International Day of Happiness

Yesterday was the International Day Of Happiness and it was a Monday. So I am late as usual but I refuse to be constrained by the calendar, surely the point of happiness is that we take an active role every day anyway.. Yesterday was a day for thinking about what I value in my little world so as Real Mum Review did, I would like to begin this post by throwing out there a quote I like..

Here are the 10 things I have in my world which make me happy (in no particular order)

My children are weirdos. Just like me. All of the best people are weirdos. They make me happy in some way every single day of their lives – admittedly some days the way they make me happy is by going elsewhere but still. Happy. All three are growing up incredibly fast and all three make me proud in their own way. My children make me happ

Music is and always has been something I love. I mean REALLY love. Not just 1 band or a particular genre (though alt grunge rock will always hold a special place in my heart) but any music. I am in awe of anyone who can produce it and there is nothing I like more than to discover something or someone I haven’t heard before. Given the choice I would pick Music over Tv any day of the week. Music makes me happy.

My Husband is not what I thought my Husband would be when I used to imagine life as an adult. Not least because I decided from around the age of 11 that marriage was not my cuppa. He is the single most infuriating person I have ever met. He can be selfish, he can be arrogant and he rarely says he is sorry. Just like me. When we met (cough) 15 years ago though, something clicked inside of me. I hadn’t felt about anybody the way I felt and still feel about him. I can’t even say for sure what that is or why but to paraphrase a much loved blue fish. When I look at him, I’m home. My husband makes me happy.

I am incredibly lucky to be able to stay at home with our children AND do something I enjoy to make a little bit of money. For those of you who don’t know, I make clay cake toppers for a living. It’s something which started out as a hobby when I started playing with clay as a child and has grown into something else since becoming a Mum. I adore (most of) my clients and after years of working in customer service handling complaints it’s so lovely to deal with people in a happy period of their lives! My “work” makes me happy.

I have some wonderful people in my life right now. Some are close by and I have met through my children, 1 I have known forever, and a lot live far away. To have people in the world who understand you and your sensibilities (and stick around anyway) is not a thing I have always had. I worry about and miss my best friend every single day but I am glad that we seem to have weathered the distance between us. My friends make me happy.

I couldn’t imagine life without my 2 sisters and 2 brothers. We all live relatively close to one another and we all have children AND at the moment we are all on speaking terms. Miracle! I love that my children are growing up alongside their cousins and I adore all of them like they are my own. I am immensely proud of my siblings and I count them all as very close friends. My siblings make me happy.

When we moved back to Cambridgeshire we bought this house because it had potential. in the 9 years we have lived here we have worked on it – building a downstairs shower room, adding a kitchen diner and some outside work. There is still masses to do though. Sometimes it feels as though we will never finish but I really like living here. We have masses of outside space, it’s just a shame I am so bad at gardening. My home makes me happy.

I have always had a bit of an odd relationship with food. In the past I have blamed it for my weight and for my unhappiness. Even my depression. But I was directing the blame in the wrong way. It wasn’t food, it was me. If I eat the right food it makes me happy. Food makes me happy.

I like to leave. I love travelling with my family and I wish we could do so much more of it. Some of my earliest memories were of exploring the channel islands with my Grandad. Leaving my home town still gives me the biggest butterflies. In the best way possible! Hopefully I am passing this hunger to see places onto my children. I cannot think of anything better than exploring outside of what you know. I hope in the years to come that I will be visiting my children wherever in the world they might be and that they go and see what they can before they feel tied to one place. Travel makes me happy.

I spent a lot of time over the years concentrating on the negative things about myself. There is something about being around certain people which opens your eyes a little bit at least to how the world sees you. I think being over 30 helps. I certainly wasn’t my biggest fan in my teens or my twenties. Turning 30 made me take a second look and I realised that how I felt was a result of either being grossly unfair to myself or giving too much credence to how others might think about me. I couldn’t care less anymore. Those who know me, know my heart. Nobody else’s opinion matters too much. I am stronger than I thought I was and although I do have things I would like to change about myself I know I can do it. Accepting myself makes me happy.

I think we all could do with a bit more positivity so I am tagging a few of my fellow bloggers to get involved and share 10 things which make them happy. You too, reader! Comment below with something that makes you happy.

Love

Mummy & Moose

Lauren @Belle Du Brighton

Kirsty @Life With Boys

Sarah @Toby Goes Bananas

Lauren @Mummy Is A Gadget Geek

Sarah @Boo Roo and Tigger Too

Jaymee @The Mum Diaries

Lyndsey @Me Him The Dog & A Baby

Beth @Life As Mum