“I should be happy!” You may feel that with all you have in your life, you’ve failed if you’re not happy.  But a sense of emptiness, a nagging question of is this all there is may persist underneath the positive face you put on your life. 

Happiness is not a superficial veneer. It is the deeply felt result of integrating life experiences in a way that enhances the sense of self worth and increases its depth. Personal growth is not about pretending to be happy because you’re expected to.  It’s not about painting happy colors over sad feelings. It’s about integrating them and becoming whole.  Happiness is a side effect of the journey.