Flowers through your letterbox, green shoots appearing in the garden, long walks in the Lincolnshire countryside, drinking tea alfresco, reading everything and anything, cake (in its many glorious forms), writing, making memories, trying out new recipes, a lazy hot bath with a new magazine, the smell of fresh washing, clean sheets, warming your toes by a roaring fire, eating a meal when you have just picked all of the ingredients from the garden, dancing to folk music at a ceilidh, going out for breakfast, noticing the seasons change, watching the sunrise, catching up with friends and family, hearing the morning chorus of birds, taking photographs and the promise of a new day.

What makes you happy?

P.S. This post was inspired by Sarah over at Daydreams of Summertime!

What happened to the carefree days when laughter, fun and making memories were the only important things? When did life become something to get through in order to reach the end of the day, the week, or the season? I'm as guilty as anyone at wishing away those tough times, hoping that what comes next will be so much better. But what if we saw each trial and tribulation not as something to overcome, rather as an experience that forms and shapes who we are as people?

Admittedly, it often seems impossible to switch off the stresses of everyday life. Work, money, health, family - life can be demanding and we inevitably prioritise the things that seem to require our immediate attention and the things that appear to be going wrong. So what's the solution?

It's time for a shift in focus, a change of outlook and a re-focus on making memories. Life will be difficult - that's not going to alter - but what we can do is look to cherish those happy moments rather than letting them pass us by in a haze of disappointment and stress that has the ability to diminish everything other. Really, that's what starting this blog was all about, and I want to actively create the opportunity to notice the memories that we do make. Happiness comes not only from the moment, but also later as a memory, and can be utilised as a coping mechanism to turn to when you have a bad day, week or even month. With this in mind, I'll be documenting more memories on here, starting with what's been happening this week...

Looking out of the back bedroom window to see the sunrise bleeding into the pale blue sky has been a spectacle this week. The mornings have been crisp; the sort that make you feel like sticking your head out of the back door and breathing in deeply just to fill your lungs.

Bella has been very needy these past few days, wanting to hop on my lap for cuddles every five minutes, and despite being busy in the evenings with work I have loved the attention.

Last Saturday we had friends round for dinner and I experimented with some new recipes: a buckwheat focaccia to go with pesto and pine nut tagliatelle and some homemade lemon meringue ice cream alongside raw brownies. The focaccia left a lot to be desired, but the dessert was a hit! The wine flowed, we laughed and caught up, and everyone fussed over Bella. A wonderful way to spend a weekend evening.

What memories have you made this week?

There's little else I need to say on the matter really. Let's think positively and choose happiness!

Unusually, this week's lovely list features just two posts. That's not to say that all of the other posts I read were not enjoyable - far from it - but simply that these two stood out for me and really made me think about life and happiness.

Snowdrops-Creative-Countryside

Do you make a conscious effort to be happy every day? Do you wake up in the morning and focus on the positives of the hours that lie ahead? I have never looked for the silver linings in life; I am the one to dwell, fret and stress over every tiny thing that might lead to something negative, and, as silly as it sounds, it can be difficult to allow myself to be happy without worrying about something. This post on how to choose happiness has this week allowed me to consider that there might be a different way. It explores the idea that if you wake up every morning with a determination to be happy, truly happy, then you will be. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Sometimes we can get so stuck into a routine of dreading every Monday morning and every seemingly stressful situation that we convince ourselves it will be awful, when more often than not the result is far less terrifying. I'm guilty of following this toxic cycle in a number of aspects of my life, and reading this article made me question what on earth I have been doing it for. Surely if there's a chance to be happy we should clutch it and not force the feeling of dread upon ourselves? While the theory is all well and good, I know putting it into practice will not come easily. But I've already noticed a shift, a slight movement in the right direction. I'm really trying to choose happiness at every opportunity.

Snowdrops-2-Creative-Countryside

The second post on today's lovely list has reaffirmed my belief that dieting is just not the way forward. While eating healthily and seasonally are both important to me and my way of life, I don't believe that depriving yourself of the things you truly enjoy (the things that make you happy) is worth it. Life is too short, as this post on why we should ditch the diets and love our bodies instead makes clear. If I want to go out and eat a chocolate brownie, I will do. And I'm not about to feel guilty about it just because everyone else is surviving on water and celery all January long.

If I am going to wake every day and choose happiness, well then I'm going to have to choose some wonderful foods as well. Surely what's important is what's on the inside rather than the desperate desire for the 'perfect' body? There's no such thing, for a start.

Life is supposed to be joyful, it's supposed to be about laughter and smiles and doing what you love, so why wait? I hope these posts inspire you as they have done for me. Let's ditch the diets and choose happiness together!

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Sunset-Creative-Countryside

I was going to post something different today - a more thoughtful and indecisive piece on things I have been considering lately - but when I woke up this morning I felt like it didn't fit, and happily I remembered that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and so I was inspired. Although I do not celebrate the American holiday, nevertheless it provides a wonderful opportunity to consider everything I am thankful for, to take a step back from the chaos of today and realise that actually, life is full of positive people and moments to cling to and embrace. So here goes...

1. My family. I have a very close family and we stick together through everything; we celebrate birthdays, mourn losses and go on holiday together, and I am so incredibly fortunate to have this constant support network surrounding everything I do.
2. My friends. Some have drifted down south, some abroad, others are new friends from the past few years, but what they all have in common is that I know if ever I needed them they would be there. And that's a heart-warming thought.
3. My home and life in the countryside. This blog is evidence itself of the joys that living in a rural location bring, and the opportunities I am able to experience because of where we have chosen to set up our life together. The changing in seasons in the countryside is a joy to watch and be thankful for.
4. My job, and Mr CC's job. No matter how many lows we experience, no matter how many days we return and think - is this really worth it? - it is. At the end of each working week, we can both truly say that we have made a difference, and how wonderful is that?
5. This blog. Not only has it given me the chance to meet some lovely new people, it has also provided me with a creative outlet to share my thoughts and ideas, and to write on a regular basis.

So what do you have to be thankful for?

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