I Am Happiest When [No.11]

Posted by Jill Chivers in Happy

Shopping was a way to invoke happiness

It’s never an easy thing to admit weakness or human frailty, but we all have them. And for me, for many years, shopping was a way to invoke a feeling of happiness. I had this momentary shot of something that felt positive when I shopped, and often afterward for a period of time.

But it never lasted. It was literally like a shot in the arm that lasted a few hours, or maybe days, then wore off.

Making it necessary to keep doing it to get that shot in the arm.

Shopping to invoke any form of emotion isn’t sustainable.

It is literally the “long way round”.

And the good news is there is a “short cut” to happiness, to positive feelings about yourself and your life. No shopping required.

I’m sharing these observations on happiness with you for two reasons. One is it keeps me accountable. I promised to write here every weekend, whether anyone reads this stuff or not.

And secondly, I sincerely hope that these musings will inspire you to have your own experiments with happiness, and to discover what makes you happier, more often.

I am happiest when (#11):

My husband brings me flowers

Okay so this seems a bit predictable but these are not store-bought flowers, but those he picked up on a bike ride to the beach – flowers supplied by nature. He bought me these frangipanis the other morning (I love that they’re in a bowl, not a vase) and put them on my bedside table. What a beautiful way to wake up, and the scent stayed in the room for days.