INSIDE: I’ve been challenged by Holly from Vintage Courage to share all the things that make me happy. Find out what they are in this post. PLUS, join the Happiness Project and create your own list of all the things that make YOU happy!
Article first published October 2018. Updated March 2021.
What makes you happy?
When was the last time you stopped to think about all the things that make you happy? The things that make you smile and make life worth living?
It’s so easy to get caught up in the run-of-the-mill, day-to-day. To spend more time worrying about where we’re heading instead of celebrating how far we’ve come. To feel down about the things we’ve not yet achieved instead of thankful for all we have around us. But, when we start focusing on the things that make us happy, the things that make us feel warm and fuzzy inside, we realise we have a lot to be thankful for. That life is already better than we thought.
The happiness project…
A great way to do this is to make a list of all the things that make you happy. And right now, that’s exactly what’s happening across the blogosphere. Bloggers are challenging each other to come up with fifty things that make them happy and then share them with their readers. And that’s why I’m writing this post. The lovely Holly from Vintage Courage has challenged me to share my list of fifty things with you! And so, in no particular order, here are the fifty things that make me happy…
50 things that make me happy…
- Hazelnut lattes.
- Curling up with a good book.
- Wandering around a bookstore.
- Listening to podcasts whilst out walking.
- Driving in my car.
- Crisp winter mornings.
- Starry skies.
- My French Bulldog pup, Arthur.
- Hearing my little boy’s giggle.
- Hair straighteners.
- Dry shampoo.
- Blogging.
- Sushi.
- Hanging out with my Hubby.
- Going for long scenic drives with my Hubby.
- Living in the countryside.
- Going through my cookbooks and finding a new recipe to try.
- Time by myself.
- Heels and handbags – a girl can never have enough!
- The instrumental middle of Coldplay’s Fix You.
- Nextflix binging with my Hubby.
- Putting on my PJs after a long day.
- Hatfield Forest.
- Castles.
- Buying/opening/starting a brand-new notebook.
- Journaling.
- Traditional British pubs with good food and even better views.
- London.
- Date days with my boys.
- Meditation evenings with one of my Besties.
- Coffee with my Bestie and her boy.
- Seeing my Mum.
- Cooking on an open fire in the garden.
- Thunderstorms.
- Quoting lines from F.r.i.e.n.d.s.
- Marrying my best friend.
- Harry Potter.
- Being alive and beating breast cancer.
- Helping others create lives they love.
- Dancing in the kitchen with my youngest.
- Criminal Minds.
- Scary movies.
- My relationship with my in-laws.
- Fresh bedding.
- Sarah Millican, Lee Mack, Jack Dee and Michael McIntyre.
- Playing Scrabble.
- Creating new playlists on Spotify.
- Saturday morning cartoons and snuggles with my youngest.
- Sunday morning family breakfasts.
- The smell of rain on a hot pavement.
Things that make me happy…
Wow, I did it! I have to admit I was a little daunted by coming up with a list of fifty things, but once I started writing I kept thinking of more. I may have to do a follow-up post with fifty more things that make me happy! Thank you, Holly, for this challenge…it was so much fun! I’m going to keep this list safe and look at it any time I feel down.
Just for fun…
Writing this list has made me realise that there are SO many things that make me happy. There are a lot of things that make me laugh too. And so, because life’s too short to not be silly sometimes, here’s a few bonus things that are just plain funny and make me laugh out loud every time!
- Our youngest believing that Daddy is Batman. We tell him that as he’s never seen Daddy and Batman in the same room, you never know… When Daddy goes into the office, he’s really going to the Batcave. And, Daddy’s second car, well, that’s the Batmobile!
- Pulling down my Hubby’s pyjama trousers when he’s defenceless and cleaning his teeth – I think I’ve done it every night for at least the last ten years, but it NEVER stops being funny!
- Doing a Jason Manford and teaching our youngest, Harrison that when he hears the ice cream van it means it’s run out of ice cream. Every time it goes past he’ll say, “there’s no more ice cream left Daddy”!
- Removing the batteries from the Fire Stick controller so Harrison can’t use it, then watching him get cross that it’s not working.
Now it’s your turn…
I challenge you to do the same. To make a list of fifty things that make you happy. You could even make it a regular thing and at the end of each month write a list of all that’s made you happy that month! A great way to practice gratitude, it also serves as a great reminder of everything good in your life. It’s guaranteed to lift you up and make you feel instantly happier!
I also challenge Flight and Scarlet, I Dream of Simple and The BESTie Life to do the same!
What will you put on your happy list? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time…
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Article first published October 2018. Updated March 2021.
About the Author
Hey there! In case we haven’t met, I’m Sarah, the founder of A Simple and Contented Life. The online coaching practice that helps moms and mompreneurs with an online biz create more balance so that they can thrive both at home and at work WITHOUT feeling like they have to choose between the two.
A certified master life coach, transformation coach, goal success coach and self-published author, I’m also an Executive Contributor for Brainz Magazine, a proud mum of two, a besotted wife, breast cancer survivor and your mentor for making a change for the better.
When I’m not helping my clients and club members create a great home life and business of their dreams, you’ll find me in my favourite Starbucks curled up in a chair, book in one hand, hazelnut latte in the other or attempting to walk my somewhat lazy Frenchie pup Arthur!
Here’s how I can help you thrive – both at home AND in your online biz:
- Join the Moms in Biz Members’ Club: Learn how to take back control and create more balance so that you have the time and energy for your home, your online biz AND yourself.
- Work with me one-on-one: You deserve to have a great home life AND a great business and together, we can make it happen!
- Sign up for my Goal-Getter Workshop: In this one-on-one virtual workshop, I’ll show you how to go from goal setter to goal-getter so that you can CRUSH your goals like a pro EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. in just 2 hours!
- Join the Facebook Group: A warm and welcoming space full of other women just like you working to create a great home life and business of their dreams.
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel: The channel dedicated to helping you become your BEST self and thrive in EVERY area of your life.
[…] you to my friend, Sarah, from A Simple and Contented Life, for challenging me to write down 50 things that make me happy! I about fell out of my chair when […]