Ask HN: What makes you happy in life?

Right now:

- Spending non-screen time with my wife and 2 year old daughter.

- Exersize.

- Unsolicited positive reviews of a product I built, talk I gave, or book I wrote from someone I don't know and don't want anything in return.

And something a lot of people on HN probably is thinking but doesn't want to admit:

- Out innovating and out performing the products I compete with. Especially if they are a much larger company than mine.

But I hope I can soon also add to the list:

- Relaxing without worrying about a deadline

- Reading books again

First it was appreciation. The ability to appreciate everything. When I hit my bottom in college, that was the first piece that shaped the rest of my life.

There is a difference between having your goals and lifestyle preferences hinging on your ego, or simply just that, enhancements.

Now, it's about controlling my schedule indefinitely. Having control of my queue (time) in life is top priority. From there, everything is possible.. your health, family time and so on. On a daily basis, I take inventory through appreciation of waking up today, the things that have been, are, and becoming. The people plus my intentions which are manifesting is some of what keeps happiness remaining daily.

Hugs, ice cream, doing crafts with my kids. Simple things.

I've given up on trying to find happiness and instead, find things to be happy about in things I do.

I have an old project I've been working on, on and off. Fixing bugs doesn't make me happy; but I asked the client if I could spend some time / billable hours updating some of my old code and they approved; that made me happy.

I don't particularly like going for walks, but the girl friend and her son do; spending time with them makes me happy so I go for the walk.

Paying bills, cleaning the apartment, doing laundry, doesn't make me happy. But being out of a bad 8 year marriage and on my own (when the girl friend isn't around) makes me happy so I do them, willingly (and they need to get done, lol...)

You can find happiness in anything around you that you do; you just need to be willing to find it.

being outside walking seeing things I've never seen before coffee laughter