Greetings all! I’d like to introduce a new feature to the blog.
What MMM is:
Mind Melding Monday is tapping into collective knowledge from around the world to solve problems and come up with the best answers to all sorts of questions.
Each week I’ll pose a question or two on the blog for readers to respond to while I investigate on my own and seek expert input, whether it’s for research, curiosity, awareness, or conversation.
The following week will address the results and ask something new.
*This week being first, there are only questions to pose so I’ll go a bit more into detail there.
Mind Melding Monday #1 — Happy Things
Many folks find benefit in creating a list of what makes them happy, what they’re grateful for, and what cheers them up when they need it.
I recommend it, as do many therapists.
From baby sloth pictures to great sex, there’s plenty out there that makes us smile.
Examples:
- Getting (and giving) praise
- Going out with friends
- Cooking (and eating delicious food!)
- Naps
- Favorite tv shows or movies
- Taking pictures
- Volunteering
- Gardening
- Drinking a nice warm cup of coffee
- Making a list of things that make you happy.
A few things we do that make us FEEL BETTER, lower anxiety, and increase life satisfaction are less obvious and may require mental reframing.
- Taking a shower. I’m not advocating we drain the world of fresh water, but taking a shower gives your mind time to clear and being fresh and clean naturally makes us more confident. So, if it helps, take a shower sooner than you’d planned or add an extra minute to sing your lungs out.
- Living in a neat space. Yes, this means cleaning. I suggest taking before (during) and after pictures if you’ve got big projects. Find good upbeat music, set a timer and go. Learn all the tricks you can to make the time more efficient.
- Eating healthy food. This may be more work or less appealing than unhealthy alternatives but the “right” choice is as obvious as the difference in how you feel.
- Maintaining routines. Sounds boring, sure, but having routines and rituals helps free up thought clutter and effort in tasks, giving you more time for spontaneity.
Of course these vary from person to person. You may enjoy cleaning yet not care about staying organized or love eating healthy but don’t like cooking. (You don’t like cooking?)
This is why I ask.
Here are the questions:
Everyone’s an expert, and you’ve read this far so you may as well answer, right?
What are a few habits, hobbies, activities, or other things that always uplift you?
Which of these are essential to your daily happiness?
Thanks for reading, I look forward to your responses and our results!
I wake up very early, and I appreciate starting off my day with lots of tea and quiet time before the world around me wakes up. Cuddles with my guinea pigs are always uplifting, and I find it very peaceful watching the birds outside my home doing their thing.
Thanks, Ashley! I love quiet time too, though I get it after the household’s sleeping and drink (decaf) coffee.
Give your guinea pigs a cuddles for me too. I love the little things but I’m afraid my dog might think they’re something else!
These tips are everything! I’m a huge fan of having a clean space (although it is not always my reality) in order to be productive. I also find it beneficial to get rid of clutter! I love staying in hotels purely because of how tidy they are and in turn how easily my mind can stay focused.
Some rituals that contribute to my everyday happiness include hiking or doing anything in nature. I love walking my dog because it gets me out, but also because it brings him so much joy. I also love napping with my 5 month old son and daydreaming about all the things we will soon be able to do together. And yes- lists on lists on lists. 🙂
Thank you! Clean space isn’t the easiest thing to manage, but it’s one of my biggest priorities. What’s helped the most lately is setting a standard of leaving the house as clean or cleaner at night than it was in the morning.
Babies, dogs, and nature always win. ❤️
I have some routines and habits i need to happen smoothly, but my enjoyment comes from baking and – drum roll – reading!
I’m not organized, but i need a clean space to be able to sit and relax.
I’ve always been fonder of cooking than baking; haven’t quite learned how to wing it yet and don’t like following formulas with food. Someday!
*Never* would’ve guessed you’re a bookworm too. 😉
Ah, to relax with a book… I think I know where I’m heading.
Thanks, Jina!
I love cooking too, but i do it almost every day, so it’s not as relaxing as the baking anymore. What gave my ‘bookworm’ status away?
It takes one to know one, I guess. 🙂
I discovered that I feel more fullfilled when I write down what needs to get done for the day. Partly so I have a clear vision of how my day is going to flow, but mostly so I could see all the stuff I got done by the end of the day.
If I did a lot of productive things, but they weren’t written down, I tend to feel like I didn’t get much done. It is weird, but the stacking evidence somehow reassures me that I am on the right pathway.
Also, I am loving this new feature!!!
I’m with you! Some days (nights) I’m doing a million tiny things but since they’re not one big thing, it seems like nothing.
I’ve rearranged my weekly spread to deal with that, but don’t always utilize the system.
And thank you!!
Great questions…I too like waking up early and having time for coffee, reading, and writing. I believe in living in a beautiful space so my office is delightful with oils, candles, and lots of books. Slowing down is essential as well. Walks, conversation, cooking, petting my dogs 💙
Ooh…. great answers! 😍😍😍
Well said heatherbabes, believe everyone has many reasons to be happy each day. Rather its waking up with less pain to enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful scenery. Lots of my happiness comes in from, silence after kiddos are off school and enjoying my magic cup or coffee. Uplifting my energy an vibes seems be a new year routine. Walking cleanses the heart an soul along with keeping self care going at its finest. Your doing amazing with these blogs. Keep up the fabulous Job love seeing you thrive off your happiness in writing🤩💟💗💜💖
Aww… thanks, Jenny!
Great list! (Sorry for being abrupt, just running out the door.)
I also get up early so I can read my emails and write whatever I’m working on that day before my chores get done or I go to work at my part-time job. Here lately, I have a new project I have been working on early-Diamond Art! I love it so much, I have been taking one hour each morning to add the next color, and while I do that, I either listen to an ebook or watch an episode of one of my shows on Hulu.
Music is essential to my daily happiness as well as my morning coffee! I usually get my music fix in the car (I listen to pretty hard rock music people) but at times, I’ll have my Google Home play something while I work in the kitchen.
What is early-diamond Art?
Music is a good tone setter for me as well as a pacer. Completely essential. I can live without a stereo on but only because I’ve always got something in my head. 😉
I stayed with a friend for a while who had Google Home in the kitchen. I loved it! Used Pandora a lot but also set timers and looked things up without ever taking my hands off their task. I spent a lot of time talking to that thing. 😂
Occasionally, I do this with my tablet but then the microphone is always on and I’ve had some creepy encounters with ads relevant to unique conversations I’ve had NEAR the thing.
There’s nothing of major interest happening here but who knows how that data could be used or manipulated.
Exactly! We’ve had conversations about something and the next day, we started getting ads for that exact thing we had talked about, creepy! Ok, it’s Diamond Art and I was saying I get up early to do it, lol!
I didn’t know what diamond art is. 😂
Looks like a great craft.
I tried to explain it in the post, go check out the website, there’s a piece and a price point for everyone!
Which post?
Today’s post, lol
Forgive me, I’ve been having a rough brain day and have probably looked right past it, but I have no idea where the post is that you’re talking about.
No forgive me! I thought you were commenting on my post, but you were commenting on my reply to your post! I wrote a post after I commented to you yesterday on my other blog, Words on a Page.
I thought that may have been what happened but I didn’t see anything skimming through either blog.
I was already confused, Kim!!! 😂
I’ll look again.
I’m probably doing something wrong, but I manage the comments to both blogs in one place, so things get confusing sometimes 😊
This happens to me with Twitter. I recently started an account for my blog (kind of wishing I’d left everything on my personal one now..) and the BLC account with Ayah, so I constantly have to see where I am. 🤦🏻♀️
https://wp.me/p9PTFo-gx
Here’s the post 😊
Thanks!