How to be Happy?

The trick to being happy is not too profound, all I have to do is DO things that make me feel happy.  As I help my mom pack up to move I find myself in my happy place. After a day of packing and cleaning I am exploring different walks here in Youbou and as I walk I think what makes me happy.

The best things I did to help myself through my grieving process was to continue to do things that made me happy.  At the time it didn’t feel like it was working.  Even when I was taking care of Xavier at 1 and a half, I would still cry while we sat at the beach throwing stone after stone into the water.  When we went to Tofino surfing it felt different then before but there were glimpses of peace as I sat in the surf moving back and forth with the waves.  Walking whenever the pain felt too much had me walking and walking and walking but within each walk there were a few steps where I saw something that pulled me out of my grief.  Putting on a funny movie or surrounding myself with people who have the same sense of humour pulled me out of the dark place with a belly laugh.

I learned quickly that the happy things needed to make you feel good after completing them as much as doing them. Eating a family bar of chocolate feels good in the moment but right away I felt sick and couldn’t sleep so I realized soon more chocolate didn’t mean more happiness.

My happy list.

Playing with kids

Swimming 

Walking in nature 

Eating chocolate 

Planning a party 

Laughing

Looking at babies 

Helping people 

Walking on a beach bare food

Putting on a wet suit and playing in the surf

Having a routine 

Exercising 

New experiences

Watching a good movie or tv show

Laughing 

Doing things with people, simple things like a walk or get an ice cream or driving to look at houses

I have to make myself do things when I am in a dark place because I get stuck.  People see the happy positive me because that other person, the depressed me hides away unnoticeable.  I have to make myself do things on my happy list.  

I can because I know what makes me happy.  What is on your happy list?