Dear Happiness Seeker,
Yes you-that strong beautiful person that is going through a tough time,
I have crafted this letter for myself while I am going through a hard time. As i fight this struggle, i leave behind how I got through this awful time- the same way i got through so many other hard times.
This is a letter for every time you are facing a challenge. It will seem too hard. It will seem like too much. But this formula- the one you have used so many times before will help you get through.
As you go through the process, you must remember that you are so strong. And you can get through this. This challenge may break you down. It may make you feel like nothing good will ever happen to you again. It may feel like way too much for you to handle.
And that's ok. Just keep on going through the steps, giving yourself however much time you need to be able to do all them. It's not a race. It's a process. And it can only work if you give it the time and effort you deserve.
So, when you're ready, start this first step. It's hard, i know. But it is completely necessary.
Step 1: Allow your emotions to wash over you
"The more you hide your feelings, the more they show. The more you deny your feelings, the more they grow." ~Unknown

This is the most painful part of the process. You will cringe when you read this part. Because the pain is so incredibly strong. And you don't want to feel it.
It hurts. The pain sears. The anger cuts deep. And you're afraid, so afraid, that the tidal wave of emotion will drown you. And you're not so a sure of how good a swimmer you are to be able to get out from under that.
But you are a survivor.

And you have gotten through so, so many difficult things in life. You battle chronic illness. You have made it through so much. In fact,take a minute right now to reflect on all the challenges you overcame.At the time, those mountains seemed insurmountable. But today, they are but distant peaks. You really are awesome.

You can, and will rise above this tidal wave of emotions, though it will not be easy. It will take time and effort. But feelings do not dissipate just by ignoring them. In fact they only grow strong and push to break through, like a mine only a step away from explosion- and destruction.

When we fight against emotional pain, we get trapped in it. Difficult emotions become destructive and break down the mind, body, and spirit. Feelings get stuck, frozen in time, and we get stuck in them.-tiny buddha

But you must feel. Because you cannot heal without feeling. And you can not find the happiness if you wouldn't allow yourself to feel.

Ok, time to let it all out. here are some ways you can let your emotions wash over you:

remember: Don't censor anything. Any feeling is okay. Don't think about what's normal or acceptable of okay. Just feel.

Go into your room.And talk it out. And cry. And scream. Yell at the walls.Yell at G-D. just let it out.
Write a journal entry.

Talk it out with a good, supportive friend, mentor, or therapist.

I understand what it's like to feel afraid of being happy. Maybe you're hanging onto things that make you sad and you're not even aware of it. Maybe you're not even necessarily "sad," but you know you're not happy either. You're sitting in the middle of the spectrum, balanced, merely content.

And if you do allow yourself to be extremely happy, you know that you can lose it and easily fall over to the other end of the spectrum: total sadness.

The thing you have to realize about happiness and sadness is that they're fleeting. As a human, you're supposed to feel those extreme emotions. You aren't supposed to feel bad about it. These feelings come and go and that's what makes you value the good days most. Happiness is not a destination and staying in the place of sadness (out of fear) isn't a destination you're supposed to stay in either.

The things that scare us most are often best for us. If something or someone is no longer giving you a good feeling, you have to let them go, even if you're scared. Something wonderful will happen to you if you do.

You deserve to have a fulfilling life, a life filled only with things that bring happiness and joy. You shouldn't wake up unhappy and struggle to make it through the day.

One of the hardest things about recognizing sadness is recognizing that we might be causing our own unhappiness. No one wants to admit that. No one wants to admit the reason we feel the way we do is a direct result of our own actions.

But that's exactly what it is. We're in control of our happiness as well as controlling our sadness. Many people fail to realize that. If we had the choice between happiness and sadness, who in their right mind would choose sadness? But without even realizing it, so many people do every day.

Don't fear happiness. You deserve it. You deserve happiness more than anyone I know. And I want you to be happy.

Everyone is striving for the same thing, everyone wants to be happy. It's what we all look for. So don't think you're alone because you're sad. You just have to determine what makes you happy. What makes you, like, really happy. Find that thing that makes you spring out of bed and look forward to the day ahead.

It's different for everyone. While I wish I could answer the question of what makes you happy, it's not something I know. It's an answer that's within your heart and you gotta listen to it.

Be brave enough to listen to your heart even if you fear what it tells you.

"Happiness comes in many forms - in the company of good friends, in the feeling you get when you make someone else's dream come true, or in the promise of hope renewed. It's okay to let yourself be happy because you never know how fleeting that happiness might be." (One Tree Hill)

Wishing you all the happiness of the world,
With lots of love and respect
Lavanya
Or whatever you feel like;))