Have you ever really thought about what makes you happy? Really thought about it? I have already allowed you glimpses in my posting “A nice one” where I remembered occasions that made me happy. But now I’d like to go a little deeper to make YOU think about the little things in life we should be thankful for because they give us some happiness on often dreadful days.
Someone once told me, in order to be happy in your relationship you need to be happy with yourself first! And this is one advice I try to follow, even though it’s not easy at times! Particularly when everything comes crashing down on you again and again and you just feel incredibly sorry for yourself, too often thinking of the things you missed out on in life, fearing you will never have what others have … and I’m not talking about material things.
All too often I have too much time on my hands, so I started thinking about the things that make ME happy. Just me. The little everyday things that make me happy and content.
Well, we’ve already covered that the sea makes me happy. Unfortunately, I’m not living close to the sea to get my daily dose of happiness. So, where do I pull my happiness and strength from then?
- My comfort food: What’s better than a nice juicy burger? Ice cream? Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate? Whatever food makes you happy, don’t worry about calories on a bad day! Just get it and enjoy!
- My Sunday afternoon tea time! (Yeah, I know, what a cliché and quite boring!) But I do enjoy a cup of steaming Earl Grey – no other kind of tea will do – and a slice of cake. (Or pastry or cookies or whatever else is available!) Sitting in my library chair in my library corner, cuddled up beneath a blanket, feet on my ottoman, candle burning, I enjoy my tea with a good mystery book.
- My hot bath! With candles, without, with music, without … every bath makes me feel good!
- My car! It’s white, it’s big, it’s British … my gorgeous Range Rover Evoque! Not the most sensible car choice – especially living in Germany, the country of the “best” cars in the world – but I still love it to pieces! Every time I see it I’m happy! My mood usually improves just by seeing it standing there … the pure imagination I had to switch to a VW Golf for a few days gives me the creeps … being thoroughly disgusted every time I would have to get into and actually drive it. I rest my case …
- My friends! Talking to them on a regular basis, seeing them … being allowed to whine about stuff! That’s what I treasure about them, that they are here for me!
- My shopping! I know, that’s one of those material things … but it does make me happy. Strolling around in town on a Saturday, having the time to have coffee somewhere … and I bet you agree that it makes each of us girls happy to find a treasure on sale! THAT’S happiness!
- My planning! Yes, you are reading correctly! My planning! I’m happy when I can plan something! Organization is everything for me! I love my lists! I love planning! May it be a trip, the interior of my apartment, renovation, reorganizing my wardrobe … guess this will be a topic for a completely new article one day!
- My flowers! M apartment is filled with plants and orchids – 63 in total – and still … occasionally I treat myself to a bunch of flowers: tulips, carnations, daffodils, lilies … and whenever I look at them they make me smile. (And now imagine how happy I were if I didn’t have to buy them myself!) Crazy? Probably! That’s the way I am!
- My balcony chair! Come spring I’m out there on my terrace on the first sunny and warm days, covered with my large sun hat and in plenty of sunscreen from head to toe. Reading, listening to music, writing, thinking. And just love it! Forget me setting one foot outside again in summer, though. Yep, crazy me again not enjoying a large balcony like everyone else would!
Sooo, those are some more of the things that make me happy! What makes you happy? Just you?
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