Even when we are feeling down, we can remain happy.

Our emotions can be compared to the clouds in the sky. They can flow, coalesce, or quietly pass by. We can identify with the clouds, being dependent on their status. Or - we can identify with the sky, which remains calm, not matter what kind of clouds (emotions) are passing through it. That means that we can sometimes be in an emotional hole, and still not suffer from it.

Even when we are feeling down, we can remain happy. Happiness is not the thrill we experience, fun, or pleasure. Happiness is a state in which we are always comfortable in our own skin, enjoying life.  Regardless of any circumstances. Depression is just the lack of energy, tiredness, and perhaps lack of hope (for instance losing faith that we can get/achieving something we desire, or that we can be accepted by someone we love or respect).

However, there is a condition that determines whether we are ready to begin on our path to happiness: we need to distance ourselves from any opinions about us, take off, without any exceptions, all the “labels” given us by others, and ourselves.

When we were small children -- we were happy.  Until we learned from the environment that happiness must be conditional. We started to pay attention to such remarks as, for example, "if you behave yourself, I will like you" (meaning: “if you’ll be the way I want you to be, you’ll be accepted). We learned that we need to fulfill many requirements, just to feel good in our own skin. And so, a lot of different "labels" began to define our worth (or lack of it, in others’, and our opinion). We started to fully identify with those “labels”, for example: "pretty (I'm pretty), polite (I'm a good boy), talented (I'm talented) ...." etc. Or: "ugly, average, lazy, loser ... " etc. Each of us “earned” a lot of such “labels”, and we continue to believe that our happiness depends on them: “when I’ll be famous / rich / loved / smart / admired, etc., I’ll be really happy”.  

Covered by all those labels, we don’t even see anymore WHO really is behind them.

Small children, before they get programmed with "labels”, often talk of themselves in  third person: "Lucy is tired (not -- " I'm tired "). Rob is hungry (not -- "I'm hungry"). Barry has dirty hands. Sophie wants to sleep "... etc. Interesting, isn’t?
If we “remained as children” (before they get “programmed”), which are the natural sages and mystics, we probably, just like them, could think of ourselves in such manner – distancing ourselves from any “labels” and emotions. We then might think:   
"Lucy is laughing. Rob gets mad. Sophie is sad. " Or: “Lucy is experiencing pleasure. Rob is experiencing anger. Sophie is experiencing sadness, depression, etc."

In order to reach the state of happiness and joy, independent of any external circumstances, we don’t need to do any hard work. J  It is enough to take off the “labels”. Old and new. They make us live, as if we had our eyes and ears covered with a hood. We are bouncing off of people, objects, events – as if blind and deaf, reacting only to stimuli, temperature, shock. When we take off the hood made of the “labels”, we might finally see clearly the world, and ourselves. It’s worth it to try. J We wish all of us a bright, clear day! ☺☺