HAPPY INTERNATIONAL HAPPINESS DAY!

I have nothing revolutionary to say about being happy.

This blog post will not change your life.

(Now isn’t that a great way to start a blog about HAPPINESS)

I am not going to tell you that there is some MAGICAL KEY to being happy.

Or give you some airy fairy spiritual inspiration that will completely revolutionize your life.

One thing I have learnt about happiness is that all feelings are temporary.

(Well isn’t that depressing?)

No it isn’t.

What I’m trying to say is that a lot of the time, when we are low, or sad, or our mental health is bad, we believe that we will NEVER be HAPPY again.

That there is no glimmering future of happiness.

However, and this is difficult to remember in the depths of despair….

all FEELINGS and all MOMENTS are TEMPORARY and TRANSITORY (not permanent).

Sadness passes.

It may take days, weeks, months.

But everything passes.

This too shall pass.

And even in times of sadness and low spirit, there are happy moments.

When I was at the worst of my depression in December, I was unable to leave the house.

I found it difficult to speak. When I tried to form sentences, I would stutter and forget the words.

Everything felt bleak.

One of my best friends, Lucy came to stay with me for the weekend

She said ‘You don’t have to be anything but you right now. I don’t expect you to force speaking or being funny. I just want to be here with you.’

So we sat in our pyjamas and binge watched netflix.

I laughed for the first time in what felt like forever.

I had more words that weekend than I’d had in a while.

And she reminded me that …

I do deserve to be happy.

And you deserve to be happy too.

In art, there is a concept called Chiaroscuro. It is the strong contrast between light and dark.

Without the dark, the light does not stand out as well.

And without the light, neither does the dark.

I think this concept applies to life.

Without darkness, the light in our lives isn’t as strong.

Francis Bacon (the painter) said,

‘In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.’

And Madeline L’Engle (the young Adult fiction writer) said,

‘Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light.’

Obviously, some things are purely and simply SHIT. Some suffering CAN NOT be accounted for.

But all we can do, is try to be good, have a good impact on our own lives and others.

And remember, that happiness comes again.

I find for FORWARD PLANNING, it is useful to write down all the small, big, mundane or strange things that make you happy.

Then when things are CRAP, you can engage in these happy things.

Even if you are too low to actually smile when they doing them, they feed your soul and are the first steps to feeling better.

Here are some of my REASONS to be HAPPY –

Friends.

I have collected a bunch of WONDERFULLY WEIRD friends. They make me laugh. They are all brilliant, intelligent, creative and I thank my LUCKY stars to have them in my life. We support each other equally and I am grateful that I can be myself with them.

Family

I am lucky to have a BEYOND BRILLIANT mother.

She is my best friend and is on the same wonderfully weird wave length that I am. Her husband, my brilliant stepfather, Ian is a ray of sunshine in our lives. He’s stood by me through a lot and I love him dearly.

My dad who is kind and clever. And my brother who is my voice of reason and makes me LAUGH like a mad woman. And the rest of my brilliant family.

Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is happiness in a drink for me. It is soothing. It is comforting. It’s also packed full of magnesium and iron which is why CHOCOLATE is MAGIC. It makes me feel like my own LITTLE HOME.

Laughing about SILLY THINGS

When people are weird or come out with brilliantly silly things, it makes me VERY HAPPY. Even silly memes and youtube videos. My sense of humour is bizarre and I love playing and being silly.

Cooking

I love cooking. I love making something creative that I can eat and share with others. I love being able to mindfully focus on doing the task of cooking. I love exploring new recipes and new cuisines.

Playing games with friends/family

In my flat, we currently play the card game ‘Shit Head’ with each other (look it up, it’s ace).

It’s a lovely moment of getting together as a little flat family. I love playing Uno or Scrabble or Cards Against Humanity with family and friends. It’s a moment of togetherness.

Writing

Writing makes me so very happy! I love being able to express myself and help others. It is so mindful to focus on writing and express myself creatively.

Walks in the countryside

I was born in a farming county. Being outside makes me HELLA HAPPY. I love being able to see green, and trees, and flowers. I love the smell of the earth.

Swimming in the sea or outside

This is by far one of my favourite things to do. Nothing makes me feel more peaceful and content than floating on my back looking up at the endless, brilliantly, blue sky.

Food

Food makes me VERY HAPPY. I know things are going ‘tits up’ when I don’t want to be anywhere near food. Pizza, pasta, burgers, salted caramel, ramen, bibimbap, okonamiyaki…..THE LIST GOES ON. There is literally NOT a food I do not like.

Exercise

I love running and strength training. It feels like a celebration of what my body can do. I’ve recently got into Barre and Pilates which have both been very positive and mindful.

Walking round a supermarket or bookshop

I have NEVER been a clothes shopping kind of girl. Sorry. Not Sorry. Walking round a supermarket or bookshop makes me feel peaceful and creative. I have been known to spend 4 hours in a bookshop, whiling away my time.

Sunshine

All about that VITAMIN D.

Travelling

I love exploring the world. I love exploring different cultures and different cuisines. I love exploring the architecture, art and language.

Learning

I love learning new things. I’m a proud nerd. Whether it be learning more about Scottish history or reading up on Nutrition and Psychology.

I print out a lot of pictures and reminders to stick round my room to remind myself of these people, places and things.

They are a constant reminder of my capability to be happy.

I encourage you to do the same.

This oatmeal is quite literally HAPPINESS in a bowl.

There are certain foods which contain SEROTONIN (the happy hormone) and TRYPTOPHAN (the amino acid which helps your body absorb SEROTONIN).

Bananas and walnuts both contain SEROTONIN.

Sesame seeds and oats both contain TRYPTOPHAN.

Pair that with cacao which is rich in iron and magnesium for energy.

And you have my Happy Salted Chocolate Tahini Oats.

(It also weirdly sounds like a national day. ‘Oh lovely to see you Joy, HAPPY SALTED CHOCOLATE TAHINI OATS!)

I needed this bowl of sunshine and warmth this morning after being ill all day yesterday and being even more ill today. (WOOP! Happy International Happiness Day to me!)

Happy Salted Chocolate Tahini Oats

What you’ll need:

• 45g oats (double quantities as you go if making for more than one person)
• Plant based milk (enough to cover oats)
• 3 tbsp of water
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp of cacao/cocoa powder
• (Optional) 1 tbsp of Chocolate Protein Powder (I used Tribe‘s Salted Chocolate)
• 2 tbsp of tahini mixed with a dash of maple syrup.
• 1 handful of walnuts
• Sliced banana to top.
• Sea salt/ pink Himalayan salt to top.

How to make it:

• Put oats into a pan or bowl with the cacao powder, optional protein powder and salt.
• Top with plant based milk andwater. Put enough plant based milk to cover the oats then add water.
• If heating on the stove, heat on a low heat, stirring gently. Keep stirring till at consistency that is PERFECT for you.
• If heating in microwave, heat for 2 mins. Stir. Heat for another 2 mins. Heat for 1 min more if you like your porridge THICK.
• Drizzle with tahini and top with sliced banana, walnuts and a sprinkle of sea salt/pink Himalayan salt.
• Inhale the rich chocolatey, sesame flavour and let it fill you with JOY. EnJOY your Happy Salted Chocolate Tahini Oats.

You DESERVE to be happy.

Happy International Happiness Day!

(And Happy Salted Chocolate Tahini Oats. LOL)

Much love,

Joy xx