of happiness

You walk around in your new office feeling all self-confident and powerful. For the first time in your life you’re wearing formals in a casuals-only environment. And high heels too! You could never carry those off before, but your new life has filled you up with confidence and you’re no longer the bumbling foot-in-mouth idiot that you used to be.

For the first time in your life, you aren’t lying about your separation. You’re clear about who you are and know that you no longer need a man to give you safety or money or happiness. You can find your happiness on your own in a swanky new apartment with sparkling white walls, blue-green curtains and yellow plates and assorted mugs and no furniture and lots of space.

And time. You suddenly have mornings and evenings all to yourself. You no longer want to spend these hours at work like you did before you moved out.
You will spend this time reconstructing the identity you gave up when you fell into a life of servitude that makes you think you’re happy because you’re making other people happy.

You finally know that your happiness lies within, not without.