealthy and unsettling for me as well.
I think because of where I have come from, in terms of how I've lived, I am able to appreciate the daily features of my life like having a warm room in spite of the gusts of rainy wind that are taking place outside and having peace and quiet instead of screaming and stomping around me. My life is not perfect, it is not without worries, but my needs seem to (more or less) be met at a basic level, which they used to not be for a very long time. Because of this, I realize how wonderful it feels to have them met, so having it is enough to make me feel deeply grateful. And I think this sense of contentment, peace, and gratitude is how I experience happiness. I'm pretty a-okay at the moment, and to me that's happiness. The happiness could be deeper and greater if I wasn't worried about xyz, but I am able to think about it constructively as long as it is not urgent. I try not to play the game of "what if" (which only makes me feel worse and doesn't change reality), and instead to focus on how I can cope with reality and make the best of what happens. I don't expect life to be perfect, so I gear myself up for doing the best that I can and loving myself unconditionally. It seems to help.
