What makes you happy?

[remaininlight]

Name four things that make you feel happy (or better, at least)

I'll start:

1. Starting the day with clear blue skies and sunshine;
2. Eating warm comfort food in the evening for dinner: jacket potatoes with slow cooker meat stew and a glass of smooth red wine;
3. Crawling under my quilt after a long, cold tiring day with a good book and a warm drink.

In no particular order...

Spending time with friends and family

Cooking for other people

Spicy food and cold beer

Dogs

When DIY goes right the first time

Good sex

Good coffee

Being out in nature

Gardening

Working out

Sunday snoozes

1. Hearing my Dd and my SD laughing together.

1. Seeing my DP smile.

1. Hearing the comfort of my cats purr cuddling up to me.

1. Nature and being out in the open - particularly the feeling of pure achievement I get admiring the views when me and my partner complete another mountain.

1. being alone with my children

2. laughing and messing around with my eldest

3. mooching around a really good charity shop, antique shop or market on my own

4. knowing that I don’t have to go anywhere or see anyone that day

(I would also add food but I just eat too much, gain a ton of weight and get depressed).

Sex
Not having to work a weekend
Sending a patient home alive
Toast with butter
Taking my bra off after a long shift
Going for a hack early in the morning
Fish and chips
Playing chess with my 14 yr old son

Having an early night to myself. Baby tucked up asleep, DH in the pub or work event and I'm in bed by 7.30 with a boxset of my choice and a cup of tea / slice of cake.

Hearing my DH and toddler laughing playing football in the garden.

Watching my toddler polish off a home cooked healthy meal

Buying myself a little treat, new socks, candle, hair conditioner treatment.

Getting tipsy with my girlfriends and laughing

Strolling through London

Good sex

Having a clean and tidy house (for all of the two hours it lasts)

Being near a quiet coastline

Christmas

1. Tea from my favourite mug
2. The smell of tomato's in a greenhouse
3. Taking a big breath in on a frosty morning

Music in my car
Birds in the garden
My son enjoying himself
My colleague actually saying hello to me when I arrive and goodbye when I leave instead of ignoring me

Solitude
Silence
Lack of responsibility
Being outdoors

1. Lying in bed and laughing and generally being silly with DP.
2. Playing my musical instrument in a band when it's allowed.
3. Finding a book that I just can't put down (and thus reading it).
4. A hot bath with a pretty bath bomb, and all over shave and moisturise.

Self care is more important than ever at these times!

Usually it's doing theatre shows but since the government have no intention of lifting all these silly restrictions that's not a possibility right now. So at the minute there's not much that does make me happy apart from my stepbrothers dog, my cat and Strictly.

Cuddling my kids, DH and cats
Reading a good book
Glass of wine with friends
Going for a run

1. Finishing a creative project to my satisfaction. It's an achievement.
2. Stepping on the bathroom scales and I've lost one more pound.
3. Getting my hair right.
4. Looking at a pretty flower.

It's said that you need three things for happiness - someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to.

Snowdrops in early spring
A clean house with fresh sheets on the bed
Planting bulbs
A good autumn walk on a crisp cold slightly misty damp day

1. The weekly food planning meeting with dh. We get all our cookery books out, allow plenty of time and treat it as an adventure rather than a chore. (I may also be a greedy pig)

2. My small suburban garden. Crammed as much in as I possibly could, love seeing new things come up, listening to the birds.

3. Weekly drinks and video night with dh and our youngest who is still living at home.

4. Walks, any walks. In the local park, in the woods at weekends or even the weekly 1 1/2 hr walk back from work to avoid going on public transport.