If you’ve ever really sat down and thought about that question then you’ll probably have realised that it’s not as easy to answer as you might first think. While everyone’s idea of happiness is different, it strikes me that actually the things that bring us real, deep happiness are most likely very similar.
As I’ve mentioned before, I have never really been a massive reader. I love to re-read books I like but I often can’t find one that appeals to me or I start it and time just gets take up with ‘more important’ things. However, recently I read the book ‘The Happiness Project’ by Gretchen Rubin. I was about to go to hospital and decided I needed a book as a distraction from my thoughts while recovering. I can’t even remember what I searched for during my internet search for a book but when this came up I immediately clicked to have a closer look. The book arrived a few days later and couldn’t wait to start reading to find what makes people happy.
I’ve found the only way to keep my attention is to read books that I can truly relate to. I hadn’t started my own happiness project or anything but I loved the way Rubin wrote and could relate to her organisation and search for finding something big in the small things of life. Anyway fast forward towards the end of the book when Rubin reflects on her 12 months of changes and one that massively stays with me is; What makes you happy?
At first it made me think of hobbies, of which until starting this blog I can’t say I really had any adulthood hobbies. Then I thought a little deeper and of course seeing friends and family and watching my little one grow up was a massive part of happiness to me. Then I decided to really think. What makes me happy? What makes me content from the inside out? What makes me feel at peace, wrapped in warmth and light? What makes me happy? If this is the part where you are expecting an answer then I’m sorry to disappoint. Reading and writing more has given me the opportunity to feel my way around this subject and it’s clear that knowing who you really are, faults and all, and accepting these things is a massive part of it. Whoever you are, the good, the bad and the ugly are all part of you and while some parts we try to hide and change it’s the hiding and changing which can make us unhappy. Accepting who we are and loving ourselves for it, in my opinion is a fast track ticket to beginning to understand happiness.
Being Mum, Being Me 