Reasons to be happy

I've been doing a lot of work on my mental health recently and one of the things I've been doing is concentrating on the things that make me happy, so I thought I would share some of them with you.

1. Becoming National Trust members.
James and I have got a joint membership and I can't wait to explore lots of places. I love being outdoors in spring, summer and autumn so I'm so excited. We went to Scotney Castle on Saturday, where the photo above was taken.



2. Spring!
Sunshine. Warmer days! The clocks going forward. Flowers! There's so much to be happy about just from this time of year.

Flowers at Scotney Castle

3. My birthday is coming up in a week. (7th April). If I get some birthday money I'll treat myself to something nice. It's a totally guilt-free spend when it's other people's money, haha! That leads me onto point 4.

4.  I've been trying really hard not to spend money recently and it's been working quite well. I've realised no amount of purchases cheer me up so there's no point in buying things I don't need. I've spent some uncomfortable time realising that my default position is quite sad, but it's better to face my feelings instead of buying things. I'm not saying I'm a changed woman, but I feel like I have a better grip on my urge to spend. It feels good not feeling constantly guilty and out of control.

5. My hair is getting long. I really want it down to my waist but it's taking forever! I need to get a trim soon to keep it in good condition but I'm pleased with how long it is now. You can see how long it is in this photo.

6. My littlest niece's birthday party is the day after my birthday so I look forward to seeing her then. I don't think her mum and dad realise how much I long to see her! I see my older niece far more often (which is lovely) but I miss my dinky niece a lot. She's going to be 4.

7. I went to see my gynae consultant and he was pleased to hear the meds I'm on for my menorrhagia (heavy periods) are working and I've got some semblance of a life back come shark week. I've got to see him again in a year for another scan, as they have to monitor the collection of fluid around my left ovary. (I've got a post coming up soon about what's going on with the fluid, the meds I'm on and the difference they've made).

I'll keep this short and sweet as my attention span is short, and I seem to err towards shorter posts these days. Let me know what's making you happy in the comments.

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo