Can you believe it's nearly March!?
This Saturday, is 'I want you to be happy' day and damn it, we really do...
Read on to find our top tips! We can't promise they will fix your problems, but least you will be having fun!
This week, you'll also find a very messy activity to keep the little ones happy and a reminder about our new community feature, 'The Secret Book Club.'
Enjoy!
What makes you happy?
The 'World Happiness Report' found, in 2017, that Norway was the happiest country in the world! Tagging along in the 'Happy squad' also go Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland.
Here, in my adopted home, we are apparently sitting in 8th place; happy, but not shouting about it. Poor old England is doing its best; climbing from 23rd to 19th place!
But what do they have that we don't?
...
What does being 'happy' really mean?
Most people, I think I'm right in saying, would say that money plays a big part in all this. Yes, we all know the phrase, 'money can't buy happiness', but let's be honest...it can a little bit! The study did find this to be true. Rich countries are happy countries but... it isn't a hugely deciding factor. Prime example is Norway...happiest, but only 6th richest (Yahoo Finance).
So if money isn't it...what is it?
Seemingly it's us. Us as individuals but, just as importantly, us as a society.
But...'society' doesn't just apply to a country-wide scale. It also includes a teeny tiny one...within our homes. Our families are a micro-system, a tiny version of the country we live in. Our lives influence, and are influenced by, the greater society in equal measure; for better and worse!
Working together, supporting each other, creating strong bonds between family and friends. Being there for each other and also, looking after yourself; your physical health, and your mental health. Without these things, society on either scale crumbles.
Yes, there are always things beyond our control. It's very easy to sit here with my first world problems and talk about how being happy is a state of mind. There are things that truly and irrevocably affect our lives and rock our societies. That doesn't change the fact though, that the evidence appears to show that being happy is about the choices we make.
So, why don't you one of these on this 'I want you to be happy' day...
'10 steps to happy'
Smile- a cliche but a smile really does go a long way! It lowers your blood pressure, raises the levels of 'happy hormones' and lowers the stress hormones!
Make a 'grateful' jar- write something each day that you are grateful for to look back on when times get tough. A good reminder that all things shall pass.
Go outside- release those happy hormones just by getting stuck in with nature. Do something that makes you laugh while you're out there and you've hit the jackpot!
Act your shoe-size- kids smile on average 400 times a day, adults...less than 50! Why is that? They are playing...not balancing the cheque book!
Self-care is not a dirty word- my favourite phrase at the minute! Take some time and look after yourself. Meditate, shop, read a book, go for a drive (unless you live in Auckland then DO NOT do this...it will not make you happy!)
Make a promise to value what makes you happy- it's so easy to let the day-to-day things take over. Spend some time assessing what you hold dear and recommit to it.
Spend time with a loved one- take a look at our Alphabet Dating tips from our Valentine's Journal and take some time out with your favourite people
Eat chocolate and then burn it off- there are reportedly happy health benefits to eating chocolate (yay!) but there's definitely only upsides to exercise-including releasing (you guessed it) those happy hormones!
Get organised- getting on top of what's bothering you can only be a good thing! Sometimes, just making a list for the sole purpose of ticking things off makes you happy!
'Do not disturb'- I'll let you work that one out for yourself (my mum reads this!) but I'll give you a clue...this will absolutely get those happy hormones going!
Enjoy!
References:
http://worldhappiness.report/ed/2017/, accessed on Feb 26/02/2018
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/richest-countries-world-163457310.html, accessed on Feb 26/02/2018
*It's going to get messy!*
Cornflour is honestly the best thing in the whole world!
This 'I want you to be happy' day, leave this activity out for the kids and watch them get their happy on!
You need:
-cornflour (as much as you can stand to clean up!)
-washing up liquid
-baby oil
-water
I had imagined making my boy 3 types of dough (see below if you want to know how) with these ingredients. However, he got to the activity quicker than I did and it ended up being an open-ended exploration!
Letting go of control over the activity or their play is important to for us to do as parents. It encourages them to use their imagination and helps those toddlers explore their independence and resilience.
Dough types if you want to try:
*Play snow- 1 cup baby oil and add cornflour until consistency is right (about 6-8 cups)
*Playdough slime- 1 tbsp washing up liquid to 2 tbsp cornflour
*Goop- 1 cup cornflour and add water until desired mixture thickness
*make sure you have a big space and put down towels or a bed sheet. Try not to use plastic...it gets very slippery!
The Secret Book Club
Don't forget to check out our book club over on Facebook!
This month, everyone who signs up to our mailing list is in with a chance of winning one of the Whitcoulls Top 100 books!
Thank you for reading again this week!
As always, leave a comment or drop us an email. We love to hear from you!