Everywhere I look for comfort on the internet I suspect that my life isn’t good enough. I’m not happy enough because I’m not radiant every day. I’m not successful enough because I haven’t achieved complete financial success or found the perfect partner, traveled to some faraway land, or searched within and discovered resounding lasting inner love. We’re apparently supposed to solve the problems of our lives by striving to self-improve upon on our less-than-stellar existence. 

But life is more complicated than my taking responsibility for thinking and doing my way out of the misfortunes and worries of my days. I know there are conflicts in my life I cannot resolve immediately and perhaps ever. Even if I plan to solve it or leave it behind, that solution may not fix everything and it may take time. In the meantime, while I am doing all that I can manage to resolve issues or sustain a positive vantage point in life, I need to cope.  So often what I am actually looking for is comfort. compassion, and, with luck, a little spot of delight, rather than a seemingly endless list of to-do’s to fix myself. I never expected life to be easy, to achieve ultimate success (whatever that is), or even to be genuinely happy every day. I refuse to accept that I am persistently broken just because my life holds a measure of hardship, complication, or confusion. Life is rich and deep. It is filled with moments of extraordinary joy, profound sorrow, intense crankiness, delicious laughter, and everything in between.  

There are events and realities in our lives we do control and many that we don’t. No one likes to feel powerless, but as long as you are still living you never really are. Figuring out what you can change and what you can’t or whether you even want to can be freeing.

What if you are actually already there? What if you have in your life the allotted mix of happiness and hardship? What if all you need is some confidence that you will survive those difficult days, amplification of joy, and reminders of wonder to bring home the extraordinary gift of this life?

In my posts, I may offer suggestions, but more to include options and considerations because no one solution fits everybody and sometimes, the challenge is finding the right approach that gets us past this moment and into the next. My hope is that this blog may uplift your day, bring out the best in you, and remind you that in your worries and aggravations, you are definitely not alone.

It’s about feeling better in the bad times and fully appreciating all available goodness. While I’ve known much joy, I’ve seen my share of challenges that have done their utmost to lay me low. Unless you are truly cursed (a few really seem to be and I wish mercy on them), your life, just as it is, can be a good life. That doesn’t mean that everything goes the way you want. There is always scorching sunshine and necessary rain. Oftentimes, hardship is an opportunity for growth, but it can be truly terrible to endure, and expecting a positive spin from the worst of our days can be an obnoxious burden. Perhaps you will come to see your suffering just as it is but feel more fully your triumphs and pleasures. 

So, come with me. Let me offer you respite with joy, reflection, gentleness, and sass. I hope to bring you comforting shelter during storms to enable life to shine again when the clouds break. No matter the weather, your own inner peace guardian.