Winter sucks.
It really REALLY does. It’s cold, it’s damp and usually filled with sniffles, frost and throat sweets, so before succumbing to the pre-winter blues, try this; think, in your head, aloud or in writing of five things that make you happy. They can be places, things people do, random words… anything– make a note of these (mental or otherwise), and when you notice yourself slowly drifting into a sad mood, refer to them, deliberately think of each individual thing, and relive the feeling that you get after them happening. Trust me. It works. So without further ado, I present to you: Five things that make me happy.
1. Smelling the pages of a book. I’m not quite sure what it is about that particular smell, when you crack an old novel open and take a deep sniff, your nose pressed right up against the spine…. It’s just delicious. That musty, rich smell of yellowed pages… Or instead the smell of a new book, fresh and woody, there’s something really quite magical about it.
2. Taking off my bra. This one, I’m sure many people relate to.. but that feeling at the end of a day when you finally release yourself from wire bound imprisonment. It’s bloody amazing. If you wear a bra, I don’t need to say more. You know the exact feeling. If you don’t- I encourage you to try wearing one for the day and then taking it off, there’s no relief like it.
3. Tea. I know it’s a British cliché, but for me, a cup of tea is as good as a cuddle. A hearty hug in a mug. I’m not sure if that’s so much to do with the actual drink, so much as the fact that I was brought up with it. Tea has always been something I’ve been offered on a cold day, or during a stressful time and so now it is just known to me (as to many others) as a drink of strength.
4. Random acts of kindness. A couple of years ago, when I was just walking around my local area, a complete stranger came up to me and complimented me on my hair. She said it so thoughtfully and kindly that it really brightened up my day. Since then, if I see something I really like about another person, I tell them. I don’t care if it makes me look a little bit weird to the rest of the strangers around me (hence I try and do this complementing just before I get off a train or bus), but it feels great to return those random complements, and it’s just as lovely to recieve them too.
5. Doing my make-up. For me, it makes all the difference whether I’m made up or not, for me, I don’t quite feel dressed until I have that little bit of foundation and mascara on. It’s not for everyone, but I enjoy it, and looking at a new style I’ve tried gives me a bit of a lift, and a boost of confidence whether I’m going out or staying in.
Thank you so so much for reading this, you marvellous beings, and do feel free to comment and share some things that make you happy too.
Much love, S x
sunshineandsparklythings 