i am of asian origin, raised in the mideast and currently live in north america. so what i am saying is that yes, i am faced by loads of challenges out here (or i wouldn't be here) and guess what, we all have some kind of stuff going on... even when we are happiest, it's a state of mind and we will experience the 'down' soon enough or normal state and for me looking spiritually means realizing that we are each teensy lil parts of the big picture. AND THATS SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER which is almost reverse psychology, minimise your feelings so that you maximise what is out there and in turn, what can bring you happiness: volunteer, play or groom a pet, mentor a teen, teach a recipe (even from a cookbook) build a sandcastle i.e. it's the CONSTANT ACTIONS THAT we do that lead towards CONTENTMENT that mean more than the actual arrival at our destinations, the pot of gold. consistent (even plot a day of joy as i have started in my diary so i know what i will be doing, it's like treating yourself! today i conditioned my hair, groomed my pom, cooked a persian dish, listened to a friend recount her struggles getting her book published and attended a meeting as a volunteer for a non profit - besides the job!) YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON YOURSELF FOR HAPPINESS, not in highs and lows but in consistent shots, like vitamins, dose yourself on good moments even a spell of silence counts, thank the Higher One for each one of your limbs! You're being good to your spirit and learning to count on you not external stimulus for self worth. Good luck. Lil steps .... we'll get there, lets make the journey worthwhile that the destination doesn't even count. Heck, you might even find folks getting attracted to your air of contentment... rare in this age.