Beat the January blues and share your secrets of happiness to win a copy of THE SECRETS OF HAPPINESS by Lucy Diamond plus a SHEER BLISS PAMPER HAMPER!

[UrsulaMumsnet]

Defy Blue Monday by sharing the secrets to your happiness for a chance to win a copy of Lucy Diamond's new novel The Secrets of Happiness plus a fabulous Sheer Bliss Pamper Hamper

What is the secret of happiness? Family? Love? Endless chocolate? Stepsisters Rachel and Becca certainly aren’t experts. They've never been close and seem to live perfectly opposite lives - Rachel has the house, husband and kids, while Becca lurches from one dead-end job and bad date to another. But when Rachel doesn't come home one night, Becca realises that her life isn't as perfect as she'd thought, and when the two stepsisters are thrown together, they discover that happiness, like love, can hide in the least likely of places.

Lucy Diamond is the bestselling author of Summer at Shell Cottage. You can find her on Twitter and Facebook.

This discussion is sponsored by Pan Macmillan and will end on 15 February. We will post the winner on the thread on that date.

Chocolate

Chocolate and a good book

Let the small stuff go and don't stress about it.

Snuggling up with a good book!! My idea of bliss 😍

A nice cup of tea and all your troubles will go away! Fingers crossed!

Comfortable underwear, sad but true.

Forgive and then forget which isn't easy to do.

Taking every day as a Blessing💜 Obviously, on a daily basis it helps if I have a good book, a large chocolate bar, a roaring fire, a latte and solitude apart from my dogs on my lap💜

Getting out every day even if it's just for a walk- cabin fever can really get you down! Coming home to a warm filling meal (slow cookers come into their own here!), a hot bath and a hot cup of coffee.

A good book and a cup of coffee

Rabbi Hyman Schachtel (1954) proposed that "happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have" and, as I get older, I do think that appreciating the things you have is the key to contentment.

For me, that means not focussing too much on what others have and I don't or allowing all the dreadful things that happen in the world to drag me down but spending time with family and friends enjoying the positive things about life together. Happiness and smiles are two things you get more of by sharing them with others!

Perhaps a nice 'hot chocolate', a read, or a good film on TV.
Think about the positives and what to be thankful for ....... the cup half full mentality

Yes, counting my blessings to realise that my small troubles are nothing compared to others'.

Snuggling up to watch something good on TV with some hot chocolate when the kids are finally asleep is something I look forward to regularly!

Reading a novel with a mug of tea, biscuits and chocolates

Tickling my toddler!

Giving ... love, time, a listening ear. Sounds corny, but its true. :)

Booking your 2016 holiday:)

Happiness is a long bubble bath, glass of wine and a good book!

I snuggled up with a sleeping baby on my chest and a good back on my kindle. Lovely cuddly baby and a crime novel. Bliss

It's the little things - a cup of tea in peace whilst it is still hot, coming into a warm house on a cold day, an unexpected lie in.

I also think changing your mindset helps. I have control of my own happiness. If a situation is making me unhappy what can I do to change it. And if I can't, do I need to stay in the situation. The feeling of control over the situation makes life better.

Happiness for me is visiting the beach, eating chips and ice cream then home sweet home tucking my daughter up in bed, kissing her goodnight, chilling out in my pj's with chocolate, a good book and an "I know it's not gonna get me a Size 10 super body, but baby I don't care..." attitude.
(If I were doing this with George Clooney/Brad Pitt/David Beckham then that would be bliss too...). Plus I am happy to be a Geordie! OMG, then there is Greggs pasties or crisp sandwiches... So much to be happy for (so much of my happy thoughts revolve around food..). But to be fair, my daughter makes me happiest, she is amazing. xx

Coffee and a catch up with your best friend!

Good book...

Happiness is my little family. I love my hubby, son, dog and cat more than anything in the world. They are all I need x

Do something just for you, whether it's colouring, reading, having a facial, knitting, the list is endless but spend at least half an hour on you.