So something that makes me happy is to eat tomatoes with salt, lemon, soy sauce, valentina chili and Tajín, which reminds me of my childhood whenever I didn’t find a yummy snack I would do this one and watch a movie or play board games with my cousins.
Holding hands with my love. A fire in the fireplace while it snows outside. Watching the toads coming to life in vernal pools at the side of the road. Listening to Lauridsen’s Magnum Mysteries. Beachcombing. Thinking of all these things make me happy.
The sound of frogs as I walk close to the pond
A new set of watercolors and a white page
The smell of fresh rolls homemade – golden and hot coming out of the oven
The taste of sweet and sour limeade on a hot summer afternoon
The feel of my granddaughter snuggling up to read a story with me
A haiku about a happy thought:
Radio; tune in,
just as I fall to slumber.
A song, there tonight.
I love listening to my tiny FM radio in bed at night, sometimes catching the shipping forecast.
I could say I have many things that make me happy and feel very privileged to say so. One of the big things that make me happy is making my artwork. I am auditory tactile synesthesia and create synesthesic drawings in places of natural beauty, listening to immersive melodies. I would really like to listen to your tracks while I make my artwork and would be very interested to see the outcomes.
Something that makes me happy: curling up on the couch next to the window on a Sunday morning with a handmade blanket, a cup of coffee, and a good book or magazine.
One of the sounds I love is the sweet little churring that my cat does when he’s really excited, like when he sees a bird outside the window.
I also love the rich melodious sound (and feel) that my 10” Tibetan singing bowl makes when it is resting lightly on my palm and then gently struck with its wool felted drumstick. The vibrations go on and on.
Both of those sounds make me extremely happy.
For me, all things creative…and all things vintage make me super happy!
My daily walk along an old railway, with the sunshine sparkling through the Autumn branches, and the squirrels busily searching for food.
Something that makes me happy is birds singing high up in a tree as sunlight peaks through the branches.
My son and I have instigated a happy moment each day to report on. Today, his was stroking a dog. Mine was finding my friend had come over while I was at work and watered my plants. Just to be nice! Friends ate everything 💖
I went for a bike ride today along a narrow lane near my home in Fife and a startled buzzard flew alongside me for a few seconds at the same pace until it peeled off across the fields. I don’t know which of us was more surprised but I know who was more happy!
What makes me happy is seeing the first snowfall of the season while my cats cuddle with me!
As well as walking in crunchy woods in Autumn and trying to catch leaves as they fall, the other thing that makes me super happy is roller skating – indoors, outdoors whatever. I love the rhythmic sound of wheels rolling on a track or tarmac.
The long, blissful breathing out sound that my 4yo makes whilst sleeping makes me happy, or when he sings his made up songs in his made up language while playing.
Playing with my grandchildren ages 2, 3 and 4 always makes me happy, allows me to be childish again, swinging on the swing, sliding down the slides, swinging on ropes. Making silly noises while reading stories. Playing in muddy or clean puddles, kicking leaves. Cuddles on the settee. Love it ❤️
Whenever I’m feeling low all I need to do is look into my labrador’s eyes, who looks back with an air of enthusiastic expectation for us to head out for another adventure into the world outside.
I love the season of Autumn and walking in nature. I look at the colours of the trees and the way the seed heads are forming on the grasses sending fountains of glory into the air. I love searching for mushrooms and eating straight from nature. I love the bonfires and the fireworks and the hotdogs we eat with tomato ketchup and fried onions. I love the sharp crispness of the air and the freshness of the mornings. I love the dark evenings and not feeling guilty about reading or watching a good movie. Autumn makes me incredibly happy.
Something that makes me happy is: watching my daughter’s excitement when she learns how to do things for the first time. 🥰 She is 1 year old and just took her first steps.
Sitting on a covered porch, wrapped in a blanket, listening to and watching the rain. For me that’s a peaceful, protected and nurtured feeling. If it’s a storm, substitute exciting for peaceful.
I get great joy when I have helped someone overcome a technical problem with their computer, or their website, or their software.
So I have several groups where I offer support for others, simply for the selfish reason that it makes me happy to help people.
Some of the most simple pleasures are this just watching and listening to the birds that come to my backyard feeders. How beautiful can nature can be?
What makes me happy is sitting on the sofa at the end of the day sharing cuddles with my children and eating bowls of popcorn.
What also makes me happy is coming home to the smell of my husband’s gorgeous banana bread!
I’m always happy to connect with friends. Yesterday, I was delighted to join a dear friend who is a docent at the Baltimore Museum of Art to view the current Matisse exhibit and stroll the gallery to appreciate familiar items and many more items entirely new to me. The art is beautiful, the narrative is educational, and the totality of the experience is life affirming!
As a German, I love the European idea and the EU. So I was very sad when the UK voted for Brexit. But what makes me happy every time is when I fly to London and can see both the French and British coasts at a glance from the window. We may be apart right now, but we will be close to each other forever.
On my last birthday my grandson picked up the violin that I had gotten for him earlier and on the very first try he made pleasant sounds!!
Something that makes me very happy is feeling able to help someone I love. Sometimes there is nothing that can be done but listening, spending time with them, or being there in their pain. Connections with people are so important and when they happen, I feel happy.
One of my favorite sounds is that of baby and toddler laughs! Infectious, so pure and joyous, they come from deep inside those tiny bodies – I could listen to baby laughs forever!
I went for a moonlit walk last night under the full moon. I went with two friends and we went to our favourite woods where we regularly walk in daylight hours. It felt like a real adventure. The moon was so bright that we didn’t even need a torch. We walked for an hour and a half, and the sound of the night birds (owls in particular) was the most joyful thing that I have heard for a long time. 💙💚
What makes me happy is to come up with nicknames for my friends and family. My latest one is calling my husband cucinella. It might be weird to others but it puts a smile on my face.
My aunt lives in a care home as she is unable to look after herself. On Wednesday the carers put on every sort of music and danced with the residents or the residents danced on their own. There was so much laughter and everyone had fun. They danced as though everyone was looking and they didn’t care. That night most of the residents had a good night. They either slept through or got rest. The carers felt better too and the residents talked about it the next day.
The sound of children laughing and being carefree, a traditional Irish music tune (I play the fiddle), birdsong, being in the company of my older children, the mountains, exercise, walking oh jeez sorry I can’t stop Lol
I love the sound of the wood burning stove as it clicks, slowly heating up. The sight of the orange flames is really calming and makes me feel very happy.
Something that makes me happy is the sounds of the wind chimes outside my window as the wind gently blows.
Being out in nature in the early morning, when the mist sits low on the ground, the air is cool and still and the sounds I can hear are the animals – this makes me breathe deeply and feel so happy and feel so grateful for my life.
I had a beautiful experience this morning. Drinking my coffee I glanced out the window and a large bald eagle flew by. He was high enough that the sun caught him. Happy start to my day!
Sitting in a sunbeam and breathing while my dog snores.
My husband and I recently moved from Ontario to Vancouver Island. It is a big change but we are happy in our new surroundings and starting to meet people, which can be a bit hard to do during the pandemic. My story is simple. I love to watch birds and there are new species here, one in particular is called the Anna’s hummingbird. This tiny bird is territorial and sits on the very top of a bush at the back of our garden and looks left and right protecting his space. It looks like he’s watching a tennis match! It has been very rainy here, but when the sun comes out his little head is bright pink and he is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. We put out a feeder with hummingbird nectar and many of them come. Their flying ability is second to none. Twice we’ve seen him have a bath in our little fountain and he does it surprisingly leisurely. Seeing the Anna’s hummingbird has brought me great joy and I wanted to share. I am trying to get a good photo but he moves so fast!
I am very happy walking in the woods at dusk or just after dark. I love the stillness. Also when I settle to meditate every morning my whole body kind of goes ‘ahhhhh’ and I feel very happy. Just being alive!
My family makes me so happy. I’m currently isolating with covid and the way they have been taking care of me makes me feel very loved.
Cutting the grass makes me happy. The smell and the satisfaction of the straight lines is joy provoking 😊
There’s nothing more likely to make me feel happy than walking along the south west coast path with my beautiful black Labrador, Jenson, at my side. Views of the coast, and sounds of the sea. Perfect.
Happiness is making my friends laugh when I tell them the story about the time my husband and I were pulled over for an roadside alcohol check and the police officer said “Anything to drink?” and my husband replied, “No thank you!”
Watching a great movie at the theater with a big bag of buttered popcorn!
Thinking about the love I feel for my 2 sons makes me feel happy.
What makes me happy is the sound for the birds at dawn. I love going for a walk at that time, alone, and just listening.
Abba also makes me very happy. 😊
I love the sound of water and can stand for ages watching the waves or today I stood and watched a lake … calms my mind massively and helps me become more positive.
When my springer spaniels greet me in the morning with wagging tails a the gift of a sock in their mouth for me 🥰
…standing on the top of a hill on a very windy day and battling to stay upright.
Something that makes me happy is spending time with and getting down to my two and a half year old granddaughter’s level and seeing things through her eyes. The innocence, wonder and enjoyment of it all is shared in those moments and reminds me to look at things differently.
Kittens, plants, fresh fruit, and the sound of cars driving slowly over gravel!!! I know, weird, but i love it. It relaxes me and reminds me of camping.
Today I’m happy because, thanks to the wonderful care and attention of my local GP and NHS hospital, I’ve been thoroughly tested and found out I don’t have breast cancer 😊
During this season of Thanksgiving, I am so happy to have my family all home again to spend time together… two boys in college 3000 miles apart and a daughter in high school… my husband and I can hardly contain our joy!
Here’s one thing that makes me happy: playing pickleball with my doubles partner and us hitting a sequence of shots where we set up the other person, gradually getting advantage of the point and then one of us finishes it.
I think it’s driven by the feeling of teamwork and doing something with someone that’s greater than what I could do on my own.
My cat loves sunshine and napping and will migrate throughout the day to different patches of sunlight coming from the windows – finding her in different sunny spots makes me happy!
When my son and daughter were younger, I noticed my daughter would often unexpectedly do cartwheels; walking in a shopping mall, in an airport, in the park she just felt like doing a cartwheel. She tried to teach her brother but he never quite got the knack.
Over the years I notice this little cart-wheeling quirk continues to unexpectedly appear, mainly with girls who are about the same age as my daughter was. Out of nowhere, as I am going about my business, my attention is caught as I see the same simple, unself-conscious exuberance of a cartwheel in the public space.
It always makes me smile and cheers me.
We are very excited and very happy to finally be able to get into Australia to see one of our daughters and family and meet and hug our new grandson (who is now 14 months old!) . We also hope to get into NZ to see our other daughter and family. We leave on Tuesday !! 😃👏
I can so relate to a sound making me instantly feel happy and relaxed. For me that sound is my beloved Tyson.
Myself and my husband are the guardians of a majestic tabby called, Tyson. Tyson tends to “budget” his purrs but when Tyson does purr he sounds like a Harley Davidson. I know he is very, very happy and content when he purrs and that makes us both happy.
Getting away for 2 nights discovering new vistas in the UK In our nee camper van ‘Frida’. After a busy week at the computer this make me very happy 😆
The vibrant red, yellow and orange leaves of fall give me great pleasure.
One of the things that makes me happy is to sew things that my young granddaughter might like to wear, or things for my home, all in lovely fabrics that I enjoy finding and choosing, often repurposing fabrics I already have. I enjoy designing the items I am sewing, making them and seeing the finished product either being worn or looking good in its new surroundings. I have kitted out for my hobby a lovely little studio in a spare bedroom and just going in there and looking at all my nice hobby equipment can change how I feel.
My loved ones
Bahama blue sea
Lying on the wall Asos harbour
Seeing the Chilkats for the first time
Christmas fireworks in Disney
Starry clear night sky
Niagara Falls at night
Being Ok
When a stranger smiles at me for no reason and I smile back.
Spotting a rainbow!
Growing and nurturing edible plants that then produce food for me and nurture me in return makes me happy!
My kiddos hilarious dance breaks throughout the day make me laugh and laugh!
The simple joy of watching my cat play with a ball of yarn brings so much joy as well.
Conversing with my baby granddaughter today in raspberries, her language and squeals of delight!
I’m happy today because I’ve just moved to live by the sea, and my 93 year old mum has moved with me so I can look after her and spend time with her 🙂
Feeling the warmth of my dog Molly’s head as she lays it on my lap each morning while I read and drink my coffee, makes me very happy.
My happy sound has to be hearing my youngest belly laughing. Also being on the beach at Studland in Dorset and hearing the sounds – sea, birds, trees. So many happy places – my home with my family, the beach, in the woods, camping with friends at our secret rustic campsite.
My happy sound has to be hearing my youngest belly laughing. Also being on the beach at Studland in Dorset and hearing the sounds – sea, birds, trees. So many happy places – my home with my family, the beach, in the woods, camping with friends at our secret rustic campsite.
What makes me happy is to walk by the lake at dusk in the winter and see the black outline of the trees against the pink sky of the setting sun.
What makes me happy is the sweet innocence of my 5 year old granddaughter – her love, her cuddles and that the most important people in the world are her family.
Also a place we visit in Suffolk, looking down on a boatyard, sitting by the canal watching the water gently lapping, the boats gently moving, the peace of it all.
And the love that surrounds me, from my wonderful husband of nearly 50 years, from my sister and brother in-law who have huge hearts, from my son, his lovely wife and their children, and from community and friends.
These are the things that make me happy…
My happy message is that I’ve tried nearly two months solid of meditating daily and its finally working! I have always been SUPER cynical about it and only tried and failed in the past. It’s like a balm for the brain. I am much calmer and happier!
Just wanted to let you know about my recent happiness experience.
My great granddaughter has a condition that can affect speech. She was a Lockdown Baby born in March 2020. She was early and in intensive care when a new born. She recently was asked a question (she understands EVERYTHING that is said to her but does not answer in words) and while shaking her head, said the tiny wee word, “No!”
I am ecstatic about it and wanted you to know.
Hopefully more words will follow.
I’ve just lit my first fire of the year and I’m sitting red cheeked in front of it and my shoulders are being to relax.
Something I have been doing with my children since lockdown, in an attempt to ensure they focus on happy thoughts rather than the influx of negativity from social media. Every Friday we have to write down something which has made us happy that week. It can be something small like another car driver letting you out at a junction or something big, like an unexpected gift arriving.
A constant on the list is the sound of the owls at night outside our bedroom windows. It is a sound of comfort, letting us know they are out there carrying on doing what they do.
I got great scan results from a suspect growth on my adrenal gland.
Doesn’t sound much like a happy story but believe me it has brought me much happiness! 😃
Calmness and tranquility that comes from running in natures with no music, just my thoughts and breath.
What makes me happy the most is my home and everything and everyone in it.
May I firstly introduce my cat Poppy, who singlehandedly (singlepawedly 🙂 ) creates so much positive energy, sounds, laughter and funny silliness.
Second happiness is my house plants! I have so many, they need looking after, watering, re-potting, but they repay with lush greenery, flowers and pure joy of living.
Third happiness is cooking and delicious and good food I create for all of us. I love being in the kitchen and creating something delicious but at the same time good for our body and not damaging for our planet. I truly enjoy cooking with seasons, going to the market and getting what is in abundance now and just experimenting with it.
It makes me so happy to watch the various birds, squirrels and bunnies in our back yard. The previous owners who built the house and planned the landscaping were bird enthusiasts and planted all kinds of bushes that keep the birds interested in our yard. It is very relaxing and entertaining to watch them.
Minty chocolate, dancing with friends to loud rhythmic music, stretching and laying against my own body so that my chest lays on my thighs, seeing old friends, body surfing in warm water all the way to the sand, sunshine through my eyelids and eating blueberries off the bush in the sunshine.
My happy sound is arriving ar the farm first in the morning and hearing the 2 donkeys (Mr Darcy and Dillon) braying loudly for breakfast followed by a chorus of horses asking for the same! I’m the most popular person in the world in that moment!
I got a rescue cat during lockdown. He is a handsome black cat with a white tuft on his throat. My son named him after his old Scout leader, Thompson, as they both love the outdoors and food. Thompson’s deep purr on seeing me is my happy sound.
Music is something that makes me happy – or sad, or anywhere in between – it really is magic. Playing with our little kitten is another thing, that’s wonderful. And toasted cheese sandwiches like the one I had for lunch! And a nice cold beer on a hot day. Loads of things really!
Something that makes me happy is the sound of my five-year-old son’s spontaneous giggles and delightful shrieks when he and a friend (new or old) engage in a game of chase. The ease and purity of his joy is palpable in those moments, and I can’t help but smile. I also silently make a wish that he will always have something in his life that brings him such effortless pleasure.
Playing the ukulele, which is such a happy instrument, with my ukulele band always makes me happy AND hearing the clip clop of wild ponies passing my house – the sound makes me run to the window every time!
I have a bird bath from my late aunt’s garden. The sight of different birds coming together to have a little drink or go full on, in for a bath, never fails to bring a smile to my face and gives me so much happiness.
Playing lego with my daughter makes me happy. She gives me the easy bits and I let her do the difficult bits. Some of the happiest memories of my life were spent doing lego together, just plain simple fun!
What makes me happy is putting on the Stone Roses album with my husband. We sing along without knowing most of the words, and the kids cringe and run away! That doesn’t matter, because it’s a blast from the past which reminds me of carefree days and made both of us smile uncontrollably!
Looking into the sweet black button eyes of my little terrier companion.
Trying something new, from a new flavour of crisps to visiting a country I’ve never been to before.
I was insanely happy this week when I made phone calls that were answered by live people that knew their job and did it efficiently! I was able to renew prescriptions, make a medical appointment, have medical documents sent from one office to another, and have a cheque from an investment company sent to me, all without hassle!!! Happy, happy, happy!
Yesterday, I completed my Doctor of Education degree after 3 years, through the pandemic, and while juggling a job in healthcare. I am so happy and relieved to have closed this chapter and be moving on to the next!
My happiest place is when I am floating free, in clear tropical waters, an unobtrusive observer of kaleidoscope fish living busily.
What makes me happy is reading to my son Jasper. Hearing him laugh and engage in the story is the best feeling. Also hearing my cat purring always makes me happy.
Snuggling up by a fire with my whole family, during a snowfall, with no where to go that evening or the next day, watching a Christmas Special!
Hearing my children laugh
Knowing my parents are healthy
Chatting to my best friend who lives in a different part of the world
Hugging my husband
My happy place is walking on the beach and watching my dogs swimming in the sea, watching them experiencing such pure joy is joyous to watch and never fails to make me smile. Birdsong is one of my favourite sounds in nature along with bees surfing the flowers, and at home … the sound of wine being poured!
I’m soooooo happy to have found a new job in my local town after being made redundant last year. The work is fun and my colleagues are lovely.
The sound of swifts screeching through the streets of a hill-top town never fails to lift my spirit.
I am an Early Years teacher and seeing the children I work with grow makes me happy.
I was out jogging a few weeks ago. I ran along the edge of a field of buddlejas. Suddenly around 20 butterflys flew around my head for several seconds. I stopped to enjoy the moment. It felt as though I was in a dream. It was a beautiful.
I’m a children’s doctor in the NHS and every day my patients make me chuckle despite everything they are going through. The other day, I saw a three year old who needed a scan to check if his cancer had returned. He was really scared but I found out he liked space so we imagined he was an astronaut going up to space to meet some aliens. He immediately felt excited about the scan, let me put in a cannula and stayed perfectly still for the scan. Thankfully his cancer has not returned, I got to pretend to be an alien and he had a really fun time! It was a nice reminder that we can use our imagination to make even the most difficult situations a bit more cheerful.
Spending hours on end talking to friends.
Happiness was spending time with an old school friend after two years of being apart and the laughter that ensued.
What makes me happy is watching my grandchild, Harper, becoming her own little person. It lights me up to see her testing her mom, and figuring out what she can get away with. The independence brings me joy.
The wonderful song of the male cardinal early in the morning.
Walking through my neighborhood on a sunny, breezy November day admiring the Fall leaves in golds, oranges, and reds! And watching the leaves as they fluttered around on the breeze. It was definitely a happy place to be!
Happy is how I feel out on the river dragon boating with up to 20 other people! The energy from the river and the synchronicity and energy from other rowers is definitely one of my happy places!
Things that make me happy as of late: snuggles with my kitty and his welcoming meow in the morning; a hug from my sweetie; viewing the beautiful full moon last night; holding my dear friend’s two year old as she falls back to sleep. One more thing, Mom celebrated her 80th birthday the end of October. In lieu of a surprise party, we invited loved ones to send a birthday card via Canada Post. It was a huge success, Mom was over joyed and truly appreciated the out pouring of love. That warmed my heart and made me so very happy.
The scream from the first Swift I hear in Spring makes me happy.
P.S. I started on the Uillean Pipes during Lockdown…it squaks like a goose but makes me happy too. Keep up the good work.
Sitting in my conservatory before anyone else in the house is awake. Curled up with a cup of tea and the pets! Also cuddles from my – now adult – children!
That I survived breast cancer and I get to see my beautiful 5 & 8 yr olds grow up.
Watching the full moon set over the Continental Divide this morning made me happy. Snuggling into bed last night with my beloved made me so happy.
Oystercatchers calling as they fly along the Dee Estuary in the middle of the night and Curlews calling in the early morning mists on the moors.
I wish everybody could experience the joy of little dogs tearing around the house with toys in their mouths. Little Forbi (a miniature schnauzer) doesn’t bark but howls “Woo-woo!” when he’s happy – such an infectious sound, we all end up doing it – he’s just irresistible!
Catching sight of an otter fishing
Watching the dog wriggle about in the snow
The wiggly bottom of a springador welcoming me home
Waking up a little before my alarm clock and snuggling under the warm duvet
That first cup of tea in the morning
Singing in a chamber choir when suddenly everyone is in the same place in the same breath relishing the sound of a beautiful chord
A hug from friends or family
Sitting in our backyard with my son finding birds and listening to them talk, we wonder what they are saying and particularly love the blackbirds song!!
A cup of biscuit brew with almond milk made by my mum.
From a young age, I’ve always loved the sun beaming into my room on a bright morning it gives me much needed energy when I wake up. Maybe I’m solar powered!!
I find that really simple things can make me extremely happy at unexpected times. I especially love seeing dappled sunlight through my eyelids when I sit under a beautiful tree or when sitting in the passenger seat of a car. I also love waking up to my cat Clementine climbing on my chest in the early morning before the alarm goes off. Her purring is a much more gentle start to my day.
Many parts of nature make me very happy, along with people, places & experiences. I struggle with what definitively makes me happy, to tie it down to what truly makes me happy.
I quizzed myself whether it was sparrows buzzing in & out of the holly filled hedgerows as they chatter to one another & busy themselves with daily life. Or the complex song of the blackbird resting on the fence as it seems to mark the changing of the seasons. Or perhaps when the owls speak to each other early in the morning before the sun comes up & it’s very very quiet – twit – twoo. Or maybe watching from my kitchen window as the huge flock of crows that nest in the extremely tall trees at the perimeter of our village seem to perform a roosting routine of flying in a type of murmuration from one tree to another before settling at dusk. Or could it simply be walking in the woods & looking up through the trees at the canopy with the sky above. Or a clear dark starry sky, cherry blossom, the chilly fresh atmosphere around a babbling stream or the changing tides of the British coast. Eating mushrooms, dancing, singing, making something, doing laundry, cooking all make me happy. Some of these are deep rooted to a time as a child when I had the freedom to explore the world & became aware of my environment.
Visiting Seville & sitting in the walled gardens to escape the scorching sunshine made me very happy, as did wandering amidst the tile covered houses in the streets of Lisbon.
But really I think the thing that makes me blissfully happy on a daily basis is getting up at 4:45am to spend an hour with my husband drinking coffee & chatting before we head our separate ways off to work!
Seeing the sunshine on Copper Beech leaves.
My 16 year old cat! She has a sixth sense when I am not feeling great and will sit on my lap and purr (or snore!) and I find both so incredibly calming!
Hearing my 7 year old giggle and light up when he’s watching a film 🙂
I love the sound of a burn in a flood or the sea splashing against rocks. The birds in the early morning in spring. The sound that a Tilly lamp makes when your camping and when you pump it to make more light.
Sitting in the garden on a warm sunny day amongst the sunflowers & wandering birds, with a nice cold pale ale in my hand, whilst the old Panasonic stereo system located in the shed is dialed into one of the many great radio stations & is blasting some of the finest Dub Reggae, Lovers Rock or Rare Grooves.
Here are some of my happy sounds –
My cats purring and the funny sighs they do when in a deep sleep.
The half hum, half singing that my youngest daughter does when she’s happily doing something around the house.
The sound of a cork popping out of a bottle of wine on a Friday night after a long week – or of tonic water fizzing as it’s poured into a glass.
My first instinct when I turned my thoughts to what makes me happy was probably similar to most people. I thought of waking up to birdsong, frogs calling in the evening, the sound of water running over rocks. But the thing that actually makes me happy is watching/hearing a group of people connecting with each other and caring for each other. I particularly love seeing groups of older people at cafes. How lucky they are!
It makes me happy to open my south-facing kitchen windows wide when it’s cold and windy outside. Standing at the counter, my hair blowing wild, it feels like I’m camping but I’m not! It’s my sweet little home I’m nestled in … smiling.
Being on my second kitten in less than 3 years, I’ve fallen in love with how loud the sound is of a kitten galloping across the floor. My grandfather told us that cats have an unusual rhythm to their gallop and a herd of cats going over a bridge can cause it to collapse. I have no idea whether it’s true or not but I love the sound of a kitten galloping! 🐈
A happy thing for me is being with my gorgeous family but also in contrast I am also very happy on my own!
It is spring here so I am sitting watching horses play and listening to the birds.
My happy message is that I’ve just picked my daughter up from a party at midnight and sang Bowie songs with her at full volume all the way back home even though she hardly knows the words and I have a terrible voice. She has a beautiful voice. And she’ll hardly remember it in the morning as she’s had a few drinks but it was great nonetheless 😊👍
Riding really fast on a motorcycle (someone else driving as I don’t know how) or on a jet ski. Wind in my face. Beautiful scenery. No stress in the world. I feel amazing.
Taking a very early morning walk in a cold day – perfect way to wake up.
I am a visiting nurse who has been completing my nurse lung education by phone with my clients and their caregivers for over a year now since COVID. I wasn’t able to meet my new client face to face due to COVID we visited many times by phone. Finally there was a break in COVID after the vaccines were available. I was vaccinated as well as my client. We scheduled a brief home visit wearing our N95 masks, just to check on her physically after nearly a year of phone visits. I felt compelled to bring her flowers. Not something I do regular with my clients but I just felt strongly about bringing her a beautiful bouquet of happy flowers. I picked some up on my way to her home, I found the brightest bouquet in the bunch and met her at her home. I handed her the flowers when she smiled and handed me a bright pink gift bag. She was waiting for the opportunity to share a gift with me and so just couldn’t wait to hand her flowers that screamed her name. She is pure joy. We looked at each other and laughed, smiling under our masks. It was a such a memorable moment of meaning and purpose.
The sound of my dog breathing when sound asleep, the sound of the birds chatting away, the sound of the clink of ice in a gin and tonic and big hugs with lovely people. Oh and dancing!
When my children give me a cuddle or a kiss for no apparent reason 😊
I want to let you know the sound that makes me happy: it’s the snoring of my eight year old son when I walk by his door when I go to sleep. It’s funny and yet so relaxed. It makes me smile at night!
My happy moment to share with you is that today I learnt that the town I live in is going to set up a kindness cafe. Visitors will have 3 options when paying the bill: pay nothing, pay whatever you choose to give or pay it forward for a future visitor to benefit from.
I really hope our little town embraces this fantastic concept and I can’t wait to go and visit it! It’s made me feel very happy that there remains so much kindness in our world.
If one of us is a bit sad, we will often bundle, which is basically me, my husband and son all piled on top of each other! This usually ends up with us all laughing.
It’s Saturday morning not long after 7am and I’m savouring one of my favourite moments of the week. It’s still dark outside and here I am inside cozy, safe and warm under the duvet. I have my favourite tea, hot and steamy, in my favourite mug, and I just had that wonderful moment of the first sip of the day. I can hear the birds outside getting up, getting busy, singing that another day is dawning and oh the joy and awe. Apart from their pretty song it is so silent as if the world is still sound asleep lost in a dream of another time, another day, another memory. And I feel so happy to be here right now in this moment, like I’m inside a giant squishy warm marshmallow. Bliss.
Watching the changing skies over my stretch of the Northumberland coast, the ever changing light and cloud formations. It’s like moving art. Delightful!
Working in the garden to prepare a new flower bed, digging out the numerous weeds, thinning and pruning unruly plants that have been neglected, reshaping the area and planning where I will plant the 100s of bulbs I have bought… and all the time accompanied by an inquisitive young robin that follows me around, taking advantage of the freshly turned soil to fill up on worms and grubs.
Our rescue dog, Reggie, makes us so happy. My husband wasn’t keen on the idea when we fostered him going into lockdown, but is now a convert. I recently gave him a card with the lines: ‘No love is as great as that between a grumpy dad and the dog he never wanted’. So true!
The sound of pebbles being sucked back into the sea by the waves.
I like getting out for a sea swim especially when I can time it when the tide is in haha. My happy time is not only when I’m in the water diving under the water and sharing that time with my wife its also getting dried off and warm again and spending the rest of the day in a happy place 😀
I like sunshine, either a blue sky on a frosty morning when I’m wrapped up warm… or even better in summer when the sun is shining, it’s between 21C & 25C, and there’s a gentle breeze…
I like sailing along on a good day with a strong breeze, or walking with a friend through the woods while chatting away, or running (slowly!) with God on my shoulder cheering me on, or curling up with a good book an a cold rainy day, or kicking up swirls of bright coloured leaves in Autumn, or walking in the rain when I’m wrapped up warm…
I like travelling, seeing new places and revisiting old favourites, enjoying the diversity of our wonderful world; or improving my Hebrew, Italian, or French so that I can actually be understood (thank you Duolingo) when I travel…
I like eating delicious food, any type of food that can be shared, and a nice glass (or two) of wine…
But most of all I like spending good times with my family, and with my friends… something that I once took for granted, but that I now value more than gold. To be in the same space as a loved one who is happy, animated, laughing… is for me, pure bliss.
I want to tell you about the happy sounds my cats make. They make me happy, and they were a source of laughter during the pandemic.
One thing that makes me happy is having a Finnish sauna then swimming in the lake looking at the stars and moon…
😊or writing a song as im a songwriter😊
Hiking on the Drakensberg mountains in South Africa and experiencing the peace, tranquility and fresh air
I love the moors, I live near the Peak District and run and cycle often early in the morning. Being outside at dawn, in the middle of nowhere is so awe inspiring. It feeds my soul.
What makes me happy is the contemplative joy of spending an hour working the soil and listening to the birds sing at my allotment – an oasis in a very urban London suburb.
The sound of my cat licking her coat.
So, what makes me happy? Being in nature, appreciating all the details, walking the dog, catching up with a brilliant podcast…
Pretty simple! No aeroplanes or foreign travel required!
Happy is waking up to the kids bouncing on the bed first thing in the morning.
Watching leaves twirl and fall in their final leap from the trees. Crunching leaves underfoot as they release their damp earthy smell. The spiders cast webs like little decorations. Mushrooms sprout like flowers. Autumn is a treasure trove of happiness if you go out there and look!
The sound of my body telling me that I am free from cancer 😊🙏
Some little sounds are like keys to memories in my life to times and places otherwise long forgotten. Like the sound of wood pigeons which instantly makes me feel 13 again, sitting in my garden in the summer holiday, reading Enid Blyton (a bit old for that, I know!), feeling so safe and happy. Only sound can do that.
Being a mum to an 8yr old disabled daughter, it has really made me look at and appreciate things differently. She has made me love and care for, in a greater way.
For me sheer happiness is communication from her… held eye contact with a smile back, an intended hug, the sound of her clapping hands, rolling in the duvet with me whilst giggling from excitement. When I hear positive things from her teachers or support team, I still struggle to hold back happy tears 8yrs on.
Also, it makes me happy ticking things off my to do list and sitting in my living room after a big clean with a glass of my favourite wine, the sound of it pouring into the glass 😊
A sound that makes me really happy is that of swans flying. I love the sound of their wings flapping and the noise they make with their voices. If ever I see swans flying, I feel incredibly humbled and close to nature. For me, it’s a sign to remind me how wonderful and precious the world is and how lucky we are to be a part of it.
Covid has taught me how simple things can make us happy. For me it’s getting up in the morning and coming downstairs to be greeted by the wagging tails and dog smiles of my two spaniels. Or hearing the voices of my adult children when they phone me for a chat. Or sitting down at night with a nice home cooked dinner with my husband.
Thinking about my dear Dad “Eddie” makes me happy, who I lost a few years ago, and his zest for life. He was a character, a Scot with a great sense of humour. I still smile and laugh, almost daily, at his jokes… “would I like a Glasgow salad for my lunch” … aka a bowl of chips 🙂 He was my hero ☺️
Seeing my children thrive makes me happy.
What makes me happy is watching and listening to my favourite bands LOUD! Preferably live, but DVDs are nearly as good 😊
My daily dog walks with our whopper, Monty, in the local Park and on Wimbledon Common make me happy. At this time of year in London the leaves seem to glow even under a grey sky.
Whippet! Not Whopper, autocorrect also makes me smile.
I live in Saskatchewan Canada. In the winter, when it’s very cold, it makes me happy to light the fireplace in the morning, turn on the Christmas lights (as it dark until later in the morning) have a hot cup of coffee with my raw farm cream and look outside at the sparkling snow while all the while being grateful for a warm home and the quiet of the morning.
Spending a quiet early Saturday morning enjoying a cup of coffee and watching my “boys” – rescue dogs, Sam and Jimmy, sleep.
Waking up just before the dawn in winter to see the sun rise and hear the birds singing before they go about their day. It always reminds me that spring is just a few turns around the sun away. This makes me happy.
Something that makes me happy is seeing the little sparrows that come to my balcony for food and water. 🙂
I love the sound of the turtles plopping into the lake when my dog and I come upon them on our trail walks around Silver Lake.
I get a lot of happiness from painting.
Just finished a memory-painting for my fathers 70th birthday. He got Alzheimers at the age of 65, so I try to make him remember his sailboat and the trip to Guadelope.
I can see happiness in his eyes when this memories come back to him ❤️.
Cuddling my 9 month old baby granddaughter and seeing a big smile on the face of my three year old grandson when I go see him. After a dark time when I lost my fit and healthy husband suddenly this year I really need my grandchildren in my life just now.
Receiving anything handmade by a small child! It is always given generously and with love. And it makes me feel happy and loved.
My 4 year old twin grandchildren singing Happy Birthday – saved on my answerphone.
I just bought some dried orange and lemon slices, and cinnamon sticks and every time I come home, it smells like Christmas. That makes me happy!
It finally rained this weekend in Israel.
No small matter on the edge of the desert.
Sounds of happiness for me:
My little nephew and niece giggling
Pigeons cooing
A lawnmower
The thwack of a tennis ball
A cat purring
The silence of a sleeping house
What makes me happy? So many things really but I’ll list a few here:
1) a walk in nature (ocean, alpine or forest) and listening by to nature sounds
2) baking. The incomparable smell of freshly baked bread
3) sharing my baking
4) exercising
5) singing
6) Going out for brunch – not sure why but I especially love the sound of morning conversation (animated from the early birds, sleepy/subdued from the late night owls) against clatter and clink of breakfast dishes and cutlery.
The term “Granny Nanny” is how my primary school age grandsons refer to me on the one afternoon a week I spend with them after school.
The term and what it entails makes me so happy that my colleagues have accepted that my once weekly “granny nanny” duties take precedence over any professional work, no matter how high the fees. And need I add that everyone roars with laughter the first time they hear the term.
A saturday Siesta makes me very happy!!
Rustling of the autumn leaves as I walk my dog through Shawford Downs in Hampshire.
Going to my local woods and listening to the stream as it trickles along, watching leaves fall from the trees on these autumn days, feeling the warm sun on my face and learning to surf.
A walk with the dog with friends beside the sea.
I love when my kids are watching a funny video with their headphones on, they laugh really loud or giggle, that makes me giggle and eventually I also start laughing.
One of the best things that make me happy is putting on 80s disco music and singing and dancing along. No matter how I feel this always changes my mood to happy every time.
My grandmother who lived to 103 years old would always say “a laugh is better than Dr’s medicine!” (in Welsh “Mae laff yn well na ffisig Doctor!)
I’ve always lived by that rule! Not a day goes by when I don’t think above her, and I myself pass on that attitude to my own 3 children, as well as the 7-9 year olds in my care as a school teacher!
I’m currently recovering from a bad reaction to Covid, and even though I’ve been very poorly, as well as my health and fitness, my positive outlook on life has seen me through!
What makes me happy is to watch a bird, as it settles in the grass to look for worms, and eventually take flight. I love being able to track a bird’s movements until I can no longer track. I love watching sunlight dance on water. The brightness is magnified multi-fold by a very simple and daily occurrence.
My happy time is cuddling my wee boys at bedtime. I say ‘wee’, they’re 10 and 13. Still wee enough that I know one day they’ll be big, and bristly and occupied with other. But at bedtime they still want cuddles from me, for me to stroke their soft feet, to say prayers together, and sometimes, if I’m lucky, they’ll share moments from their day. It can be tempting to rush it all, to think about tidying the kitchen or about going to watch TV. But thankfully there is a little prompting voice in my head, telling me to treasure and store up these moments. And that is what makes me happy.
The sounds that make me the most happy are children laughing, leaves rustling in the wind, and waves from the ocean crashing on the shore.
Here is what makes me happy: morning snuggles with my son, birds and squirrels eating from the bird feeder outside my office window, listening to records.
The love and hugs from my 2 Norwegian grandchildren (not seen them for 2 years) when they run up my drive from the airport taxi 😘
It always makes me happy to see people walking their dogs and dogs walking their people.
I’ve been ill and trying to regain my health and mobility for a long time and in spite of that…
…What makes me happy is simply being alive, being here and experiencing life. The joy and love found in relationships of all kinds. The beauty and peace of nature. The kindness and caring expressed by many humans and animals alike. The sight and sound of the sea crashing on the shore. The smell and sight of a beautiful flower, growing plants to eat and the existence of the simple phone and connection with others. The sound of melodies or playing an instrument or singing. Hearing and feeling your cat purr or meow, or stroking her fur and seeing her joy light her, and you, up as she runs to greet you, or seeing someone smile or a couple walking along holding hands. Despite appearances at times, this is a wonderful world and I feel blessed to be on it and in it 🙂
Being in nature brings a sense of calm and happiness to me. Although I live in Shanghai, I can without a doubt, find a burst of life even in the smallest of cracks.
I’m walking along and an unknown cat runs up to me and, purring loudly, rubs itself around my legs.
My granddaughter having a sleepover with Nano.
Something that makes me happy is sight, sound, smell & feel of fresh, clean bed sheets. My happiness is directly linked to good sleep.
I recently turned 40 and decided that i only want to do work that is fun for the rest of my life. I therefore applied to work at The Faerie Shop in Hobart, Tasmania. If I get the job, I’ll get paid to dress up as a Faerie and tell stories and do arts and crafts with kids. As part of the interview process, I had to create my own faerie character. Writing this transported me back to the enchantment and magic of faery tales so I wanted to share with you as my happy message.
WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY… so many things from the simple shape of clouds and colors of the sky to helping others realize their potential and inspiring people to move forward and grow and learn. Of course, open mouthed kisses from babies and personal notes from my kids are also highlights.
So what makes me happy? Riding my bike with my mates, the banter that goes hand in hand with this, being outside and climbing mountains with them, that sense of achievement, connection, and of course – the coffee at the end to reflect.
Big things like hiking in nature makes me deeply happy. The fresh air, scenery and being unconnected to technology but connected to earth. Hiked the Otter Trail in South Africa a few years back. Highly recommended for a good dose of happiness.
Small things like good coffee, my cat on my lap or a hug from a loved one.
What makes me happy? Snuggles from my pink-eared poodle, Josie <3
I feel happy when I hear my children give their unique ‘analysis’ of the world they observe around them.
An after dinner walk with friends looking at Christmas lights made me so so happy yesterday.
I like snuggling in bed, each of my children under one arm after we have all had a bath and put fresh clean pyjamas on. I’m even happier if the bedding is also freshly washed and we either tell each other stories, read a book or watch some telly before going to sleep.
Watching the cows watching me at the end of my little garden.
An amazing surprising sunrise or sunset.
Springing lambs in Spring.
Seeing my plants growing.
A perfect cappuccino.
Something that makes me happy is the ritual of having my sister and girlfriend over to my house every Thursday night. We started it 12 years ago when they were both newly separated from life partners – sharing a weekly meal and box sets of TV episodes (before Netflix binges were a thing!).
It’s a ritual we’ve continued over the years and to this day, even Zooming our Thursday nights during all of the Covid-19 lockdowns. It feeds our soul, keeps us in touch and allows for many conversations over time in a safe space to ensure one another’s wellbeing.
When I am running through the woods near my house hearing the first Springtime call of the cuckoo makes me happy and sends messages of hope and positivity.
Winter beach , sun on my cheeks!
Watching the birds outside my bedroom window while drinking my morning cup of tea.
Walking in the explosion of colours in the beech wood in autumn.
It makes me really happy that I live by the sea and I can walk barefoot in the sand.
Having the luxury of extra time at weekends to make a breakfast that takes a bit longer – slow roasted Portobello mushrooms and tomatoes with a poached egg on top.
My work was my life, and I got lost into the week, then re-charge at the weekends and repeat. I had lost time for hobbies and FUN and life was pretty dark. During lock down (since March 2020), I found myself again because I had TIME. I made use of this time; I focused on me, I did self-development for my mind, body and soul. In this 1.5 year period, I lost 5 stone (70 lbs / 32 kg), I started doing art again and reading, daily walking, I met a partner. So, I did a whole 360. I still have more stuff to work on. and work still needs addressing, but I am on track to creating a beautiful, happy, wonderful life.
I enjoy walking my dogs in the forest and have just come back from a walk in the woods close to me. The weather this am is lovely, a sunny day with blue skies, crisp, with leaves falling and the glorious autumn colours – what more could we want.
Getting up early on an autumn morning to see sunrise.
Ottery Larder gives food that would end up in land fill to anybody who can collect. Bread is one thing that especially gets a lot of wastage. Makes me happy supermarkets are willing to take the time to do this.
Walking my dog Milo makes me happy – watching him eagerly sniff through a pile of leaves with the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning always puts a smile on my face.
Denzel my little Dachshund makes me so happy just snuggling him! I get so much joy witnessing his zest for life, happiness and determination, and his very cute habit of jumping on me and nibbling my nose when he wants his dinner 😂
One thing that comes to mind for me is hearing kids giggle. I don’t have young children anymore, so I miss that. But when I do hear it, it just makes me smile and makes me happy.
My two boxer dogs make me happy. Their joy of life, daft antics and constant affection put a smile on my face no matter how stressful life gets. They are the best teachers for how to live life in the moment.
I love the sound of my dog’s feet, thundering behind me, he’s a mid-size Labrador but at full speed sounds like a high-breed stallion horse!!
Me hace feliz encontrar libros bonitos en la biblioteca.
It makes me happy to find beautiful books in the library.
Things that make me happy:
Cuddles with my dog
Waking up to bird sounds
Walks in nature
Having dinner with my family
Hugging my loved ones.
My daughter’s beautiful smile, my son’s daily greetings and my two puppies’ adorable faces and energy make me happy every day.
We are a family of four –
Happy Mom – walks on the beach – sand in my toes
Happy Dad – family time
Happy Giada – sister time
Happy Leila – hearing people doing impressions
The noise that makes me happiest, is laughter. Either the helpless giggles of a toddler laughing at the simplest of things, or laughing with friends. Especially that lovely feeling of laughing uncontrollably and being unable to stop – and then laughing at just about anything after that! The tears of laughter running down faces – so wonderful, and something we have been lacking in lock down. I find laughter one of the best stress busters.
I’m going to share a story that happened to my best friend Rina. Her big heart inspired me so much because I don’t think I would have done the same in her place. But now I feel inspired to be more selfless.
A couple months ago Rina noticed that a stray cat wasn’t doing too well. So she trapped it and took it to the vet. This cat had an infection on its tail and the tail fell off on the drive to the vet. Now the cat is nicknamed Kitty No Tail or KNT for short. The vet did a surgery to prepare the tail to heal and gave it antibiotics. Rina took KNT home to care for it and be a foster home until someone was willing to take her in.
The poor cat didn’t do well after the surgery and had to be taken in again to see if there was anything to be done about it. The tail wasn’t healing well. Rina was sent home with instructions to clean the wound 3 times a day and sit with KNT to make sure she didn’t aggravate the wound so it would heal. This was a big disruption in her life. She wasn’t able to go anywhere for long and missed out on a weekend rock climbing trip with her friends (with me and a few other ladies).
Then KNT began to get better! The wound began to heal and the cat’s energy was restored. Rina’s other pets – 1 dog and 2 cats – began to bond with KNT. My friend contemplate keeping her since they had developed such a strong bond through the ordeal.
BUT then a friend’s mom saw a picture of KNT on social media and inquired about adopting her because she looked just like a previous cat that passed away the year before. The mom, Babs, was so excited to be KNT’s new home. My friend was excited but then she started to seriously grieve this cat leaving her care. Babs was a perfect owner for KNT and my friend never intended to keep her. Selflessly my friend let Babs take her in knowing that this woman would care for KNT so well.
Kitty No Tail is renamed Willa Grace and is safely at home with Babs. After a good cry, Rina informed the shelter that she is ready for the next foster kitty.
Nothing makes me feel happier than hugs and conversations with my children. They fill my heart with joy and love.
The sound of a Magpie (Australian bird) in song always makes me feel happy. It brings me back to my childhood as well. They have such a melodious tune.
What makes me happy – my sweet baking-loving partner who has baking up a storm all weekend (Chocolatey granola bars! Macaroons! Chickpea blondies!).
My house smells the best.
Having just spent 4 months in lock down in Sydney, I am so very happy to be able to go out and have a coffee and F2F conversation with my grown up kids. Hugs are the best 😊 #lifeisgood #freedom
The sound as the wind rustles the reeds along the river upstream from Aldeburgh.
Wicked Game = the opening bars take me back to happy times.
Something that makes me happy is when I wake up to a cold, crisp day where the sun is shining, and I can see all the pavements are rooftops glittering. Like today!
One of the many things that makes me happy, the first bird to start the morning chorus which then leads into a crescendo of beautiful song. It makes me glad to be alive ❤
What makes me happy is simple everyday kindnesses. Simple kindnesses from this past weekend –
someone holding the gate for me at the park, even though I was quite a way behind them;
someone smiling and saying ‘good morning’ on my walk;
someone in my business field stating that they’re in this business not for the fancy cars or holidays in Cayman, but to provide long term security for their family;
my husband making me soup on Saturday night because I was too tired to cook what I’d planned;
someone offering to help me with my business systems in return for nothing.
This is all just in one weekend. Needless to say, I have a long gratitude list every day.
Snuggling in bed with my youngest son, feeling his warmth, his breath, his heart beat next to mine and feeling the love between us.
I just woke up and I can hear my cat eating her breakfast. Soon it will be our time. I pet her and think of the day before us. We are warm and rested. How grateful I am to start my day this way.
To feel the joy my horse shows me when we see each other.
Winter sun makes me happy 😊
Seeing the calm silvery river on my way to and from work makes me happy to live in such a beautiful part of the world.
Something that really makes me happy is some quiet time with my kids. Sometimes stresses can get to me but it all melts away when my children sit with me and snuggle in for 5 minutes of quiet time.
What makes me happy? Right now it’s seeing snow on the Cairngorm Mountains. Also I love to hear the sound of the old steam train up here in Aviemore it makes me feel happy too.
The thing that makes me happy is walking my dog, Poppy, on a cold, frosty autumnal morning. She’s a red fox labrador so she blends in with all the wonderful autumn leaves that I kick and she goes diving into. The sun is bright and low filtering through the trees in the woods. My cheeks are rosy. 🙂
What makes me happy – luckily quite a few things. My favourite of the moment though is the owl in my garden. I absolutely love him/her and only get sad as I can’t actually see them. Spectacular bird!
I’m lactose intolerant but my husband and I love running to a nearby cafe to have a coffee and a sweet treat on Sundays. Unfortunately the cafe doesn’t have non-dairy milk so I usually just get a plain black coffee. One morning it was quite warm but my husband insisted on wearing his sweater for the run. We arrive and he pulls out (quite proudly!) a small jar of oat milk to put in my coffee.
I was VERY happy indeed.
This weekend I took part in the official opening of our tiny pocket park, all done by local people volunteering, I have met so many neighbours and I feel privileged to be a part of a generous, enthusiastic and green group, we are all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds all drawn together by the desire to create a small community, green space. Such joy and such a sense of achievement.
I love the sound of the rain on the roof as I am trying to go to sleep or my daughter in hysterics
Hello from our happy place in New Zealand. I’m listening to birdsong, Adele on Spotify, my non verbal son happily murmuring away and watching my dog optimistically chasing flies.
I am glad to share with you what has been making me happy. In the evenings, as a wind down routine before going to bed, I do the following. First, I switch off all the lights and light candles with pleasant smells. I pour warm water in the kitchen sink and start washing my dishes by hand. I ask Alexa to play Dean Martin. I become so present and listen to lively, happy Dean Martin, feel warm water and bubbly dish soap with my hands and watch the candles’ light playing in the dark. Sometimes, I ask Alexa to play “Relaxing Piano” or “Harp Music” instead. I started thinking about this whole practice as my meditation, because I try to be in the moment and feel the sensations in my hands through contact with warm soapy water and the plates with cups I am washing. I have a dishwasher machine, but I still do this as it brings me peace.
I felt happy this morning seeing the bright blue beautiful sky!
The sunlight on my face in the morning.😁
Sitting doing noffink in my lazy spa hot tub with candles around for beautiful glow and smooth jazz music playing quietly.
And.. rollerblading! Compulsory with big headphones playing my favourite good feeling, sing along or cheesy tracks.
My this lockdown favourite was
David Hasselhoff “Freedom” and Ten Sharp “You” so check it out 🙂
My happy sound is of my ten year old, and totally deaf Springer Spaniel snoring soundly, and being completely content whilst he’s doing it.
When I come home from work my deaf, 4 year old boxer dog is so happy to see me, he bucks around the room. It makes me crack up laughing every time.
What makes me happy right now is finding a playlist on Spotify from the 80s/90s that really makes you get and move/dance however down you might felt like before. And for a few moments it will bring a smile on your face and the world will be a bit better.
Walking on a sunny day with my grandchildren looking at bugs lol
What makes me happy is seeing the biggest smile on my one year old granddaughters face – one that makes her eyes twinkle, then the feel of her putting her little pudgy arms tight around my neck, inhaling her beautiful baby smells and listening to her tiny breathy first words – she engages all my senses at once and fills my heart with absolute joy.
I feel happy when at the end of a call from a caller (I volunteer as a Samaritan), I can hear relief in their voice, a smile in their voice and sometimes a chuckle of laughter, it makes me happy that by them talking and me listening they feel a sense of relief and even some positivity.
Watching red squirrels chase each other around the trunk of a Scots Pine.
So what really makes me happy is seeing participants of my yoga classes relax and feel calmer and happier after my classes. It brings me great joy.
Walks in nature make me happy 🙂
It’s a funny thing to think about ‘making’ myself happy. I tend to think of it as something which comes from external sources. But, of course, it doesn’t.
I have never been particularly happy throughout my life although I expect I was happy as a baby as most are.. until too much of life happens.
However, more recently, EFT-tapping has enabled me to become much more content with life (by clearing way emotional debris) and as a result, I am intrinsically happier. It’s a wonderful tool and I am deeply grateful for it in my life.
My daughter inspires happiness in me. She wakes up happy every day. (She’s 4) Her laughter is a very happy-making thing. Inspiring that throaty chuckle when she is really laughing by cavorting about slapstick style and tickling her is a wonderfully happy few moments and gratifying too.
Yesterday evening, the deep connection I felt with my partner was very happy-making.
Those unexpected human connections – the random chat in the queue can be very happy inspiring.
Actually, there’s a lot of happy in my life when I think about it.
And, a lot to be grateful for.
So many things make me happy…I am so lucky!
But top of my list is my family…from 95year old mother to 5 year old grand daughter…just being with one or all of them makes me glow with happiness.
I love going for bike rides.
And my favorite thing is seeing the beautiful sunset, and the amazing colors in the sky.
I also love seeing the big open green fields that I ride past, with the cows and horses.
This brings so much peace and joy and gratitude into my heart!
Something that makes me happy is having a big hug from my 12 year old son when I’m not expecting it – he makes me feel very loved!
For me a truly happy-making sound is the faint tweet of the little piwakawaka (fantail) that loops and swirls around my backyard most mornings, catching small flying bugs.
What makes me happy is connecting with good ole Mother Earth by tending my garden. It strikes me that I am only the temporary owner, so I like to think that whatever I do in it, it’s for the next generation.
After 5 years of gradually increasing pain, and gradually diminishing mobility… I am on a superb surgeon’s list, for two hip replacements, and have a date for my first. 21st of December.
The best Christmas present I’ve had since my son was born on Dec 22nd, 30 years ago!
I can’t wait to be given a second chance for a pain free life again.
🙂
Cuddles with my daughter
A cup of tea in the quiet
Hearing the guinea pigs chatter
A prawn sandwich!
I’m happy when my little son (15 months old) runs laughing into the arms of his dad.
Wandering in the mountains and the sound of nothing but the wind.
I am fortunate to live in the country and I ride my bicycle 10.5 miles each way to work in the nearest city every day.
I set off around 07:00 every morning. The first bit of road is pretty quiet, just me and the sound of my tyres on the tarmac. This means that I get to spot the local deer as they enjoy the fields and hear the horses make that great snorting, harrumph noise, as I glide by.
A short climb and a hairpin bend brings me onto the cycle path where the tyre sound becomes gravelly, the trees rustle much more and the robins sing loudly.
It’s about this point that I start to sing too. In my head I’m Adele, actually I’m tone deaf! I’m really picking up pace now, passing other cyclists and walkers, I figure they’ll only have a split second of caterwauling to endure as I pass.
The final couple of miles become busier as I reach the city and end of the path. It’s at that point I pass the local bakeries and the bacon butty van.
Bike locked, into work and there’s my lovely friend John saying ‘good morning darling’.
Best commute ever!!
… being possessed by silence, where clarity of thought prevails
… hearing Mother Nature while tightly ensconced in blankets up to my ears (during storms)
… waking up to heartfelt and inspirational WhatsApp messages from friends on the other side of the world
… spending time with my mum and daughter doing both the mundane and the quotidian as well as travelling to and exploring exotic locations
Finding something that makes me happy after losing my soulmate 2 months ago, was a hard one. But I have taken up wild swimming and the freedom and peace it brings definitely help to take me to a happy place.
What makes me happy is a open and honest conversation with a person. Even if I know this person or not. The willingness for vulnerability on both sides creates that deep bond and makes me entirely happy and relieved to share and to be shared with what is really moving me and the other.
My happy thing is my cat. She puts up with endless piano playing and weird production noises, sleeping calmly on my lap (sometimes the ears flatten when there is a crash cymbal she wasn’t prepared for) and brings me lots of joy with her deep sleep dreams the weird little noises she makes whilst dreaming.
When my cat crawls onto my lap, rests her head on my hat and starts purring!
Remembering my daughter singing to the seals on Lindisfarne Island
The sounds of magpies and currawongs and bell birds – all Aussie birds that remind me of my growing up years
The beaches on the Isle of Iona and the ever changing light over the sea and the islands
Soul friends
I collect a stone from favourite and new places and put them as a collection on my work desk – I think now I might have to find a way to collect my happy memories too.
I’m happy that we’re still here. Some aren’t, sadly. And some of those passings could have been avoided. But my wife, two annoying boys, the cat and me are still kicking about. Eating our tea, getting wet in the rain, and trying to work problems out.
I’ve spent the last couple of months living in the Highlands after returning from Berlin after 6 years. In this time I’ve ended up delving into the world of Jigsaw puzzles.
I’m struggling to think of a specific set of reasons as to why I’ve turned to Jigsaws, or why they’ve hooked me so much. I think it might be that it’s meditative. In that regard I’d draw parallels to the state of consciousness that can be reached by performing music. Beyond that I wouldn’t claim anything particularly lofty about my new pursuit. but it’s brought me great happiness.
What makes me happy is seeing my friends and family smile and laugh, whether on a screen, at the end of a phone or (best of all) in person.
There is a lot to smile about in this life, it’s hard to choose one thing. Something that recently made me happy was visiting with my favorite cousin who I don’t get to see as much as I would like. We spent the evening together and she made me a sweet little salad where everything was perfectly chopped into tiny pieces. Visiting with her revived my soul, and as I was leaving her sweet little son ran up to his room and said he had a gift for me. He gave me his stuffed sloth and said here, it’s one of your favorite animals! I had a bit of a hard week, and this reminded me that life is about my special people and I am so glad I will always have them.
We named the sloth Gus 🙂
Something that makes me happy…
…is hearing my son or husband give a real good, genuine, belly giggle, like when they’re being tickled or just find something super super funny ♡
…is when my cat comes to greet me when I pull up in our car park.
…is when someone has had a tough time and you see them experiencing something that makes them feel really happy 😊
There’s actually lots of things that make me happy. Thank you for getting me to stop for a moment and take the time to think of some of them. I’m going to ask my husband and son what makes them happy, whilst we sit together having dinner later.
Being able to live everyday and breath the air and be able to take in the beauty of trees and nature is what makes me happy 🙂
Cycling makes me happy. I can go on cycling for hours – be it summer, winter or monsoon. It might have been a good day or bad day – but the moment I start riding my moods improve. I was never a fitness freak but cycling helped me stay in shape and it improved my self confidence. It then became a happiness cycle.
I live in a small village on a hillside. Rides up and down are tiring but so adventurous. Each day the view feels fresh and the more I ride the happier I get. I never want to stop riding the small old red bicycle I have.
Happiness, for me, would be the ability to appreciate smaller nuances in life. If I can look at a blade of grass and touch it’s dew drops, I am very happy. If I am able to converse with my favorite professors, that day would make me elated. If I am able to listen to a person wholeheartedly, that too is bliss. A walk around my favorite place in my hometown is nothing but absolute bliss. Cuddling a baby is another one. Talking to my best friend remains one constant sources of joy, happiness and goodness. Completing tasks assigned to me exactly within the time is a source of motivation and happiness.
Happiness is there everywhere, but it does conceal itself within a magical cloak. I do wish to get a wand to unlock happiness in my life and life of my loved ones.
I love seeing dogs. Their glossy coats, the two toned color schemes that make them look like Holsteins, their excited tails. A puppy’s irrepressible joy. An old timer’s perseverance.
Walking outside on a Colorado winter afternoon. The sun shines brightly in a cloudless blue sky, warming my face with its rays. Snow crunches underfoot and I enjoy the feeling of moving my body forward through the crisp air.
Before COVID, I used to go to a great folk session where my favourite tune was called ‘Ben Gullion’. there was a place where playing a crunchy F note on my cello in the accompaniment always made me smile. John, who played pipes used to look over a few bars before, and he’d smile too because he knew how much I liked the harmony.
A cats purr, the beatiful sweet pea flowers in neighbours garden, the smell after a summer rain, walking barefoot through grass, the wonderful colours of the leaves in autumn, walking along the beach while listening to the sound of waves…
Watching the sun rise makes me happy. I feel grateful to have witnessed such a special moment and anticipate a happy day to come.
Listening to people laughing, interacting with each other and having fun makes me really happy.
Things that make me happy: putting the final piece in a jigsaw (particularly if it goes in the right way first time around!), dogs with their heads out of car windows, my daughters eating their meals without complaining, and my 7-year old still wanting to hold my hand when we’re out and about.
Sunshine coming in through windows, warming a room, with classical music playing, and my children contently busy.
My daily walk along an old railway, with the sunshine sparkling through the Autumn branches, and the squirrels busily searching for food.
Quietly meditating outside makes me happy
Wind lightly blowing through the palm leaves make me happy
A light rain splattering on the pool makes me happy
Sitting on my front porch on a sunny morning
What makes me happy is painting simple decorations for my bullet journal with watercolours. It disconnects me from the whole world and helps me to connect again.
The little things make me happy – I spent many years with a chronic illness, some bed bound, some wheelchair bound … but when life opened back up to me, even the little things like being able to buy a chocolate bar from a shop, being able to walk for a coffee, hearing the birds outside, feeling the cold autumn air on my face are all things that before I never really noticed with the hustle and bustle of life. Now I appreciate them immensely and am grateful to be able to experience the little things again.
what makes me happy…dancing in the kitchen when no one is watching…head bumps with Bella our rescue cat…seeing the boys feel proud when they’ve done something to make themselves happy…summer sun…winter cosy blankets and reading…smiling at a stranger & even better when they smile back…
In terms of things that make me happy:
– Spending time with friends
– Enjoying nature with my fiancee and my dog
– Seeing the fruits of our hard work in training our dog paying off…eventually!
– Making a difference to patients at work, reassuring them and making them feel listened to!
– Successfully completing a challenging climbing route after a long day at work!
– Crackling fires!
A weekend with nothing on the calendar
Listening to my body and being me (it’s taken a long time coming but I’m there and I love it).
What makes me happy is the love, loyalty and affection I receive from my dog! I am surrounded by people at home and in my work place and find the simplicity of my relationship with my dog healing.
Hiking in nature, alone or with friends, makes me very happy. I love to hear the silence, the sounds of the forest and my own breath. It feels indulgent in our hurried world to slow down and observe our own beings.
What makes me happy is spending time with my wife and 3 children when none of us have any distractions and preferable outside in nature
If I wake during the night, I often hear a soft padding sound, followed by a deep, rattling purr as my beautiful 13-year-old black cat creeps slowly up the bed for a little stroke from me. He is very shy and finds it hard to come to us during the day to be tickled and stroked, but he gains more boldness when it is pitch-black and everyone is in bed.
Whether I wake from a good dream or a bad one, he is always there to greet me with a friendly and reassuring purr that cuts through the darkness all around us.
I always give silent thanks for this moment, knowing all too well that our beloved companion animals will not live forever. One day, I will wake and wait in vain for that sweet purr which can never come again. But, for now, we will continue to share these precious moments of pure happiness and connection, and I am thankful for every single one of them.
Hearing kids laugh makes me happy. The feeling of the sun on my face and the smell of the earth and forest make me happy. Listening to nature makes me happy and observing birds makes me happy. Listening to the sound of waves and diving in the sea makes me happy.
Three things that make me happy are:
– light shining through overlapping tree leaves above me
– my cat purring
– a smile from someone I love
Working in music projects for young adults with learning challenges, I am surrounded by the happy sounds of music making and the wonderful experience of seeing our musicians develop their creative identities. It is a heart-warming privilege to witness their enthusiasm and excitement.
The thing that makes me most happy in this world is seeing the people I love laugh. There’s something about being in a room with my friends and family and hearing all the hilarity.
A close second would be getting to explore somewhere new, it’s the thing I most yearn, plan and look forward every single day and wish I could do more of it.
So, regarding things that make me happy. Well one thing is that I have moved out of my parent’s house recently and so hadn’t seen the dogs for a bit. Yesterday I visited my parents and my granddad and when the dogs came into the house from their walk, they came rushing in and I started stroking them. In just a few weeks, I’d forgotten how wonderful it is to stroke a pet!
As a bonus one, I also love meeting new people and finding that you click. One of my housemates has a boyfriend who I hadn’t met before. When we did meet, we just dove right into a conversation about some pretty existential stuff, followed by discussing some boxing and MMA and some other bits and bobs.
These have both happened over the past week. I’ve been a bit down recently, so it’s lovely to reflect on something like this. Thank you for that opportunity. And I guess that’s a final thing that makes me happy – coming across wonderful initiatives by people who really care. I’ll always give my support to something like that.
To be honest, I’m pretty happy as I’m typing this. I’m sitting in a cafe, the sun is shining and there’s the background chatter of everyone else living their lives. I’m currently making my way through the reading list my university has sent me, and although it’s bordering on impossible (10 books to read in one month!), they have some really interesting ideas, and I’m definitely excited to start uni in October.
A sound that has recently given me alot of happiness is my cats purring. We adopted her a couple of months ago after she was dumped with her litter of kittens. She was incredibly shy to begin with, but in the last few weeks has started to relax and purr for the first time. To me, I can feel she is relaxed which helps me feel relaxed, but also the happiness to know we gave a homeless cat a reason to purr again.
My own slice of happiness pre-covid came from cycling to work, sniggering to myself as the macho male pigeons try to woo lady pigeons on the riverside. They put all they have onto their displays.
Since the pandemic began, we adopted a clue of geriatric dogs who bring happiness with their happy ears and tail wags, worming around the floor as they stretch each morning. Thankfully they don’t try to woo one another like the pigeons, though they do come with their fair share of stress. But those happy morning stretches bring happiness to all.
The gentle breathing of my two grandkids, Rhys and Tilly, while they sleep. A reassuring comfort that all is not lost with modern world.
Watching and listening to bees hard at work buzzing in lavender. It’s one of the activities i like most in the garden. There are several bee species, but the one that cheers me up the most is the bumblebee with its puffy round body and pollen laden legs.
Also, running my fingers through lavender to catch the fragrance of the blossoms. And, finally clipping the blossoms for the house after the bees are through with them. The house smells lovely for quite sometime after.
I hope you have chance to just sit by a lavender bush to listen and to smell.
What makes me happy is: when I bring home a new plant and our cat Muffins inspects it and ‘helps’ me to pot it.
Last week, visiting a neighbor but I arrived early, I said hello to a shy young dog there who then slowly came up to me after I squatted down, let me pet, then gave me the sweetest little quick puppy kiss on my nose. 🙂
It was rush hour and I saw an old man pull over at the side of the road on his bike. I wondered where he was going and turns out it was to save a tiny hedgehog at the side of the road. He carefully put him in his basket and rode off, hopefully so he could dry off and be put somewhere safe! Made me smile 😊
I would like to share a positive experience with you – and it’s all about scent memory.
Scent memories always catch me off guard. You can say you enjoy the smell of fresh cut grass, or the rolling waves at the seaside. You may have an aunt with a favourite perfume, or the smell of play-doh from your childhood.
But then there are some things that are SPECIFIC. Sad ones, sometimes, like a smell of catheters from all the times your baby brother was in hospital; a slight cherry scent to air from the Spring of your first break up.
Last week, while having an at-home pamper day with my pregnant friend, I picked up some cotton balls to wipe away some cleanser. And the smell of them – something clean, light and airy, a little crisp – took me instantly back to weekends at my grandmothers. A small jar of pastel green and violet pot pourri next to her bath. I’ve missed her for a very long time and shared a wonderful conversation with my friend about relatives we no longer see, but stories and lives that we still remember.
Waking to the sound of my girlfriends ‘snuggle alarm’ every morning, knowing the next 15 minutes will be spent snuggling in our sleepy, morning warmth before the day really starts.
I’m busy watching my wee daughter bouncing around, happy as anything on her jolly jumper without a care in the world. It’s my first Father’s Day and we’re just back from a day trip up to the highlands and winding down before bed time. Being a dad is the best adventure ever 🙂
Sometimes when I feel down or the past is holding me in bed, my inner child runs inside the room and invites me for a long walk. I should be the one looking after him but he has no idea how acknowledging his existence heals me immensely. Yes I say… We can go for a walk.
I’ve brainstormed briefly on some of the things that make me happy in relation to sound. I’d say that one of the most satisfying has to be at the turn of the season from autumn to winter. When the frost is kicking in but it’s not yet cold enough to completely freeze over puddles of water on quiet backroads. The sound that follows from the weight of winter boots on crisp semi-frozen grass brings me so much joy. The fact that your walking speed can change the depth of these sounds, is also something special – simple pleasures go a long way!
The sound of ducks quacking when they fly overhead always makes me smile. We are so used to hearing birds tweeting quite tunefully. But when ducks fly over they sound a little out of place and out of tune! Makes me feel appreciative. I’m a little out of tune myself!
One of the things that really brings me joy is watching the birds in my garden. Early last year I was really excited to see a female Greater Spotted Woodpecker on one of my feeders. Since then she has been back many times, and over the spring last year we also had a male, who weirdly preferred one of my other feeders (both are filled with “buggy nibbles” I get from RSPB, the only food they appear interested in) We were even treated to the site of a young woodpecker over a week or so, under the watchful eye of one of it’s parents. We never saw the two adults together. It is not easy to predict when they will visit, and there are weeks that go by and I don’t see one. In fact over the autumn and early winter they were completely absent. Then about 3 or 4 weeks ago the female was back. I was doing a jig around the kitchen in celebration. She likes to keep me guessing, just when I think she has moved on, appearing out of the blue again, but somehow this increases my happiness when I do get to see her. I don’t mind that she costs me a fortune in “buggy nibbles” which the Starlings also go mad for!!!
The beautiful smell of the earth in the evening when things are settling with the soon to come sunset. The earth smell rises up to meet us!
I feel happy when my 22 year-old daughter sees something new and reacts like a child in the best way possible. I especially love it when she tells me at that moment that she has never been so happy. This happens regularly.
Oh so many things make me happy…..cheese, carrot cake, freshly baked bread, laughter with friends and family, making things for someone else, being on top of a mountain, my dog skipping in the kitchen, seeing nature, reading a good book, having a good sleep and a really good long cuddle with someone you love. I hope other folk find happiness like this too.
The sound of my daughter’s laughter is the most delightful music to behold. She’s ten and full of such joy. Just hearing her laugh makes me smile.
Listening to my favorite podcast – Kermode and Mayo film review.
It’s less about film review and more about the warm and hilarious banter between two friends. They kept me sane during lockdown.
They’ve recently moved from their home at the BBC to a more commercial platform. I hope the move hasn’t changed the bant.
Happiness is:
Finding a boat with your name on in the harbour
Sunrise and sunset in the mountains where there is a pink hue
People watching from a plaza or community hub – especially if you’ve got a panoramic view
Writing your name in the sand with a stick
Skipping with high knees – I think its impossible to not smile whilst skipping?
Watching a toddler in the awkward running instead of walking phase, almost always unsteady and yet confidence galore
The relief of taking your bra off
Perfect poached eggs on a weekend breakfast/brunch
Singing loudly in the car
A warm shower after a cold bike ride
My happy place is the woods behind our house. The entrance is somewhat narrow. It always feels as if I go through a special doorway entering a completely different world.
The beautiful smell of the earth in the evening when things are settling with the soon to come sunset. The earth smell rises up to meet us!
Happiness for me is knowing I am a uniquely created human being and there is nothing to be gained by comparing myself to others. To live as an OK person in my own skin means happiness.
The smell behind my sons ears when he climbs into bed in the morning
Stained glass sun catchers / autumn window light
When my daughter spontaneously makes and brings me a cup of tea
Freshly Primed wooden board for painting
Church incense
Michael playing Super Mario music on his harmonica in the kitchen
A cup of coffee in the sunlight
Scratchy paintbrushes and
Thick white oil paint
Wet clay, kiln, buckets of glaze, fired stonewear, uneven glazes
Birthday candles
open window, rain and woodsmoke
Driving up the A9 on a summer eve
My Dad playing Neil Young songs on his acoustic guitar
My Mum laughing with the children
Night scented stock
Crushing Cardamom seeds
Saturday morning with extra soft bed sheets and cats purring
When words come easily
When varnish brings the colour back to paintings
My children laughing and when they seem content and steady
Michael reading to me when I’m too tired to
A hot water bottle on my back
Exploring Slate quarries in Wales
Pouring in the Bath salt
Bear Hugging my friends
Getting hysterical over stupid stuff with my sister
Hearing recorder practice from outside a strangers house
Finding Beautiful Shells, Lichens, Mosses
Threading beads
Plimsoles
River turning into sea
Marbling inks
Pearl paints
Vanilla essence
Sniffing Coal
Hot cheeks after a long, cold walk
Night time service stations
Good slippers
Pine tree shapes
Really big snow flakes
A pool of Lemon juice and pips in an icing sugar mountain landscape
Rain clouds
The sound of rain when you’re sitting inside a tent looking out; The sound and sight of thunder and lightning; Clouds in the sky; A warm, sunny winters day in Australia; The wind; Watching the flames in a campfire; Hugs from my 5 year old school students; Children skipping; Children laughing; Hugs from my own adult children; A glass of wine with my friends
What makes me happy is consciously switching off from the hedonic treadmill of life and allowing myself to just go wherever my mind wants to wander.
A Saturday afternoon walk with my son to catch up on his news of the week.
I have 2 ginger & white cats, and whenever I feel down I just look for my cats. I can guarantee that I will find them curled up in the most comfortable, sunny place, complete with a look of utter contentedness – this never fails to make me smile, and instantly feel better about life and all it’s troubles.
My happiness is highlighted with the smell of fresh coffee and homemade bread. One of my favorite sounds is the sound of the wind in trees or the sound of wawes hitting the beach.
It makes me happy when the children at work run around in the playground and laugh because they do the things they love the most.
And it makes me happy when my grown up children are happy.
Spending time outdoor is essential for my wellbeing. I do kayaking, Orienteering, gardening, birdwatching and long walk.
What makes me happy is talkative strangers (friends I have yet to talk to!) on trains and stations. Traveling is fun, but even funner with someone else who thinks so too.
Also, the sound of music in the morning, when my dad wakes me up by spinning a record, and the sound of my late cat mrrr-ing.
A thing that makes me happy is to see how a smile is contagious. I often smile to people while walking by them – not just the compulsory “I acknowledge your presence” -smile – but a legit one. It often makes strangers smile back in the same way.
Also doing a thumbs up to people I run towards. They really don’t expect it and a few times I’ve gotten one back. It can make my day when they light up in the middle of a hard run.
To swim in the Ocean, all year, just feel the sea on my body, it clear my mind and always makes me happy🧜🏻♀️
Sitting in the shadows of giants, way up north, listening to gibbering water
Music makes me happy, it’s like using an elevator and jumping directly towards happy feelings. Not many things beat music except being with friends, dancing and laughing.
What makes me happy is the chance encounter with a stranger with whom an everyday adventure plays out. In the supermarket queue, on the sidewalk, anywhere. These little glimpses – when we bump into each other and with our positive vibes end up lighting each other up, even just for a brief moment – fill me with utter joy.
I live in the middle of Hong Kong and when I walk to the metro station I have to cross an island of green space surrounded by the big buildings and the birds congregate there – its their safe haven – a place just forget the hustle and bustle – and listen to their idle chatter – to know that even in a big city nature is there to sooth and round the rough edges.
A flock of geese makes me very happy.
Kindness makes me happy.
Clean clothes makes me happy.
My wife makes me so very happy.
Simple, organic whole plant-based foods make me grateful and happy.
Everything (well, almost everything), if thought of in the right light, makes me happy!
There’s a local cover band that plays all Rolling Stones and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. When they play, I dance all night! I’m lost in the music, heart pounding, energy flowing, taking in the night sky and everyone’s smiles. When it’s over, I’m physically drained and spiritually filled. It’s pure joy!
My happy sounds are the sounds of either of my two children playing imaginary role play in their bedrooms. Chatting away in their roles with each other or on their own, with no knowledge of mummy listening from afar. (The happy sounds normally end shortly after I’ve mentally noted it – to be immediately exchanged for the sounds of a fight because one of them wants to swap roles or isn’t permitted freedom of expression by the other 😂)
Another happy sound is the sound of the dog’s wagging tail pounding away on surface, as if playing the bongo drum.
“What makes me happy?”
I guess it’s family related.
I’ve four grown up boys who lost their Dad to cancer when young.
They live very separately lives now (geographically speaking) with work & studying.
When they come back together (usually at Christmas) & re-connect with each other I love to just listen to them laughing together and relaxing in each other’s company.
They are all wonderful young men making their contributions to the world and I’m so immensely proud of them & how they’ve coped with life’s difficult times.
So I guess my answer is my children.
When they’re happy so am I and when they’re ‘home’ together there’s something very special in the love I see & hear between them which makes me truly happy.
…jumping into a cool pool of water on a hot summer day!
A walk in the park makes me happy 😃
My daughters tell me everyday how much they love seeing me at the end of their school day and spending special time with me. They are my favorite people. Seeing them at the end of every work day fills me with love, happiness, and gratitude knowing that I am living (and will have lived) a wonderful life because they are the best part of it (and me).
Seeing my grandchildren laughing and having fun makes me happy!
Sunshine coming in through windows, warming a room, with classical music playing, and my children contently busy.
Sitting under an big ancient beech tree at the end of my garden, on the beach, overlooking the Isle of Mull in Scotland. As I gaze up into the wide spread of the canopy, I feel so blessed to have found somewhere so beautiful to live. Seriously privileged.🧡
This year has given me so much time to really consider what makes me happy. I think the top thing is being kind. Kind to others, to nature and to myself.
Perhaps my favourite part of this has been taking up litter picking as a family. My 6 year old has inspired lots of other children from his school to start too.
Unlike many others, I love the crows in my area. They are a communal bird, high in intellect and capable of recognizing me. Rather than hating their sound, I love when I go out into my yard and they come in from the bush and talk to me, knowing I will feed them. Especially in the winter months when they have trouble finding food, I put out fat and raw bacon to help them gain body weight to fend off the cold, and in return they talk to me as only crows can do. Knowing they are thanking me, it is as sweet a sound as any songbird.
Something that makes me absolutely happy is a warm summer day, relaxing with a nice cool drink with my book and listening to birdsong.
One of the things that makes me happy is deciding, in the morning, what sort of music I’m going to play when I get up. Will it be rock, will it be classical, jazz, something I already know, something new, a new internet radio station? I love switching on that music first thing in the morning.
Something small that makes me happy:
I love the Mario kart style freedom of the road just after the motorway toll ends. No lanes, no markings, seemingly no rules – just simple bliss.
My happy place used to be swimming in the ocean but since my sister became a Mom, my nephews have far surpassed the sea. Seeing photos of them, hearing about their day and especially, speaking to them – makes my heart sing and the grin on my face remains for hours.
Being an aunt is such a gift and privilege
My happy sound is rain. For various reasons. Firstly, I think the supply of fresh water is likely to become the major environmental and social issue in the years ahead. Secondly I live in England partly because I like to experience unpredictable and variable weather – and hearing the sound of rain on our small conservatory roof always makes me feel happy and relieved.
I made a positive project during the pandemic, too. 🙂 I photographed fellow gardeners in my hometown. It’s so heartening to see people looking for meaning and fresh takes on life.
Like most people, the sunshine makes me super happy. It’s an instant mood lifter and just makes everything better. I’m so pleased that spring has finally sprung and I’ve been lucky to be able to enjoy plenty of sunshine over the last few days.
Something that makes me happy would waking up in the morning, making a fresh coffee and going back to bed to start my day!
Happiness is finally, finally getting to marry a couple after they booked you for five different dates, struggling to work around covid restrictions.
Their ceremony was not what they originally envisioned, but they adapted and evolved with charm and grace, and celebrated in an intimate setting with their closest family around them. They have become real friends, I can’t wait for the day I get to see them again and actually bear hug the breath out of them.
I have a cockapoo dog called bonnie, I love taking her for a walk when it’s sunny in the woodland because I love hearing the crunchy leaves crunch under her tiny paws. It’s so cute! Today we took her for a walk at a national trust property and we made sure we walked in the wooded area so she could run around on the crunchy leaves! She loves the outdoors and I love her so much.
Running in the local Glen with my dog, when it’s early and only the usual dog walkers are out, and the air is cool but not too cold, and the ground not too wet, and my body feels strong
Waking up today with the sun streaming through my bedroom curtains and hearing the birds chirping away wishing each other a ‘good morning’ reminds me that the start of each day is an opportunity to have your best day and that fills me with hope and makes me happy.
Today I have achieved happiness, my toddler and newborn son are both peacefully asleep in bed by 7.30pm allowing my husband and I time to relax, take a breath and enjoy becoming parents for the second time. In a house normally noisy, it’s the quiet which bring calm and peace.
Watering my plants makes me really happy.
My happy message is I finally got approved to adopt a cat today- a year after my beloved cat Finn died. I’m really pleased 🙂
When the weather is nice enough (rare in England), I have been taking a walk to a local nature reserve and sitting and reading The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, which I’m enjoying very much!
That’s something that has made me happy recently 🙂
Hello happiness,
You are the delayed train earlier than the one I was due to catch making me ahead of time. I’m happy. I’m full up on post holiday happiness, sunshine and smiling on the inside.
You’re my adopted son hugging me after a long trip away. kiss kiss love you daddy
You’re my husband and brother in law laughing like Hyenas making me laugh. contagious laughter is the best.
Thank you.
What makes me happy is making good use of our lovely sunny flat to grow this years veg and plants for the allotment – the happiest sight is seeing a new seedling develop as if by magic over night. During a time where a lot of us feel helpless even hopeless, there is something in new seedling life that shouts out that you may be tiny and not look much but under the right conditions you can flourish and bring hope and also be insanely strong and beautiful.
Watching a really fat bumblebee go about his business
To return home after a day of work and .. to check out on my young tomato plants 🙂 I live in a fairly tiny apartment in Paris with my gf. She calls me “papi tomate”. It’s really rewarding to have a bit of plant life you can follow the evolution of, especially when surrounded with noise emanating from the street, the cars, construction work .. The same applies to my “avocado seed farm” and other plants on the balcony. Puts you on a different time scale too. A sprout means happiness.
Tea in the garden birds feeding beside me, nesting under my kitchen window, and my grandchild’s never ending inquisitive questions making sense of the world….. my amazing family.
Today, here in Nottingham, the sun is shining, my seeds are growing and my children are playing outside. I can almost hear the Spring. It has been a long, dark winter but the Sun’s warmth is finally breaking through 🙂
Seeing my baby smile
Lying on my back in the sea and feeling totally held by the water, and bobbing up and down in its wake
My gorgeous 16 year old grandaughter just WhatsApped me to say she has just passed her lifeguard training.
Seeing and hearing the potential within people while learning to be a coach has given me so much joy. I feel in return I’ve helped them help themselves. We’re all on a path with ups and downs. The little things all help.
Today I was happy because it did not rain, I managed to stay happy even while being so tired I could’ve collapsed.
Staying hopeful and positive.
Looking to the future instead of dwelling on the past.
Knowing that the good times do exist and the cloudy days never last.
Having faith in myself and each other.
Working together.
Knowing sense of belonging with my neighbours. Near and far.
Seas of wonder and endless possibilities.
Opening my mind to new experiences and pathways. Stay hopeful and stay true. The power of belief it lies inside of you.
This is what makes me happiest:
The all-round sensory experience of cuddling my children, their smell, the close-up views of parts of their bodies, the feel of their smallness, the conversations and silences that emerge in these intimate embraces, and knowing that, at this moment, they are safe.
One of the biggest things that makes me happy is watching a beautiful sunset or sunrise at the beach 🙂
My own story – well after 7 years of living alone (after a split in a relationship of 19 years) I finally met the man of my absolute dreams in November 2019 and married him in October 2020. I love playing the song ‘Because Im Happy’ it lifts my mood and creates so a positive feeling. I feel very blessed and happy … thus would like to share that with others …
Happiness too should be like a virus … or delicious jam … it should be spread widely!!
I write to you from sunny Aberdeen. Well it’s sunny for now, who knows what season we’ll be in by the end of the day!
Here in Aberdeen the weather is always a topic of conversation….or complaint!
But this unpredictable and changeable weather in our wee part of the world is something that makes me happy.
It makes me grateful to be able to live, see, hear, feel and experience every season – even if they do all come in the same day 🙂
Yesterday was snow – today is sunshine. Who knows what tomorrow will bring!
Sun, rain, wind, snow, hail, sleet…bring it on.
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices”.
Something that makes us happy is opening the window in the morning and listening to the birds sing while we’re still warm under the blanket.
Also, tasting something delicious that we just baked. For example a walnut pie!
I love the sound of birdsong; also there are children laughing sometimes in the park;and the poetry of Seamus Heaney, often broadcast on the internet.
What makes me happy…
Walking with my daughter through the Glen from my home to the beach.
Listening to the wind blowing through the leaves, the stream and the roar of the waves, oh and all the different sights, feelings and smells that come with that…and the taste of the sea spray and the flask of tea when we get there…loads of things make me happy, I’m easily pleased!
It was amazing to hear owls hooting and how many birds were chirping and singing when there was no traffic or. Truly peaceful and made me miss appreciative of how beautiful nature is.
Something that makes me happy is my husband’s belly laugh as he’s laughing at shows on TV
I’m just made some really good soup and that quite pleased me, but things that actually make me happy:
playing games with my son while listening to music,
interesting/old/characterful trees,
birdsong,
pretty much any wildlife but especially lizards, hedgehogs, badgers,
big open skies,
hills and mountains,
when the cat comes and sits on me by choice,
a walk that ends up in a beer garden on a sunny day,
live music, standing up, whether in a tiny venue or a festival field,
when anyone says anything nice about my shop,
Only Connect.
That was a fun exercise actually. Simply writing that made me quite happy.
One of my favourite sounds has helped me during pandemic lockdown – only in Spring however.
The sound is of a blackbird calling for a mate.
What makes me happy is: Singing to 80s hits in the car with my 17 year old daughter
On Monday I met my son on Dartmoor. It was the most magical moment since the first time I saw him 43 years ago at his birth.
A fresh spring breeze filing my room and brushing against my cheek on a warm sunny day. 🌬 🌱
Yesterday, we had about 23 degrees celsius and much sunshine!My friend was here with his daughter, and we went to a playgroundand feeding some highland-cattles with carrots!
We had a beautiful day! 🙂
Cornish wildflowers are something that make me happy – particularly their ability to grow in walls and in symbiosis with man-made objects.
My happy place is when my kids are snuggling together. My middle one is 15 and when he lets his sister (9) get in bed with him and watch minecraft videos together it makes my heart glow! Other times they are at each other’s throats!!
Something that makes me happy is talking on the phone to an old friend and nothing having changed.
The joke that makes my three year old howl:
Knock knock
Who’s there?
Europe
Europe who?
NO! You’re a poo!
I have a crush on the sunset. It makes me serene, content, awestruck. We started spending time together as the world went into quarantine. Now it’s been a year of dates and we’re still going strong. Each day the sunset is a little different, and maybe I am too.
As an Italian expat living on Finland it’s been a hard year for me, as I haven’t been able to see my family and friends, but the daily walks with my dog Malik have been the highlight of my days, my happy thought.I’m very grateful to know that my friends and family are safe and it has been truly inspiring to see all the beautiful and generous projects popping up during such incredibly hard times.
Today is one of the first days of Spring Sunshine in Cambridgeshire – I am sitting in the garden with my b/f enjoying birdsong and warm sun rays on my skin. The sounds of pigeons really remind me of home – they sit on the chimney pots and you can hear them right down the chimney into the front room. Yesterday I had my first dip in the river – it was cold but I got used to it – and enjoyed daydreaming in the water – floating around and connecting to all the other life living in and around the riverside. My b/f jumped in and out again straight away (!) claiming it was super cold . . . ha! I am a beginner and it didn’t bother me one bit. . . (!) he is the one teaching me to wild swim. . . beginner’s luck maybe. Today we may jump in again as the sun is shining hot today too . . . It has been the super full WORM moon last night – and that indicates the first days of spring (apparently) so Let’s celebrate the humble worm in all its glory and all its hard work underground. 🙂
Cuddling with my dog makes me happy.
We are very happy when we go for walks in the woods, playing poo sticks, running through puddles, and building dens!
Ben and Lottie (aged 7 and 4)
An old friend phoned me up out of blue, she was sat on a swing and I could hear the wind as she propelled through the air. There was a hilarious time delay but the whole thing was a joy.
What makes me happy is seeing two lambs safe with their mothers.
Brenda is 78. She lives alone in the house next to mine and because of her health issues, has been self-isolating since the start of the pandemic. When the weather allows it, I take a chair out into the garden and sit at her gate while my Labrador visits Brenda, who has a taken a chair out into hers. She has a good old giggle about my bouncy pup and once my lab has settled in for a cuddle with Brenda, she tells me stories from across her garden. I’ve heard them all many times now, but seeing her with my dog curled up on her lap, holding a giant mug of tea, absolutely wetting herself telling me the same funny stories makes me really happy.
Sunshine makes me happy, but there’s no real noise for that- I suppose it’s the warmth on my face and the feel of spring arriving after a long winter especially this year! So sound-wise, what’s caught my attention the last few weeks (and normally, with working in an office in a city centre I wouldn’t be close enough to hear) is the sound of the children’s laughter when it’s playtime at the village primary school. I can see the school over the fields from my home office window and it’s lovely to hear them all happy and back at school, with the sound floating across the fields towards me.
The antithesis of the idling diesel car choking the city, which is returning to my nearest natural wilderness – the ancient woodland of King’s Wood – to ascend Cross Plain and Wavering Down and walk the West Mendip Way to Crook Peak.
My happiness resides in small moments of beauty – a cup of coffee and a book, uncontrollable laughter with a colleague, an impromptu catch up with a loved one, the sun shining through the window, the smell of Christmas, houseplants showing new growth, dancing around the kitchen with my boyfriend, cooking a new meal, random realisations of how far I have come.
What is happiness to me? Happiness in the past year has been … strange, to say the least. It’s felt at times like nothing would make me happy, but then my perspective shifted and I was still the same person; just in a new, challenging, situation. Lots of coffee and smooth jazz, classical music, or lo- fi beats when I’m working, fruit tea, blankets and warm clothes, spending time with my family (in whatever way possible), good food, sumatriptan and access to modern medicine. All these things make me happy. I’m most content when I feel like I’ve helped make a difference to someone’s life.
I’m blessed to have many things that make me happy, but here’s a few:
My lemon and honey tea in the morning, lying in bed and reading
Hearing my children all play together nicely and hearing them laugh
Giving my mum and dad a cuddle
Spending quality time with my husband, especially after a difficult day
Meditating in a quiet and empty house
Sitting down in peace with a really good book
upgrading my life, no matter how big or small
I love listening to certain people’s voices. I am very happy when I listen to the voice actors of Bob’s Burgers. I get very calm. And Hayao Miyazaki movies and the accompanying music from Joe His aishi give me the feeling of a childhood I never experienced and last is the music of norwegian songstress Aurora. She reminds me of my soul when I think I can’t feel it anymore.
The first warm day of spring after an Atlantic Canadian winter.
Walking from home and counting the number of robin’s we can spot. We walked 8 miles yesterday and spotted 5…but heard a lot more. Love the sounds of robin’s, and other birds too.
So blessed to be able to walk or run everyday.
Something that makes me happy in this continued state of lockdown is the pottery course that I’m doing in school at the moment. I made my very first pinch pot this week & I am so incredibly proud of it, every time I look at it it makes me smile 🙂
My happy news is that I started a painted rock wall outside my school. I started it by putting one painted rock there and asking other people to leave other ones as they walked passed. The rock wall has grown and grown and grown with over 100 beautifully painted rocks and every day when I walk passed it makes me feel really happy. Sometimes I even see people I don’t know stopping to admire the rocks and that makes me feel really happy too.
What makes me happy is long long hikes with my husband, taking in beautiful views. Vast skies, mountains and valleys make any problems feel small and connects me to nature and the planet.
What makes me happy is seeing happiness around me, in my family , relations, friends… everybody.
So, the thing that makes me happy is the dark. The absence of light that usually makes people nervous or anxious brings me peace, the quiet; a sense of calm and the lack of people; far too much happiness. I particularly love strolling through the park next to my hall in the early hours, despite advice against the dangers of this (I am hopeful the doc martens will be an adequate defence).
What makes me happy – Animals around us, from the woodlouse in my bathroom and the pigeons on my street to my cat at home and penguins on the TV.
I enjoy the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.
When I wake up feeling down but my dog wakes up extra happy and cuddly and lifts my mood 🙂
Hi I am a primary school teacher and set up my drawing channel on YouTube during the first lock down ArtwithAbi. I’ve always loved drawing myself but never made time for it, my love of drawing has been reignited and it makes me so happy! 😀
Over the last year I’ve come to realise the importance of the simpler things in life, and the thing that makes me most happy? My husband bringing me a cup of ‘bed tea’ as I wake up in the morning. It’s my favourite moment if the day, and tea definitely feels better when someone else makes it.
Reading positive stories from around the world makes me feel hopeful and part of a community committed to a better future.
Our little baby baby (5 month old) just met it’s grandparents for the first time because of corona. I heard so much laughing and saw so much smiles during the last three days as I haven’t in a month!
Here’s something that made me happy yesterday: Sitting outside for lunch in a surprise patch of sunshine with my neighbours cat.
Something that makes me happy – nearly 6 months ago we adopted a dog from Cyprus and she came to live with us in the U.K. We don’t know much about her back story but she’s definitely been through some hard times. I’ve never met a dog who is so loving and affectionate, despite all she’s been through. Morning cuddles with her are the most precious thing, and seeing her face when you walk through the door fills me with so much joy and happiness.
My mum & dad live in Italy, so we haven’t really seen each other much in the last year and a half (general life stuff + that whole virus thing happened), they miss our wee girl Zoe so much, she’s 2 and a half so they feel like they’ve missed loads of her getting bigger.
Anyway, they came back in December for a month, they had to quarantine for 2 weeks when they got here but they couldn’t wait any longer. One day my dad was out for a walk with me and Zoe, he popped into a shop & we waited outside. After a minute Zoe said “where Di?” and I said “look through the window, he’s in the shop”, so she went in through the door, saw him and ran full speed right into him and cuddled his leg. I think it was the highlight of his whole month back home. He was so proud.
Anyway I think about that when I go past that shop and it cheers me up.
what makes me happy is running with someone – i can hear my feet hitting the ground and their feet hitting the ground and i can hear myself breathing and them breathing and i just think it’s the loveliest way to spend an hour or so
I spent so long not listening to music whilst I was working from home and found my productivity and positivity slipping away. Even though I can’t have music on all day, I now make sure I put something on I love and sing along to at least one track. I feel so much better and feel more focused for doing it.
Found out about your album from the Happy Newspaper which is full of positive news! I’ve just been reading about a superfood plant that can email scientists about climate change – absolutely fascinating! I have also found loads of stuff relevant to my international studies of the environment degree (which can be on the doom and gloom side a lot of the time). I could really use your album right now to help with uncertainty and loss and am really excited to get listening.
I am also collecting positive news stories to send to my friend who is having a bad time right now. Hopeful it will make her feel a bit better.
Tucking into hunks of crispy bread adorned with alternative chunks of cheese and then fresh young salami. Enjoyed in the open sunshine of a mountain view……
What makes me happy…the jokes my 3 year old makes ❤️ Spoiler alert…. KETCHUP is the punchline to each joke.
During lockdown I’ve discovered I love practicing yoga. After a long day at work, spending 10, 20, or 30 minutes practicing my yoga stretches gives me a genuine sense of calm and perspective. This gives me happiness.
I also love the spring sounds of the birds chirping away outside.
Something that makes me absolutely happy is a warm summer day, relaxing with a nice cool drink with my book and listening to birdsong.
It’s my happy place.
Something that makes me happy:
A little background: I work on a stroke ward in a hospital in blackburn. During the COVID pandemic visiting was restricted and slowing re-introduced.
As visitors started to return to the ward there was a palpable difference in the energy of the ward and the wellbeing of our patients. What made me happy was the privilege to be witness to family reunions. One in particular sticks with me, watching a man who was confused and struggling to communicate waking up to see his wife sitting next to him (after many days in hospital without seeing family or friends). The love in his eyes was the truest expression of love I’ve seen and he immediately beamed as he jumped up to give her a hug.
During lockdown I’ve discovered I love practicing yoga. After a long day at work, spending 10, 20, or 30 minutes practicing my yoga stretches gives me a genuine sense of calm and perspective. This gives me happiness.
I also love the spring sounds of the birds chirping away outside.
What makes me happy, the sound of the sea, laughter, laughing hysterically, singing, such as music the sound of music, birds flying around tweeting to each other first thing in the morning, my cat meowing for her breakfast, my wife breathing in deep sleep, our child laughing with friends, singing karaoke with friends.
Many things
What makes me happy? A very good question! My husband and I spent a weekend in a “zen lodge” in the Scottish Highlands near where we used to live and it was the most relaxing weekend spent unwinding from our busy jobs amidst lockdown and walking in the area. The sounds that remind me of that weekend which make me happy are wind chimes from the garden and the sound of owls and bats when walking in the moonlight. The trickle of water from streams is another sound that always makes me happy!
Here is something that has been making me very happy recently:
Gardening in the sunshine, or just looking at my vegetable garden in the sunshine.
My partner and cat and I live in San Jose, California and it’s pretty sunny here, especially now that it’s spring. It’s been a cold winter because we’re thinking a lot about climate change and didn’t want to use the old gas heater in our house. And I’m like a lizard – always cold and looking for somewhere warm – so when the sun’s out just sitting in it makes me happy. Then, we have a little vegetable plot – maybe 10 feet square? that we made in our backyard. The soil was crap when we moved in, but we put a lot of compost on it and it’s been getting better every year. I love plants (and I studied botany), I love watching plants grow, I love growing food, and I love walking around the garden nibbling on things. And our garden is doing really well this year – it’s a jungle full of dill and lettuce and parsley that sowed themselves from plants that went to seed last year, and fava beans, and mustard greens, and peas, and the last bok choy from the winter that have gone to flower. So every day there is something new to notice, and when I am out in my garden and it’s sunny, it’s like heaven for a moment. ^_^
The thing that makes me happy is lockdown date night with my other half. We play Scrabble, have something to eat and catch up – we even put proper clothes on!
I often play a game with people called Top 3 Sounds, well actually we do all the senses but sounds it’s always a great one. Mine are a pebble being dropped from a height into water, a crackling fire and the birds who chirp away at dusk in our garden.
Ending a Zoom session makes me happy
One of my favourite sounds is a blackbird singing its sweet sound.
Visiting my neighbour’s cat, Georgie 😻 She’s adorable!
As a Nurse, the thing that makes me happy is when patients take the time to thank you for the hard work we’ve put in during this pandemic. Small gifts and care parcels really make me smile, and give you strength to carry on.
I’m in a happy moment. Winding down on a Friday night, with a cup of tea and some happy news.
I work as a nanny and when the children smile or laugh it makes me happy. Yesterday we danced around the lounge and as I swung them around they giggled with glee. Later on, working with another family the children were playing with the bubbles in the bath, they really enjoyed watching them float around the room and trying to catch them!
Sounds are such an important part of our lives. They are so evocative and so deeply rooted in our experience of life. Every day I go outside and just breathe and listen. I allow my awareness to sink down through the layers of sound. I notice and I experience. Our world is so rich in sound
My dog Mercy’s ecstatic dance of joy when he sees me (even if I’ve been gone 5 minutes).
Walking the streets of New York and letting them give me power.
The cinema with dear friends.
A cocktail after a long day of working in the studio.
When I text someone and they tell me they were just thinking about me.
Lucid Dreams and then remembering them
Going to a flea market early in the morning in a foreign country and learning how to bargain in their language.
Finding gifts for people I know they will adore.
DJing 45s for friends at my house.
LOVE.
Is being in a field, at a festival, surrounded by so many other awesome humans, dancing to live music and knowing we’re all sharing a unique moment in time. Being there for the whole weekend, waking up in the morning in a tent, when it’s sunny and feeling an unbelievable sense of community. Best feeling on earth!
Something that makes me so happy is sitting in front of my heater on my couch just listening to the rain and watching the stormy skies outside. & this is a rare thing, as I currently live in LA.
The sound of my kids playing or laughing, hearing children play on the playground, the smell of freshly cut grass, the sound of heavy rain, a clear night and seeing the moon, watching flames or water bubbling.
What makes me happy…a dog walk in the sun with my husband with a coffee in hand.
What makes me happy is when people find selfless and creative ways to express themselves and make others smile. Like flash mob dancing or doing fun musical things in the street. I also love those videos of old people dancing and strutting their stuff. They’re an inspiration and I want to be like them.
I also feel happy when I play my accordion.
I just recently found my self confidence. I no longer want to be … idk what the word is… I guess codependent could be it. I have also recently found that if your truly surrender to life; magical things can happen. honestly thank you for this because I talk to people but I feel like they don’t listen more do they care. Not sayin your are either but … idk it’s different. Which I have also become at peace with. people not truly listening I mean ; In loving myself and listenin to my intuition I find all the answers.
My 5 year old son, Luca makes me really proud to be a mummy to him.
I share a double bed with my 80 pound dog. His dog bed is on one side of my bed. Every morning he slowly begins to ooze over onto my side, inch by inch, until we’re cuddled up tight together. When we go for a car ride, the first thing he does is turn upsidedown and kick his feet in the air and wiggle around on his back in celebration of the ride. Then he sits straight up on the seat as if to say, “OK, we can go now.”
Seeing my children happy, playing well together and hearing their laughter, sensing their love for each other.
The first few notes of Give it Up by KC & The Sunshine Band
The smell of spring
The comfort that I can be stuck in my bubble a little longer before lockdown eases
Deep time consciousness makes me happy! Considering the gaping maw of eons, in light of our evolution and ability to contemplate our place in the cosmos, both humbles me and brings me joy.
Something that makes me happy is sitting at my living room window watching life unfolding on the street below. I love being able to sit and watch interactions and conversations unfolding between neighbours and strangers and it gives me hope for what life will be like post-lockdown!
Well, after being cooped up and working too much for multiple days in a row, I was able to go run a few errands on my bike yesterday. I managed to send a package at the post office without having to wait in line! That’s not what made me happy, though.
Consistently – nearly always without fail – anytime I can go on a bike ride, it’ll elevate my mood. It’s simple, but so true.
The music of “Little Feat” is a sure-fire way to cheer me up. Also bird song first thing in the morning.
No matter what the world throws at me, I have so many things to smile about. My 15-month old daughter Isla makes me smile without even trying. She is just about able to walk and is “sofa cruising” all the time at the minute. I am so happy that we have technology to keep in touch with friends and family in other cities. There is always something to be grateful for.
Cozinhe algo gostoso e compartilhe.
“Cook something tasty and share.”
Happy moments are those we are with family and friends, people we love, doing the simple things in life alongside them. Conversations, smiles, hugs, good food, a blue sky and a quiet breeze.
Daft Punk’s disco fused tunes, A hearty bowl of shreddies and a sunny Sunday morning walk are just a few of the many things that make me feel happy
Seeing my kids happy is the first thing that makes me happy.
Then, having coffee in the sun,
reading a good book,
swimming in the see…
The sound of my dog snoring makes me happy 🙂
Things that make me happy:
When I watch my youngest daughter (2) snuggle up with her big sister (10) to read a book.
When I see the absolute adoration the girls have for their dad in their eyes.
When my ‘work wife’ texts me just to let me know she has had a poo (don’t ask!).
When I tell the kids in my class something about the world so amazing that it renders them speechless (for a few moments). What these things might be are as different and random as the children themselves, no class is ever the same. Working with 7 and 8 year olds is fantastic and I can’t wait to have them all back in school again.
Cheese.
My mum.
When the buds on the trees start to open.
My partner, in too many ways to list here.
A sunny walk through the woods on a crisp winter morning.
Something that makes me happy is seeing a rainbow after a storm or feeling the warmth of the sun on my face after a string of grey days.
Something that makes me happy is: a perfectly poached runny egg!
My ‘happy place’: My animals are no doubt one of my biggest happy places and I often say that one of the happiest places to me is when I cuddle with my cat and my face is snuggled right into her tummy or neck, her warmth, her smell and her closeness always makes me feel like I am ensconced in a happy bubble.
The idea of making a compilation of sounds that make you happy is very dear to me because I’m gradually losing my hearing. I no longer hear low sounds as flying insects, even with my hearing aids.
My favourite sounds are connected to water. Springs of fresh water, small rivulets descending through paths or quiet tides at the beach. Sometimes I record them in hope I can save them and play them out loud in my future.
Lately I’ve been able to hear birds singing, a great pleasure, either because there are more of them or because, with the confinement, sound pollution is decreasing.
There is no better feeling at the moment than the sound of my dog’s collar jingling as she dashes to meet me at the front door. And then the ridiculous amount of licks that follow!
I am always happiest when I go for a walk as the sun sets on a spring day. The warm touch of the sun on your face, the sounds of the birds singing and the smell of the plants, all happy nudges for the senses to remind us of how beautiful life can be.
I’m perhaps the happiest when someone prepares a warm meal for me, I suck at cooking 😀
This weekend I saw my sister, nephew (2) and niece (4) for the first time since Christmas. We had a wonderful time on a socially distanced walk and the kids played in puddles and with sticks and grass. I was worried that seeing so little of me over the past year would have meant that they might not remember me; that any bond that had developed might have lessened, but they were clearly really happy to see me and we had a wonderful afternoon together.
Icicles make me happy. So does the feeling of communality when I go for a walk outside and so many others are doing the same thing in their ones and twos. Also grass tufts in hot sun.
Wide rivers.
‘Warm’ LED lightbulbs.
And courgettes.
I was born in South Africa, but now live in England, so I have 2 different sounds that spring to mind…
1- Sitting in a courtyard restaurant, when the kitchen staff began to sing a traditional Xhosa song… a spine tingling deep voice providing the call, and a chorus of beautifully harmonised voices responding.
I have heard this several times in South Africa, and my ex- nurse mother says it used to happen a lot in the hospital kitchens too.
2- Sitting in my English garden at sunrise, and hearing the woodpecker drumming…
I am an NHS mental health occupational therapist in Edinburgh and this last year has been very tough. I had Covid myself in October and have struggled to recover. However, Spring is just around the corner, the snow’s away, the sun’s shining, vaccinations are here and things are looking up! 👍😃
So the thing that makes me happy is when I contribute someone’s life. I get immense satisfaction from it. That contribution can be financial, emotional or physical. Like yesterday I helped a woman who was carrying a heavy bag by carrying that bag for her. Or a few weeks back I helped my friend with 50K (Indian Currency).
A happy moment for me is when l speak to my dog. He listens better than any human and responds witha look in his eyes, a tilt of his head, and the lay of his ears.
People doing things for others makes me happy. 😍
What makes me happy is driving to my work as a GP and reflecting on how lucky i am – not only to be working at the moment, but to have a job that i love. It has felt wrong at times to be getting paid to help others, which is reward enough in itself.
There are lots of other things to be happy about, but this makes me smile every day.
I consider myself a happy person therefore I could fill this email with many things that make me happy, so I will go with the first thing my heart heard rather than analysing and trying to pick something. So off the top of my head, my immediate sound has to be when I am approaching an old London Pub on a Friday payday evening after work when everyone has spilled into the street and you just hear that rumble of conversation and laughter and clinking of glasses as I cycle past. I have been there many a time all squashed up after a convivial 10 min wait to get to the bar and then the way we all chill and relax and yes…. lots of laughter….. So that is it in a nutshell.. convivial outside the pub happiness and silliness…….
The sound of a robin’s song
Something that makes me happy-
So so much, but right now, the daffodil bulbs I begrudgingly planted last fall, over 100 of them given to me (unrequested) by my mother in law, are starting to come up even though we are still in the midst of a cold gray winter. It’s like a love letter to myself I didn’t know I was sending.
Sometimes I’ll be talking to a good friend, and the conversation will naturally give way to silence, and no one will say anything for what feels like at least a minute. These moments make me extremely happy. I’ve heard them referred to as “comfortable silences” but I get downright ecstatic when they happen, and start smiling uncontrollably, which is fine, because my friends know me.
I live in Honduras..
Honduras is a beautiful country with beautiful people, but we get bad press due to a few bad eggs that paints the county different color.
I have an organic farm where I grow my own fruits and veggies.
What makes me happy is the cool breeze off the Caribbean Sea and the sound of the many species of tropical birds.
The taste of a mountain cherry while listening and smelling the breeze keeps my senses happy all day long.
This is a no-brainer for me: I have the most wonderful daughter in the world. She is 40 years old but still filled with youthful exuberance and joy. We talk on the phone almost every night. She lives in Texas and I live in Colorado but we are planning a long travel trailer trip around the perimeter of the U.S. this year. We have traveled together to many places and countries since she was six years old. Our favorite part of travel is meeting other people and being reminded that most people in the world have the same wishes…health and happiness for themselves and their children, and their friends and neighbors.
Walking with my dogs, especially when they can go off leash, is such a joy. They have such a good time, I can’t resist their enthusiasm and delight.
I work really hard, but get really happy when something I’ve worked on gets released and enjoyed by lots and lots of people.
I feel happy and grateful to have won Covid-19 and to continue taking care of the one I love.
Snuggling up on the sofa with my significant other…
The sound of an urban woodpecker followed by sighting of its beautiful red head
A walk in the forest with friends
Dancing wildly to my favourite tunes on a rainy weekend afternoon
Friday bants with my stellar work colleagues
Dark chocolate of almost any kind😋
When my cat and dog stare at each other, frozen in silence for a long, long time before my dog finally barks at her to play with him.
The sound of laughter, seeing people laugh
Seeing people hug each other
Watching dogs & horses run free on the beach
Lying in bed with cozy pj’s
Viewing kindness in any form
The smell of garlic cooking
The taste of milk first thing in the morning
I’m happy that I have great friends and family and that I can help others through my podcast by promoting charities, local musicians and share the incredible stories of good like yours.
Happy sounds du jour!
Log Burner crackling and popping
Stags in September ROARING
Snow sliding off the roof after a bit thaw
My wife singing when she thinks no one is listening
The sound a really cheap flyaway football makes when you pelt it.
Throwing stones onto a frozen loch.
What makes me happy is seeing the first spring flowers in bloom, warm summer sun on my back, autumn leaves tumbling in the wind and making the first footprints in the snow.
Smells make me happy. The smell of toast, the smell of coffee, the smell of wet leaves in a wood, the smell of the beach, the smell of a summer’s morning, the smell of cut grass, the smell of rain coming, the smell of a scented candle (obsessed with them in lockdown), the smell of my husband’s cheap deodorant, the smell of my daughters bedroom when I go to get her in the morning. Smells are so evocative and I have turned to them during lockdown as a way of bringing little moments of joy into my day. Now off to light a candle and make toast and coffee.
To answer the question “What makes me happy” I would say surprising my loved ones with something that makes them smile, this comes down to whatever their love language is.
Our happy sounds are when we can hear the horses munching hay, or when they nicker to us or squeal with delight as they play. The sound of hooves on tarmac and the gentle blow as they sigh ❤️🐴🐎
Listening to the music that shaped my youth. Watching my movies cuddling together …dancing around my kitchen in pj’s…it’s good for the soul!
Birds singing in the rain means spring is near
The click of a boiled kettle – a hot cuppa isn’t far away
The gentle snap of our canvas bell tent in the breeze
That dampened silence, bright but indistinct landscape after heavy snow
The sound of the first lawn mower of the year
Live music when you’re laying on the grass with the sun on your face
Satsumas – bright, sweet treats in the dark of winter
Watching my 11 and 13-year-old sons erupting in laughter and smiles as they play in the snow with our year old golden retriever Tulip.
Robin song and chickadee chatter on a snowy day, because spring is on its way
What makes me happy is the snowdrops and early crocuses coming out to cheer us up!
Is watching my pup romp through the snow… hearing my young adult children laugh… feeling the cold air on my face.
Would really like to have your happy sounds for end of day when I finish work ( I’m frontline NHS ) .
In exchange something that makes me happy is smell feel and sound of a newborn baby . Just so want to hug them and never let go . They have that lovely warm squidgy feel and smell delightful . Need to go find a baby now
I feel happy when I wake ( most days) at 4am and sit wrapped up with a hot water bottle, blanket, the door open whatever the weather, my dog making quiet dreaming soundsand the darkness outside, silence apart from sometimes a pair of tawny owls calling to each other. Bliss!
I am a physician in Canada, practising medicine for over 42 years and could have retired almost 7 years ago. I have a rather unusual medical practice in that I set up the first private practice in Canada in cardiac rehabilitation and sports medicine. Regrettably, it is not a financially successful type of practice, as I need to spend considerable time with every patient, and in Canada, and probably elsewhere, physicians do well financially by spending very little time.
When the pandemic broke out many told me that this was my chance to retire. I decided not to as I have had more than 56,000 patients, of course not all still living, and it became quickly obvious to me that these patients needed more help now in a virtual way, either by telephone or video, than they ever did before. I now I spend on average 18 hours a day trying to help patients virtually, and I must say, I can “feel” the “gratitude” of my patients. Every night when going to sleep, I feel tremendous satisfaction and “happiness“ by recollecting all the patients that I was able to help that day. That could never be replaced by money!
I run a zoom class ,involving lectures and group support, every Wednesday night at 7 PM for two hours. My cardio pulmonary patients very much appreciate that and it is extremely beneficial in reducing their sense of isolation and the trepidation caused by the pandemic. Interestingly, the first one of these in the new year was entitled “The Science of Happiness.” Now you see why I had to jump right in!
Also interesting, is the fact that I was alerted to your venture by an online harmonica teacher from the UK. I actually took up the harmonica at age 59, when I started using harmonicas for exercise relating to pulmonary physiology. Having never played the harmonica previously, I felt it was necessary to learn what I could in order to guide my patients. In order to improve the pulmonary benefit and to reduce the frustration of learning an intricate new musical instrument, I invented a Medical Harmonica, which I call a Diatonic Chord Harmonica. This is designed to play chords which of course you may know, is playing multiple notes together. Playing multiple notes together creates more lung challenge and is much easier because many harmonica players give up before they achieve accurate single note playing. Music therapists tell me that my medical harmonica plays extremely rich “overtones,” which is very soothing and very much aids in meditation and stress management. Many patients tell me it lifts their mood and spirit and that way creates happiness. Music for the soul, so to speak!
Hello, my favorite happy sound is my son giggling!
I love when I see my husband interact with our dog. Our Cookie loves him to bits but my husband is usually very busy and has only time for a quick hello. You can see the disappointment in Cookie. But every so often my husband will get down on the floor and give Cookie a good belly rub and chat with her. Melts my heart. The homescreen photo on his phone is Cookie, not me or our human girls. haha
One of the biggest things that makes me happy is watching a beautiful sunset or sunrise at the beach 🙂
Most days, around 11h00 I hear the build-up of squawking as a flock of green parakeets fly over my house, not stopping in the garden, and land on a tree about 400 metres from me and then get busy building. The sound is completely different from the other European birds rather polite chirps and beeps – much more “hey lads come on” and they fly almost in formation – with determination – as work and fun lies ahead of them.
So a happy positive noise that also signals time for a t-break
Seeing swans on the canal every day outside my door makes me happy 🙂
We just had a sunny moment, I was digging and I stopped and sat in the garden. The first bee of the year flew past! That’s a happy moment for me!
One of the sounds that really makes me happy is the lovely swishing sound one hears when walking alongside a clump of reeds as they move in the wind. A lovely, whispering sound!
I also love the sound of wind in the trees in a wood/forest. It’s mighty and yet calming. Its beyond my control and I feel connected to it. Its a strange and mysterious feeling: magic!
In response to ‘Something that makes me happy’ –
What a lovely question to contemplate – a smile is coming on my face as I think about it. So much makes me happy so I will pick just a few that I enjoy every day.
The British weather – it is different every day and changes during each day too, It connects us in that we talk about it to anyone and everyone whether it’s a lovely sunny day or a wet, grey, horrible one.
The birds – during the first lockdown I started feeding the birds in my garden. Almost a year later I am still doing it and I gain so much pleasure from watching their antics and ‘getting to know them’.
Helping others – this is something I have always done since childhood. It is part of me and I do so enjoy it.
Good luck with your project and thank you for inviting participation.
People acknowledging and honouring self, others, animals, nature, the planet and beyond. To be seen, heard, felt and loved.
Today I’m happy because the oystercatchers have come inland 25 miles to where I live and love the flooded fields now the snow is melting! Curlews next!
Whilst the love of family and friends sustain, I have found pure joy in learning, and in particular learning about the existence of the Pygmy Possum. At 7 cm this tiny creature was thought to be a victim of Australia bush fires, but no, the species has survived. When you delve into the world of Pygmy Possums its just gets more delightful, there is a sub species called the Tiny Pigmy Possum, that’s a real name, and its even smaller than the Pygmy Possum. Learning about anything is a joy, it doesn’t have to be useful or serious, just the wonder of discovery is a pleasure. Acknowledgements to Positive News for bringing the joy of learning.
It has made us happy to discover new birds in our garden and at the birdhouse this year – some of them we have yet to identify.
Spending quality time and having great conversations with my 3 amazing kids.
Spending time on the hills in Scotland. I got totally addicted to Munro bagging last year, and for me there is no better place to be than in nature and up high with spectacular views in all directions. We are very lucky to live in such a beautiful country.
My dog and my cat snoring gently as I sit and watch the birds outside
Something that makes me happy is DANCE!
The magic hug my son, Alfie who is 6 gives me everyday.
Waking up to know I can have marmite on toast (yes I love it)
Listening to the rain outside when I’m snuggled up in bed
The cup of tea my husband brings me in bed
Hearing our guinea pigs squeak when their food is coming
Laughing at my daughters crazy jokes (of an 11yr old)
Running the trails and feeling in touch with nature
Eating cake, especially when homemade.
Something that makes me very happy:
I began to recognize as I experienced more of life (I’m now in my thirties) that we are all doing our best and that every moment is the first time for everyone. This recognition opened the door for such a sweeping love and compassion for my parents and family members, as well as myself. Now, I get such joy from going to my family home to visit and just appreciating the humans who’ve shaped my life. They, as I believe all people are, are kind, loving, joyful, suffering, celebrating and doing what they can to make the best of each moment with their individual capacities to do so.
In short, my family makes me happy, but moreover, the knowing that all of us are essentially good – this is true happiness ♡
When the day falls into place and my children are playing quietly with each other and the only sound is their laughter and chatting (rather than screaming and shouting) while I can read my book and drink my tea in pure peace.
Moments of utter bliss:
Late summer nights back home (Cyprus) with my close friends. When the world is soft and quiet and the nights are warm. Felling the humidity in the air as we ride down empty roads, with the windows down, and the moonlight dancing on the surface of the sea. Night as such, when all troubles seem to fade away, sitting hours and hours on end, talking about everything and nothing. Filling the night with chatter and the roars of our laughter.
( ˘ ³˘)♥
I found a new swing in the park and it brightens up my mornings ☀️
The sound of an aeroplane taking off ….and landing… 😻
I love the sound of our wood stove burning away in the winter with the wood cracking every now and again
Hi I have to rest a lot due to my MS fatigue which frustrates me. I discovered audio books and now instead of being upset about having to lie down and rest between activities I am happy to have an excuse to listen to the next chapter of my book. The facts/situation is the same but I now have a different perspective of it.
Of course Audible and similar services are great but that is too expensive for many disabled people. I discovered a charity called listening books that is for disabled people and only costs £20 a year for CDs and downloads.
Something that makes me (very) happy : every morning, I usually wake up earlier that my wife to work. This few seconds looking at her before I leave the bed is my happy moment. I look at her face, she’s usually asleep and mouth wide open (not very sexy 😂) but every time, I realize how lucky I am and how alive she makes me feel. That fuels my day!
My dear friend said, when I wailed about wishing I could learn to be content: – who wants contentment? Flat and boring. And happiness? Fleeting. I’m aiming for JOY.
So here are some things that bring me joy:
Over hearing my daughter singing her head off when she thinks no-one is listening
Collecting two fresh warm eggs from my hens every morning (Aunt Lydia and June are rescue hens – three months ago they were bedraggled wrecks with dead eyes and no feathers. They could barely walk. Now they’re plump and sleek and extremely partial to old pasta)
Counting my winter aconites. I planted 100 tiny bulbs in the autumn. 37 up so far and glowing bright yellow through the snow
Catching sight of the Eiffel Tower and thinking how the hell did I end up here
The moment when the baker hands over a baguette tradition and it’s still warm
The moment when my daughter grabs and devours aforementioned baguette
The elusive blue bullet of the local kingfisher
Showing my (French) English students Amanda Gorman’s poem and feeling the wow factor when I told them her age
Making beautiful, practical and elegant masks for dear friends and posting them off in neat little parcels
My bright pink sauerkraut bubbling and squelching
When the smell of dinner is so good it hangs around for a few hours and you notice it again when you come back in
Ironing pillow cases and hearing voices for a new story
The baby perched on its mother’s back who was looking around the shop last week and could tell a smile just from my eyes peeking out above my mask, and who grinned and gurgled back in delight
The bulbs knowing it’s time to speed up now. Even when it’s -6 outside and the snow won’t melt
Good grief…. I keep thinking of more, but perhaps I should stop.
I heard your sounds this morning on Radio 4 as I sat at my desk in a small, dark office in the city.
The wood pigeon calling made my heart soar as it took me straight back to happy childhood days in our garden in the Scottish countryside.
Whenever I can now, I spend time by the forests and dunes of an area of NW England, where I feel at home because the wood pigeons are calling.
What makes me happy? The first time I heard an owl in real life was only 8 or 9 years ago when I moved to a rented house in my home town. We lived near the main supermarket in town, next to the tram line and railway and during the day it was hard to find quiet. It was quite a culture shock, having only just repatriated from Colorado where each day I could see the foothills of the Rockies and enjoy the clean air and relative quiet.
There was a thin sliver of woodland between the tram line and a parallel road leading to a small industrial park and once the trams stopped for the night, I found my peace and quiet. That’s when I heard my first ever owl, and it made me cry with happiness. (I was going through a truly terrible time and struggling to deal with what life was throwing at me.) When I had to move from that house a few years later, one of my regrets was leaving my owl behind.
Last year, during the first lockdown, I was out in the garden, enjoying the unfamiliar quiet that had descended on my town. To my absolute delight, I heard that familiar call! I’d not heard owls since I’d moved in 4 years ago. Now there was a call and response thing going on from all directions.
I was so happy to have had this opportunity to reconnect to nature and simply listen to what was going on around me at that moment. The memory continues to make me happy and hopeful that I’ll hear it all again.
Cutting new footsteps in snow
The sound of my two ponies munching their hay, with occasional soft nostril snorts, guaranteed to make me feel calm and happy.
Whilst we both love bird song, I guess my happy sound would be rain falling on my skylights at night. I just found the sound itself relaxing but also (here in southeast England where it doesn’t rain much) it’s a very positive sound for the summer garden.
Getting lost in making art. I was told at school, 50 years ago, not to bother but last year I started drawing and painting. Now it makes me happy everyday and my current ‘series’ of illustrations is getting alot of feed back saying they make people laugh/smile. How fabulously rewarding, in these current times, and happy making is that!
The action of stitching by hand into anything I can find; and, most importantly in a slow and methodical fashion, makes me happy. I stitch words that I feel or don’t want to feel.
Animals of all kinds make me happy.
Compassion makes me happy.
Exercise makes me happy.
For me the no.1 has to be my 1 year old daughter squealing with laughter and delight.
Strong wind blowing on trees
The things that make me happiest at the moment are memories – the memory of my Mum smiling at me, the memories of my 2 dogs & I having all the fun, & all the love. They may all be gone now, but their love still makes me happy.
My new cavoodle puppy makes me happy. After many years of the difficulties life throws at you my new cavoodle puppy makes me smile each day. She gives me joy. I’ve enjoyed taking her to the beach each day over the summer and seeing her delight in retrieving her ball from the lapping waves.
What makes me happy is something simple and unexpected like bumping into a friend and having a great catch up over a drink or taking the dogs for a walk and getting to see a beautiful sunset
Spending the afternoon with my younger siblings:
I work most afternoons until the early morning, so I can go days without hanging out with them, despite us living in the same household. We are 10 years apart and I love seeing them become fully developed human beings with great senses of humor and curiosity. We mostly end up playing video games, something I don’t do much anymore but I loved when I was in my preteens too.
Enjoying their company and getting to know them better is one of the few upsides that has come from this pandemic. 🙂
What makes me happy is the liminal space just before the sunrises where the light is full of color and mystery
What makes me happy is seeing my children smile from the inside out
What makes me happy is slowing down and sitting by the fire with a cup of tea
What makes me happy is visiting the art museum and taking in the glory of artwork
I live in central Taiwan. Like most cities here, ours (called Lan Tan, ie: “Orchid Lake”) has a man-made lake that serves not only as a reservoir, but also as a park. Our lake has a road that runs all the way around, which is about 4 kilometers around. It is one of my favorite places to just drive and relax after a long week’s work, feeling the wind in my face and the gentle hills and curves of the land beneath my scooter.
I was driving along the lake one night and it was such a beautiful night. The air was clean and the sounds of nature were audible even over the sounds of my motor. I pulled over to enjoy the sounds and captured a small video which I sent to my family.
playing music, spending time with my girlfriend. Being organized and getting good quality sleep because it indicates a good balance which I have come to appreciate more as I get older.
Ah – Yin Yoga class makes me happy – feeling my body stretch and loosen.
Walking on the beach in any weather – always something different to see.
Dogs playing at the park – running for sheer joy with huge smiles – and coming for cuddles.
Clean sheets.
Working in the garden – hands in the soil.
A great novel – one that calls to me to keep going until the end.
Seeing my 18-year old daughter laugh and smile as she heads out into womanhood.
On a warm summers day, lying in a meadow of long grass and wild flowers, listening to the insects buzzing and the grass moving, with my horse munching near by, searching out the best, juiciest bits to be nibbled. There is no hurry, no time, nothing to think about except that moment of deep connection to the earth and divine smell of summer, sunshine and total relaxation.
How happy is that!
- Let me start with fluffy clouds, particularly during the golden hour when they take on subtly colourful beauty.
- I love the night sky and am elated when I see a satellite flare.
- I love to lie under a tree and look up through its branches and leaves towards a clear blue sky.
- I am happy when things quiet down inside of me and I experience a moment of stillness and silence.
- The reflections of the sunlight on a curled water surface give me immense joy.
- Brushing my teeth before going to bed often gives me the giggles for reasons I have not yet found out.
- Watching toddlers walk makes me happy, and if I can catch a smile from them, it makes me even happier.
- The smell of moist soil in the fields is always a source of joy for me. Sometimes it is mixed with a whiff of coriander (although there isn’t any) which lifts my spirits even more.
Few things make me so happy as the smell of wet earth after the rain and the sincere smile of all the people I love.
In my role as a recruiter, I get to speak to complete strangers from all around the UK and Southern europe.
It makes me happy to connect and speak to ordinary people from different backgrounds and share stories about how we live our lives, I have found this extremely helpful during COVID & the various lockdown’s.
It has made me very aware of the fact that when you view the world and the people within it through your own eyes and not through the distorted lens of a media agency or social media platform as we have all become accustomed to, you find that it is still a beautiful place full of very supportive people.
It is a bright beautiful sunny morning here in Liverpool.
We are going to walk along Otterspool
Prom alongside the River Mersey to the local butcher and buy a shoulder of pork. When we get back we will roast the pork in a ceramic oven outside.
With a bit of wine taken during the cooking process by the time it is done at the end of this afternoon it will end up a lovely day by the fire pit…..and the weekend will begin with our children.
A good day.
I love hearing my cat purr,
The birds pecking on the suet,
And sleet landing on the skylight.
So here is something that makes me happy. Especially during this time of uncertainty, watching children playing happily, completely engrossed in the moment, makes me happy and distracts me in a positive way. I live in the outskirts of London so we haven’t had much snow but there was one Sunday in January when it was suddenly Winter Wonderland. Everybody seemed to be out to play, especially families, and the air was alive with a sense of fun. I’ve never seen so many snowmen on display. Young children were particularly gleeful but so were adults. I guess what I’m trying to say is that happiness and joy are infectious!
Something that makes me happy at the moment is taking my dog for a walk early in the morning in the playing fields behind my house and then singing at the top of my lungs (or whistling if I have a sore throat). One day I hope to be woken by someone else singing in the park outside 🙂 As I type my daughter is singing “Don’t Worry Be Happy” downstairs.
What makes me happy these days is my 4.5-year-old daughter. She starts every day with a big smile and is so effusive and full of eager excitement, even in the midst of pandemic and school closures. Sometimes we yell at the coronovirus to go away and stop ruining all our fun. She has a big smile on her face while she does this, and so do I.
One thing that’s made me happy recently is just how easy it is now to get widespread groups of friends together online. Video calls are now so much more the norm and I’ve reconnected with so many old friends as a result!
What makes me happy is the sounds of so many folk having fun as the sun goes down in a snow filled Holyrood Park. Nobody was thinking about the pandemic, or Brexit, or climate change. They were sledging, building snowmen, finding the deepest snow to jump in and, like I was, running through fresh snow.
The sound of the sea, waves crashing on a beach always makes me so calm and happy. Being able to look for shells or scramble over rocks and look out to sea, my favourite thing in the whole world.
Also the sound of people laughing, especially my friends when we’re having a meal together and we can’t stop laughing, that makes me so happy!
What makes me happy is seeing other people in a positive mindset after being down or in a low place for a long time 🙂
In lockdown I started wild swimming at sunrise in the North Sea. I love waking up in the dark and scrambling to pull jumpers and socks on before rushing out the door and getting in my friends car and whacking the heating up. It would still be dark when we got to the beach and sometimes in winter there was frost on the sand. When you are looking at the sea before you go in, everything is telling you to turn around and get back into the warmth, but you’ve got to keep moving forward because the feeling you get afterwards is so worth it. Pure joy!
Hugs from my boyfriend
The internet! The accessibility and information that we have at our fingertips is so incredible.
The sound of rain
Perfect fitting jeans
Cuddles from my dog
Random texts from my friend
Libraries; oh gosh so many books and all free.
Jigsaw puzzles
Cosy slippers
Rainbows
Starting new journals
Scented candles
Indoor plants
The ocean
Mozzarella makes me happy. It cooks on pizza to share with friends, it sits with tomatoes and oil – the flavour blends. It’s cold and milky, hot and silky and happiness oozes from every cell
Music makes me happy
I have to tell you about a sound that used to make me very happy. It was my dog’s laugh. Did you know dogs laugh? They do. The sound isn’t like human laughter, it’s not a chuckle or a belly laugh, but it’s there. It’s a little breathy “heh-heh-heh” that rushes out from the back of their throat. Dogs don’t laugh at jokes like humans, or funny stories, but they do laugh when they are truly enjoying themselves playing with their humans. It’s a wonderful, charming, warm sound. My good dog, my beloved friend passed away last week at the ripe old age of 13. He had lived a very good life and was a much loved member of my family. So I will miss his laugh, that I would hear when we were playing together, tousling over a toy or having his belly rubbed. His laugh is something that made me happy.
I love listening to the sounds of birds singing and the bleating of newborn lambs in the fields surrounding our house. Just heavenly.
Today I saw for the first time snow falling on the Thames. Obviously I’ve seen snow falling before. A million times.
But it’s always magical to see it falling on an open space, not in the heart of the city, where it disappears between skyscrapers, sink to the ground and immediately become polluted by mood and waste gas.
But no, over the Thames it was pure and clear and time stopped as I stepped towards the wall and followed each flake’s way down.
When it touched the calm surface, it stayed for seconds, as if it couldn’t decide which was colder: the ancient Thames or the fleeting snowflake.
My dog!!
Something that makes me happy is brining a smile and laughter to people who are in desperate need of cheering up. In other words, making people happy makes me happy 😊
What makes me happy is going back home, to Sardinia. Feel the sun over my skin and the sand on my feet. It’s the best feeling. And then swimming in the cool sea, makes you feel so free.
Good food makes me happy, it’s the highlight of most of my days and the best thing is to share a meal and drinks with your family or your friends. That’s happiness – until someone mentions politics!!
Lastly my family cat, George, he’s the funniest and the fact he tries to tolerate my cuddles.
It makes me happy to hear the excited ‘Whoop whoop’ cries from the early morning swimmers on Brighton beach.
Dappled light casting patterns across the lawn, a gentle breeze in the trees, birdsong which appeared so much louder during lockdown, walks with my dog who has been the best companion during the last 11 years but ever more so during the last 11 months, the sea gently lapping against the shore, children’s laughter from a theme park in the distance, the sound of ice chinking in a glass & the popping of a cork knowing good wine is on its way.
Reading my daily comic strips
Watching my daughter grow into an incredible young lady
Playing games (board, card, video, etc.) with my family
Hanging out with my cats
Quiet
Traveling
Being out in nature makes me peaceful and happy.
One of the things that makes me happy, is my 2 granddaughters😃😃! 👶👶💕💕
What makes me happy?
the sun
thunderstorms on a hot afternoon
the crisp air and crunch of fresh snow underfoot
the cool stillness of the woods
the sound of a chickadee in the distance
babies learning new things, the sheer joy on their faces when the accomplish something like sitting up for the first time unsupported
my adorable pet rats
so, so many things
My dogs and running dog agility!
Snowdrops – the sign of hope
The first coffee on a cold morning
The views over cheltenham hills where I live
What makes me happy is thinking about how fortunate we all are for living in these times when we have food, shelter, warmth and so many amenities with which we can share with our loving families! Life is day-to-day, so we need to embrace every single one of them!
My happy is the sound, the full throttle sound of my daughter laughing, her father beside her, face crumpled with laughter. It’s sometimes completely unavailable to me, their joke or spark of joy, but my gosh that sound, that sight it does make me happy!
my grandchildren facetimeing me
Hearing and seeing my teenage son’s passion as he speaks about his love of textiles and fashion.
Something that brings true happiness is seeing the little black and white bufflehead ducks return every winter to the Merrimack River in NH where I live. Pure joy!
Something that makes me happy is cooking for my family and friends. From buying the ingredients to the prep work to smiling faces, it fills me with happiness 😊
Every day, my dog Amber makes me happy. She’s so full of fun and doesn’t care if it’s rain or snow (she loves snow) and we always have a great time on walks.
I can tell you about my evening routine which is surrounded by happiness. So first I read positive news, as a counterweight for all the negative news that I read during the day. Then, when upon putting the light out, I start to count 10 good things of the day. This has been such a game changer because I could often be so disappointed of myself at the end of a day for not having done enough or reaching my too high goals – until I started to count what went right, and I just felt my state of mind turn a 180 degrees. So now I do it standard, and I love how much I have to celebrate, it can even be the fact that I have a roof over my head! I always look forward to that moment to count.
Something that makes me happy is the days getting longer and my dog!
To make smile someone that I dont know (and barely meet again) makes me feel well I.e. market cashier, taxi/bus driver etc.
My sister and her children make me happy.
Sitting on the couch with my purring kitty…
Family. I lost my dad when I was barely 9 (he was 36 & died unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm), 2 grandparents shortly afterwards; a few years later a cousin my age, my remaining grandparents, several aunts/uncles, my stepdad and now most recently I have lost my best friend, former father in law (still was dad) and my mom. So you see, for me…….sharing each day with the people that mean the most to me and don’t cause me emotional or physical harm, is the only way to be. This is what makes me the happiest.
There are many things that make me happy, but something which makes me extremely is happy is knowing that my loved ones are healthy, safe and content.
Sunshine makes me happy.
Watching a fox find a piece of apple on it’s routine walk round the garden near my workshop. In the summer it liked to sunbathe in the grass apparently unworried by the noises or things going on fairly nearby. Urban creatures, wily and noisy, this flash of red with an amazing survival instinct.
I am happy and serene when I sit by the wood stove reading and sipping a cup of hot tea.
In Corona time, I found myself after a 3 year ago divorce and a really bad time, in a new state of happiness. After a search of 2.5 years I found a house for me and my 2 daughters. A new job, bought a cat and this al happend during corona. So even in bad times beautiful things can happen.
What makes me the happiest is a solo hike in the early evening when the temperature is changing…As the elevation changes so does the smells. It makes me even happier if it is right after the rain, and the damp earth smell of dirt, wet leaves, and decaying underbrush all mingle together, hanging in the air. The birds are especially active after the rain, and this hike is my utmost happy place:)
I love clearing snow.
And feeding the birds. It is costing me a fortune but they reward me with their determination to live.
In this time of isolation, my attention is drawn to new creatures and places of joy and beauty. Every other day, I toss a cup of birdseed onto the pure white snow in my little yard. The birds that come are a source of entertainment and carriers of important messages. They share with one another and do not fight over the food. I think of them as well mannered. When they fly away, I have every confidence that they will return and I happily can’t say that they keep returning and I keep feeling grateful for their company. While I live in New Jersey now, I am a native of Brooklyn, New York. These birds are going to lead me to purchase a bird book so I will know the names of all of the kinds of birds that come to visit me every day.
Walking into the cold sea and swimming out towards the horizon
One thing (and a sound) that makes me very happy is when my dog is sleeping so contentedly that she snores. She was abandoned in Spain after being abused as a hunting dog, and a stray for three years. It took her a long time to trust humans, and when she’s sleeping so deeply in my presence that she snores it seems somehow magical.
Spring makes me happy. I love to see nature emerging from the bleakness of winter, buds on trees, shoots of daffodils poking their heads up, birds getting busy. It just feels so positive.
I’ve had a really rubbish day and am trying to focus on positives so something that makes me happy is my partner Ailene. We have only been together for three months but she has improved my life and my mood so much. She is a very talented artist and an incredibly kind, funny and sweet human being. Whenever I am down I think about her and the sound of her laugh and how much she encourages me to be creative and to be a better person. The time we have spent together has helped me to heal from past trauma and have a healthy and happy relationship with someone I truly care about. There are many other things that make me happy in my life but at this moment she is what popped into my head. I look forward to sharing your album with her so we can both enjoy it together.
Singing is one of the best things in life, I think, and I’ve missed singing with my choir during the lockdowns in France.
Now that I can sing again with a small group, it lifts my spirits and makes me very happy for at least a few hours or even a few days!
the half-trill-half-purr sound my cats make when stretch if they’re blissed out and sleepy
My absolute favorite sound is the sound of a children’s choir. Think the song….”Sing,.sing a song…”
My mother was recently diagnosed with cancer and whilst isolating a bloke who’d done some decorating for her years ago popped up to see her. He’d spent the previous night cooking chicken stew and brought 6 boxes of it, he left it on her doorstep – pure magic!
The sound of my partner whistling while he makes his morning cup of coffee.
The sound of my 3 year old singing in the car.
The sound of children playing in the school ground.
The sound of the swings squeaking back & fourth in the playground.
The sound of rain on roof of the garden shed.
My happy sound is when I motor out of my marina, hoist the sails and switch off the engine.
The “quiet” is great.
The only sound around is the water passing by as we sail off down the Solent.
As I sat and tried to think of things that make me happy actually quite a lot spring to mind…
The thought of spring and warmer days and sunshine on my face!
Time spent with friends
Flowers – tulips in particular
Music and singing (badly) to my favourite songs!
Holidays with my family to the Lake district
Seeing my son and my nieces hanging out together!
Spending time with my family!
Baking
Sitting in the warm watching it snow outside!
Fresh bedding, fluffy towels and fluffy socks!
Some of these are things I can still do and some I will have to wait a while to do again! But here is to better days ahead!
Walking in the snow and sunshine yesterday we sat down in a sheltered edge of woodland for a picnic, and a robin came and perched on my friends knee- it was so lovely to see this tiny bird up close, and feel honoured by its presence in that environment.
I recently started learning about clouds, and now it makes me happy to see a cloud and recognise it 🙂 I find great joy in suddenly seeing beauty in mundane things
…some things that make me happy are: watching the seagulls and crows gliding on the air drafts during the windy storms, seemingly because they delight in it. Picking up fallen pine branches and arranging them in a teapot (for lack of a vase!). Hugging centuries-old trees in the park. Gatching a glimpse of local foxes. Learning the plants and birds…
seeing kids doing wheelies down the street makes me happy
Many things make me happy, walking my dog, Teddy, and watching him run about so freely and with such happiness brings me joy. He gets me outside everyday and I am grateful for that.
Something that makes me happy is when the golden sun rays begin to flow into the whole house in the morning. 🙂
My happy sound is listening to my cat purring as I fall asleep.
I find cold days are incredibly tiring for me emotionally and mentally. Sunshine after a few cold, tiring days…it’s positively warming 😊
Sitting in the quiet of the morning with a book and a hot cup of coffee :)))
Something that makes me happy is my best friend. He’s the only friend I have, and I’m blessed to have at least one friend who understands who I am fundamentally and without judgement.
Things that make me happy: having friends that I can laugh with, cry with, snuggle up with, and share everything with! Yay!
Noticing something small, and easily missed in our garden. Here are just a few recent celebrations!
The first snowdrop flower starting to open.
The amazing colours still to be seen in a single old leaf from last autumn.
Blue tits searching a leafless branch and finding the tiniest of tasty morsels.
The parchment-thin smooth silver seed cases on an old honesty flower stem catching the low winter sun.
My cat purring and praise from the parents and I am 53!
Happiness is sharing and giving caring, unique gifts, and even intangibles of ‘doing’ something for people both very Special and also those in need.
There is always more gratitude/’happiness’ in ‘giving’ than in receiving!!!…. including, re-building someone’s small home after a tropical storm…without their knowing! We had them living in another place while the surprise was being created.
There were certainly lots of sounds of building and in the surprised reactions, yet to put a ‘sound on the feeling’ is more challenging and interesting to describe.
The sound I most like is the sea lapping at the shore. I live in Llandudno, and I do go to the beach to listen and become conscious.
When the wave comes in…it takes all the noise space, and when it goes out..the noise space becomes bigger leaving me space to fill with my consciousness.
My happiest times are when I’m together with people and have a sense of our connection reaching beyond just us, out into beyond what we can know. It’s a particular feeling that I call the ‘being at one with humanity’ feeling. Those are happy times and they sustain me always, remembering and knowing that it happens that way sometimes.
One thing that will always make me happy is an internalized feeling resonating from a single memory. My wife’s smile in one photograph instills a warmth inside of me that I cannot produce in any other way. I can close my eyes at any time and be transported to this photograph and am surrounded by warmth.
going on walks and meeting with my friends, completing school work and feeling the sun on my skin are some of the many things that make me feel happiness.
waking up on the river with the mist hovering over the water
Hearing my young adult kids voices when they fit it into their schedules to phone.
Realising it’s still light at 5.30 pm.
Sound of the waves, smell of the sea
My almost 2-year-old daughter is learning to talk and it makes me so happy when I get her up in the morning to hear the first thing out of her mouth. It’s so unpredictable! Yesterday it was “hello world! I’m ready to play!”
I’m sitting with my husband on the sofa, with one cat purring on my lap and the other cuddled up to me. I’m knitting the border of a large, colourful blanket which is nearly finished, which is keeping my lap warm under the cat. As I knit and my husband plays video games we talk of this and that, making each other laugh. I feel warm and content, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
The sound that makes me happiest is my children laughing together. That uncontrolled, uncontrollable laughter, when something is really, really funny. It’s the kind of sound you hear with your heart instead of your ears.
One of the sounds that makes me very happy is when my home comes to life with all my children visiting (they range in age from 26, 23, 21, 10, and 8 years old) during thanksgiving. It has been a tradition in my home that I have been cultivating since they were all little kids that everyone comes home for Thanksgiving holiday. My home then fills with all these different sounds and voices that just fill me with joy.
Whenever I see relaxed people in tensionate situations. The change they instill in
others is otherworldly.
Animals as well.
Sunrise through and in the forest.
Is when a friend texts you out of the blue trying to remember the name of a nightclub you went to together 30 years ago.
Smelling flowers makes me happy
What i like the most is seeing and hearing birds chirping and gathering altogether on a nude tree bush.
Rain on a tin roof.
The snow falling here has covered me whilst walking with the most incredible, perfectly shaped six-point snowflakes. Each is different, and each has made me smile. None are bigger than a couple of millimetres. Nature’s beauty.
- When I look over into the car beside me and see that person singing as if no one is around!
- A fresh made bed and sliding into that bed after a fresh leg shave 😉
- Seeing my clients succeed after joining my programming!
Sounds of birds singing makes me happy
A hot cup of tea and a homemade biscuit.
A warm bath to sink into.
The sound of rainfall on a window or roof.
Singing in a group.
Ripples on water.
New blossom.
The moon.
Spontaneous kitchen dancing and hula hooping makes me happy
Watching and listening to nature.
Being on the river.
Playing basketball!
This Autumn I fostered two Yorkshire terriers, Buster and Peanut. Their owner has been sent to prison, and the dogs are the apples of his eye, so I said I’d take care of them until he could look after them once again.
Working from home can be such a relentless, thankless activity, but with Buster and Peanut sitting on my feet under my desk keeping me company, the days don’t seem quite as dismal.
I’ve been going mad stuck in the city since Christmas. I spent last weekend climbing up loads of local trees where kids have built rope swings with some pretty dodgy rope and replacing them with super safe rope and nice wooden seats. It was great to see loads of folk of all ages enjoying the new swings in safety. It feels great to be a giant kid.
As someone who is over two weeks into a run of antidepressants I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes me happy and what need to make me happy. There are so many things; food is a big one, the company of others, skateboarding, music, the snow, but for the purposes of this, I would like to say something that makes me happy is seeing someone else’s passion for something they love in front of your eyes. It doesn’t matter what it is but if you can tell that someone really loves something with their whole heart it can shine through to you.
I’ve been hanging out with someone who really loves citrus fruit, oranges especially, and their joy of the fruit brings me happiness. So yeah, I guess that’s what I’ll say.
What makes me happy is seeing my mum’s face over facetime (who lives 4,000 miles away), and seeing that she is doing well.
Things that make me happy-people who spread positive energy, the snowy scene out my back door, the birds at the feeder, anything gardening, a walk in the snow……
At this moment in time … with so much snow in Sheffield, I break into a smile when I see the children dragging their sledges to the hills, hearing them scream and laugh as they hurtle down the snowy hillsides and parents joining in. Watching them stomp home all soggy and happy dragging the well-used sledge behind them. I love it!
Something that makes me happy is seeing the daily progress of a new leaf sprouting from a plant in my living room.
Stepping on brand new snow, feeling the cold air on my fingertips and the tip of my nose makes me happy. I also love knowing that when I get home it will be warm and welcoming.
My happy thing is spending hours cooking a meal for my housemates, and tasting how good the garlic gets when it has a three hour long friendship with the tomatoes.
Eating snowflakes as they fall on my face. Dancing to Beyonce. Watering the plants. Eating tea and chocolate. Splashing paint around. Smiling at kids in their push chairs. Sending heart emojis. Fluffy jumpers. Standing over the radiator and the waft of clean laundry. My head touching the prayer mat. Sliding on the floor in my socks. The smell of coffee.
3 points to Sunderland on a Saturday afternoon,
A text from my daughter
A laugh from my Dad (he’s on end of life care and really struggling most days)
A hug from my better half
A smile from friends and strangers alike!
What makes me happy…
Seeing the small spring flowers starting to bloom – giving hope for fairer weather and longer days.
bursts of blossom
hillsides bright fresh green
white clouds in the clear blue sky
golden fields
rippling in the hot sun
blazing in the clear blue sky
brown earth ploughed
awaiting the gift of rain
clouds fleeing in the darkening sky
fields of frost
bare branches dusted white
shining against the crystalline sky
a land of beauty
held as humble custodians
shared beneath the wide wide sky
- Seeing an old woman light up with a smile when you compliment her on her pretty dress
- A puppy’s first real snow
- When sharing a giggle with your sister makes one of you snort, and then neither of you can stop laughing
Wrapping up warm to clear leaves from the garden path, makes me happy, I’m always visited by my local robin who chirp’s at me for more dry worms whenever I see him.
Over the last year we formed a bond, he flies over the moment he sees me because he knows I will bring out another suet block, or bird feed for him.
He’s a reminder that outside of the madness is the joy of simplicity
The hum of a cosy bar with soft music playing in the background.
😊
What makes me happy? Love and laughter! Hugging people, dancing the night away… some time soon 😊
Watching the blue tits, the robins, and the squirrel dancing around the feeders in the garden, in the snow, has been truly joyful over the weekend
my happy message is how grateful i am for the fun snow and how much it cheers everyone up.
I completed my Art iGCSE and passed it well, last week which I started just before the second lockdown! Really please as I can go on to complete the diploma and then hopefully the Foundation. 😊
Yesterday’s was going for a walk along the seafront in a rare snow fall and watching a dark blue suited and booted two year old having a wee moment of frustration with his bike and his mummy. He stomped away in my direction and I could see he had the reddest cheeks, like drawn on perfect dots and his bare hands were a perfect matching red from the cold. Rage n extreme cold both flashing vermilion against the slate of the sea.
What makes me happy are the warm sun rays on my face when I’m in a peaceful place among nature. What makes me happy is a hug from my loving partner. What makes me happiest is the sense of freedom.
Happy thoughts and smiles happen every day here in lockdown (Bavaria) as I watch the feeding antics of many birds, “my” woodpecker and “my” red squirrel in my back yard.
Smile!
So many things make me happy, but right now, in this very moment, I’m sitting up in bed with my wife drinking my morning coffee with a clear blue sky and the sun coming up over the horizon. Bliss.
Seeing my wife’s face every time I enter the house. She smiles and I feel the haven; for the all 31 years.
- meeting a new family that understands your challenges
- having my kids say they love our new home, bc there is so much guilt from making them start over
- having a friend invite you somewhere or share something personal. Making new friends as adult is hard. Finding true ones is even harder
- a fucking good hug. Especially after a year of so few
- a thank you. Knowing you touched someone else
A pile of puppies 🙂
We opened all of our blinds today to watch the giant snowflakes that were defying gravity – they were floating rather than falling. It was so peaceful and calming – like drifting in a twisting snow globe – like magic!
What made me happy this week was while watching birds at the feeders on my porch I was delighted to see a gorgeous pair of cardinals (male and female) delicately feeding each other black sunflower seeds while sitting in my snowy flower box.
working at my allotment with the birds, the sky, the light, the peace ❤️
I am a pensioner. There is a footpath that passes my front door. It makes me happy to hear the voices of my neighbour’s young children walking past.
The delighted look on a child’s face when they’ve learned to do something new.
When one of my young unaccompanied asylum seeking students, from some harrowing situation and often after a long, traumatic journey, begins to smile more and to learn how to read.
What makes me happy is dressing up my pets, particularly my silkie chicken. She now has a growing wardrobe of outfits and I enjoy taking photos of her. She likes to sit in my lap and watch tv and purrs contentedly when I scratch her neck. Her feathers are really soft like a cat and feel soothing to stroke. She often steals the dogs bed and if it’s already occupied will snuggle up to him. Her name is Miss Sundae.
Singing/playing music with friends or even strangers makes me happy. There is nothing like locking into a rhythm or harmony and experiencing “flow” in its purest form.
Seeing the sheer joy on my grandson’s face at being let loose in the snow, and making a snowman
Witnessing the gratitude of old pensioners in the Covid vaccination clinic, and seeing them start hoping again for real contact with people.
The purple streaked sunrise out of my kitchen window yesterday
Finding a funny wee note and cartoon on your pillow from your daughter just before you go to bed telling you how much she loves you …
I recently let go of a childhood stuffed animal I’ve had for over 25 years.
I always took really good care of her, Mrs Duck, so she still looked really good.
I gave her away for free to a woman who said her daughter would love her.
The thought that my old Mrs Duck makes a young girl happy for a second time makes me really happy.
Talking to my 90 year old neighbour on her doorstep. She has been looking after her disabled husband throughout lockdown. Somehow she is always cheerful, and we always have an upbeat chat. She really makes my day.
My 9-year-old orange cat purrs so loudly, I can hear him on the other side of the room when he is making biscuits on his favorite blanket on the bed. He also grooms everyone else in the house — the other cat, the mini dachshund, the Labrador, and me.
His name is Tony Hawk and he’s the absolute best.
Home dance nights during lockdown.
I am fortunate to live with my partner and a lodger. Our household has formed a bubble with a friend who lives alone. The four of us, (age range 49-64), get together each Saturday night for a dance for a couple of hours, followed by a meal together. We share generating a playlist – we’ve been through the decades ‘50s to ‘10s and are currently exploring our “teenage kicks”. Showing mesmerising fractal videos from YouTube on a TV screen together with a remarkably good value disco light thing sets the scene. The first event made us all so happy that we’ve been doing it each week since.
Sitting near the sea, listening to the waves, birds and sounds around me.
Seeing others laugh or smile.
What makes me happy is the complete silence of a cold winter morning here in Canada walking in the woods where you hear each step cracking the snow under the weight of your feet with echo. As you walk in the forest you hear crows loud and clear along with tree branches rubbing on each other amplified by that empty silence surrounding. As you move forward, this silence is slowly and gently disturbed by a subtle water sound coming from a water stream half frozen going down the mountain.
Although there isn’t much to be happy about these days (I was, at the age of just 49, recently diagnosed with a blood cancer), I do try to find something to smile about every day.
This week, my heart was full after standing outside in the most beautiful, fluffy snowfall;
falling asleep with my cat snuggled close by my side;
I heard one of my favorite songs from the 80s on the radio;
a co-worker surprised me with dinner — for the week.
What makes me happy is a hot stew on a cold, wet and windy night
What makes me happy? Running in cold weather and just being lost in a big expanse of trees!! There is just so much so smell, see and look out for when you are in a wooded area, and my mind seems to not focus on the day to day rubbish!
Having my cat curled on my legs and purring while I’m reading or watching TV is my happy place 🙂
My golden retriever gently laying her head on my shoulder while I am driving.
Personal positive sound: The ‘click’ of my wheelchair’s locking brakes happily functioning.
What makes me happy is cycling every day, horizontal rain or shine, on my ‘go anywhere’ touring bike, enjoying the present moment and dreaming of adventures to come!
watching squirrels, the coziness of my tiny basement suite, sitting at the edge of the cliff and gazing out to the sea, watching seabirds dive, watching seals bobbing in the ocean with their companions, the creaminess of dark chocolate as it melts in my mouth
Taking my 2-year-old granddaughter to the park and sharing her joy and laughter. Going faster on the roundabout, going higher on the swings, whizzing down the slide and splashing in the puddles, all these experiences make her laugh and bring me joy. Happy, precious times.
What makes me happy is line dancing – enjoying the movement, the exercise, learning new dances and especially dancing the more complicated dances . . . . and previously also the contact with other people.
A joyous experience!
- Spontaneous connection and conversation with other people I come across when out on my regular walks. (Socially distanced of course!)
- Watching the birds who come to feed from the bird table and bird feeders in my garden.
- Teapigs Chai tea in the afternoon – an extravagant treat but delicious.
What a beautiful morning it is,
My children are waking up,
Quietly chatting and excited about the day to come,
the games to play and fun to have.
Laughing about the silly birds on our bird feeder,
balancing on the washing line, swinging,
Someone smiled at me, just walking along,
although lockdown makes people more down,
there definitely has been more smiling… Soundless
Happy little inner ping….
A sound that makes me happy is the humming sound I make when I practice the humming bee breath with my wonderful yoga teacher. The upside of Covid is that her classes have moved online so although I am based in a different country I can join her classes online.
Sitting with my wife in the back our van, somewhere high, with a view of the sea or some hills, with the sounds of nature around, the touch of sun on our skin and a warm breeze filling the space with the perfumes of summer.
As a new stained glass artist, cutting a piece of glass that fits exactly.
Things that make me happy are sounds of the wind in the trees, rain on a window, robins singing in the dark, sunlight through clouds, old friends telephoning me with good news, memories of my daughter laughing as a baby, children absorbed in playing, memories of sitting on a cliff top overlooking the sea and the waves, a hug, the kindness of strangers, a smile from a baby, church bells floating across fields.
Making a list of things that make me happy.
My one-year-old grandson, Emil, has a smile that makes everyone who gets one of his smiles so happy that there is no longer any room for negative thoughts. His smile has rescued me so often during this pandemic.
In short, first lockdown separated us from our just turned one, grandson. 12 weeks of nothing but video calls.. move forward and we now have essential baby sitting.
This wee guy is turning two next week, and is picking up lots of words. One of our favourite happy moments is him saying ‘tortoise’ – it just makes me crinkle up inside with all the juiciness of that unconditional love, a beautiful feeling as if my heart is just going to explode like the most spectacular firework. We get so much happiness from this one tiny human. A great antidote to living in a pandemic.
What makes me very happy is that scientist have developed a number of vaccines, not just one, to fight the Covid-19 Virus. It is truly magical that they have achieved this so quickly is remarkable. I just hope now that rich counties ensure that all the poor one received number doses of these vaccines. 🙂
The birds starting to sing again after the outdoors being quiet over winter. The snowdrops coming up after the brown barrenness of winter.
Life finds a way to come back.
We will find a way to be able to chirp away with each other again, just like the birds have.
I am happy when I walk amongst the trees in dancing light: they teach me patience and where my true roots lie.
I can become ecstatic while upon such a walk a Willy Wagtail prevails itself in full rhythmic swing; a cheeky monkey of proportion, a most delightful dialect and striking streaks from which to observe.
Something that makes me happy is that split second moment between not-knowing and knowing.
The moment of recognizing the gait of a loved one approaching in a crowd.
Gazing at a field when resting deer appear. There all the time, but materializing in that space between not-seeing and seeing.
Today I was happy that my dog could peruse the yard as I gardened. She is almost 14 and has trouble walking, but you’d never known that this morning. She was outside enjoying the warm sun, watching the birds and barking like old times. 😊
Happiness is the sound of a roaring fire on a rainy evening, plush leather, a cozy blanket and a great book!
seeing happy children makes me happy
seeing eagles soar makes my heart soar
singing birds get me singing
I am Brazilian, Manaus, Amazonas and this is a sound of my region that makes me very happy! It’s called Boi Bumbá.
https://youtu.be/m18NJE7lm_w
https://youtu.be/sWmxo7vSsZI
https://youtu.be/j16UqmTn_yQ
The sound of water rushing over rocks in a stream is one of the happiest sounds I can think of….
- The fact that lockdown has given us time as a family to hang out. During that time my oldest daughter who is 12 has learnt to ride her bike after years of persevering. My 8 year old daughter learnt to tie her shoe laces after years of trying. The pride on their faces makes my heart sparkle.
- that elusive sip of tea at the perfect temperature,
- the smell of a log fire,
- the fizz of a newly opened bottle of sparkling water that tickles your nose when you drink it!
- Our dog’s excitement each morning when I come downstairs for breakfast.
- The friends we’ve made through the fact we have a dog!
- fresh bedlinen
- the red squirrels that come to visit our garden
- the peace and quiet of the early hours of the morning
- my hot water bottle
- the NHS, and modern medicine especially the medication I’m on for Shingles right now!
- sunsets and sunrises but I see more of the former!
- Christmas time and a house full of relatives enjoying the day together!
- wotsits,
- a delicious meal, whether it’s a delicious sandwich or a gourmet feast, if it’s yummy I’m happy!
- the fact the world is full of more good people than bad.
and - my most ultimate happiness is of course the sound of my children laughing!
Watching puppies being trained to become Avalanche Rescue Dogs!! 🎉🎊🥰👏
Watching the clouds makes me happy. They are eternal and always different. Even happier if you share them with someone else.
I look at the sea everyday when I wake up with a cup of tea!
Slowing down to taste the delights of a freshly brewed coffee in my favourite mug & just the way I like it, so simple yet so satisfying and something that I barely stopped to think about in previous years when I chugged in back rushing around in the whirlwind that was precovid!
My new niece is running around in the afternoon sun, staring at a little neighborhood cat, and sneaking coffee cake from her aunt’s plate.
I feel sooooo happy when I’m walking around the city and I hear tango music—any orchestra, but especially Canaro– wafting out of a window somewhere, and then I dream of the dance returning to our city.
During lockdown I started doing yoga sessions with others and instructor via Zoom.
This gives me refuge from coronavirus reality. Yoga sessions makes me happy.
what makes me happy is to see the plants I transplanted in the garden grow, the trees put new leaves on, lupins and oxalis bloom when the sun comes out.
Nature is what makes me happy mostly
It makes me happy when my (rescue) dog looks at me and wags her tail, also very happy when she charges off through the park after squirrels or attempts to play with another dog: she’s finally learning how to be a dog rather than a puppy machine.
It makes me happy to hear the woodpecker and the birdsong and to see the robins on my walk through the cemetery.
My family make me happy, especially when they phone me.
LOTS of things make me happy.
Though it’s been the worst year in many ways, it has mostly been the BEST year of my life.
I have reconnected with myself, my purpose, my family, what matters to me. I’ve given myself a kick up the arse. And it feels wonderful.
❤️
Walking on the beach on my own makes me happy. Especially during lockdown, I am so lucky to live here. Being out with the sky and the waves, feeling that peace and space, the fresh air, wind, and maybe even sunshine, this is bliss to me.
I get a warm gooey feeling when I see small children stepping out and I think of the positive changes they can make in the future.
I am grateful for no sound in my house which is a sign of peace and far from the trauma of my childhood.
I enjoy the roar of the waves o the rocks and the feel of sand between my toes which shows what patience can accomplish.
The infectious joy of my dog racing around the beach as if each time the exhilaration is a completely new and unbelievable thrill
A deep hug form one of my teenage sons who now tower above me
Laughing with friends until my face hurts
The sound of the creek in my yard, and the song of birds who are so busy in their parallel world that is a gift into mine.
What makes me happy during these times is being grateful for the comforts, and being able to give comfort to others during these times … before and after🙏👣💞🌎🌈
Being able to hear the rain on the sky window ;💦 waking me in the early hours of the morning with the sound, being grateful that I am in a warm cozy place, yet also being aware that some people don’t have that luxury …
The Sounds from the River and Owls 💦
The Sound of Gongs 🙏💞🌎💝😊👣✨🍥
Something that makes me happy is watching my two daughters enjoy doing the things they love doing whether it’s playing sports, playing music or playing video games. Seeing them happy and smiling makes me happy.
What makes me happy is diving under the water, totally submersed for a few seconds, then float up and seeing the world above curved on the surface. As I return to reality, I blow out the remaining air and some sea water like a seal.
There are so many things but the warmth of the sun on my face as it beams through the window or when I’m out and about in the fresh air is one of the things that is guaranteed to lift my spirits.
Watching my child sleep
Every day I walk my labradoodle, Basil along the beach at Harwich, England. There is always something to notice and enjoy: the sun slanting through grey clouds, the gentle lapping or fearsome roaring of the waves on the pebbles. There is sea glass to look for, sea jade and coloured stones; mermaid’s purses and beetroot red seaweed. Before we get to the beach there are two oval boating lakes, on which ducks and swans congregate and rest safely.
In the past few weeks however a snowy white egret has appeared and often fishes at the side of one of the lakes, dipping his black beak into the water and catching creatures to eat. He is so focussed that he isn’t distracted by people or dogs. He is so handsome and elegant and I look out for him every morning. If I see him, it cheers the morning. He roosts in some large conifers opposite the lake, which seems a safe place.
The new year’s bees and butterflies are just now starting to show up in my yard (I’m in Texas). Earlier this week I walked out to find a very new and pristine orange butterfly in the lavender border. A couple of days later, a hungry bee came and checked out my lunch. She rested on my hand for a moment before settling in for a marmalade feast. It was a delight to share my lunch with her – no social distancing needed!
I’m happy sitting with friends around a fire whilst camping
Sometimes recently it’s been hard to remember what makes me happy but there are so many things! A hot chocolate on a cold day, the sound of my kitten purring, being by the sea and feeling the sand, and going for a walk and hearing birds singing!
Lying on my couch, watching my favorite British TV shows with my two cats dozing peacefully side-by-side on my outstretched legs.
I’m lying with a cat snuggled to my ear an enjoying his purrs…
Lots of things make me happy. One is watching birds bathing.
Watching washing blowing in a gentle breeze in early spring sunshine.
Feeling some warmth from the sun on a cool, bright day.
Climbing into bed with clean sheets and fresh pyjamas.
One thing that is making me happy right now is opening my window wide in the morning and putting half of my body out into the air and listening to the amazing cacophony of birdsong that is underway. It’s so beautiful! I breathe some deep breaths and look at the sky. If I am lucky and early enough I often see the most sublime remains of what would have been a majestic sunrise. Pinks, corals, blues, gently unfolding, this can be the briefest glimpse and can be gone within a matter of minutes. I give my thanks and appreciation of nature over and over…..
I feel it is such a privilege to witness and I’m left feeling energised and uplifted
1 – Visits from my 9-year old granddaughter almost every weekday. She practices piano and spelling with her grandmother and plays games with me (her grandfather). She sometimes helps with cooking and she often gathers the eggs from our chickens. We love it when she is around just sharing the joy and exuberance of her life.
2 – The two of us watch the sunrise and the birds visiting our feeders on most mornings. We sit on our deck when the weather is good and in our “sunroom” otherwise. It is a sweet time to observe the start of a day, to talk, and to sip coffee together.
I’m from Spain, and there is one sound I’ve realized I loved during this pandemic time: the sound of outdoor terraces, bristling with people chatting (and laughing sometimes), the sound of glasses klinkling, plates being put down on the tables, etc.
An Alphabet of feeling Happiness
A baby laughing at a joke
A cuddle in the night
A dog leaning, loving
An elder holding a tiny hand
A freshly opened flower
A garden in the sun
An hour with no worries
An inkblot in a pattern
A jar of jam
A kindness given
A look which smiles
A moment of awe and wonder
A number easily remembered
An owl flying by
A purse lost and found
A queue where people talk and jest
A road with dappled light
A sign saying nearly there
A tree, branches silhouetted at night
An understanding listener
A visit from a friend
A web carpet of morning dew
An X-ray which gives all clear
A zealot seeing light.
My eight-month-old grandson loves experimenting with all the different weird sounds he can make using his mouth or his vocal chords, and if you mirror back the sounds he laughs his head off, which of course makes everyone around laugh, too. What a delight.
My Bookshelf – It has been many bookshelves—from my first modest three-shelf 3’ x 5’ bookcase of childhood, to ten or so libraries in homes/apartments owned over my 78-year lifetime to date, with quantities of books numbering in the thousands. I now live in a high-rise apartment in New York City, with six hundred or so titles remaining on my bookshelves, and 807 titles on my Audible.com iPhone virtual bookshelf, for which I am very grateful. Technology is wonderful!
It is still the actual physical bookshelves that brings the most happiness, though. Perusing, picking a subject (metaphysics, culinary arts, visual arts, literature, photography, poetry), then one or two or three books on that subject, then finding a cozy spot to dive in and examine each book meaningfully, choose what to read, what to just absorb visually by scanning. The freedom of it—the range of motion for the heart and brain is exquisite. No barriers! I am free!
Music – Opera at the top of the list; with Leo Delibes’ – Lakme (Flower Duet Song)—by any artist, and sung here by Dame Joan Sutherland. It never fails to bring delicious waves of happiness and hope for us humans.
The sound of the blackbird during the time of the evening when the light turns blue is a sound that makes me very happy, as is the sound of Eddie, my black cat purring.
Here’s a list of things that make me happy.
Going over the Balcombe Bridge on a train from Brighton to London.
Being muddy.
Dancing with friends.
Interspecies friendships.
Mountains.
Building things out of wood.
Meeting kindred spirits.
Cycling.
The days are getting longer
So many things—NATURE, deer, sunsets, colors, rainbows, art, soil, plants, trees, and so many many more!
The things that make me happy right now are my cat chirruping with pleasure when I stroke her and being able to complete a decent stint of writing and feeling good about what I wrote.
Something that makes me super happy is playing my ukelele with others over zoom!
The smell of freshly cut grass has always made me happy. The smell magically brings back childhood memories in a flash and always makes me smile.
It’s odd to write given the state of the world and everything that’s happened in the last year, but when I pause to think about it even for a moment, there are very many things that make me happy, from ‘small and ordinary’ to ‘large and significant’. I could share so many things, about friends, family, persons I work with, the beautiful way the day looks outside right now.
But I will share an unusual one — you’re the first to hear/read this — and I don’t know if it made me happy, or rather, comforted me, which matters too. My closest and dearest person in my life, of 25+ years, died ~14 months ago. Suddenly and surprisingly. Not COVID, but just as it was all beginning. A couple of days ago, I dreamt about her for the first time. It was comforting, because the dream was in most ways a realistic and an ordinary scene — we were out in the world doing errands, shopping, chatting, and so on. And in a shop, she decided to buy a lottery ticket. As she filled out the ticket, the shopkeeper said to me, “she’s going to win.” And — it being a dream — she did, immediately. For the record, she won $4.8 million (USD). We talked about what she would get after taxes and what she could do with that. And then, we remembered that she had been reported as having died. And we paused on that, to figure out how we could account for that, and still have her collect the lottery. We were sure we could figure that out. The mood of the dream was sweet, and funny, and when I woke up, I felt comforted that I have her so deep in my memory and experience, that I won’t risk losing ‘touch’ with her.
My happy sound is not unique but it is heartwarming. During lockdown I “inherited” two male cats abandoned by different neighbours. Somehow they each knew to come to me and I love hearing them call me from the back door step when they are ready to come in. They have become inseparable and so I have the pleasure of two gorgeous felines calling me in unison.
What makes me happy is watching my son do his happy dance whenever he is excited about something- which is 10 times a day. My son is 9.
After spending my first semester of online university relatively alone (apart from my family) I decided to ask if anyone wanted to join a study group during the semester to the campus discord. I got 1 response, and had a chat to get to know the person, and found a few other people to join us. These folks have helped me a lot and make me very glad I reached out and met some new people.
What makes me happy? Climbing the 100 year English Oak in the field adjacent to my parents’ place in Worcestershire…just being still in nature, feeling the tree’s presence, slowing down and looking up at the shimmering leaves.
A sound that makes me happy is the humming sound I make when I practice the humming bee breath with my wonderful yoga teacher. The upside of Covid is that her classes have moved online so although I am based in a different country I can join her classes online.
Things that make me happy:
The sound of autumn leaves
A gentle breeze in the treetops
The ebb and flow of waves on a beach
The groan of pleasure my dog gives, when I give her a massage
The interplay of sunlight and shade in woodland
The deep warmth of healing touch
The rhyme and rhythm of poetry
The subtle meaning of words
I could go on for hours…
1: Oakland, CA – November 2020.
The flight and honking of three Canadian Geese that came suddenly and very near to my study window as they headed up and over the rooftop as they continued to cross the sky.It took seconds (coming/going) and caught me unaware. In the months that have followed, I often return to that moment for restorative joy and awe.
2: San Francisco, CA – early 80’s
In the dark hours of morning (2 or 3 a.m.) All was quite and still and I was writing a poem about my gradfather. A nightengale began calling
from my backyard.
The thing that has kept me happiest throughout lockdown has been walking in the great outdoors. My fiancée and I have both signed up to the walk 1000 miles challenge this year and we’re both just over the 100 kilometre mark (miles not making much sense to us!)
Being out and about under a green canopy of trees listening to bird song or strolling along next to a lake hearing the water lapping the shore is one of life’s great pleasures.
love hearing my 15 1/2-year-old dog just start to wake up from a deep nap. He makes these snuffling noises and then takes this great big groaning stretch. He ways his tail and contacts into a snoozing ball for a minute before fully rousing. Every time I hear him go through the routine, I know how good that feels to him, and it makes me feel good too.
Letting my eyes stretch out over the landscape after I have stretched my legs and lungs getting to the top of the hill.
The breeding call of the Eastern Chickadee which comes as a sign to me that Spring is on its way.
What makes me happy is being able to take daily walks in my local woodland with my beautiful dog and watching it change throughout the year.
One of the things that makes me happy is the chats and learning about our world I’m sharing just now with my 5 year old daughter. Dinosaurs and animals fascinate and excite her, especially the carnivores. I love the way she flits between reading about them and being them. Though we’re in lockdown here just now, she’s decided that our house is a go anywhere vehicle that visits a different continent each day (today we’re in Asia) so we can explore. Starting the day finding where we are in an atlas and finishing it letting her know where I’ll set the course for as we sleep makes me happy. And I know a lot more about the natural world from following her curiosity over the past 10 months than I managed to learn under my own steam in my 34 years before this quest began.
Something that makes me happy is the sound of rain on our tent at night.
There’s nothing like being all cosied up while nature does her thing.
It would be hard to narrow down the things that make me happy to just one thing. So I hope you don’t mind if I share a few:
When my husband makes me laugh. This is usually at the most unexpected times – like when I am grumpy or sad. I think it is one of his superpowers. He helps me see the ridiculousness of something or helps me to laugh at myself.
Our children. We have three and also raised our niece starting when she was 12. Their joys and accomplishments bring us great happiness. Even helping them solve a problem or support them emotionally. I learn when I do that how to take better care of of myself sometimes!
My running friends. I have been running with the same group of five ladies in town for about 10 years. We leave it all on the road — sharing the trials and joys of our lives and laughs in between.
My work. I am a social worker and work for an organization that helps alleviate social isolation in older adults. It was founded in 1976, but has proved to be especially important now. www.dorotusa.org
I am a beekeeper in central Illinois. The sound of buzzing bees is what I miss during the winter months.
Looking out the windows of our home to see the ocean every day. The emotions of an ocean are as varied and delightful as a human being. Bumpy white caps. Smooth as glass. Blue. Green. High tide waves crashing. Low tide exposure of sandbars.
Something which makes me happy is this:
Each day, I do at least one thing I love. This may be spending some time reading a good book and enjoying a coffee. Sometimes it is spending time in my garden. Other days, it’s making the time to sit and listen to a favourite LP. I try to be fully in the moment, truly appreciating whatever it is I’m doing.
About 10 years ago i wrote down (every day) what had made me happy that day. At the end of the year i worked out what was in my top 10, so i could make sure i did at least one thing a day that made me happy.
The number one thing was my walk through Clissold Park in London, on my way to work. I got to see all the trees change through the seasons, i saw terrapins walking across the grass and locals going about their business. That 10 minutes at the start of the day and end of the day made me happy.
Nature makes me happy, existing just fine with its free, wild, imperfect perfection 🙂 We can all learn from it to reach a better way of living!
3 weeks ago my 17 year old son and his high school basketball team were told their season was going to be cancelled. It’s been 11 months since their last game.
1 week ago my son got a call from his coach saying the Govenor of Illinois changed his mind and they were going to start practicing immediately. They are going to play their first game Feb 12th.
I have never seen my son so excited. He’s been surviving the COVID CRISIS but now he’s THRIVING.
Whether High School’s play basketball or not is such a little thing compared to all the tragedies caused during this Pandemic but it’s huge to him.
I can feel the happiness in is heart, see the joy in his eyes, and hear the excitement in his voice. All of those things make me very happy.
Feeding our new lambs today
The evening sky after a long late-afternoon run.
Something that makes me incredibly happy is spending any amount of time with my brilliant, vibrant 105 yr. old friend Joan.
I lost my job from one day to the nxt at 1st lockdown.
I stayed in bed for a couple of months trying to adjust.
I think things could have been a lot worse and I would still in bed if it wasn’t for wise and funny rescue dog Lissie who came to us from a port in Corfu, seven and a half years ago, and she is literally a lifesaver. She has taken me to lots of the green spaces in SE London, Bath and Bristol and kept me going.
She’s a gentle gangster and learnt how to survive at a very early age. She came to rescue us.
Lockdown has been difficult for me including many life changes.
Cycling home in the night after long work shifts, enjoying the night peacefulness, seeing foxes chatting to each other and watching the clear night sky filled with glittery stars, has regularly taken my breath away, brought tears of gratitude streaming down my face, fascination of nature made my heart grow and I’ve climbed into bed feeling so happy for this difficult life and all it teaches me, because it’s just beautiful, wonderful and when we stop to see, everything is positive, every sound, every feeling of breath on our lips and nose tip, this amazing bodily vessel, every experience of every sense, externally and viscerally.
Something that makes me happy is sitting in a green park when the weather is warm (but not too warm) and the sun is shining bright on my face and I feel a soft breeze while inhaling fresh air and looking out at the lake, feeling a sense of calm.
It’s the sound of laughter. I love giggles and chuckles right through to guffaws and cackles! I really love how infectious laughter is too.
My lovely Mum:
Despite being separated during the pandemic from my 92 year old Mum, by 4,000 miles across the Atlantic, I am forever grateful and treasure each and every brief moment I talk to her daily on the phone. Just to hear her say, “I love you darling,” (a new term of endearment she gives everyone in her new, nursing home) is worth more than a million dollars to me!
What makes me happiest is sitting in my favourite spot at the end of the sea wall in Aberystwyth and listening to the sound of the waves on the pebbled beach. I live about a hundred miles away in Liverpool so I’ve not been able to go there since the pandemic started, I really miss it.
What makes me happy is knowing that true, lasting happiness comes from the inside. The happiness that comes from attaining money, power, status, things etc will not last. It is a fragile happiness based on certain external conditions being met. Lasting happiness comes from knowing who you truly are, your purpose in life, your passion, and how you can use it to help others. That is my true happiness and fulfilment. I’m not there yet, but I’m grateful to be on the journey!
A warm cup of tea makes me happy, and I’m sat drinking one now!
I am also made happy by good food, a good book and good company – the simple things, I guess.
One of the gifts of aging can be perspective. What I once thought to be ‘the little things’ have turned out to be the ‘poignant, momentous and teachable’ things. One of those poignant things has been the growth of a hesitant optimism, trust and faith in seed.
A seed’s value is in being planted, being shared, feeding families and communities. Seeds represent food, but they also represent culture and relationships that span all across the word.
Winter is the time that I plan my garden for the coming Spring. I treasure these moments when I can pour over heritage and organic seed catalogues – contemplating additional varieties or swapping out ones that didn’t work well this season. I am learning about Indigenous Repatriated seeds of old and how those can be returned to the tribes of my area in Maine. An endeavor close to my heart. So I cocoon on a snow-filled day when the back garden is awash in the white of winter, Mother Earth hibernating below the blankets, while building strength for the coming warmth that is months away.
Seed catalogues cover my kitchen tabel, a coffee pot sits close by and Heritage Radio is playing in the background – all the music I so love from the 1940’s. My happiest moments are wresteling with the choices of the flowers I will plant between the vegetables to crowd out weeds naturally, so that I’m not fighting the garden all summer long – the extra upside being, that peaking out in amongst the kale, the peas, the herbs and the parsnips – will be the constellation of colors and scents of Hollyhock, Love-In-A-Mist, Larkspur, Gardenia, Lavender and Forget-Me-Not’s. Their beauty and charm providing safety and sustenance for the fat little pollinating bumble bees – and best of all – the explosion of joy, gratitude and connection I feel in my heart for our Mother and all she gives – consistently.
Happy winter…
The sound of my children shouting “Daddy” when they ran towards me to hug me after four months apart. The pandemic and travel restrictions had separated us and, although I spoke to them every night and read bedtime stories, it wasn’t quite the same as hearing them in person and being able to listen to their voices.
Wonderful.
I’m an elementary school counselor. Seeing 5 year old’s faces light up when they see their friends makes me happy. Especially (even in COVID times) when they greet each other with hugs! One stand out this week happened as I stood at our main entrance greeting all students. I see one of my sweet KG coming in all bundled up with hat and mask still stopping to look at me to say hello and asked how I was doing too 😊. Then she saw her friend, squealed in joy, quickly traded her lunch bag to her other gloved hand, grabbed her friends hand and said, “Hi Joey!! Come on let’s walk together.” Joey got just as happy. I watched them walk into the school and had a great rest of my day.
PURE joy!
My happy sound is probably a common one, but it gives me a huge positivity burst each morning on my way to work – the beautiful song of the Blackbird.
https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/common-blackbird/?type653
i have retired and live alone – kids doing their own thing, no partner, no stress of work, nothing to worry me, i do exactly as i please, no stress, no demands…..i am happier than i have ever been!! 😊😊😊
My happy sounds are when one of my cats sits on my lap and purrs loudly and my energy calms down with it. I also love the song of blackbirds, nature’s great improvisers with their varied complex melodies. The sounds of a running stream tumbling over stones also is very healing for me, see video below, as well as the sea in its ebb and flow.
Seeing my Mum smile after a protracted period of separation during lockdown.
My Mum has worked for the NHS as a Nurse for over 20+ years and navigating this period has been the most challenging time in her of her career. We (her adult children) stay away from the house to keep her safe and protected but nothing beats the occasional wellness check-in; coming home to steal glimpses of a smile on her face or giving her a hearty hug after a long periods of separation/isolation is medicine to my soul.
A mother’s love (and capacity to love) is unmatched.
What is making me happy right now is that near where I live, and where I walk most days, is a place where goldcrests gather. It was pointed out to me by someone I chatted to along the walk last year and I would never have known they were there if I hadn’t had that conversation with a stranger.
So now I look every day when I’m out and have seen them back this year – sometimes 3-4, sometimes just 1. It makes me joyful when I see them, they are the smallest birds in the UK and are so beautiful. They have brightened up winter lockdown for me.
The sound of ice cubes cracking in a glass when you pour gin onto them.
😀
Steam gently rising from frozen ground in sunshine
Things that make me happy: talking to my parents on the phone, getting pictures of my nephew’s day to day activities, taking the dogs for a walk at lunchtime and enjoying the peace and fresh air, long hugs with my partner.
I have just got back from my Mum’s. She is 88 has Alzheimers and has not been able to go to day care during lockdown. The thing that makes me happy is when I put her hot water bottle in and sit Bear ready to keep her company over night. She snuggles down with him and a peoples friend at the end of the day and things are fine.
The smiling faces of my daughters
Various smells make me happy: cinnamon being scattered on a bowl of porridge; the freshness of the rain falling on grass and asphalt (the sound of the rain too!) …And the smell of onion or garlic being sautéed. (And if can hear the gentle sound of it sizzling, even better).
I’m really hoping that the folk who’ve lost their sense of taste/smell, or had it altered, as a result of catching Covid-19, will regain the ‘normal’ sensations.
Cosy days spent indoors, under a blanket, with rain lashing at the window. Time could just stand still.
The crackle of a camp fire.
The sound that makes me happy is the sound of my collie sheep dog dreaming and yelping in his sleep after a long walk. Also the sound of my 8 months old baby daughter when she’s excited to get in the bath.
Walking my dog makes me happy.
Doing a jigsaw puzzle while listening to a podcast make me happy.
Running makes me happy.
A clean house make me happy.
Happy music make me happy.
The roar of a waterfall and the coo of a baby make me happy…also the meow of my cat!
I have got a little notebook in which I write down things that have lifted my heart, made me smile and give that warm glow of happy. There are too many to relate – and the reason I do it is that I do get depression but know that to help myself out of it I need to notice all that is good around me. A lot of it is about nature –seeing and hearing birds, small buds appearing, the aconites at this time of year, a beautiful sky……. And some of it is things like hearing my grandson giggle – or make his ‘I want more food’ noise. He is 6 months old. And strangers saying good morning and thank you as we give each other the space to pass on a path.
Here is what is making me happy right now:
It’s early February – the air is cold and vibrant, the sun is out, and for the first time in a number of years, we have thick, beautiful snow. As a result, my favourite bird is here, in my garden, round as a tennis ball – my little field fare.
I’ve left apples for him, which he loves – pecking and pausing – from early in the morning until the light drops. Watching him from my kitchen window, cup of tea in hand, children by my side, makes me very happy.
Toddlers and children laughing.
Blackbirds singing.
Birdsong generally.
Babbling Brooks.
Let me tell you about two very special, very large gum trees in my street in Melbourne that are currently in full-flower.
During the day, they are mobbed by rainbow lorikeet, cockatoos, wattlebirds, magpies and mynahs. At night, the fruit bats come for their share. Its noisy and glorious to listen to.
The sound of my trowel digging in the soil.
Story times with my kid’s and hearing them giggle!
The love that oozes from my retrievador Martha’s eyes when she thinks I haven’t noticed she’s watching me
Having any kind of project on the go
Holding a warm cup of coffee
Doing a 1,000 piece jigsaw together
Soaking in a hot bubble bath
Listening to choirs singing
Doing Qigong
Eating Montezuma dark chocolate buttons
Walking in the woods and by the river
Stroking the dog
Sniffing the dog’s fur
Getting into freshly changed sheets
There’s nothing like a kookaburra’s laugh to make one happy. It’s absolutely joyous.
Having a long career in nursing and in first aid, and having had some challenging relationship struggles, I’m still generally more positive than not, but I’m not a big “rose coloured glasses” type of person.
I can be confronted almost daily with peoples’ problems, and often play a small part in options for solutions.
A few years ago, I had felt discouraged with all of the negativity, criticism, and suffering in my daily online news feed and other news. I decided to look for a balance of positive news.
What made me happy, is that when I looked, I was able to find it.
With Positive News, GNN and other similar news media with a good spin, and through people like yourself, I can see humans working together for solutions to longstanding problems, children donating their lemonade stand money to help their poor neighbours, younger (and older) leaders working despite religious and socioeconomic barriers to provide relief, infrastructure, and normalcy to difficult areas of the world, like our own backyard.
Inspiration inspires.
There is a sense that, yes, one person does make a lot of difference.
As we seek less for ourselves, choose to be a little kinder, a little more compassionate, choose to support each other’s burdens, and do our best to shelve our judgements of ourselves and of others, we are truly better.
The sound of bird song early in the morning as I walk my dog in the dark.
Rain pattering on an umbrella takes me back to wonderful but often wet camping holidays as a child – snuggled in my sleeping bag listening to rain on canvas.
Babies & children laughing, so infectious.
The sound of waves on the shore.
The silence of snowfall.
The buzz of insects on a hot summer day.
The first sip of a good coffee.
Walking with friends in the countryside.
Dog snuggles & cuddles.
Having food & shelter.
A good book that I can’t put down.
Dancing.
Spending time with the people I love & really being present in that time.
The first snowdrops of spring pushing through the soil.
Growing things.
Crunching through autumn leaves on a crisp bright day …
Long walks on Sundays, followed by a bath with candles and classical music (if I’m feeling fancy)
Getting in my home sauna blanket as a reward after my morning “deep focus work” sessions
What has made me happy is that through Corona I downloaded an app QuarantineChat that lets you talk with audio with random people all over the world. Long story short… This is how I found an amazing new friend. And his wife is now my chosen older sister!
They make me incredibly happy. We share ideas, dreams, fears, jokes… My life already was pretty good in the first place, yes, I was anyway lucky.
But these 2 AMAZING human beings just crashing into my life like this is a level of happiness that I don’t think I knew. As an only child who is a real people person having someone genuinely offer you to be your older sister is something words can’t do justice! ❤️
One thing that makes me happy is when my children start singing spontaneously along to my old records. I had no idea they had been listening. Heart of Glass came on yesterday and my 14 year old Evie said – I LOVE this song dad. She had no idea who Blondie or Debbie Harry were, just really got into it.
During the first lockdown down , I sent over 160 people I know, or enjoyed there, writing, film making, or acting.
It was, very positive, I got lots of hand written notes emails ect.
The first and most heartwarming image that came to me when feeling into the question was: Seeing my friends’ beautiful 18 months old son’s face starting to beam up with the cutest smile when I blow as many kisses to him as I can, again and again. Looking each other in the eyes from the distance we currently have to keep and both overflowing with a feeling of momentary happiness and joy.
Hearing my 25 year old daughter around the house. I went into lockdown in February 2020 with my mother a daughter. Everyday my daughter surprised us both with her joy for life. She woke up singing, sang in the shower, whistled while she made breakfast. Danced on the patio to music for fitness. She made 2020 the happiest year of my life and I will never forget how much her Dad and Granma learnt from her about living each day to the full. My daughter Romy makes me happy,
I wake in doubt, anxiety eating at my heart.
I need to steady, to breathe, to gain perspective.
My bicycle waits, always..
The road is still, my wheels are free, the breath I need is there.
Dappling through the trees, exploring the curves, the sea calling.
I stand on the dune, the sea is forever.
Sand stretches out, arcing in a slow dance of eons.
This is the place.
This is the place where doubt disappears.
the memory of holding my friend’s little boy at 4, asleep on my lap – being what made the world safe just then
Happy for me is being a Headteacher in a disadvantaged area working with incredible colleagues, children and families supporting and thriving together in community.
It is also getting my first vaccine this week which made me feel like the next day was the first day of the rest of my life.
Gratitude all round.
Well… my first sips of coffee in the morning while I chat softly to my husband in the folds of our double bed, before waking the kids for school… is a happy time of the day for me 😊👍
I’m fortunate to have a brilliant daughter and we spend around half the week together, it’s lush & by far the highlight of every week!
We both have a strong connection to music and so the idea of the two of us enjoying your happy sounds together sounds awesome!
Every morning, from my bed I see the small tree in my garden. Every day it changes a little reminding me that life goes on. We are visited by tiny birds looking in at us. It makes me very happy.
Being greeted at the door by Roxy (by beautiful pup)
*My cat’s loud snoring
*Frogs singing at night
*My footfalls on a forest path
*Almost anyone singing in the shower
What makes me happy is seeing seeds germinating in a seed tray and knowing they’ll be feeding me in a few weeks.
A sound that makes me happy is the first gurgling of words by our tiny new granddaughter xxx
My happy sound is the sound my dog makes when he is chasing seagulls in his sleep 🙂
Most positive experience recently.
Helping my 30 year old son to renovate old terrace house in Lancaster.
Hearing the beautiful and bubbling/ tumbling notes of a soaring and hovering Sky Lark, STUNNING 🤗 😊 👍
Hugging family & friends, feeling connected to loved ones is everything.
I’ve really enjoyed getting back to nature over the last year, getting out camping and hiking has helped with the current situation I love waking up in the morning in the middle of the forest and no sounds or people near you, very peaceful.
The happiest feelings I have are when I see my two grandchildren on Zoom, performing outrageously and having the whole family in fits of laughter. Shared laughter is such a tonic 😁
Hearing the music of my daughter’s laughter as we joke while playing Crazy Eights.
I love pretty much any genre of music, but especially music incorporating field recordings.
The sounds from nature injected into a song is wonderful thing and I find it very mediative and relaxing.
I’m also a DJ down on the south coast and I have a radio show on a local station. My shows are called, Music To Make Your Ears Smile…
The sound that makes me happy is my grandson’s laugh. He is 12 now and he has always had a delightfully happy making laugh.
I haven’t had as much contact with him since lockdown and zoom and social media just doesn’t catch that laugh
There are many things that make me happy, but the one at the tip of my list right now is watching the robins, bluetits and wagtails on the bird feeder on my allotment, and listening to them singing. So calming and beautiful
I know it’s clichéd but my children really do make me happy. Lots of big things and lots of little things, like making us do the conger from the kitchen to the living room after dinner last night.
Here’s something that made me happy during lockdown…
Using some the time I would have spent commuting to work in the morning, over the last year I’ve simply sat and looked quietly out of the window for a few minutes each morning. It’s not like we have an amazing view of the countryside or anything, but by doing it each day I’ve grown to appreciate the familiar and the changes. I see the same two squirrels scampering along their own fence top commute. I gradually notice more details in the overgrown garage roof. I wonder what shape and shade the clouds will take today. And I watch the tree ease through its cycle of bare brunches to tentative blossom, full bloom, fiery autumnal orange and back to bare branches. Things are familiar, things are changing. And it brings both calm and happiness.
Loads have things have made me happy despite double whammy of broken leg and lock down!
I recently had a very nasty bicycle accident and no one was allowed in the ambulance or hospital with me and after a four hour operation I stayed for a week. From the moment it happened my friends and fam combined to set up a special whatsapp group called LovingJen to keep me entertained and connected during dark hours. It was a life saver and I was so grateful to feel so loved and not alone. Really all we have are connections to other people and they can still be so strong even if we are distanced. I have now had the 973 messages sent over that week printed up.
Every morning, as I try to dress, my little cat climbs onto my lap, kneads my thighs and purrs. She’s come so far since I rescued her. It brings me real joy.
My happy place during these strange and tumultuous times is when I eventually manage to wash my daughter’s hair.
This is strange because she has inherited the soap-dodger gene from me, so it amazes me that I enjoy seeing her so squeaky clean. I don’t know what it is. There is just something so uplifting when I see her so fresh and brand new again.
(I just managed to wash her hair again yesterday after a about a month 🤣)
Seeing my wife smiling makes me happy
Being at the ocean in the sun makes me happy 😊
Something that makes me happy is settling into the rattan chair that’s installed in the best corner of my home. It’s perfectly positioned to maximise the view: the reason we bought this cottage. Whilst gently swaying in this hanging seat, I can look out over rooftops, across the railway, to the river and the undeveloped landscape on the opposite side of town. The view reminds me of all the things that my home connects me to – neighbours, walkways, railways, waterways and nature. Sitting in this cocoon, woven from nature, is massively comforting. It is impossible to be unhappy here.
I’m at my happiest when I am talking with my children, crafting, studying and helping others. I love projects and currently am part of a group trying to achieve better access for all to our village hall
Waking up beside my wife who is now recovering from breast cancer
Since children can’t have their mates round to each others houses and get lost in video games and screens, they have all been meeting up in local parks.
At first it was all a bit delicate but as time went by the games changed.
A lot more tree climbing, den building, stick gathering, mud embracing, happy gangs of children rampaging around with an air of freedom and fun not so noticeable before.
As an older person I feel that the children have regained a sense of adventure which they may have been losing, and it brings joy to my heart.
Something that makes me happy is looking at my children when they are asleep. Even if they have been nightmares during the day, they look so peaceful and angelic. I love the way they stir slightly in their sleep when you drop a kiss on their foreheads and then settle back to sleeping.
My gorgeous dog Barney Boo fills my heart with joy every day all day. He is a beautiful soul, incredibly handsome, intelligent with very pretty face too and silky coat to be envious off. He has eyes that melt your heart and he knows he is much loved and very popular with people too. He brings that very joy to everyone he meets, people are drawn to him they are enthralled by his friendliness and good looks. He is show type black and tan cocker spaniel with blue merle border collie (look up Gordon setter and the Hoverwart the black and tan that is what he looks like). Barney Boo laps up the attention the diva he is. He is theatrical in nature tossing his head side to side, sulking, talking for a long time, he has the vocal arrangement that would cause envy amongst many. He also does a good impression of Bruce the shark when he lies on his back to sleep and his teeth are showing. If I could I would love the world to experience his beautiful heart and soul, alas he is all mine and everyone can get a bit of him when we go for our nature walks.
I would love to listen to the album, so here’s what makes me happy: walking barefoot in the summer sun, you can smell the dusty soil and feel the dry grass on the soles of your feet. It’s the peak of summer and the air is warm, everything is warm, concrete radiates heat and you forget when you wore socks the last time.
Also, when my cat gives me nose kisses.
Colours make me happy. The epitome is a rainbow after rain.
Living close to the coast- there is nothing quite like arriving at the beach, closing my eyes, taking a deep breath in and listening to the sounds of the waves. A simple pleasure but so restorative.
Children laughing on the beach
What makes me happy is noticing my breath coming in and nurturing my body and noticing my breath breathing out send love and kindness to someone else.
What also makes me happy, right this moment is noticing the pheasant walking across the garden. How rich are we to see wildlife living next to and with us?
- a bath with salts, candles, chocolate, crystals and oils, music and a good book.
- my daughter laughing, and those spontaneous voluntary kisses and cuddles she bestows on us
- cuddling my husband (anytime) on a morning, listening to our daughter laying there chattering to herself in her cot.
- cuddling my wonderful dog.
- the sense of mental space, peace, place in the cycles of the cosmos and pride in my creation, that my journal gives me.
- seeing the sunshine on the frosts and snow and the snowdrops coming up.
- hearing the birdsong, seeing the bluebell woods and the golden peachy blue sunrises of spring.
- endless warm daylight of summer, stretching out time, rockpooling and icecreams on the deck.
- hearing the red deer rut, smelling the winter coming and seeing the fall colours.
Once or twice a day I sit quietly and pay attention to my breathing. I invite my body to let go of stress. I imagine my body being gradually filled with calm, warm relaxation. While I do this my grandfather clock is ticking—-something it’s done 24 hours a day for more than 40 years. Normally I don’t hear it. But during these special, intentional times the steadiness of the tick-tick is reassuring and supportive.
So many happy sounds in nature but I chose a sound I only discovered in lockdown; the Buddhist bell; I’ve set the bell to gong at three minutes to the hour every hour to remind me to stop, breathe, look up and smile, whilst I reflect on something wonderful in the moment. So I might be immersed in work or an activity and I will look up and catch a glimpse of something I wouldn’t have noticed if the bell hadn’t sounded. That makes me happy.
I have always loved beautiful and thoughtful ambient music from the likes of Harold Budd and Brian Eno. Albums like The Pearl have a spiritual significance for me. I have long admired Bjork too and especially love the way that she avidly collects and and then uses organic sounds in such beautiful and creative ways – often such a pure expression of happiness and joy.
Where do I start !
My granddaughter’s chuckles as I whirl her around or make a funny face.
Loosing myself in tango music as I dance away with my partner.
Snuggling down in bed and turning the pages of my novel knowing the day is over and I can relax and read in bed until Morpheus takes me by the hand.
Walking in the hills in the breathtaking Hérault gorges where the sunlight dances on the various shades of green.
A couple of years ago I was in Dublin to do a conscious movement workshop. Walking through the streets I came to a pedestrian crossing and stopped to wait for the lights to tell me it was safe to cross. I was delighted when I heard the electronic sound of the lights- there’s a slow build up of one beep at a time becoming quicker until it reaches a crescendo with a techno kind of high point. I made a couple of recordings. What made me smile was partly how unexpected it was. I still listen to it.
Bird song at dawn. Am a (very) early riser, and for most of the year am up before dawn. So I sit outside, weather permitting and watch the earth come alive, and listen to the birds waking and greetings new day.
My happy memory takes me to my childhood, visiting my wonderful grandparents each summer holiday near Elgin, Morayshire on the farm my Gramps worked and they lived on. Lying on my back in the warm sweet grass hearing the Yellowhammers singing out their summer songs of pure joy and love of being alive, seeing the Red Deer that would sometimes venture out of the wild edges of the woods and tentatively nibble on the green sweet grass near where I was lying. Watching the Swallows and Swifts skydiving and dancing above me. I remember feeling so at peace, so relaxed and so connected – I was only a young girl – around 6 or 7.
Every year we’d travel up from the midlands of England to this wild and wonderful part of the Highlands and those memories remain some of my happiest and fondest to this day, I’m 50 now. I’m still so drawn to the Highlands and as soon as we can I’ll return with my husband to these wonderful places held deep in my heart.
The sound of the pilot boat chugging across the sea at Broadstairs, whilst I lay in bed in the early mornings
My happy message: my family are incredibly important to me and my most happy moments are always the three of us, my wife and five year old daughter. I love it when we’re goofing around, playing daft games or enjoying some throw away TV show.
A long walk in the green outdoors with my partner, best friend, fiancée & inspiration Megan.
It is hard to think of just one happy sound as there are so many but I think the sound of a wine cork popping and the sound of wine being poured into two glasses (or more) as you are about to share a convivial moment with someone and enjoy conversation.
My dog , a cup of tea, the sound of guinea pigs, a cuddle from my partner, cheese and onion crisps, walking, feeding my birds, snuggling in bed at night, kindness.
The things that bring me happiness right now are simple, like so many others.
Yesterday a family of 5 long tailed tits arrived at one of my bird feeders and all fed together.
A friend sent a message that made me feel great.
I helped someone feed and water over 20 hungry horses and ponies.
Sometimes it is the mundane, sometimes it is the unexpected.
Think of the time you climbed to the top of a hill. It took a long time, up and up. Out of breath and thirsty. Remember the view, how far you could see. The endless horizon. The clouds in the sky reaching beyond sight. The stillness of the air. How small everything seemed to be. All of your worries and troubles were drowned out from the vast expanse of the earth and sky. And you took a deep breath, and remembered that feeling.
My happy sounds are around me in the Thai forest. I live immersed in nature’s soundtrack, the birdsong, the tokay calls, the frogs at night, or the sounds of the bamboo clacking in the wind. When I lived in the states I had to play ambient sounds on repeat to cover the noise of the city.
Living in San Francisco, there are many sights that are happy making; however, the sound of silence when the neighborhood has settled in for a good snooze is currently my favorite non-sound in my world. And the calming silence, alone with only my thoughts, is happy making.
When there is enough sunshine (and no rain) for me to put down the roof of my convertible, with one of my dogs in the passenger seat, and I can watch her close her eyes in pleasure as the wind blows her wee ears upwards!
a cup of green tea makes me happy
I am happiest at home with my husband and three children. Two are adults and we love it when they’re home from college, music is on, we’re all 5 cooking in the kitchen, laughing, dancing. Covid gave us more of these happy times. Silver linings.
seeing the way that wind trickles through trees. watching from a high space, and as the air floats around the magnificent beasts that stand tall in the sky and wiggle their little leaves. seeing the domino effect as one tree starts to shift, and then the next, as different branches get affected slowly but surely. pure magic. warms my heart.
Getting into bed after a bath, in clean pyjamas and clean bedding with the sound of rain on the Velux.
Pretty damn perfect. 🤗
I am happy to see all of the different dogs running and playing at our dog park. Many breeds, all sizes and ages socializing in their own ways with joy.
Something that makes me happy is seeing new street art when I run round Glasgow. There’s always something novel to see in the familiar, if you take the time to look.
My first glimpse of the Lakeland Fells heading north.
The sound of a Lancashire accent, or the first five minutes of the sound of skylarks in the early, early morning when camping in the summer, or the start of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.
The taste of Lancashire cheese mixed with a sharp apple.
The touch of my dog’s fur when he lets me stroke him.
The smell of my sleeping daughter.
What makes me happy is the process of eating delicious food and beverage. The anticipation once I imagine, or better yet, smell my food, but before I eat it, is intense. Then when I take that first bite, I’m usually so engulfed in the experience that nothing else matters. The dancing flavors on my tongue lead to pure moments of happiness for me. I often forget to drink until in almost done my meal as I focus all my attention on my taste buds and olfactory senses. That’s what makes me happy.
Listening to Little Dragon’s ‘Ritual Unions’ whilst sharing a whole lot of a lamb shawarma with Jaffa’s special rice, large mezze, falafel and taboon.
Brings back memories of lighter times.
Listening to my kids chatting with their friend online and laughing makes me happy
Making connections with other creative folk makes me happy.
I would say the thing that makes me the happiest is feeling the joy of friendship. I miss my friends from abroad but I know we will see each other again soon.
My happiness today is being even more in love with my husband of 42 years than I was a year ago. The trust and talking and fun has become tangibly richer through this time of deep dependence on each other. We also have more creative ‘dates.’ Today we took our rescue dog, Jet, to a little cove – on the way to Cape Point, SA – and swam out in the chilly waves. Jet felt he must join us and discovered he can swim! We laughed and hugged and praised him highly. A very happy day.
I’ve recently changed residences, and brought my bird feeders with me. It makes me happy to see a whole new set of birds enjoying my feeders.
I feel happy when I listen to a baby laughing.
A happy thing for me is the smell of my daughter’s hair as she falls asleep.
I couldn’t pinpoint just one thing that made me happy. There’s lots and lots that make me happy. If I can list only one thing, it would have to be my husband.
More things:
My Mom (my Dad made me very happy, but we lost him back in 2000).
My family and extended family and my best friend from Junior High School (38 years ago!)
I’m healthy and am safe at home with my husband during the pandemic.
The Beatles and ELO and other fabulous and talented musicians to bring us beautiful music.
Christmas and Christmas movies and decorations.
Travel
Drawing and Art work
Vintage Cars, Houses, Sewing Patterns, Clothing and Accessories
Playing piano
Gardening
Fresh Air
other Amazing and Happy People
You all for creating this!
The sound of the human voice reading a book aloud — especially the author reading their own book, like Robin Wall Kimmerer reading her book “Braiding Sweetgrass”.
Swimming in the river makes me happy. I can never just look at the water – I have to be in it – even if it’s cold. I live next to the beautiful river Herault in the south of France. The Herault has become my friend and I feel proud to know my friend as well as I do.
Two things popped immediately to mind
When my partner comes homes/from another room/past me on the way to get tea/wakes up and I see their face light up because they’re just so happy to see me, and then they light up even more seeing me so happy to see them, which then makes me all sparkly, etc. It’s a teeth-rottingly cute happiness cycle.
Dogs! Do not own one but am an expert at spotting them out and about. I just . . . sometimes you need some vicarious joy and dogs are so full of it! Waching a dog perk up and pull against their leash because they “Must! Meet! Other! Dog!” or because they want to nose at a leaf or smething is so freaking adorable.
The birth of my second Great grand daughter has made me really happy, during these trying times. She was born on 28th December 2020. She is a wee cutie. I won’t see her for a few months yet, as my Grandson lives in Aberdeen. Over 250 miles from me, in Fife.
The sound of a camping kettle kettle just before it’s starts to whilst is one of the great joys in life!
My favourite sound is the noise that my dog makes when he is dreaming, often after a long walk when he is tired, it is not only the beauty of watching him fall asleep but the little whimpers and growls he makes as I imagine him recollecting the day that he has just had. Music, sound and noise has been crucial and so has my little furry buddy. The two combined never fail to warm my heart.
Inside: the tock and chime of a clock that my mother had on her mantlepiece and has been a sound throughout my life. Alone in the house, awake after a bad nights sleep, a backdrop to meditation, its been there for me through thick and thin.
Outside: I love walking my dogs. I have lived the majority of my life in the east midlands, in Derbyshire and Leicestershire, so my life is encapsulated by the M1 corridor. I love being out in the countryside, my dogs off lead and running through fields, the buzz of bees and the singing of birds, with a gentle hum of a busy road in the background. Somehow the sound of people going about their busy hectic lives, while I for a brief moment have the luxury of taking time out with my canine family, adds an element of gratitude to the day.
Here is what makes me happy: each night at about 11 PM my partner or I gently nudge our 3 year old son half-awake for a trip to the bathroom before we go to sleep, so he doesn’t wet his bed (an issue a few months ago). When he trundles back into his bed and under his cozy duvet afterward, he’s already pretty much asleep but in his dreamy haze he always whispers “I love you, see you in the morning” as I kiss him on the forehead. The combination of sleepy sweetness and love and trust makes my heart so happy.
There are so many Nature sounds I love, like wind through the trees and the little birds who wake me up with a wittering anthem every morning in the wisteria around my front door, but…
The sound I LOVE is the calm heartbeat of my dog lying against my neck. She loves me and I love her.
I have been doing improv theater every week for 10 years, sometimes twice a week. Now of course it’s all on zoom, but before that I met and played with a loose group of 15 or 20 people, usually 9 or 10 at a time, to “make shit up.” The fun of doing improv with other people is that no one ever knows where it’s going, you are always flying blind, so you have to pay close attention and really respond to what has happened, not what you wish had happened. One has to be in the moment; my teacher says “Improv is the art of being present.” Often during the first weeks of joining a class, someone might “complain” that their cheek muscles hurt from smiling so much!
And being able to play with the same people on zoom that I’ve been playing with in person for years gives us all hope that we’ll get through this and come out the other side, hopefully sooner rather than later.
I’m getting my first vaccine shot in a few days! YaaaaaaY!
The sound of a dog snoring gently,preferably in front of the fire upside down with its legs akimbo. I have no idea why this is such as joyous and delicious sound when the somewhat similar noise of a partner snoring is so grating and annoying.
anyway, there it is
Listening to metal especially the band Killswitch Engage. They have a very inspiring vibe in their music.
The robin singing outside my flat always makes me happy.
Awareness of gratitude…
Warmth, sunshine and blue skies…
Cuddling my children…
Being immersed in nature…
Well, what makes me happy is creating vegan meals. I never use recipes, I just put on some music and bop around the kitchen, free-forming taste combinations. Then my partner and I chow down whilst watching vintage TV on YouTube 😁 Bliss!
I don’t think you can beat the sound of a giggling baby or young child. Just thinking about it makes me smile.
That, and the ‘aww’ noise people make when they see a cute kitten or puppy.
So, I think the most happiness-inducing thing for me: is seeing other people smile. And I smile a lot too so that helps! 🙂
Hugs make me happy too.
Of course, the sounds that comprise our indoor lives are the ones that help me feel secure and grounded these days. I find myself calmed and smiling when I hear the following:
— the rhythmic scraping of a snow shovel on the sidewalk;
— our cat’s ‘chirps’ as he curls around himself;
— the clang of cans when our neighbor tosses items into the recycling bin outside their back door;
— snow crunching as a car parks or leaves a parking space alongside the curb outside our house;
— the musical signal from the washer or dryer alerting me that the cycle has finished (I find it quite delightful 😊);
— water slushing as the dishwasher starts up;
— the buzzing of the refrigerator and ice clattering as it is released into the freezer bin;
— to name a few.
Ever since spending time with my dad as he succumbed to dementia, sounds constantly remind me of the extent to which we recognize—and enjoy or even disregard— them without having to see where they originate. For instance, we know what opening or closing a door sounds like, and even which door is being opened or closed, without paying particularly close attention. As time went on, these same sounds would regularly startle and irritate my dad; sometimes he would grumble and complain. And it dawned on me that the main reason was because he couldn’t identify and dismiss them; they impinged on his thoughts rather than being comforting reminders of everyday life. I miss him, and as a result I think I treasure the sounds around me even more.
One of the things that makes me happy is the mantra Baba Nam Kevalam – it means “only infinite love”, or “Love is the essence of all”, or “Everything is an expression of love”. It’s generally sung as a kiirtan.
something that makes me happy is the current view from my window / balcony 🙂 I live in Zürich, Switzerland and I can see the mountains and forest from here, very beautiful! Eve though I only stay at this place for 6 months, I appreciate the view every day. 😀
I live in the middle of agricultural land in Eastern Ontario, Canada, on the Canadian Shield. As a Canadian living in this part of the country, I have learned to embrace the winter and all its glory. Unfortunately, as a result of climate change, our winters are less predictable with temperatures that can range from +4 degrees one day to -20 degrees the next. Wind is now a constant making winter days seem colder and negatively affecting the enjoyment of outdoor activities. A good and lasting snowstorm has become hard to find!
Nevertheless, this morning I awoke to huge snowflakes drifting softly to the ground. All sound is muffled by this kind of snowfall and the beauty of the falling snow is breathtaking. The foibles of man seem distant, if only for a few moments. This gentle snow brings joy to my heart and a smile to my face and makes me know that happiness can be found everywhere. You just have to stop, listen and really see.
This makes me happy.
I love watching trees dance to the musical sound of the wind in their branches.
My message is that I love the sounds that my babies made when they were sleeping- snuffly, warm & peaceful.
The sea on my skin, the wind in my hair and the feel of sand between my toes.
What makes me happy?
Lying on the sand or in a hammock with my eyes closed, hot sun on my face, drifting in a reverie, the sound of waves gently lapping…
Ha! Just thinking about it made me happy!
People like you who surprise and delight
My dog always, no matter what
My first coffee of the day
Seeing someone else happy
Trump going
Injustice being stopped
People who chase their dreams
A child singing
So many things, thank you for making me think about them.
When my students are able to link their learning to what is going on in the real world and can make the connections between our theory and reality. The sound of birds also makes me happy as does a simple ‘thanks Miss’ at the end of lesson. Oh and coffee, coffee makes me happy too.
An expected message from someone. I had two yesterday, both made me feel so happy 2 people had thought of me.
What makes me happy is when my cat, blind in one eye and with cataracts and an ulcer in the other, to whom I therefore currently have to inflict eye drops eight times a day, comes up on my lap anyway in the evening. Such forgiveness!
I’ve struggled with depression for over twenty years and at times nothing in the world could make me happy. But music has always been the first thing to lift me back up. Either listening or playing; the feeling of my guitar cradled against me and the resonant thrum felt through my chest as I play. Nothing like it in this life.
At the moment I am thrilled to bits by the joy of playing tag with my husband and 2 kids. At the end of a school day we go outside and chase each other around. My personal joy is feeling as young as my children and squealing with anticipation!
I always feel infinitely happy simply gazing up into the sky.
I can be anywhere on the planet, any weather, any time of day or night.
I feel peace, connection, wonder and joy – this is my recipe for happiness!
Right now, I am sitting in bed, wrapped up warmly. The rain is hammering down outside, which is causing our frogs to croak – they love a downpour!
Our adopted cat Bobby has crept into the bed next to me. This is such a treat as he is a very fearful boy, due to unknown horrors in his life before we met him. In his sleep he purrs, yelps and snaps his teeth while he dreams. I could listen to, and watch, him all day. For me, this is real happiness.
What makes me happy? That my usually fickle cat who isn’t very good at laps seems to know when I’m sad or in pain, and spends extra time in and on me, sleeping with his head on my hand. I love that he trusts me and cares for me, even if he’s not always nice, and his perfect heartbeat fills me with warmth and hope.
Today has the mean reds but my friend whom I love is coming and that makes me happy. Also Handforth parish council u tube. Hilarious
Watching the birds in my garden. Especially the Blue Tit who has staked his claim on a bird box and is touting for a female to share it with! … Watching a female arrive and make a thorough inspection of his potential nest and then fly off, presumably to check out the competition. It’s better than Love Island!!
Running through the woods on a stormy day, sheltered by the trees and listening to the wind howling through them. Joyous!
At the moment, it’s the fact that lockdown allows me to spend more quality time with my children. They are growing up so fast (aged 12 and 7) and when I consciously put my phone down and turn my face towards them, whatever they are doing, it make my heart soar. I am really trying to be ‘present’ for them and it makes me happy to see them happy. Just writing this makes me excited to see them again and they are only downstairs!
The sound of the sea washing over stones, new daffodils in the spring, babies laughing.
The sound that makes me happy is to hear sega music from my country, Mauritius. Sega is similar to reggae. Always makes me smile whatever mood am in.
Don’t have my own recording but….. https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/common-wood-pigeon/?type658
Reminds me of sitting in my room as a school girl, on a summer evening when anything seemed possible.
Since March, I’ve been hosting laughter yoga sessions online every weekday morning, which has been lifting my spirits and everyone who comes too. I wonder if laughter is on your album?
Anyway, although every morning of laughter, watching people grow in confidence to play and be silly brings me immense happiness, what brings me even more happiness than that is when we meet to share how we’re really doing, and this group of beings opens their heart and shares their pain and their sorrow alongside the laughter. It’s delicious!
Oh, and my cats make me happy every single moment that I catch sight of them. Simple pleasures.
What makes me happy is making my husband laugh. We are very silly together and enjoy being playful. I am sure that we will still be silly and playful well into our 80s.
A sound which makes me particularly happy is that of a soft breeze rustling the leaves of a tree.
What makes me happy is the sound and the smell of my gurgling Bialetti-coffee maker, and then of course also the taste of coffee. Being from Vienna/Austria we have a long and rich coffee-tradition – and coffee (among many other things) makes me happy (I visualize my next cup in the company of your sound-installations😉)!
Greetings from cool-sunny Vienna
Listening to the sounds of birds tweeting away to each other in the early morning when most of the world asleep. They sound very busy and happy which in turn makes me happy.
Listening to my son hum away to himself when he is relaxed and happy and concentrating on something he is enjoying.
Music is hugely powerful in creating positive feelings. Recommended recently – Tim Burgess’ Twitter Listening Parties – everyone listens to a given album at the same time while following one of the main personnel who created the record on Twitter and contributing to the chat. So many great albums since March 2019, still carrying on.
www.timstwitterlisteningparty.com
Something that makes me happy is definitely the sound of people laughing ❤️
I have a challenge for you; i enjoy the “sound” when it is snowing, can’t really call it a sound but it is an auditive experience, everythings seems muffled and peaceful.
Although for some people, it may sound corny…What makes me happy is to see my mom smile, giggle, laughs. She looks like a little girl having fun. The older she gets, the cuter her smiles, giggles, laughs get and this makes me happy. Funny thing I am writing these lines and my eyes well with tears…They are happy tears.
Walking on my own through my local nature reserve and listening to the birds 🙂
Singing with my local Military Wives Choir makes me happy. Before lockdown, we met every Monday night but now we have joined up with another Military Wives Choir and have rehearsals over zoom
My go-to when I’m feeling down lately is to cuddle up with my boyfriend on the couch & binge watch Modern Family. It’s usually miserable weather outside which makes it even nicer to be all warm & happy inside.
Something that makes me happy is spending time with friends – playing games, having a drink, chilling. Thankfully I can do a lot of that online currently, but I can’t wait to do it again in person whenever we’re able to.
Hello, my son is 21 next week, but still the happiest sound to me is when he was a baby and a toddler, he used to giggle in his sleep, magical 😀
What makes me happy – I’m lucky enough to live in a house that backs on to woodland and I love sitting in my back room watching the birds and squirrels going about their daily activities. The birds visit the gardens for food, they get into little arguments – especially the magpies, but they always keep an eye out for each other (lots of cats around too). The squirrels run along the back fences and swing on the bird feeders – the birds aren’t scared of them – and they jump across the tree branches then disappear somewhere down a tree trunk to bury their findings. It’s such a noisy busy environment for them but gives me such a feeling of happiness and peace.
One thing that makes me happy is sitting in a coffee shop with a flat white, people-watching out of the window. It’s such a rare opportunity to just look and think. I like to imagine what they are doing /saying/ thinking.
Snowdrops peeping out of snow makes me so happy and hopeful❤️❤️
Happiness is seeing lots of positivity in the world and an end to covid in sight.
The exuberant cacophony of a primary school playground at break time (I used to be a teacher) and the sound of piglets squealing have to be close contenders too.
Thanks for doing this, I’m in Hong Kong where we, given the pandemic and political purge, could really do with a laugh!
A sound that makes me happy is the sound of cicadas on a July afternoon in Nebraska. Puts a smile on my heart every time.
Laughing, Dinner table chats, Tomatoes freshly picked and eaten immediately, A pat with a neighbours dog, Lying on the ground underneath trees, Eating a whole bowl of fresh raspberries, A hug with a friends newborn, Phone calls with old friends, The first sip of my morning coffee, Jumping into our favourite swimming hole, Early morning stillness, A storm brewing, A fresh canvas
Remembering the first day I held my new-born underweight, preemie niece. So tiny and loveable. She is now in her twenties and still the light of my eyes and heart.
I’m a single parent of one amazing girl and it’s been a lonely year for us. We moved house and location so she can be nearer her Dad who now shares parenting. Watching her run out to meet him with a big hug, and seeing them walk from our flat to his, through the field, holding hands makes me happy. Other things that make me happy are the small daily interactions: my daughter giving me a neck hug, or farting on my leg when she’s asleep, the feel of her cheek on mine, texts from friends, dinner time video calls with far away family and friends. And dancing: dancing memories, dancing to be free, and dancing my prayers, all the dancing makes me happy.
A thing that makes me happy: That earthy smell that comes after rain.
🙂
Making other people happy!
as a mum the answer is easy. Being with my children & being happy together. The best feeling in the world, life feels complete.
What is making me happy today is time for snuggling on the sofa with my cats 🙂
My rescue dog Ludo snuggling into me when I go for a nap to help pass the time at the moment! The other day I woke to find his nose snuggled in the back of my neck.
happiness is a choice, most of the times i remember that. And it works!
Every morning on my way to work theres a spot on the interstate where all the birds roost and as I’m coming through there they all take off at the same time. I love it, it’s so beautiful to see them all take flight, always brings me joy.
My family, my friends, a walk on a cold crisp day in Scotland and drums!
Might seem a bit cheesy, but the thing that makes me happiest is sitting with my husband watching our two kids play crazy made up games together and saying to him ‘can you believe we made these?!’
My husband likes the sound of the birds first thing in the morning. My eldest son likes the sound of the rain on his Velux window in his attic bedroom, especially when he’s cosy in bed. My youngest son is in bed so I can’t ask him, but I know that any song with a funky dance beat makes him very happy indeed as he makes a beeline for the drawer to retrieve his ‘yo hat’ (baseball cap) and proceeds to dance in front of his reflection in the glass kitchen door. I find the sound of our dishwasher when it’s on very comforting. I love the sound your hands make when you catch a football, the sound made when you clap your hands around the outside of a paperback, and also the sounds of my sons laughing when they’re playing together nicely (for once).
Running with my babygurl in her run buggy
Blue skies, warm ground, my birthday place, Cyprus. For me it is a spiritual place. I love the Cypriot people & when we get together we are all one British, Greek & Turkish Cypriots. First & foremost we are Cypriots. Love for each other despite the politics of other countries ❤️
seeing toddlers running around with ice-cream all around their mouths laughing their heads off!
My happy sound is the noise of my kids laughing together 😃
What makes me happy is snuggling with my son at the end if the day. He is the light if my life.
What makes me happy is music, and the song that possibly makes me the happiest is Sunstroke by Chicane. It features some of the most pleasant, relaxing noises I’ve ever heard. I’m pretty sure the vocals are what pure happiness sounds like. If you haven’t heard i strongly recommend it!
Sounds that make me happy:
Sound of a bike freehub
The smell of marzipan makes me happy because it always reminds me of baking a special Italian cake with my grandmother when I was young.
The happy sound I love is my son giggling away whilst reading the Beano blissfully unaware Im looking in on him xxxx
A sound that cheers me up, and makes me smile, is the frenetic sounds of the children playing, laughing, cheering and squealing in the playground of the small primary school, two roads over from my 4th floor kitchen window.
There’s something timeless and evocative, in the sounds of many children happily playing.
I’m finding great happiness at the moment looking back through troves of holiday pictures and videosand looking forward to travelling again. I reprise the experience by trying to cook something that resonates with the destination.
Right now and for the last 10 months during lockdown, the thing that has made me happiest in the world is walking. I’ve done this mostly in the parks and green-spaces of Edinburgh, especially around Arthur’s Seat at Salisbury Crag, with my dog Bella by my side. Watching the seasons change slowly has been wonderful, with Bella cheerfully frolicing around at my feet, oblivious to the woes and worries of the world. The exercise, the fresh air, her bliss and naivety, combined with the breath-taking views, fills my heart with joy!
My son makes me happy when he snuggles up to me and I heard him giggle 🙂
I am very happy to return to being a full-time artist again after my thirty years of teaching at various Scottish art colleges. As I started to tidy up our house to create more useful art space I came across many references from my early days in Scotland: exhibition posters, letters, reviews and images that make it very pleasant now to knit on where I left all those years ago and to still find myself in Scotland that inspired me so much when I first arrived here.
An additional pleasure is the thought and hope that the corona virus lockdown forces us all to reconsider our life’s priorities and enables us to think big about the necessary changes that the survival of our species demands. After all these years in Scotland, what I just said still sounds pretty Germanic to me!
What makes me happy is that people like you are doing ‘simple’* but significant things to make others smile in tough times.
*I’m saying ‘simple’ because the notion is innocent and pure, not because mixing sounds is in any way easy to do 😊
Also seeing robins.
I cannot afford a dog. I also don’t have the lifestyle under normal conditions that would make it sensible to have a dog.
But I have been alone in lockdown and feeling very lonely. One night I joined Borrow My Doggy and enter Maddie: a 7 month old bundle of joy. Walking her 2-3x a week and playing with her makes me happy. Quiet times on the sofa when she sleeps on my lap are even happier moments.
I have a very large german shepherd with anxiety problems. He is a hot mess! Few moments give me such contentment as sinking into the sofa with a book, with the fireplace crackling and a few candles breathing an inviting aroma, and having my giant sweetie hop up beside and rest has head in my lap. The sweet look in his eyes is all I need to see to know he is feeling comfortable and happy.
going for walks in the countryside makes me happy!
Today, in Toronto, Canada I woke up real early and caught the sun rising and this perfect glowing half-moon.
I have been totally blind for eight years now and sound is of course incredibly important to me these days. In exchange I would like to share something that makes me happy which is – The sound of my 9 year old giggling uncontrollably, often at his own jokes, moments like that never fail to brighten my day! also the silly songs he makes up and totally unself-consciously sings around the house.
Makes me feel good to watch farmers out in the fields working, reminds me of the old days when I was a kid.
During lockdown in April 2020 I discovered some DJs called Sofi Tukker were doing a daily DJ set from their own lockdown. I started watching every day, and gradually a community developed from all the people who were also watching. Collectively we’re known as the ‘Freakfam’. There are hundreds of us, and I’m in touch with a group of about 20 other people, every single day. Ages from teenagers to 60s, from USA, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany and me in Scotland. What links us is a love of music and dancing, and we offer a kind ear when bad things happen, and have a huge giggle the rest of the time. When I read about your project I had to tell you about the Freakfam. As I say there are hundreds of us altogether, and there’s lots of little groups like mine. We still watch the DJ sets every single day. My new friends, and the music, are very precious to me, and they make me HAPPY every day 🙂
There is few things better and making me more happy than to be aware of the current moment and to realize that I am living the life which is worth of living. It is very nice to find calmness inside yourself and to live my life with full responsibility. I now that I am not capable of improving all of our living conditions, but I also now that I am doing the best I can do at the moment. We can and should expect from one another to make small steps in to better future for everyone. If we are really empatic and compassionate about one another then it could be and need to be enough to do just as much as possible at the moment. Step by step with spreading good examples all around us. That’s the life that makes me happy and worth of living in.
The sounds of my kids laughter makes me happy!
My dogs make me happy day in, day out. Here’s one instance…
When our little dog sees us first thing in the morning she stretches out across the floor and inches herself forward towards us, wagging her tail. Then she pats her paws, inclines her head and snuggles in.
The funniest thing is she will repeat it if she hasn’t seen someone for more than five minutes…and she’s also just as pleased to see our other dog and pats her paw on his face/ears as she dances around him.
She makes us laugh out loud.
Other times, she will be lying on the sofa completely relaxed then her little tail starts going as she spots someone even just glancing at her. She doesn’t move a muscle except for her fluffy tail going like mad. You can’t help but smile 😁
I have experienced a lot of devastating news recently but, through all this the sound of my cats purring is one of the most positive things I know.
Squeezy cuddles that last for ages. Breakfast on the front step in spring sunshine. Making my friend laugh so much she has to stop walking. Guilt free afternoon naps. Timber the Cat’s little pink nose. Old school long phone-calls. New kinds of cake.
My happy thing is splashing in puddles. I am 42 and puddle splashing, particularly when it’s raining has been my happy thing ever since I can remember. The joy of kicking and jumping and splashing as hard as I can, and seeing how much water I can get IN my wellies, always brings a smile to my face and, if needed, helps release tears to bring relaxation and joy. Now it’s one of my children’s happy things too.
Mountains, hills and the coast make me happy. Being in nature is a priceless gift. I feel alive when in their elements. The sounds and smells, wind, rain and sun it’s all I could want.
Something that makes me really happy is cuddling my daughter. She is 16 and not in school as they are shut at the moment. I also love listening to her play the piano and clarinet.
I am happy with simple things now: the cheeky robin waiting for me to fill the feeder, sighting the lone tufted duck on the canal, the pure sounds of a cello, a jazz riff, delicious smells from my newfound cooking skills, watching a ski jumper fly, revisiting an old favourite book, the feel of standing on a beach in the wind. . . . .
Things that make me happy – the sound of rain on the window when I’m warm and snug indoors.
Getting into a bath that’s just the right temperature.
The smell of honeysuckle on a warm summer evening.
Light in the sky very late at night in a Scottish spring/summer.
Watching murmurations of birds.
Swimming in the sea or in lochs.
A lovely glass of wine.
Laughing with friends.
Singing and harmonising when the blend is just right.
Beaches in winter.
Easdale island.
Having space all around me and a great view.
Walking for days and having nothing else to do.
Getting into bed when I’m tired.
Snuggling with my partner.
Cake.
Empire biscuits.
The list is endless! 😊
Sound of evening crickets makes me feel happy and serene.
Waterfalls and the sound of it makes me happy.
What makes me happy is when I see someone having a true laughing fit, where they are out of breath for laughing so hard. That is a truly happy moment.
I´m a happy guy since i was born.. but what makes me happy every day, is to wake up.. and look at the funny face of my wife.
I truly believe that if you surround yourself with positive, happy people, all of the things you love – simple things like a hot cup of tea, a fresh pair of pyjamas, bath bombs, the smell of freshly cut grass, candles, a good book, a glass of wine, and if you can add some good, wholesome food into the mix, you can’t go wrong! Positivity, happiness and smiles are contagious 🙂
Hiking in the great outdoors and being at one with nature. It’s where we came from and where we all end up!
There are so many sounds which get me extremely excited, but here are just some examples of pleasures I hear in my life.The rustle of green leaves above me, happy barks of stranger’s dogs, the sound of rolling waves when you sit beside the water, sizzling of the food I am frying on my quite expensive pan, snuffles of my Love in the morning, laughter of my students, looking at the sky and hearing almost nothing… I quite enjoy my life and hope to expand the circle of pleasant sounds!Have a nice day(:
When I find someone with the same positive passion for something I like, and having time to talk to that person for hours.
Hearing the giggles of my girls 😉
The sound of church bells.
What makes me happy? Looking at the moon every night, and knowing that all the people I love, and can’t be with right now, are looking at the same moon.
OK so my happy thing is that I’m a songwriter and producer, and while making music makes me happy, there’s nothing I love more than sitting in my recliner, playing old records and just sitting back with my eyes closed, imagining what it was like to be there while they recorded the tracks!
My happy message is that I feel incredibly grateful in these uncertain times. I have a job I really like with great colleagues and a boss who truly cares and supports us as much as he can. I work with people who are disabled and we managed to only have 1 outbreak so far and that one went well, thank god.
My family is mostly fine. My relationship is amazing, my love for my partner grows every day 🙂
I am happy because of a lot of little things. Like this weekend, there was snow in Berlin. Real snow like 10cm, perfect in condition to build a snowman! And it stayed for some days and made everyone a little happier. This felt so good.
Something that makes me happy: The peace and calmness of being surrounded by nature brings as it means today I woke up to brightness because all the fields are covered in snow.
Something that makes me happy: The peace and calmness of being surrounded by nature brings as it means today I woke up to brightness because all the fields are covered in snow.
What makes me happy – a beautiful sunrise to start the morning – yellows, pinks, purples, blues, greys. Not seeing one this morning as we have a foggy, grey day, but hopefully tomorrow!
the thing that currently makes me happiest is the smiles that my 8 month old son gives me first thing in the morning when I go to get him up. They’re slightly wonky from him still waking up, but full and sincere and they just melt my heart!
I’m happy today for sooooooooo many reasons. Check these out!!!!
😁 I’m turning 49 today but I only look 47
😁 We have a spare bedroom so I can sleep, peacefully, alone, rather than beside my heavily snoring partner of 23 years
😁 To date, all my family have avoided or survived COVID
😁 Spring is around the corner
😁 I recently lost 30lbs
😁 Hubby made me a boozy birthday trifle and we have profiteroles and phishfood in the freezer
😁 I walked 2.5 miles yesterday and didn’t come into contact with dogshit
😁 I’m about to sign a new work contract for a job I actually like
Driving home from my mother’s cabin at dusk on a dirt road, miles from the nearest town. If I roll my window down I can hear the crunch of the tires on the gravel,a whippoorwill calling, and the breeze crackling the dry leaves left on the oaks…
You asked for sharings of things that bring happiness.
The very first thing that sprang to mind was my cat’s fur. She is a Turkish Angora, so she is quite a magnificent animal (and she knows it), with very elegant fur – especially the fur on her belly, which is long, white and curly, and the soft, velvety fur behind her ears, which is pure delight. She will laze on her back and left you massage her belly and ears – until she has had enough… and then it’s bear-trap time!
We are leaving our home soon, to travel on the road in our van, so I needed to re-home her, just this week. Whilst this might not be something to make me happy necessarily, as I do miss her, I have been able to experience the joy my friends and their son are getting from their interactions with their new feline friend – and to delight in their discovery of all her little quirks and, of course, that super-soft fur.
Creating. Whether it be drawing, taking pictures, or playing on the decks I got for christmas (I’m 49).
My 4 year old grandddughter ‘reading’ me a story ( by memory) as if she were a teacher reading to a classroom of children – with the book, showing you the pages, and with huge expression. 💕
It makes me happy to feel the coolness of grass between my toes
Seeing dogs especially puppies interact with humans, seing and feeling their unconditional love, seeing their joy when they see you, feeling their need to be close to you and to play. Communicating without words. Feeding of each other’s need for closeness. Witnessing their compassion and concern when you’sad or down. Priceless!
It’s hard to choose one thing…. but…
SUNFLOWERS make me feel happy! 🌻
Canoeing makes me happy. Floating along one of our beautiful spring-fed Ozark streams is a balm for my spirit that fills my heart with joy. It is my church!
One of the sounds that makes me happy is the joyful chirping of my budgies whilst they listen to Classic FM!
I like the sound of kids playing at recess.
what makes me happy is walking on the beach listening to the wind
Hello, what makes me happy is sitting with my children, step children and partner while we draw, listen to music and play games. Being cosy with them, I feel so lucky and cherish our moments together.
It’s beautiful to have a blended family, it can be complicated at times, but we manage to work our way through it and find laughter again Xx
I found out I have an older full sister. And I am 58. Soooooo happy!
My happy sound is the steady breathing of my children and partner asleep when I wake in the night . Perfect peace , all is well with the world xx
What makes me happy is listening to someone talk about something they’re really passionate about – the way their voice speeds up and their eyes go bright like their excitement is too big for their body.
And when that overlaps with something YOU are also excited about and you feel your own wave of joy rise up to meet them until your brains and words are fizzing and breathless.
That’s what makes me happy.
This past year I have become so much closer to my partner. I also became a mother to a little girl.
Their smiles and happiness are mine. I’m so fortunate.
Many things make me happy, but in lock down times, the things that makes my heart lighter is to see my children dancing to music. It reminds me of our capacity to decide how we feel every moment.
Seeing kids in wellies jumping in puddles in the park and having a jump myself made me happy today
Rays of sunshine, patches of blue sky and the green of nature give me hope
something that makes me happy is when two completely unrelated sounds harmonise with each other and / or come in sync with each other. One instance of this was when I was walking through the city centre of manchester and someone was busking using this incredibly sonorous plucked stringed instrument, and a tram went by and tooted its horn, which were two notes perfectly in time and perfectly in the key of the busker. It was just magic.
I’ve been rather surprised to find over the last few weeks that teaching my son to drive is making me very happy. He’s really happy to be learning, I’m happy to be learning to teach something I’ve never taught before, and it’s building trust and mutual reliance between us. And there was me imagining it would be horribly stressful!
One of the happiest sounds for me is when my dog knows he’s going for a walk. He runs down the stairs and ‘rings’ a bronze container on the middle landing with his paw. I always want to sing ‘ you can ring my bell’ and we leave the house singing and laughing
Being part of my daughter & her family’s bubble. We pool groceries and have been eating dinner together every night. I live alone so appreciate the company. My daughter appreciates the help with her 3 busy little boys.
Watching chickens brings me no end of joy. Most animals really, but there’s something special about a pretty chicken scratching in the ground. Dinosaurs. Beautiful, stupid dinosaurs.
The time that I put my winter wild swimming stuff on ( a swimming costume , a pair of socks , wellies and a long dressing gown with a hood ) and walk round to the Loch , deep breathing as I go in preparation for entering the freezing water. The anticipation of a feeling of exhilaration as I step into the water and swim .On getting out and wrapping up warm with jumpers , gloves, a hat whilst rubbing down my red legs and looking at the sometimes iced over water and knowing that I did it , that makes me very happy !
My cat makes me happy by just being there
My most positive interactions are with cats and dogs.
I can’t pass one in the street without making a bee line for them.
Stroking a warm furry ear or being given a paw that I’ve asked for makes my day 🥰
The laughter of my young grandsons makes me happy!
I have to say whenever I’m feeling down, burritos make me very happy.
My happy message to you – it’s nearly spring – well we’re getting there – a little further south than you, East Lancashire. The days are slowly lengthening. We’re feeding the squirrels in the garden every morning. They wait in anticipation for the blinds to be lifted and their daily ration of nuts to be tossed onto the patio. Seizing them quickly before the blackbirds and pigeons descend, we wait for the occasional smaller birds to chance their luck as we scan the flower beds in anticipation of the first buds of spring, they’re are shoots, it wont be too long. Here’s to a bright and beautiful spring and warm wishes of hope for a healthy and happy progression of 2021.
The sound of Cornish seagulls when I travel home makes me happy. And it means a proper pasty is close!
I just read your article and the sound of our garage door opening when my husband comes home on his motorcycle makes me happy.
Every little thing makes me happy. The thing that makes me the most happy is being in a forest and hugging the trees as though they are my old long standing friends, stroking their bark and listening to the birds that protect them.
Taking photos that capture the inherent beauty of forests and trees and sunshine and being is a passion.
Peanuts.
Being outside seeing the days getting lighter is making me happy
One thing that makes me happy apart from music (which has been so key during the last year), is dancing. With my eyes closed. In a field preferably at a live music venue. Never ever again will we take a second of live music for granted!
Whenever myself or my boyfriend water the plants, my cat sings at us until we water him too. It’s not even a normal miaow – it’s this two-tone harmony that he only ever brings out when he’s trying to achieve uber-cute. It’s extremely weird – aren’t cats meant to hate water? – but utterly delightful.
All the positive momentum in the blockchain space — how there are some really awesome visions for creating a more equitable world.
…a baby’s giggle
What makes me happy is that a project that I started (providing educational enrichment programs to children in Honduras) because I just felt that I had to do it – – has grown to encompass a community of passionate supporters from many countries around the world, including leadership in Honduras. It’s a huge responsibility, but for me personally, I feel nourished and happy as I see and feel all of this focused good energy having results and nurturing us all!
What makes me very, very happy is that after many tough years with my children, they’re now adults in their 20’s who have chosen to live close by as they build their lives. We’re at a developmental point for all of us that is allowing us to gently reconnect and be adults together. I love them and I love this new age.
Every day since lockdown I share silly stories through my mini bears Hamish and Ted on their adventures or just how they’re feeling. I kept thinking of stopping it but people said it made them happy so I kept going. They’ve almost become their own people somehow now with small but always kind personalities! They’ve got their own tiny world but also venture into big world where they often question are we small or is the world big something I also ask myself!
There are few things that make me feel happy:
my family – having them and seeing them
face I see of someone I helped for free to change their life around
smile on other peoples faces, childrens and beyond
hug giving and hug receiving
sounds, smells, sights and colours of the mother nature wonders…from rivers, lakes, seas, plants, to birds, animals and insects
church bell clock sound
sun sets and sun rises
sky full of stars
smell of freshly cut grass
smell of first drops of rain on hot dusty road
sound of children’s happy care free laughter
wittnessing acts of kindness as well as doing them myself
music, my go to is Medwyn Goodal, Enigma, Enya, to name but few
Mindfullness practice and quietness of my mind evoking inner calm
being in the present
dancing like a dickhead in my living room with my daughter -dancing like I’ve never had the courage to in any other setting in my whole life – knowing that she’s too short to be seen through the front window so neighbours and passers-by must think it’s just me thrashing about like that on my own to music they can’t hear makes me really really happy. Because when I’m with her and I’m a “father” I literally do not give a fuck what anyone else in the whole world thinks of me. At those times the whole universals just me and my kid.
I love listening to my dog snoring – a happy sound for me. 😊
Eating Vacherin cheese shared with friends with good wine on the side 😊
Happiness is… a cwtch after not seeing my other half for a while. If you don’t know what a cwtch is, look it up. They’re the best.
😀
Listening for the sound of a snow flake landing on ground
The desk in my midwest U.S. home office faces a window overlooking our lake. It makes me happy to look out that window! I notice the light as the day goes by, and I watch the trees as the seasons change.
to answer the question of what makes me happy, I’d say: it makes me happy to see my brother who suffers from a mental illness smile and enjoy simple activities like playing Scrabble or jogging.
Let me tell you what makes me happy , the smile on the face of the students when they are making progress / having success in their struggle to learn a complete new language because they are refugees in a culture and country totally different from their own.
People that make our world a better place, a smile at a time
Playing with my granddaughter
Watching the ever changing clouds and sky from our living room window
Seeing the first signs of spring
Every sunday before Covid. Me and my buddy would meet up to play tabletop games.
The excitement of the game. The outcome of your planning. It all rounded down to the dice roll. Would the dices favor you or your friend?
I love other people’s dogs coming up to me for a fuss & cuddle when I’m out for a walk!
Colour through light; rainbows, sun catchers, seeing street lights through purposeful squinted eyes, colour in oil spills, sun catching a water droplet at that right, magical angle 😊
Looking up. The abstraction of the sky is a beautiful reminder of how weird and big the universe is, and how blessedly small my world and troubles are.
I was struggling for a bit to decide what ‘happy thing’ I could or should send you. I wasn’t sure whether it should be my wee kids playing with each other or discovering something new for the first time, or the satisfaction of cleaning out and ‘gardening’ the fish tank, or a wee walk in the woods with the family.
Preparing casserole with the mid-winter afternoon sun streaming in through the window I find myself singing ‘Scarborough Fair’ and relishing the memory of my dear departed Mum!
I think one of my favourite happy sounds is when you wake up in the spring and the sun is shining through your window. You can hear distant cars and busyness but the birdsong somehow ‘feels’ different. Like they know it’s spring and they’re telling you!
Living alone during lockdown and discovering that tracking down birds by their song and calls, then photographing them brought me great joy and kept my mental well-being intact.
What makes me happy?
Seeing my daughter growing up, and (re)discovering the world with her eyes. Seeing her figuring out how it all works and everything that surprises her. Hearning her laughter and how happy she is to wake up in the morning.
Something that makes me happy is sitting quietly in deciduous woodland even just for 10 minutes listening to the bird song. I don’t think there is anything more peaceful!
my happy thought: my wife and i camping on the side of mt. shasta – with millions of stars in the sky.
My happy sound is the sound of my wood burning stove when lit. It means safety and warmth for me and makes me happy.
What makes me happy is my ASMR playlist on YouTube – helps me get to sleep a couple of times a week now…
Ice skating on a frozen lake in the morning and watching the sunrise makes me happy. Cuddling with friends and lovers for hours makes me happy as well.
What makes me happy is going to my allotment for a few hours most days and when I’m not there, planning what I’ll do the next time I am.
Beautiful trees. I love the shimmering of the leaves as the wind and rain passes through them. No matter what the weather the trees talk to us and if we listen they lift our spirits and make us smile and restore our energy.
Temperatures in the upper 60’s.
Petting my doodle.
Good wine.
Long dinners out with my husband.
The thing that makes me most happy is time spent with family and friends where laughter or fun isn’t forced, it’s just genuine moments that naturally occur.
My happy thing today: this is the second day in a row my children have played in the garden this year – saw both sunshine and flowers.
One thing that makes me happy – Rainbows. They remind me of the beautiful rainbow which appeared in the sky on the day my wife and I got married last year.
The sound of my children talking to each other.
My small red heeler sleeping against the small of my back, my big blue heeler sleeping at my feet, and my wife sleeping with her arm on my shoulder, with sunlight peeking through the blinds…time to get up.
Happy, is the amazing sense of being whilst being outside. Anywhere, outside :-))
I live in a town in the state of Iowa in the United States. During covid times I have had to limit direct contact this winter to two people, yet I find daily beauty and positivity in the world. The most important influence has been nature.
One of the most important positive things to come out of covid times is in my opinion that more people are experiencing, enjoying, and appreciating nature. The publicly supported forests, parks, and campgrounds in the U.S. are being used more than ever. I hope this will lead to stronger support for them going into the future. That’s my positive message to share with you!
I find that nothing fills my heart more than the sound of my adult children talking and laughing together with their mates. Listening to them share experiences as friends- my heart melts 🥰
I also love the sound of a car slowly driving over a gravel driveway.
I also love how my dog, Dobbie, asks me for treats! He uses a completely different voice than his regular barks- it’s just for me; and I know exactly what he wants 😁
I am a therapist and it makes me happy to be able to help people and see their lives change as they learn and grow.
The peace of not commuting and the quiet joys of a cosy home with good food and good books. And then the special moments stolen with my children. A different kind of connection now.
Some things that make me happy are………
………spending more time with my dog, either out walking or just lounging around on the sofa
………reading fiction again after a long period of not having time or energy to
………reconnecting with music through vinyl and digital and Instagram, for many years cds had been my go-to
The thing that made me happy recently is the snow. It’s been quite rare that it snows in Hamburg, but since a few days there’s a bit of snow outside, and that’s especially nice it you walk in the nighttime through this special light that you have via the reflecting snow.
My son makes me happy
Rain. Rain makes me gloriously happy! I have always loved Rain and Storms. Even living in Ohio for 30 years I never grew tired of rain. Now I live in Southern California where rain is not frequent. I long for those rare rainy days. I love the sound. (especially on a tent). I love the smell. I love the way it feels on my skin. Rain makes me inordinately happy!
“Savvy on lap & Wami snuggling in.”
My mum sends me little updates about my cat (Savvy) and dog (Wami) and her life because I can’t visit them. The messages and photos are often the highlight of my day.
At the moment what makes me happy is seeing lots of friends whom I wouldn’t often connect with, because we live in different places, regularly via zoom. And spending lots of time with my dog!
Domestic life in lock down theme:Arranging a lighting candles around the fireplace (hearth and mantel) Cleaning the fireplace and resetting it for lighting laterComing downstairs to a clean and tidy kitchen (doesn’t always happen – depends on my mood at bedtime!)JigsawsNeatly packing away my workstation after working from home sessionThe sound of my partner filling and boiling the kettleTakeaway – a rare treat that makes us feel like we are dining like kingsWalking in the wind and rainUnanticipated affection from any family member
As musicians, we are struggling this year because we cannot perform as we used to. There have been endless cancellations and changes. I think one of the happiest sounds is the sound of an orchestra getting tuned up at the beginning of a concert in a beautiful concert hall. It has always been a magical sound for me, and I can’t wait until I can go to a real concert again!
Watching friends succeed, the alchemy of a good curry, ideas forming into tactile, tangible new things, the inexplicable hook of a story. My nephew playing his first guitar, my Granny’s tales of Leith and love, red wine and time to write alone, butterflies in the stomach before a big night out.
The glint in my wife’s eyes when she enjoys my cooking.
Something that makes me happy is the sound of my 2 year old laughing.
The return of birdsong in my garden today as I raked up the leaves & the Robin by my side to collect the worms! Made me feel so grateful & happy . X
Cuddling with a gently purring contented cat, walking in freshly fallen snow, blue sky after 10 days of gray winter days, funny laugh -out-loud memes – read and shared, family movie nights with generous helpings of shared laughter and summer -picked berries on ice cream
I am a student at university who lives alone and I have come to realize, when thinking about things that make me happy, that they are almost all related to nature and nature’s sounds. Here are some of the moments and sounds that make me happy:
When my cat comes to me to ask for hugs. It always feels special and sometimes I think she can understand that I feel sad and she comes running to me and asks for hugs.
The sounds of birds in a park when we cannot hear anything else. I close my eyes and just sit in the park or forest and relax. This is what makes me the most happy and relax.
And finally, the sunrise every morning. I wake up early every morning and it gives me the opportunity to observe the sunrise. Even when the sky is gloomy and it’s raining we will still be able to observe the sun pass through the clouds during the day.
Thank you very much for making me think of what makes me happy. I learned more about myself during this process weirdly enough and I am grateful for that.
I’m Sophia and I’m 11 years old. Things that make me happy are kittens, ballet, soft animals and pastel yellow.
Waking up after an anxious few days, seeing the sunlight outside and feeling like a slightly new person, seeing the world in a different way this time.
my happy message is to focus on better outcomes
both long and short term by building and implementing/using positive frameworks/systems
want peace in your life? imagine it and then build and refine the framework step by step
i ask the people in my life what they want to happen, what is important to them
and then i ask for their help in making it happen
simple social agreement and cooperation on a personal level is often overlooked and underutilized
i love building better outcomes
challenges will come and we can address those together
Crisp, clean snow…. And all those vids we’ve seen cropping up of pandas, goats, dogs… all sorts of animals… And us! just not being able to resist sliding down, making angels… 🎉❄🎉
A sound I love to hear is the combination of my fireplace crackling, the cat on my lap purring and the pages of my book turning.
Spending time with the ones I love and hearing the laughter and conversations that transpire.
Things that make me happy:
Lying on a blanket in the grass and stargazing
Actually seeing a shooting star/meteor
Listening to the owls hooting outside my bedroom window
When my mom. who rarely laughs now, laughs
Glimpses of my 85 yr. old mom and dad’s affection for each other
A steel drum
Mourning Doves cooing on my patio
A frog chorus after a summer rainstorm
A field of lightening bugs
Dancing
Ferns unfurling
Singing karaoke and playing trivia!
What makes me happy is watching the sunrise over our Tree Tribe!!💝🌎
What makes me happy?? The sound of rain, morning birdsong, quiet.
Watching my granddaughter absorb the world around her and learning at an incredible speed
The smell of books, both old ones and new. Vanilla and musk, and bright shiny newness. I have so missed libraries and bookshops, but have bought from local independent bookshops and from second hand during lockdown. It has been a real joy when a book arrived and joins our ‘library’ – we have about 8,000 books but there are always more that we need.
The sun has got his hat on, hip hip hip hooray
The sun has got his hat on and he’s coming out today!
Spring is coming to Cornwall.
Something that makes me happy is just waking up and knowing I have another day of life. What a miracle. ☀️
Something that makes me happy is learning ancient yarn crafts, like Shetland Lace, and spinning, because it provides distraction from my pain and fatigue, but mainly because it feels as though I’m honouring and preserving the history of my strong female ancestors
One of the many things that makes me happy is sitting on African ground watching a Dung Beetle roll its food supply and breeding chamber along, while simultaneously being a great conservationist. At the moment this is just a memory but it still makes me smile inside and out.
Things that make me happy at the moment are the yoga sessions I’ve got funding for. Every week more folks turn up, it’s so calm and gentle. I’m dead proud of myself for getting the funding, making relationships with people, finding an ace yoga teacher and helping folks find a space for themselves once a week. Its lush
The thing that makes me happy is the feeling of being in a sunny afternoon crowd watching a masterful musician do their thing and the feeling that we are all watching something amazing and enjoying each other’s joy.
Seeing my kids grow up.
Giving.
Talking to friends.
Running.
Discovering good and mind opening books, music, movies.
Things that are left of capitalistic recovery strategies – like yours.
Thanks so much for that!
My daughter giggling and running towards me with open arms for a hug or when she wants to hold my hand at night. It’s such a privilege to be her safe base.
I long for the British seaside – cold winds whipping your hair into a tangle, pebble and sand beaches to sink your toes into, hunting for shells or amber along the shoreline, seagulls mewling as they circle overhead near the fish and chip shop, kids shrieking in delight as they run away from freezing waves, ice creams that melt and drip down your hand, the salty tang in the air, the lingering scent of sunshine on your skin, that feeling of finally taking a slow, deep breath and realising you don’t do this enough, realising that weeks of your life are wrapped up into this happiness of a family holiday to Suffolk and that the preciousness of those moments will never leave you.
Southwold makes me happy, a little seaside town in Suffolk where time seems to stand still and I can enjoy the moment, feeling miles away from my problems, and just be happy.
The sun is shining!
I love sounds like distant lawnmowers on a sunny day, wood pigeons and morning birdsong, trickling streams, my dog snoring, my cat purring, sheep bleating in distant fields, the sea gently lapping up on the shore, children streets away in the playground laughing and playing at breaktime.
I was very lucky to be pregnant and have a baby during lockdown, he was born in August 22nd, and he makes me so happy, so happy, he is so happy.
The thing that is making me most happy at the moment is seeing the bulbs that I have planted in my garden come up. To me they speak of hope, and change, and the promise of good things. And that the world keeps turning no matter what’s happening.
My happy sound is the gentle mechanical whirring of my bicycle gears / drivetrain on a silent country lane whilst I’m out pedalling.
Hopefully you can understand the joy that gives me as a keen cyclist and what that sound embodies- peace, escape, freedom.
I’m sure I’m not original in these, but that’s not the point, is it?
Making a cat purr. It the receipt of affirmation for a selfless act, coming from an animal programmed not to trust you.
The smell of fresh bread. That’s why I’ve got three loaves in the oven right now.
I feel happy whenever I think about the quiet natural sounds I have heard when I’ve woken up on camping trips. And the sound of rain on a tent too.
what makes me happy is
my boyfriend dancing all around me when i’m sad
singing his made up songs about what he is doing (cleaning the kitchen, cuddling me)
but what makes me the happiest is him meowing like a cat, every single time that he comes home
and the dinosaur sounds he makes when he is feeling relaxed and happy
My cat Smudge has been a fantastic companion during lockdown – I am in the ‘extremely clinically vulnerable’ shielding category so I have spent a lot of the past year in my house (I live alone). Something that brings me great joy is watching Smudge wash herself, particularly her fluffy tummy 🙂 she sits upright, curls her tail around her butt and puts one front paw/hand out on the floor for stability (like a little kickstand). She then washes her tummy and smooths out the fluff with her other front paw, it is so cute and I am smiling as I type this, just thinking about it. Hope you have a lovely day!
When a baby makes eye contact and responds with a smile!
I’ve been listening to a lot of music by Erlend Øye during this lockdown as it makes me and my 4 year old happy. As well as sewing bears and things.
just thought I’d let you know how much sounds bring back happy memories to me. One of my favourites is the sound of carving fresh tracks with my skis over newly pisted runs. Especially first tracks in the morning when the snow is crusty and glistening on top. Not only does the sound bring back many happy memories, but I can feel the low winter sun on my face and smell the cold fresh air tingle in my nose.
My daughter lives and works in China. Whilst on holiday in Feb 2020 she decided to fly back to UK rather than home to China. We had her living with us for 8 months. What a complete and unexpected treat, and an immense silver lining in a difficult year.
Becoming single during the pandemic was scary, but discovering the depths and breaths of my friendships has been worth it 😊
It makes me very happy to just walk, looking for new pathways and just sit under the sun, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, close my eyes and listen to the sounds around me. It gives me happiness and peace.
What makes me happy? Well during lockdown and this past year, I was able to get outside and marvel at nature a lot more that I used to. I have seen the seasons change, photographed mushrooms, lichen, flowers and all that nature has to offer us. I count myself lucky that I have been able to slow down and look up as well as down to see the beauty around us.
Sat outside the other night (in between storms) with my kids and the moonlit clouds in a way that made them appear well defined. We spent a long time laughing and gazing at the people and things we could see in them.
At this time of year the things that makes me most happy are the early signs of Spring: bulbs peeking out of the ground, buds on trees and the first flowers of the season. We have snowdrops and primroses on our local canal walks and the birds are definitely getting more vocal. There is a fresh smell of Spring about too and a sort of excitement in the air; the promise of something new and yet comfortingly familiar. Maybe it is just what I need at the moment.
My husband Sean says ‘The sounds of farty bubbles in the bath’ make him happy!
Grilled chicken makes me really happy.
I live in Australia but I once lived in London and met a wonderful woman from Scotland that I worked with. She made me laugh and she made me happy and was a great friend that I will never forget.
I’m living alone which is very challenging and one of the things that makes me happy atm is the sound of the door knocker on Friday or Sunday morning as it means my friend Sue is here for our weekly walk and chat and good laugh. She’s probably my only friend who’s known my family well since my sons were small, so she’s great for talking things through with. We share the same political views so we can have a good unload and weekly rant. We talk about books, films, ideas, anything and everything. We laughed so much the other week I hurt!
A Happy Thing for me is a specific moment – after my daughter has gone to bed and I’ve done everything I need to… I light amber incense, put some music or the TV on, sit down and it’s the first sip of hot chamomile tea which brings it all together and signifies having got through another busy day. It’s a ritual that helps me shift from everything else to just me and it definitely helps 🙂
My friends make me very happy.
What makes me happy is when people actively care for the environment and the life forms that depend on it
Well, what makes me really happy starts off with designing something in my head, something that needs doing ie at the moment, the shower doesn’t work, has never worked because of a design fault. So I think and think – hmmm, if I get a tube and fix it here, hmmm, now I research fixings, etc etc, learning all the time about what incredibly useful things exist in the world and it evolves over a few days til I have the final plan. Hooray! All that makes me very happy and excited. Then I get the actual doing of it!!!! Just as good if not better.
Here are something that make me happy
The silkiness of homemade lentil dhal
The busy birdsong as spring nears but is not quite with us
The tickle of grass on bare feet on summer walks
Sitting on the banks of a stream as the cold water flows over my pale feet and the way they tingle as they warm up in my socks.
Something that makes me happy –
Watching the birds on my garden bird feeders. Black birds, blue tits, great tits, house sparrows, starlings, wrens, coal tits, woodpigeons, goldfinches, collared doves, magpies, crows…..every single one of them brings an instant smile to my face even if I’m feeling down and the occasional mouse or squirrel makes that smile even bigger!
What makes me happy is playing Music and even more playing Music with Friends.
Going for a walking and hearing the birds singing, seeing the signs of spring arriving that tell me that regardless of what’s going on in the world or even just my life nature is just carrying on in it’s own beautiful way.
1. I love the sound of my 89 year old father laughing. He lives alone now, four hours away from me in Kent (I am in Dorset) and we haven’t seen him for 10 months now.I sent him a pair of sprout paper glasses in his Christmas parcel and he was laughing in a photograph that he took on Messenger. We laugh about various things when we chat by phone but it will be lovely when we can laugh in person again AND when I can spend longer with him when he will sit in silence with his headphones on listening to classical music on Radio 3, which is his main hobby and which gives him so much pleasure and consolation.
2. Nature – the sound of dunnocks warbling in our garden.
What makes me happy?
* The stillness of the early morning, before the world wakes. * Discovering a song/artist that you loved from your past, as if you were hearing it for the first time. e.g. Radiohead!
* The innocence of my young kids.
* Harmony (in music)
Something that makes me happy is sharing the joyand peace of mind I find when knitting! I am slowly teaching my husband to knit socks and sitting with him while we both knit is honestly complete bliss!
I get a lot of happiness from many things that you’re supposed to leave behind in childhood and one of those things is piggy backs. Some of the happiest times over the last few years have been documented with a selfie taken on top of my boyfriend Bobby’s back, usually to capture a better view or just the moment. Up there is a very happy place to be indeed.
walking in the woods while it’s raining with my wife. Hearing the rain through the leaves, hand in hand with the live of my life. That makes me very happy!
A sound that really makes me feel happy is the sound of the central heating coming on in the afternoon when I take a nap. It’s like the house is humming contentedly to itself and all is well.
the sound if rain when i’m warm and cozy with a good book makes me happy.
Hearing the sounds of the kids next door playing out in their garden and giggling
There are two happy sounds that have brought a smile and comfort to me during the last few years through bouts of depression and especially this year. They are the songs and calls of the blue tits that play in the tree outside my bathroom window and my cat Smokey’s rumbling purrs.
Playing my harp (clarsach) makes me happy – I am not amazingly good, but it is the first thing I have ever really stuck at and spotting when I have made progress is a real buzz. As is ‘getting’ something, like when I master playing a section where both hands are doing something completely different, I can actually feel the cogs shifting in my brain.
Also, snuggling with my children in bed, drinking coffee and reading a book all on my own on weekend mornings, the smell of creosoted fences on hot sunny days, the green of spring and summer, sitting in the sun and hearing the everyday voices and sounds of neighbours going about their day, looking up into falling snow, going for walks with my near-teen and listening to her chatter, watching live music, the smell of library stacks, people-watching.
I see the neighbours cat, walk along the top of the fence and sit in the sun on the shed.It makes me happy that he can live like that.
Waking up early on the beach, walking towards the shore, eyes closed, orange sunlight in my face and the waves whispering soothing sounds in my ears. 🙂
We were up on the ridgeway yesterday and we could see two red kites swirling around each other. They were silent when they were close to each other but as soon as they got further away they started calling to each other with these strong eagle sounds. Just checking in I think, telling each other where they were…
I also love the sound of strong winds outside when you’re safe and cosy inside
The sound of the mans laugh in the shops below my flat. Even now when he can’t open he still comes to check his shop most mornings and I guess he’s having a laugh with passers by, anyway his laugh is massive and booming… makes me smile.
I feel happiest when I am dancing and I also love hearing people laughing with a pure heart.
Something that makes me happy. I couldn’t just pick one so I’ve listed a few of the smaller things in life that make me happy:
– Sitting with my cat after a long day at work – A green tea after dinner – A good stretch or workout – A phonecall to my friend who lives on the other side of the country – Good food – Thinking of everything I’m grateful for.
I live in Brighton on the edge of the city where the Downs begin. The second lockdown has been challenging with two kids to keep busy. I struggle in these dark months anyway, but one of the sounds that keeps me going until the brighter days is the happy starlings who gather in the tree in our garden each afternoon before swooping to the seafront to perform their evening dance for all the watch. Brighton is quite famous for these spectacular starling murmurations but the sound of hundreds of these birds in the tree getting ready to perform is something pretty special to me. I wonder what they all sing about in their excitement 🤔 Like teenage girls getting ready to go out. Busy, bustling and happy 🌳
Nothing cheers me up more than my hot buttered toast in the morning even on a dreary day. It needs to be buttered as soon as it pops up and enjoyed straight away before it goes soggy, it’s the simple pleasures. My six year old is the same, so we cuddle on the couch enjoying our toast before we start homeschooling for the day.
My happiness comes from letting the dog off the lead and watching her be free. This is particularly poignant for me right now as I’m in my 13th day of isolation…2 days until freedom!
It makes me happy when people find their words, their world, their comfort, their community despite everything. People who do, are a force for good.
What makes me happy is spending time with my daughters during lockdown, cooking together and chatting away about all sorts, including nonsense. Got to be done.
You asked to share a happy moment, that’s actually a string of happy Tuesdays, when our 2 year old grandson Micha is with us. He brightens up our lives with chatter, laughter, naughtiness, loads of play, books and just by being his loveable self.
I love a windy day the feel of the wind blowing my hair around and the happy giggles of children as the wind misbehaves!
I have a kitty and a puppy and a wonderful wife who truly loves me. And though I have been stuck at home for 11 months now, I have my favorite people with me in my favorite place in the world.
The sound of the waves, birds in the park, pouring coffee from the machine in the morning, silence of the snow falling, bike wheels on a quite road, biting in the crust, baby whales.
My Happy/positive message is that on Facebook I am doing my 100 days Happy. Basically it is a little snippet of what has made me happy each day. Loads of things like going to work, eating my favourite food, having a conversation with someone, having a lie in etc. It is my challenge to find something to be happy about each and every day!
Sharing a few things that make me happy – the beauty & magnificence of the natural world where I live in Cornwall. – being sent flowers by a family member to say thank you for my support and help
My dog makes me very happy. She adopted us a year ago and is amazing. ‘Lockdown is ok with a Stafiie!’
So many sounds make me happy – from just any sound my son makes (even though he is now a stroppy teenager!) to many, many natural sounds such as the sounds of Swift’s screeching around any town or city in the summer to the sound of church bells ringing through a Mediterranean landscape with the sound of Swallows in the background.
Wild water swimming in the sea this winter has made me so happy!
During lockdown small, simple things have made me happy – tea from my favourite mug, seeing our resident Robin, my hyacinth bulb coming back for the 5th year running. A couple of really big things have made me happy too. My partner moved in on the night of the first lockdown and living together has made me happier than I have ever been. I also bought a 20 year old Mercedes convertible 230SLK (it was a couple of grand) in November. This has been my dream car since I was 18, I am 50 next month!
My top lockdown sound so far is when my tiny doggo is having happy dreams in his sleep next to me on the sofa in the evenings, once the hussly bustly homelearning day with the kids is over and they’re happily tucked up in bed. The gentle, bassy pound of his wag on the sofa cushion is just magical and always restores me after a day. He’s like my own personal cheerleader.
A seat in the sun with a coffee…. Simple
The smell of coffee during a thunderstorm….
I love raging storms tbh…. I was caught in a tornado when I was 10 and it was one of the most exhilarating moments of my life.
Before I snuggle down for the night which, after splashing a few drops of essential oil on my pillow, has always made me happy. I now visualise visiting all my loved ones, family and friends and often others that have been on my mind that day especially those who are suffering at the moment. I wish them love, kindness, peace, happiness, night nights and sweet dreams. I imagine them all snuggled up in bed. And again, in the morning, I revisit and wish them all a good day. It works for me as I haven’t seen most of them for such a long time and I miss them wholeheartedly. This makes me really happy.
There are small things, such as smiling to (or even greeting) a passing stranger and watching their initial surprise turn to thankfulness.
Or holding open a door for the person behind me, when I enter a store.
Giving a child the coin, which he/she is missing to get the bag of sweets.
These things I’ve made a habit of doing long ago and they never fail to brighten my mood as well as that of the people around me.
But, while I’m writing this, I’m remembering something:
What makes me really happy, is when I manage to connect with people whose values oppose mine.
I love talking with people and getting to know their stories. It makes the person behind them so much more human. I am able to empathise with them and feel some form of love.
So when I get to understand the “why” behind their thoughts and actions – no matter how condemnable I may find them to be – this makes the world in general feel like a much better and warmer place. It fuels my optimism for the future… and I believe, it also helps the other person feel heard and respected too. With all the good consequences this might have for him or her.
The thing that makes me happy is
A blackbird singing from a rooftop as i walk along an urban street.
My happy message to you is a little reminder that everything is working out for you. You’re on the right track.
Hearing the sound of my daughter laughing
So that made me happy but also seeing little tiny dots of colour appearing outside on my morning walk. Some little flowers are appearing showing me that Spring will come.
My puppy Barney makes a delicious growl/woof when he wants my attention. Usually requiring me to sit down so he can get onto my lap for a cuddle. What joy and distraction he has brought to my family since Christmas, after a year of bereavement, loss and lack of social interactions.
The look and smell of Hawthorn blossom in the spring. Reminds me of childhood and lifts my spirits.
Visual also: A flock of Canadian geese flying into the distance with the calls they all make echoing and and slowly disappearing into the the distance as the silence again resumes.
What makes me happy? Smells. Freshly cut grass…. newborn (clean) babies!…. Sunday lunch cooking…. the perfume I wore on our wedding day…. baking bread…. the sea…..
when my daughter calls me to tell me how she is doing. I feel very happy and thankful that she shares her life with me 😊
My happy thought is in appreciating the goodness in others. I see it on social media, added in to newscasts to balance out their broadcasts, and in the positive interactions I see and remember having. I cherish these.
What makes me happy is my work with young people, listening to their best hopes and helping them happen.Also feeling very secure and snug in front of a real fire with my husband, cat and dog with the knowledge that our five adult children are doing OK.
In a world of confusion and self doubt, to see the simple flicker of ‘I get it’ in the eyes of my ten year old as I help her with home schooling long division… makes me happy!
My happy list (not remotely exhaustive)
Hearing the wind rustle through the silver birch leaves
My cats nose wrinkling when she’s about to meouw hello
Hearing my husband’s laugh
Playing board games with my mum and dad over zoom
Fluffy pjs
Stolen moments.
This morning, just before dawn, I walked my dog in the local park. No one was around, and as I passed under a huge cypress tree, I ran my fingers through its low-hanging needles – dislodging and scattering drops of dew. It was the first stolen moment of the day and it made me smile.
I love to walk around our local park with my kids, looking for otters and herons. We do this more often now, definitely a positive that’s came out of these lockdowns!
It has to be natural sounds for me. Birdsong makes me happier than anything I think. On a recent walk I stood and listened to skylark for 10 minutes with a broad smile on my face. Not much has that effect on me these days. My absolute happiest sound is the song of the blackbird in Spring.
I’m happiest in the corridors of discovery that new sounds and music takes me.
What makes me happy these days is the sound of my 23 y/o daughter laughing in her bedroom as she chats with friends online she hasn’t seen in over a year. And standing in the garden listening to blackbird song, a ripple of ever changing sound, like bird jazz, and easier to hear now that there’s less traffic on the road outside. But best of all is hugs from my partner and daughter, especially a group hug with all 3 of us. I appreciate that I am lucky to have them in the same house at this time, and that we all get on well!
What has had made me happy in lockdown is listening to nature around me; walking my little dog around our coastal home (which is new to us) and appreciating the waves, birds, squelchy mud and trees blowing in the wind.
Every day I actively love the moment when I put my slippers on my newly showered, dried and socked feet. I told someone at work about this and since then it has remained in my head and become a conscious pleasure and a moment’s pause.
I love a big mug of tea. I often think whoever came up with it was a genius and I think it would be my luxury on Desert Island Discs. They might not allow it though as technically it might help you stay alive and could not therefore be classed as purely a luxury. I don’t suppose they’ll ever ask me to go on the programme anyway so hey ho!
Obviously I also love my family, my cat, Scotland and my friends. Less obviously I absolutely love my work (1-1 support worker in a therapeutic community for adults with complex needs) so I feel very lucky.
Knowing i am loved and a warm and comfy bed xx
My grandchildren staying over and coming into bed with me in the morning.
Each evening after they fly around I “tuck “in my 5 budgies (all of different colours and character) and I cover their cage with a soft blanket so they are not cold during winter months when my heating goes off at night..I tell them good night budgies,I love you fluffy birdies and switch off the lights.. They always respond with a same soft chirp as if they are saying goodnight 😁🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
Music & dancing (on my own 😂)
When I wake up on a morning I can hear so many birds twittering outside (I always sleep with my window open and my neighbours keep finches in an aviary). It’s a lovely sound and makes me happy.
My family makes me happy.
Something that makes me happy is that amazing feeling when you take a hot shower and all you can do is make a moaning noise cause it feels so good. You just feel clean and replenished and ready to face the world again.
Over the past year I have discovered much happiness in a daily meditation practice and the local and global community that this also provides. I have also found simple joy in listening to the wind rustling tree branches when sat in the garden and listening to birdsong.
When i was a little tike, I used to sneak on the roof. I wasn’t allowed up there often, but whenever I was, there was something comforting and adventurous about it. When i got older and could wield a ladder, I would climb up, usually to watch the stars and listen to the night sounds; cicadas, crickets, frogs, the late night bus rumbling along. It was peaceful and cathartic. It might be one of those “happy places” people often find when they search inside themselves. It also used to piss my father off all the time. “You’ll ruin the shingles…” I can appreciate that now. There is so mush more I can appreciate now. Seriously though, the man snores louder than a passing train and he can still hear me walking on the roof.🤦🏼
What makes me happy is when I go out walking in the rain and the rain eventually stops . Further ahead , above in the sky I can see a break in the clouds and the sun is beaming through.
I turn my head around and see a beautiful rainbow .
What a beautiful breath-taking moment !
It was all worth it !
When I’ve uncovered one of my blind spots and it’s no longer a blind spot. What I discover may not be comfortable to know, but I’m no longer confined by not seeing it. The mind is freer.
Something that makes me happy is: small living creatures like money spiders, fruit flies, tiny pond creatures. So vulnerable, getting on with their lives, just like us. Getting food to eat, finding a mate to have “children” with, taking care of themselves, surviving. I’m so glad they are there and want them to be happy (whatever that means for them).
While alone, putting on a piece of music, closing my eyes, feeling it, letting go and dancing…. Aaaaaah….
…when people use their creativity to transport them to a better place.
Waking up to find my cat asleep on my legs makes me happy
It makes me happy to know that the big oak trees, and not so big hawthorn will no longer be strangled by ivy. I recently cut away all the ivy at the base and every morning it makes me smile to look out a watch the trees sprout the first bud of 2021
My son has just learned to gently rub my forehead the way I have always done to comfort him. He does it without thinking and it’s just the best.
Being in nature is what makes me happy and full. A tree can touch my soul with its majesty and bring me back to life.
Seeing my students grow makes me happy 🙂
The sounds that are making me happy right now are my lover’s voice and the songs of hundreds of hormone-crazed redwinged blackbirds singing their territorial hearts out.
The way my 1 year old grandson’s face lights up when he sees me makes me the happiest. With lockdown, I’ve not seen him as much as expected, so any time with him is like a lottery win. Simple things give the most joy I find.
Skiing on the abandoned beaver ponds brings mid-winter happiness. There’s a foot of snow on the two ponds, less than in the pastures. I love to ski out to the north pond and stop in the middle to listen for first silence, and then the birds and slight movements of the softwood trees.To be able to move with ease and pause in a place nearly inaccessible the rest of the year—walking on water—brings joy and an otherwise fleeting clarity.
one of my favourite New York sounds is the sound of the snow-plough/gritter truck moving through the street
I’ve got a new baby grandson and i finally got to see him, and even take him for a wee walk.
The things that make me happy are being outside, alone or in company, looking upwards and taking it all in. I have a burgeoning middle-age interest in birds and trees!
The sound of children also makes me happy. I’m missing the little ones in my family just now.
Gigs bring great joy and I’m yearning for the return of live music.
In the meantime I’m appreciating all the creativity that’s flourishing at the moment. There are some exciting things happening, despite all the gloom, and I’m confident there are brighter times ahead for us all in 2021.
What makes me happy (these days) is the simple pleasure of a walk in Epping Forest at the end of our road, watching the kids hunting for the best walking stick and climbing trees.
My daughter makes me happy … I am her BFF apparently, which fills my stomach with warm clouds
The uproarious laughter of my kid when I’m tickling them. So good.
Happy sounds:
Cats purring
The clanging of halyards on masts in a boat yard
Lapping of water at the side of a loch on a calm day
Dry autumn leaves rustling
Pinging of natural ice when skating on a canal
Squeak of snow under skis on a very cold day
What’s mainly keeping me upbeat is seeing my 5 year old’s imagination burst out in his drawings – every week I’m surprised by how they develop and what new things he’s invented in his stories.
Watching my 15 month old twins toddle around the house each clutching a helium filled balloon on a string which floats way up above them.
It’s a delightful sight which can’t help but make me smile: since having children I’ve gained a newfound appreciation of the humble balloon, which must be a wondrous and magical thing for a toddler who can’t yet speak. What’s especially lovely – and ridiculous – about the sight of them is that the balloon is floating at maybe 4 times their height… they have to stop and crane their neck if they actually want to see the balloon that they’re holding, and at times I imagine they’re treating balloon holding as a serious job or even duty.
… the way at some point during the night my cat will curl up on my ankles/lower legs, and then in the morning when he notices me stirring/waking up, he’ll walk up to the top of the bed so he can lie across my chest, butt me with his head and purr.
The only thing that has helped me get through this past year is my cat Begbie. He sits beside me, fast asleep, everyday while I work and occasionally interrupts the odd meeting by chewing on my hair. But he’s kept me sane, especially when I haven’t been able to see any friends. Right now, he’s sat on top of a radiator and looks like he’s melted into it. I wish I had his life.
Here’s a wee list of things that make me happy.
Knowing that there is life after deleting my twitter account. Don’t miss it a single bit. Facebook, we need to talk.
Every time I hear the break in In Walked Bud by Thelonious Monk. Utterly transporting. Shivers. Joyful shivers.
Sun on my face.
When you feel the shift from Summer to Autumn in your bones.
The colour rhubarb leaves turn after they have been chopped from the stalk.
Making my wife laugh. At me. With me. Potato. Po-ta-to. The smile’s the thing.
I remember so well that day on the rocks, we came hurtling down the hill on our bikes and dropped them in the sand. Scrambling across the boulders and rockpools around to a little cove where we looked at the lines in the stone and everything seemed so far away, just us and the heat of the sun and the rocks.
I like climbing into my bed.
Happiness is…our dog Oscar the Boston Terrier
We are so lucky to have him especially in these strange Covid times we now live in. Switch off the fear mongering news, stop doom scrolling and have a cuddle with our wee pal. Oscar makes everything better…and he hates Brexit too!
I’m pretty tickled that a new skill of appropriating songs and lyrics to mundane daily tasks. Need an example?!
‘You’ve got to stack it so it’s stable’…
‘Make a space for your body’…
‘One more coffee ‘fore I go’…
Seeing my daughter smile; sun glow ; moon glow ; the sea.
Scratching behind my dog’s velvety ears and watching his little eyes grow heavy and fall closed.
Walking wearing my very smiley baby Ida Rae who seems to have been sent to the planet to spread joy. She smiles at everyone who passes, and they beam back at her. Her gift is happiness and it’s utterly infectious.
what makes me happy is carving wood, especially old painted wood and refurbish it
Happy? There is so much! Yesterday, another dear friend made hand-made perogies —he shared them with me and they were delicious! You could almost taste the love in them. Also-I live in drippy PNW–Portland, OR to be exact. It’s been super rainy the last two days, and my fireplace has had long fires burning in it. The smell, the warmth, the crackling, and the visual of the fire makes me soooo very happy. I am a school counselor working from home, it is not easy trying to make connections with students via my computer, but guess what–it’s HAPPENING!! This makes me happy. I believe strongly that what we focus on expands—-thank you for focussing on the positive. It is the way.
Silver shred marmalade on toast with a cup of tea at my kitchen table on the weekend
During lockdown, I have been very isolated, but the one thing that always cheers me up, is seeing people walking their dogs when I go out for a walk.
A few days ago, as I walked through a nearby shopping area, a basset hound was barking at a dog inside a shop. The dog inside was barking back, both tails wagging in happiness.
Yesterday, I loved the sound of crunching snow under foot + the beep beep of the microwave, telling me my hot chocolate was hot and ready to be enjoyed!
Marcus Oakley’s drawings make me happy. 🙂
My family has a weekly video chat on Sunday afternoons – four households in Fredericton (New Brunswick), Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island), Ottawa (Ontario), and Glasgow (Scotland).
We had one yesterday and my 5 year old nephew Jonah drew a family portrait of us on zoom – see attached.
Something that always makes me happy is the constant enthusiasm with which our kids talk about stuff. We as a family go on many long walks in the hills or along the coast and I am often subject to lengthy insightful monologues from either Tilly or Seren. They remind me how to find joy in the seemingly mundane or insignificant elements of life. Long may that continue!
Something that makes me happy is the smell of dirt after rain when it’s been dry for ages. Always loved it. And also waking up to find the cat purring away at my feet.
Happy …..running feet followed by a shout of Daddy’s home !!! New words and sounds from the youngest …
I had a lovely walk along the River Dee today. I’ve had quite a few of these lately. It feels like being in the countryside even when stuck in town. There was a lot of ice flowing today and it made me think about what’s happening upstream. In the actual countryside. Another world.
Looking forward to getting to that other world soon.
My cat Maggie ‘trilling’ when she gets a surprise.
bumping into an acquaintance when out and about is one of the joys of city lockdown. to stand either side of a path, and speak someone you’ve not arranged to meet, to find out that they are doing ok, or to hear their struggles and empathise with them, makes me happy. maintaining these long running relationships through unexpected encounters, what a gift.
Something that makes me happy is seeing the progress that the garlic bulbs I planted in early winter are making – the fact that they grow best in the colder temperatures surprises me, but it is wonderful to see their green shoots poking up through the frozen earth. It makes me look forward to the day that I can harvest them and hang them up to dry out before adding to meals in the spring. Another thing that has made me very happy is sitting in the sunny kitchen window seat, the sunniest spot in the flat, and soaking up the warmth whilst reading a good book.
something that makes me happy – despite the turbulent times we live in – is thinking about how far I’ve come, and the hardships I’ve gotten through to get here.
🙂
Hopefully without sounding too cliched, it’s the combination of music, environment and being able to give something on.
Music is a major aspect of my life, never a day goes by that I don’t listen, purchase and consume. I have no talent but I am inspired, encouraged and enthused to continuously seek out new and exciting music. – Positive
Environment is everything, the outdoors, the streets, the hills, the Glens the world. We can’t travel but I have so many memories of travelling that I am able to travel in my mind and in my pictures. – Happy
Family, friends and others, passing something on, a tune, and album and experience shared – Happy Positive.
Aside from the sounds of discovery, my son’s laughter and sense of humor
I love the feeling of finally finishing a track that I’ve been working and I end up super excited about it. Finding an awesome 1$ find in a record shop
But more importantly I love the feel of a cold spring breeze, through an open window, (car or home) and when you step outside and you can almost smell the air, The smell of pine in the woods and making my girlfriend laugh.
Seeing my granddaughter (she’s in Australia) on daily video calls
A family walk at the beach 😌.
Seeing and hearing how happy the cat gets when I make a hot water bottle for her.
So many things make me happy, which is very nice but I really like staring, one of those really good deep ones that just comes on naturally, all around the edges of your vision go all luminous and it makes a sort of tinnitus noise. Rarely happens and can’t be forced, but I love it when I get into a deep stare 🙂
Something that makes me really happy are the memories of eating oranges during the half time break in football matches when i was a youngster
Thinking about the last perfect day of fall 2020, sitting on the riverside with a friend, enjoying the comfortable silence and the sound of the water, watching leaves fall in clusters on the far bank like gold coins raining down.
Also, knowing projects like this exist.
What makes me happy is devouring new book whilst soaking in a hot bath 😊
It makes me happy when a plan comes together. Despite all odds and the unexpected chaos and storm that is the universe and our little world within it. Like, when you work on something, or plan something, or meet somebody, but things are more complex that it would initially seem, and you have to figure out the thing, or yourself, or something else, there’s things in the way. But despite it seeming nigh impossible at first, in the end you do it anyway. You know the 80s US action series A-Team? Four outlaws driving around in a van solving crimes basically. And one of them, Hannibal, he’s the man with the plan who comes up with mad solutions, and when in the end of an episode the plan worked, and it always did, he’d smile and go, “I love it when a plan comes together”, and they’d drive off into the sunset. That kind of happy. A tiny moment of calm within the universal storm.
Well I have to be honest, my art is perhaps top of that list of things that keep me busy and most importantly, happy. What else is new? Heheheh.
Photography/photo-collage and art journaling are my primary mediums. With lockdown in full swing, and little else to do, ending my day knowing creativity played a part in it warms my soul.
One thing that’s really made me happy and helped counter the anxiety and stress of this past year has been cooking. I used to live in India, and now spend a lot of time making (or rather, trying to make!) recipes from “back home”. Not only is it a welcome, and sometimes delicious, break from the daily routine, but it allows me time to reminisce and reflect on a wonderful period in my life.
It makes me very happy when I see my four-year old grandson and his smile, he’s always smiling. Before Covid-19 when I saw him I would kneel down and he would come over to me and give me a big hug, resting his head on my shoulder. We would just stay there for a while, still and silent as we would reacquaint and affirm and renew the feeling we have for each other. Seeing my grandson makes me very happy.
The thought of going to a live gig again !
Literally the thought, taste or smell or sight of any kind of citrus fruit makes me incredibly happy.
After a hard week, feeling the crack and hiss of a cold can of beer opening
No matter how hard times are, you can always find a small slither of happiness, you just have to look for it. Birdsong from a nearby tree, the sun glinting off the sea, a child’s laughter or a beautiful piece of music…
Mainly stuck indoors and so any photos or footage of Kenneth Williams makes me happy – some people just have that instant effect
Something that make me happy is walking through the village where I grew up, as I walk I feel as if I’m walking through multiple timeframes at once. Vivid memories of interactions I had as a kid seem to still be there happening on repeat even if the play parks are gone, that familiar smell of coal smoke from the chimneys is replaced by clear air and the a lot of the people no longer live there. It’s an old place full of not only my memories but full of history, folklore and forests. Walking there will always be a salve to heal when I want to escape from the fast paced world we all inhabit, I go there to winter, think and be.
seeing friends succeed and make lovely work
I try to pick a different album each night for me and my baby boy to listen to while I do his night feed. Making our way through the Brian Eno ambient series at the moment!
Bedtimes are tough at the moment. But. There is a brief gap between my 4 year old son being awake and him going to sleep. Like a 3 second moment when the room goes from quiet to peaceful. The sound of him relaxing and giving in to rest is what makes me happiest. It feels like the responsibilities of parenting are most acute when you’re tired and trying to get your kid to sleep, so you can all get some recovery time from whatever the day has thrown at you. And that moment is when the responsibilities soften again.