How do you know when you're happy?

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I catch myself either rocking from side to side (as opposed to back and forth, which means I am severly agitated), or catch myself in a genuine smile (as opposed to a fake smile, which feels weird on my face ).

I think I'm the same. I got randomly happy about ten minutes ago and that's what it felt like. Then I clap my hands above my head and jump about, and usually sign "I feel happy" at my boyfriend.

Sometimes if I am happy, some of the problems I currently face seem to fade a little bit.

an' do the hokey-pokey?

You know it.

[quote="cathylynn"]i rub my hands together like some one would if they were trying to warm their hands.[/quote]

I do this too, to the point where the skin on my hands start to peal.

Over the long term, I lose weight. When I'm depressed I eat too much and exercise not enough. When I'm happy I do stuff I'm interested in so I don't resort to food for comfort.

In the short term, I guess when I'm pleased with something I have done, I keep looking at it. If I take a good photograph or make a good video, I look at it over and over, happy for a while until I start thinking "but what have I done lately?"

when i exercise and as a result see a fit lean fella staring back at me in the mirror, i can't help but smile the PITA of having to go outside and sweat and strain to the oldies is worth it in terms of later happiness. i hope to recover from my accident sufficient to do more outdoor exercise. but not ever again on a @!#$%&?! ! bicycle!! !

thankfully i keep doing creative stuff in terms of audio restoration or of redo-ing old projects with the benefit of new knowledge/technology and come up with a vast improvement, which gives me tremendous satisfaction in the knowledge of a job well-done. i am recuperating and doing PT serenaded by my past audio projects transcribed onto my mp3 player, which makes all the difference in terms of being able to tolerate the physical discomfort of PT while distracted by my restored old music. the reduction of discomfort=increased happiness.

I know I'm happy when I can go to sleep easily at night. I have pretty bad anxiety so that's pretty rare. Happy thoughts make me relaxed and worry about troubles less.

I'm also happy when I'm learning something new. I can feel the euphoria when I master a new skill or memorized useful information. Oh and new special interests are powerful mood lifters.