Saturday 25 February 2012

What makes you happy?

This week’s task, What Makes YOU Happy? ....... What makes me happy??????? What makes me happy???????? Ummmmmmm Well, I really don’t know!!!
Where was I to begin? I read through Deb’s challenge post and couldn’t even think about everyday things that made me happy. Now I am not depressed but perhaps I am not as happy as I should be or WANT to be!!!
I began to write a list (in no order at all), but they were all ‘bigger’ things or things that didn’t happen very often, it seemed that not much on an everyday level made me happy.
·        A tidy, orderly home
·        Family relaxation time, such as holidays
·        Seeing extended family
·        School Holidays – no routine
·        Living in our quiet town
·        Seeing two blue lines on a pregnancy test
·        An empty ironing basket
·        Watching movies
·        Reading
·        Cooking
·        Actually finishing one of my many projects
·        Getting random letters, emails, sms from friends or family just saying hi, or I love you!
·        Going to markets
Why couldn’t I connect enough to see everyday moments? This task was supposed to help me identify my happiness....... I continued all week to think and notice smaller things; again this list is no order
·        Being a stay at home mum
·        Having dinner every night with my family at the dining table
·        Seeing my friends
·        Watching my children play sport
·        Taking photos
I was really getting down at my lack of connection. And I know that if anyone is actually reading this list – haha – then you are probably thinking that this list is pretty good, put I just feel as though I am missing the whole point of the task, considering the second part of the challenge was to try incorporate at least one happiness point into our everyday lives – haha pretty difficult to incorporate having an empty ironing basket everyday when I hate ironing!!!! Is this all my life is????

Surely, there’s more to me?? Ok maybe if I tried harder,
·        Seeing my children first thing in the morning all sleepy and smiling
·        Picking my children up from school and seeing the smiling faces and they run up to me and hug me with a big Hi Mum!!
·        The sun shining
·        Washing hanging on the line, swaying in the wind
·        Curled up next to my husband at night
·        Watching my baby girl discover the world
·        Laying in bed on a day when we don’t have to be anywhere
·        Walks at night with my husband
·        Watching my older children play/laugh/talk together, especially at night when they whisper from their beds (from their own rooms) all about their day
·        Laying on the couch, doing not much at all after a looooong night with a sick baby
·        Looking at photos
·        Watching the sun shine through my bedroom windows
·        Eating dinner that has been cooked by my husband
·        Having quiet one on one time with my husband
·        Breastfeeding
·        Hugging all of my babies – big and small!!!
·        Having quiet dark snuggles with my little baby in the middle of the night
·        Eating pancakes.

So, I at least compiled some kind of happiness list, still feeling disconnected and unable to incorporate things into my day to day life to increase my happiness levels. But maybe I am missing the point of the challenge........

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16 comments:

  1. Mrs M25 February 2012 at 16:32

    I think you created a great list. As I read your post and got to the bottom, what I took from this is, you wrote your post as you worked your way through it and you DID get there in the end.
    I think the challenge for you now is to physically stop at the end of each day and think what from my list did I do that made me happy.
    Time spent with kids / hubby will probably happen most days, it's what keeps us ticking.
    Maybe try at least once a week to get your camera out and take some photos, even if it's something random.
    Try and have a movie night with your family once a week (this might not happen if you have other fun commitments on the weekend).
    Always have a good book on hand and perhaps try and dedicate 1/2 hour every second day to read before bed.
    Have a nanna nap on the weekend, if time permits.
    Then all of a sudden, you're doing loads of things that make you happy.
    I think you've done a great job identifying what makes you happy, you're perhaps just a little blinded to it at times. But stopping and reflecting regularly, will make it clearer I'm sure.
    Sorry for rabbiting on, I couldn't help myself.

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    1. Paula25 February 2012 at 19:16

      Oh thank you!!! I really mean that. Not only for reading, but you took time to point out to me that I am getting there!!! I felt so down and disconnected after writing the post so your comments have lifted my spirits! THANK YOU!!! And please dont apologise for 'rabbiting on' because i loved it!!!! :)

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  2. Rita25 February 2012 at 23:41

    Hi Paula, I actually think you hit the challenge on the mark. Maybe you do things everyday that make you happy. You have some wonderful things on your list and I love the things you wrote esp listening to you kids talk about their day. I struggled too and only knuckled down today and wrote my blog. As with you my biggest challenge was finding out what makes me happy. Yes it was a journey and definately not a destination as I believe our happiness depends on many things which change all the time. What i got from this challenge (and reinforced by what you wrote) is that we are all different and happiness means different things for all of us but what we need to understand is that happiness is all around us. we just need to recongnise the things that make us smile. Paula I love reading your blogs and you make me smile when I read them. thanks so much for sharing. :)

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  3. Paula26 February 2012 at 19:25

    Oh Rita thank you - actually teared up a little bit!!! I would not have expected that anyone would still be bothering reading what i write, its become more of an expression of getting my thoughts OUT of my head!!! Thank you for saying that i did understand the challenge and that i did ok, wish i felt that way!! I am sure i am happy, and yes all of those things make me smile, i think i just need to learn that happiness is not like on the movies, but real life and small moments are actually what makes me happiest and i should acknowledge these more!!! Thanks again Rita for reading and commenting, you have just made my day!! I have enjoyed following your journey also, so thank you for sharing your SYL challenge posts as well!! Take care

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  4. Aroha @ Colours of Sunset26 February 2012 at 21:17

    going on holidays, being off school and having no routine, these are good things to make you happy. but gosh Paula, that last list, that knocks this whole challenge right out of the park. those are EXACTLY the things we should be focusing on for our happiness every day. It's the things we think are "little" every day things that really make us happy, and I didn't even LOOK at them, like cuddles from my son. Just those every day fill my tank full of happiness. Thanks for making me really look at the every day "little" (aka GIANT) things!

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    1. Paula27 February 2012 at 00:23

      Thanks Aroha that means alot to me as i still feel as though i have missed something!! But the more comments i am getting i do realise that i am surrounded by love and positive energy and definetly happiness!!! Thanks for taking the time to read - and comment - i know how busy you are!!! :)

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  5. Bec27 February 2012 at 01:13

    Thanks for your honesty in your post Paula. I am really enjoying following your journey in the challenge. I love how you have blogged about the process for you and have been so honest about it. I think you have really hit the challenge head on and have done a great job!

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    1. Paula28 February 2012 at 18:35

      Thanks bec, i am realising (slowly!!) that i obvioulsy did understand the challenge and that my happiness list is ok!!! Thanks for reading again this week x

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  6. Anonymous27 February 2012 at 02:43

    I think you got the point, happiness is not about being happy all the time, that is just impossible, you found what makes you happy, now just to make sure you do some of those things on a regular basis, though by the looks of it you do!
    I liked this post, could see your thought process in it!

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    1. Paula28 February 2012 at 18:36

      Thanks for reading!! Yes i guess that my little points are able to be added to my day to day routine and I should take notice of when they occur :)

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  7. Mel27 February 2012 at 16:39

    I loved ALL your lists Paula! I smiled reading each one. You came up with a beautiful list of big and little things that make you smile. Being a stay at home mum, it is so hard to sometimes see the little things every day that make us smile, but it's with a task like this that it really opens our eyes, which is wonderful!

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    1. Paula28 February 2012 at 18:39

      Oh thanks Mel, to think that i was able to make someone else smile, is quite nice!! Yes you are so very right, being a stay at home mum - while its what i love and would choose nothing else - can sometimes be my stumbling block as i miss these little things that i love and make me smile, because i am always at home with kids. But i did enjoy this task - probably more since i have written my post - and its opened my eyes to the fact that i am happy and my days are filled with happiness :)

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  8. Clancy27 February 2012 at 18:35

    Maybe you feel disconnected because you're not realising in the moment, that those are the things that make you happy. I loved this challenge, it made me stop every time I was laughing with my kids and realise what it was about that moment that made me happy. To stand for a moment after hanging the washing and seeing it flapping in the breeze for example, to drink in the moment may help.

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    1. Paula28 February 2012 at 18:40

      Thanks for stopping by. I did struggle with the challenge this week because i do have trouble living in the NOW!! I am trying to work on it, but it is hard. Im glad you are able to live in the moment and enjoy, it is actually a hard thing to do :)

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  9. Deb @ inner compass designs 28 February 2012 at 15:58

    I think you are too hard on yourself hon - even the first list when i saw it i was like ok - you can intentionally set out to include time to cook, to read 20 minutes a day,send a letter or sms so that you get one back another time etc. The you went on and added morew and more ownderful things. My hope with the challange this week was to bring awareness to the day to day and not have people think "i will be happy when ____" or let themselves get caught up in all the responsibilities of day to day without stopping to include things that make them happy on a smaller scale. I hear people say me-time / doing things they enjoy is not possible for them with 3 kids and a job etc - it is possible for everyone - even 5 minutes of something that makes you happy can boost you up, doing it daily can have a major impact.

    You are doing so well and we all love reading your posts - trust yourself and your own process and know it is all "right"

    Deb @ home life simplified xx

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    1. Paula28 February 2012 at 18:43

      Thanks Deb, i do understand now that i did do ok!!! I am grateful for little things in my life that make me smile and that is because i know if you hang out for the BIG things that are supposed to make us happy, we place too much hope etc on that one thing and it never seems to satsify or be what we thought it would be anyway. So i am aware that the everyday things are much more important to our overall happiness, i just struggle with living in the now and taking each moment for what it is, that is probably the number one reason i am doing your challenge this year.... I WANT to live in the moment and ENJOY the little things. Thanks for reading!!!!!!!!

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