7 Things (that make me happy)...

Today I went shopping to try to find shoes for my friend's wedding this weekend. This is a task I have been putting off for a while, because the truth is, there is no type of shopping I enjoy less than shoe shopping.

Shoes are something that seem to make other people extremely excited. I have friends who collect shoes, and love nothing more than donning a new pair of heels for a night out. I could not be less interested in shoes if I tried. Maybe it's because my feet are an awkward "not quite a full size four but hardly anyone makes shoes in a three and half these days", and growing up with small, slightly awkwardly sized feet made shopping for school shoes an incredibly laborious undertaking, but for whatever reason, I just don't have the shoe bug. I learnt the hard way that I have no desire to end a night out with blisters or end up sitting on the sidelines unable to dance because my feet hurt so badly. I also look about as graceful walking in heels as an elephant, so the "but high heels make you look sexier" argument is totally lost on me. Give me a pair of boots or a flat sandal and I am a happy bunny.

This was something I was thinking about tonight while dragging all of my old shoes out of my wardrobe to figure out if any of them are appropriate for Saturday - that something as simple as a shoe can make one person so giddy with excitement, and another (like me) feel nothing but annoyance. Yet give me an afternoon browsing the makeup counters in House of Fraser and I'm like a kid at Christmas, while I know plenty of people who would consider that the epitome of boredom. Coincidentally, after abandoning the search and sitting down with my laptop, I watched a video by one of my favourite YouTubers (Jimmy0010) talking about what makes us happy. He said he thinks we don't spend enough time thinking about what makes us happy, and he ended up making a list, just out of curiosity. I actually think I probably spend a bit too much time contemplating the idea of happiness (something for another post), but I thought it was a really good thing to try out.

I've read a few blog posts/watched a few videos lately on the idea of self care, and starting to explore what self care actually is. My friend Laura wrote a blog post last week along similar lines, which I'll link here for you to go and check out, and I think reflecting on the things in our lives that are making us happy and unhappy is a healthy thing - if we stop to properly think about it it means we can start finding ways to eliminate (or at least minimise) the things that are dragging us down, and spend more time focused on the things that are genuinely making us feel good. Obviously there are the big things - family, friends, work (if you are fortunate enough to have a really fulfilling career!), but this is more about the little day to day things that bring a smile to your face!

So here is my little list of seven (my lucky number) every day things that make me genuinely happy!

1. Getting lost in my favourite television show. It's such a simple thing, but watching a couple of episodes of a really good TV show never fails to make me feel good. It's like a weird comfort blanket - any niggles or stresses in the real world can be forgotten about for a couple of hours, and you get to explore this whole other world. For me, this changes from supernatural worlds, like The Vampire Diaries, or OUAT, to really character centric dramas like Lost, or my current obsession, House. I like good character creation and clever writing, and I could sit and watch my favourite shows all day.

2. Eating - now this one can be a dangerous one, especially if like me you are a comfort eater, but food makes me genuinely happy. Whether it's eating a bit of cake on the couch watching TV, or going out for dinner with friends, I always feel a little buzz of joy when one of my favourite foods comes my way.

3. Having a hot shower. This is also a bad one, because having the shower too hot isn't necessarily good for you, but sometimes nothing beats a properly hot shower.

4. Putting on my makeup. I get so much happiness out of putting on my makeup, it is ridiculous. I don't feel like myself without my eyeliner on, and I find the entire process, from start to finish (from primer to lipstick, if you will), incredibly therapeutic.

5. Music has always had the ability to improve my mood. I have songs I seek out for every mood and I create film trailers and music videos in my head for pretty much every song I listen to. So going for a walk with my iPod blaring is always a good idea.

6. My hula hoop. Honestly, my exercising habits are appalling and, of late, practically non-existent. It's definitely something I need to work on (hello new gym membership) but I LOVE my hula hoop. If I'm feeling worked up, or have been sitting at the computer for one too many hours, doing my hula hoop for half an hour with some energetic music instantly cheers me up.

7. Tea. Nothing more really needs to be added here, other than to say that there are few situations which cannot be improved with a good cup of tea.


So there you have it! I'd love to know what every day things make you feel happy - it can be like a mini happiness project for 2015!

Thanks for reading! :)