--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started to discover the meaning of…" description: "\"“I started to discover the meaning of happiness when I started to discover--and practice--the art of acceptance. When I started to accept life for what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/tom-walsh-21995_acceptance_i-started-to-discover-the-meaning-of-hap_2885515.jpg" --- # I started to discover the meaning of happiness when I… ![“I started to discover the meaning of happiness when I started to discover--and practice--the art of acceptance. When I started to accept life for what it was and I started to accept whatever situation I was in as the way things were, I started to see that my happiness depended on my own attitude…” quote by Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/tom-walsh-21995_acceptance_i-started-to-discover-the-meaning-of-hap_2885515.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/tom-walsh-21995_acceptance_i-started-to-discover-the-meaning-of-hap_2885515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/tom-walsh-21995_acceptance_i-started-to-discover-the-meaning-of-hap_2885515.jpg) > ““I started to discover the meaning of happiness when I started to discover--and practice--the art of acceptance. When I started to accept life for what it was and I started to accept whatever situation I was in as the way things were, I started to see that my happiness depended on my own attitude. When I started focusing on getting the most out of my life the way it was rather than trying to turn it into what I thought it should be, I started to realize that I was, indeed, becoming a much happier person.”” [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness arises from accepting reality and choosing a positive attitude rather than trying to control everything. **In simple terms:** Accept life, choose attitude, find happiness. Key Takeaway Cultivate acceptance to boost happiness. Themes acceptance attitude happiness mindset Mood reflective optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - stress management - relationship counseling Key Concepts psychology self‑help philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice acceptance daily? - What attitudes limit your happiness? A Different Perspective Acceptance may not change external hardships, only perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-started-668479/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Meaning Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-happiness-1045215/) [Realize Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-happier-603040/) [Started Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-happiness-4023761/) ## Related quotes > [I was able to find myself spiritually by realizing that my happiness started with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nle-choppa/i-was-able-to-find-myself-spiritually-by-realizing-that-my-happiness/) [NLE Choppa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nle-choppa/) > [There are times we have to stop loving someone, not because we start hating them, but because we realize they would be much happier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/there-are-times-we-have-to-stop-loving-someone-not-because-we-start/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [The first and perhaps most important thing to realize about being happier in life is to stop trying to be so happy in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/the-first-and-perhaps-most-important-thing-to-realize-about-being/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [If someone can make you laugh when you're about to cry, don't give up on them. They're the true meaning of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-someone-can-make-you-laugh-when-you-re-about-to-cry-don-t-give-up/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [In your heart, I have found the meaning of happiness. with you, I feel so mean, could you to survive until the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisel-rifmily/in-your-heart-i-have-found-the-meaning-of-happiness-with-you-i-feel/) [Gisel Rifmily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisel-rifmily/) > [What is the highest good in all matters of action? To the name, there is almost complete agreement; for uneducated and educated alike call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/what-is-the-highest-good-in-all-matters-of-action-to-the-name-there/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“They longed for someone to tell them, once and for all, the meaning of happiness, and then to bind them to it with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/they-longed-for-someone-to-tell-them-once-and-for-all-the-meaning-of/) [Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/) > [Give your life a meaning, happiness will fill space of your fingers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kishore-bansal/give-your-life-a-meaning-happiness-will-fill-space-of-your-fingers/) [Kishore Bansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kishore-bansal/) > [I read a book not to find its meaning, but to find my happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-cistulli/i-read-a-book-not-to-find-its-meaning-but-to-find-my-happiness/) [Carson Cistulli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-cistulli/) > [But there's the rub. The present can never deliver one thing: meaning. The way of happiness and meaning are not the same. To find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/but-there-s-the-rub-the-present-can-never-deliver-one-thing-meaning/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [“There is no mystery to happiness. Unhappy men are all alike. Some wound they suffered long ago, some wish denied, some blow to pride,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/there-is-no-mystery-to-happiness-unhappy-men-are-all-alike-some-wound/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [I truly admire people who live a simple life with just enough money to spend everyday yet they know the true meaning of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-truly-admire-people-who-live-a-simple-life-with-just-enough-money/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or gone stark raving mad. ~ Norm Paernick   Day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/those-who-can-laugh-without-cause-have-either-found-the-true-meaning/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [“A learned society of our day, no doubt with the loftiest of intentions, has proposed the question, “Which people, in history, might have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-gottfried-herder/a-learned-society-of-our-day-no-doubt-with-the-loftiest-of-intentions/) [Johann Gottfried Herder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-gottfried-herder/) > [I don't know the true meaning of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-davis/i-don-t-know-the-true-meaning-of-happiness/) [Jonathan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-davis/) ## More by Tom Walsh > [“just for today, i'll do something nice for someone who's not expecting it. .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/just-for-today-i-ll-do-something-nice-for-someone-who-s-not-expecting/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“Sometimes we mistake patience for weakness, but the patient person often realizes that it's much more important for another person to discover his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/sometimes-we-mistake-patience-for-weakness-but-the-patient-person/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“We must trust that what we're doing has a purpose. We must realize that we're not here to make kids conform or perform, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/we-must-trust-that-what-we-re-doing-has-a-purpose-we-must-realize/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“just for today, i'll try to maintain a positive perspective, no matter what the situation. . .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/just-for-today-i-ll-try-to-maintain-a-positive-perspective-no-matter/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“When we separate ourselves from the rest of the world, the world becomes a lonely and difficult place to live in. When we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/when-we-separate-ourselves-from-the-rest-of-the-world-the-world/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“This need to be right has put a huge burden on me, one that I never deserved to have to carry. Part of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/this-need-to-be-right-has-put-a-huge-burden-on-me-one-that-i-never/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“Am I corrupted if I believe that the people who think alike are more admirable and estimable than those who think for themselves? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/am-i-corrupted-if-i-believe-that-the-people-who-think-alike-are-more/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“for today, i'll hold on to my dreams and respect them. .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/for-today-i-ll-hold-on-to-my-dreams-and-respect-them/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [Humor results when society says you can't scratch certain things in public, but they itch in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/humor-results-when-society-says-you-can-t-scratch-certain-things-in/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“Some people search out solitude without even thinking that they need to do so--it's an innate urge with them, something that they do as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/some-people-search-out-solitude-without-even-thinking-that-they-need/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“Saying a prayer can be as simple as thinking positive thoughts about someone—it’s not an act that needs to be tied to any particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/saying-a-prayer-can-be-as-simple-as-thinking-positive-thoughts-about/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“The simple truth is that love is a part of who we are, not something that others "give" to us if we're worthy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/the-simple-truth-is-that-love-is-a-part-of-who-we-are-not-something/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“It seems that the more we learn about our work, the easier and the more interesting it becomes to us. Tasks that used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/it-seems-that-the-more-we-learn-about-our-work-the-easier-and-the/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“Our culture values independence and isolation far too much, it seems to me--we have a hard time making ourselves part of things, of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/our-culture-values-independence-and-isolation-far-too-much-it-seems/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“We lose our ability to live fully if we neglect or ignore our responsibility to the other people who share this planet with us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/we-lose-our-ability-to-live-fully-if-we-neglect-or-ignore-our/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) [Explore all 28 Tom Walsh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I started to discover the meaning of happiness when I started to discover--and practice--the art of acceptance. 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