Finding pockets of happiness

Today we have a guest post from Naomi Ellis of the blog Seven Cherubs. Naomi is a fellow survivor of Post Natal Depression and I wanted to know about her journey to happiness as part of the week 8 challenge for simplify your life. The challenge this week included making a list of things that make you happy and then doing one thing every single day for at least the next 1-2 weeks (depends on when you blog about it). If you have thought about it, but not joined in yet or have been “playing along at home” you might want to link up a post next week as it will be in the running for a giveaway of Naomi’s e-book (details at the end of the post).

I have wanted to be a mother for as long as I could remember. From around the age of five, I constantly told anyone who would listen, that when I grew up I was going to have ten children. Well, I did not reach my goal of having ten children but I did end up having seven gorgeous cherubs. They fill my life with so much joy and I am at a stage where I adore being a stay at home mum. However, it was not always this way and I am thankful for the lessons I have learned to allow me to enjoy the place I am at now. Before you even think it – No, I am not having any more!

During this time of child bearing and child rearing I found myself on an amazing journey of happiness, depression and self discovery that has shaped me into who I am today. I was shocked after the birth of my second child to find myself in a battle for sanity and happiness as I discovered that I had post natal depression. It crippled me in so many ways. I lived each day in a fog and had to fight hard to break free of the negative thoughts that consumed me every day.

Depression can affect anyone regardless of their situation in life. The fog clouds your mind, it affects your thinking, it affects your outlook on life and especially your outlook on yourself.

It affects your mothering and it affects your relationships.

Since that time I have become more aware, more considerate and more kind to myself. I have learned from sad experience that I need to live my life in a way that is best for me. Comparing myself to other women and especially other mothers sets me off on a dangerous, emotional path of depression. I am at a place now where I can think clearer, where I can look to the future with happiness and can speak to myself in a positive way.

So often as women we try to do it all, be it all and have it all. We work so hard at getting everything just right in our lives that we push ourselves so hard that we end up falling in a heap. It was with this in mind that I decided to write an ebook to help other women focus more on being kinder to themselves. I called it Pockets of Happiness where I share some of my secrets I use to feel a little happier during my day.

I know that it can be hard to find time for yourself when you are super busy chasing after the kids, keeping up with housework and running a household. Planning time for you then becomes a challenge and that’s why I have pages for you to fill in and ideas to help get your started on finding your own happiness.

Often we think that to feel happier it has to be some huge life changing event. For me it was all about making small changes, finding small pockets of time to put myself first and by being organised.

Giveaway:

In Pockets of Happiness, Naomi helps you to find those small pockets of time and provides you with a list that you can borrow to start your own happiness journey. Naomi is generously giving away 5 copies of her ebook and I will select 5 posts entered in the linky next week for week 8 of simplify your life. Winners will be selected and notified via email within a week of the closing of the linky (closes March 4 and winners selected by March 11). As it is a digital product it is open to all who enter a “simplify your life” post in the linky – can be on any week’s topic, not just the happiness challenge.

What are some ways you find those small pockets of time to bring happiness into your day to day life?

Find your simple,

Deb

Tagged as: happiness

{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

Debbie @ Aspiring Mum February 22, 2012 at 7:50 am

I found comparison (to others) a huge trigger for me in PND as well. It is such a lonely path to travel. But it is encouraging to hear of other’s journeys and what has helped them through the dark days. Naomi’s blog is always inspiring. Thanks for sharing.x
Debbie @ Aspiring Mum recently posted..Five Daily Sanity Savers.

Debra Dane February 22, 2012 at 2:12 pm: I agree comparison is a big trigger for many of us!
Debra Dane recently posted..Grateful for my girls

julie steele February 22, 2012 at 11:48 am

I found looking through old photo’s of memories was a good way to cheer me up or go and look in the garden at what i had achieved.

Debra Dane February 22, 2012 at 2:13 pm: those are great (and easy) ways to perk up your day and connect with what you love
Debra Dane recently posted..How to organize a pantry – tips and a tour of my pantry

melani Lavington February 22, 2012 at 1:27 pm

I discovered to help me through the blue days…was just walking with baby in pram and playing uplifting music….I would sometimes fill a bath with lots of bubbles and pretend i was a little girl again and play dolls in the bath….i would go to the park and jump on the swing and swing high and imagine all the childlike fun memories ….i did this daily…as a mother of 9 girls and one son…i was plaqued with depression a couple of times during the younger years and put these practices into place for I now have an awareness of creeping little negativity that leads me down that blue path…thankyou for sharing I love to have the opportunity to have this book for me n my children thankyou