“Because I’m happy… Clap along if you know what happiness is to you,”
Pharrell Williams, Happy
Let’s preface this post by saying that I am a relatively happy person and for this, I’m thankful. You can usually find me with a smile on my face trying to maintain an optimistic viewpoint on life. Naturally, from time to time, there are down days, days when you’ll find me on the sofa, cradling ice cream and moaning about anything and everything. But that’s totally natural, right? With that said, there’s always room for more happiness in life and, in my opinion, learning about what makes you tick is one way to stay happy. Not so long ago, I posted my thoughts about the 100 Days Happy Project. If you missed it, the general gist of my post was that taking a photograph each day is unlikely to bring about change, but taking time each day to do things that make life happier will. In the month since my pledge, there are three things which have made me feel happier.
1. Fresh Flowers
Surprisingly, it turns out flowers make me happy. Probably happier than they should. Maybe it’s the sentiment behind a bunch of gifted flowers or the brightness they bring? Who knows? They make my house feel like a home and make me smile when I return home after a long day.
2. Reading
This month, I’ve discovered reading. Again. When I was a child, I was never far from a book. I’d go on holiday with a suitcase crammed full of library books. Now that I’m an adult (or claiming to be), I don’t often get time to read as I used to. This month, I’ve made the time and I’m so glad that I did. I’m feeling less stressed and finally, I’ve found a way to switch off at the end of a heavy day. To quote Kirsty, I have ‘Become utterly, irresistibly sucked into a book,’ or rather two books.
3. Ice Cream
This week, I was unfortunate enough to be struck down by laryngitis. Combined with my asthma, I have been forced into a life of solitude and silence. With Hall Soothers, Strepsils and water all being strong contenders, there’s nothing more soothing than a tub of ice cream. Some nights I have sat and eaten nothing but ice cream. Lots of it. If nothing else, it has numbed my throat and eased the pain for a short while.
Among these small steps, there are many other things that I intend to explore next month. At the top of my list is music. Next month I will be taking the time to find new bands and start to collate my monthly play lists again.
What’s been making you happy this month?
Are you taking part in the 100 happy days project?
If so, are you feeling happier?