Making Mums Happy: day 10
Thought for the day: 'If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion' – Dalai Lama
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10 Happiness principles
- Count your blessings
- Have a good laugh every day
- Do a good turn with a daily kindness
- Treat yourself every day
- Cut TV viewing and make time
- Say hello to a stranger
- Look after something you've planted
- Get physical
- Phone a friend
- Indulge in some Talk time
- Day to day happiness
Welcome to Day 10 of Making Mums Happy
You've reached day 10 already! Well done! Now is a good time to reflect on what you have achieved over the past couple of weeks. Think about the tasks you've managed to complete and about the thoughts you've had as you have read your suggested daily tasks.
Your happiness diary should be coming on well now.Take some time to pause and read through what you have written - does it surprise you and remind you of yourself?
If you haven't managed to start it yet, why not read back through the tasks and start one today - perhaps you can do all your writing in a few concentrated bursts instead? Remember, keeping a happiness diary is an all-time good idea.
Talk to other mums taking part in Making Mums Happy in the Happiness Club to see how they're getting on.
Here are your happiness tasks for today!
Write in your happiness diary
Write down 10 things you have to look forward to. It could be something tomorrow, something next week, something next year or something in 10 years.
Simple small things (tonight's supper, the next sunny day, a glass of wine, the next episode of Doctor Who) or bigger things (your Summer holidays, Christmas (!), a special family occasion). Or long term dreams (starting your own business one day when the children are older, going away with your husband on a long weekend with no children, your daughter's wedding). Really give it some thought.
Turn off your TV
Do the 'turning off the TV' thing again. We know we all watch too much telly. It's fine for a bit, especially if it's something you really want to watch. But passively sitting there channel-hopping and watching rubbish isn't good for our wellbeing if we're doing it for more than 2 or 3 hours a day, and research suggests it's positively bad for us. Everybody needs downtime, but how many of us reach for the TV just because it's the easiest option? What could you do instead that isn't to do with the house or the children and will take about an hour and leave you with the feeling of time well spent?
Have a daily laugh
Have a laugh. It's not really about telling jokes, but sometimes laughter can be a bit thin on the ground and we get out of practice, so a joke can help get things going. As adults, we can become a bit cynical about silly jokes, but tell the following joke to a 10 year-old and see how naturally laughing comes to them! (Thanks to Dawn D for this one:)
A Snake's New Glasses
An old snake goes to see his Doctor.
"Doc, I need something for my eyes... can't see well these days."
The Doc fixes him up with a pair of glasses and tells him to return in 2 weeks.
The snake comes back in 2 weeks and tells the doctor he's very depressed.
Doc says, "What's the problem ... didn't the glasses help you?"
"The glasses are fine Doc, I just discovered I've been living with a water hose for the past 2 years!"
If you need a bit more inspiration have a look at some of the funnies in the Happiness Club.
The science - therapeutic benefits of laughter
Dr. Lee Berk and fellow Researcher Dr. Stanley Tan of Loma Linda University in California, have been studying the effects of laughter on the immune system. To date their published studies have shown that laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexion and boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells and disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of wellbeing.
Be friendly
Smile and say hello to a stranger. Don't worry - back to normal today - you need only smile at one stranger! But make it a good one, with a really cheery hello.
Connect with someone
Find someone today or tomorrow who looks left out or uncomfortable. It could be at work, someone sitting alone at lunchtime while you are all busy gossiping, someone new at toddler group, or your exercise class, or someone you haven't seen or maybe spoken to before waiting for the pre-schoolers to come out. In the Netmums Forums we regularly hear from mums who feel terribly lonely and who tell us that they try to make new friends but that everyone seems too busy.
Today, perhaps we can be a little less busy and a little more aware of other people. If you can't find anyone or the opportunity doesn't come up, could you visit your local Netmums Meet a Mum board and see if there are any mums in your area you could contact, even if it's only to suggest a good local group that you can recommend?
Get into music
How did you get on with the music download last week? This week, can you dig out your old CDs and find something you haven't listened to for ages. If you can't find anything, maybe try one of those Now pop compilations. The choice is up to you, but whatever you choose, it's got to be something you can dance to.
Now, close the curtains and turn it up as loud as you dare. Dance (as they say) as if no one is watching. You ARE Madonna/ Katy Perry/ Jessie J/ Rhianna! Sing at the top of your voice. Keep it going for at least 4 songs. The kids will think you're a bit crazy - but that's OK, it's happy-crazy!
