When was the last time you felt total and utter joy?

[Zebrasandfairytales]

I just thought this morning, I can’t remember when I last felt like that. That feeling of happiness, freedom, contentment, joy. Which is really sad.

I thought maybe reading others moments of joy might give me some joyspiration.

Or if others feel similar help me to feel less alone.

Walking around Soho eating frozen yoghurt with one of my best friends a few weeks ago was ace. It was the first time I've been away from my baby and I loved having the night off. Everyone was out on the streets having a great time and I just felt so happy to be out.

When I see this face

Last Saturday
I was sitting on a Beach (UK) with my arms around my Ddog watching my lovely DH and the DC and their friends surf. No idea why but I had a moment of pure happiness and almost cried.
Not like me at all, I’m rarely sentimental like that

I feel utter joy quite often, although despair and sadness in between often too so maybe I’m just a person of extreme emotions! Music gives me a lot of joy, particularly watching live music - when you’re in a crowd and everyone is singing and dancing along to a song you love it’s like euphoria. And addictive, I spend too much money on gig tickets!

also walking my dog at dawn in the countryside on a sunny morning, just us and the birds and the breeze - I just feel so full of happiness about how beautiful the world is.

The last time was the middle of last week when I went swimming and paddle boarding at high tide. The sea was calm and it was so warm. Just lovely

In the last week, I have had the following moments of joy:

• After a long walk with my friend, sitting on shitty camp chairs drinking wine in the evening on the campsite having an episode of contagious and cheek hurty laughter
• Winning a tennis match which I was losing
• Finally taking a good photo of the fox that has been up to mischief around my house
• Having a 'cool' conversation with my DS20 about a business / creative idea he has and seeing his excitement
• My DS17 coming home from Reading Festival in one piece and full of the joys himself

When my kids call me 'Mum', because that is all I ever wanted to be. They have a friend around today. Watching them all play together is a joy.

Interesting to see how many people mention the sea.

Being in the sea is supposed to be very good for your mental health and sense of wellbeing, and it certainly helps me.

Most days. Getting outside with nature and animals makes me feel really happy. Walking in woods, the dogs being so excited playing in a river or the ocean. Also when running, but again it’s just being outside with nice views.

We also foster dogs and when they start to show me that they trust me, it might be something like they put their head on my lap, it’s just the best feeling.

About two weeks ago. I had just finished work on a project in another city which I love visiting. I had some time off and went to walk through the streets, knowing the project had gone well. But best of all was knowing that a very close member of my family, who has had a lot of bad luck in life and been deeply unhappy for a long time, had just had some amazing news and was also incredibly happy for the first time in years.

I was walking through the beautiful city, all relaxed at ending work, the sun was shining and I felt a physical fizz of happiness right through my body like an electrical current. Haven't felt like that in years but at that moment everything was perfect.

Yesterday morning, when DP announced when we woke up that he had booked the day off and was taking our 5 year old twins out. For the entire day. 🤣

Cuddles with my lovely niece. Especially now she’s of an age where I don’t get many as she’s always zooming round getting into mischief 😂

This summer on holiday in France. We spent part of the trip at a Eurocamp place and one evening I took my two eldest DC to the disco - we had such a fun, silly time dancing to really cheesy songs like the Macarena - it felt so carefree and joyful.

Watching my son's pure very excitable joy doing a new activity the other week- it rubbed off on me instantly and was joyous

I went into my garden a few days ago, the sun was shining but not blazing. It was completely silent except for the pigeons inviting each other to increase the population.

I was so happy to have moved here when I did.

I'm not surprised! What a beautiful dog!

When my adult dd did a very accurate and funny impression of one of our cats the other day. We both fell about laughing, and it is just a joy to have such a delightful daughter.

I pretty regularly feel happy and content but I'm not sure the last time I felt that total, overwhelming, heart-bursting, on-the-verge-of-tears-because-I-feel-so-great-in-this-moment kind of joy.

There's definitely a pattern and I've noticed it tends to happen mostly when I'm outdoors, somewhere remote with an incredible view or on a beach and I feel a total sense of freedom. This is a good reminder that me that I should try and do those things more often!

I’ve had a few waves of pure joy even just today.

• Getting into bed with a coffee and cat snuggling down beside me to crack in with my work.
• walked outside after getting another coffee and the sun was shining and bare feet felt good on the patio, my cats came and sat beside me. Our garden looks fab after working on it all summer.
• Excited that tomorrow is a half day but kids are in childcare all day. Might go for a wander in the shops.
• Ive a big sports tournament this Sat so am leaving on a bus with my team early and we’ll be going on the piss from early afternoon with lots of craic. No running kids about for that whole day!
• Smushed my face into my kittens lovely squish my tummy on my way to the bathroom a while ago. So lovely. He smells like laundry from sleeping in the washed items basket.

All gave me a wave of contentment.

I feel that way when I escape my horrible new build estate and get out into the countryside. My moments of pure joy happen when I'm alone with nature. The last time I felt utter joy I was walking in the Highlands. It was chocolate box stuff - a running stream, heather, etc. It was really early in the morning and no one was about. Bliss. Silence, space and natural beauty are the things that truly lift me. I know I would experience far more joy if I lived in a quieter, emptier country. My nerves are shredded from living in urban Essex. I live in almost constant noise - either the screeching and popping of modified car engines, or swearing and shouting.

My DC make me feel joyful (as well as many other less positive emotions…!) every day. When I pick DD1 up from nursery and she bounds towards me shouting “mummy!” and throws her chubby arms around me, or we are doing an activity together and she is so excited and enthusiastic just to be in the world, or when DD2 gives me a gorgeous gummy grin. When they both laugh; they both have gorgeous laughs. This morning, DD1 was dancing and making DD2 laugh, and that was absolutely joyful, for both of them and for me. Watching them playing in the garden, enjoying the sunshine and exploring the world. I can think of other more exciting or interesting moments of joy I’ve experienced, but I’m on maternity leave at the moment and my life feels quite small and domestic for now, but I don’t fail to find joy in every day things and especially my children. Since I had them, i experience joy far more often than I ever did before.

This morning....swimming in the med with DP

My 3 dc are now in their mid 20s and in different areas of the country and I miss them so much.

I have pure joy when I see them together in person - quite rare nowadays.

The other day when I climbed into bed for a sneaky afternoon nap 😊

Being with the kids - so everyday.