The key to happiness

Would you like to know where the key to happiness is? It’s February, it’s cold and we are still in lockdown in the UK. But guess what, I know where the key is. Read on to find out…

Many people search for years for happiness, the jobs they do, the houses they buy, the people they fall in love with but it can all disappear at the blink of an eye. We buy another new car, meet a new love interest, start a new hobby and still sometimes the happiness isn’t there. But what are we actually looking for? Sit and think about what makes you happy. Your child’s laughter, a cup of tea in bed, a shiny new car?

We all go through tough times where we think we are a magnet for bad stuff, I certainly did, especially in 2012. One bad thing followed another and I became used to being a victim. Some days were really hard but then I would look at my daughters and know that my heart was full of love for them and that made me happy. It didn’t stop the bad stuff from happening but it did help me to see that the world isn’t all doom and gloom.

There is nothing better than a walk in the fresh air and feeling the sun on your face. Yesterday, whilst walking the dogs through ice and a cold wind, I looked up at the sun in the sky and for a moment I enjoyed those rays on my face, knowing that summer will be here one day. Although cold and slipping on ice, I knew I was happy. I smiled and said hello to people I passed (socially distanced obviously) and I know that for someone lonely a smile and hello will help them to feel part of the world, even if just for a moment.

Even on the darkest of days there is something that can lift you, your dog doing something mad, a stranger saying hello, your favourite meal. We have the power inside us to be happy, it is just sometimes harder to find than others.