What do you really want? Okay, so that is the most vague question ever and I’m sure that you could write a very long list of things. I’m taking about the most fundamental things that you want in your life that will make you feel happy and fulfilled.

If you’ve never really thought about it then maybe that’s a good place to start. Once you figure out exactly what you want, you might realise that a, you already have it or b, the reasons that you don’t.

The pursuit of happiness …
I often fall into the trap of seeing beautiful travel imagery on blogs and on social media and wishing that I was traveling more. So many of my friends are creative entrepreneurs and many of them travel for both work and adventure. It’s very easy to scroll through photos of city breaks, yoga retreats and mountain views and to feel like I’m missing out because I’m not sailing around the world. Literally!

However, the reality, is that traveling isn’t really what I want. I sometimes believe that it is, but when I really think about it, it’s not at the top of my agenda right now.
We’re often made to feel like we should all want the same things. These things will make us happy… having a successful career, falling in love and greeting married, traveling the world, etc but what if you don’t want any of those things? Don’t assume that what you want for your life is the same as what I want for mine.

Grab A Pen…
I’ve recently started writing down daily thoughts and ideas in to a journal. There is absolutely no structure to what I write, sometimes it’s a list and sometimes it’s a few sentences but it’s great to get things out of my head and on to paper. Yesterday I wrote down a list of things that make me happy, that fill me with joy and that I thank god for! A few things that I wrote on my list are…

• Health 
• Being called ‘Mummy’
• Talking on the phone (I hate whatsapp) 
• Running
• Deep sleep (I used to pray for a good nights sleep when I was suffering from anxiety and nightmares)
• Singing 

The list goes on…
Writing this down not only makes me feel incredibly grateful but it also highlights the kinds of things I should be doing more of. I used to say yes to everything but lately I have learnt the power of the word no. It’s okay to say no. It doesn’t have to come with an explanation or an excuse, if you don’t want to do something and it’s no going to make you happy, you can just say no. Unfortunately this may not be the case when it comes to paying tax or doing that pile of laundry but you get my point right? Do more of what makes you happy. Can it be that simple?

Make it happen …
Sometime we have to take action in order to get more of what we want. You want to hang out with your friends more but it hardly ever happens because life is ‘too busy’.  Make plans in advance, book tickets to see a show or go to a festival this summer. You’ll never have time unless you make it. If working 24/7 is what makes you happy then that’s cool but if it’s not, you should make some changes to your schedule. Prioritise your happiness!

What happens when you don’t get that you want?
Let’s be honest, sometimes the things that we want seem unreachable and that can be frustrating. Honestly, I never really know how much to share online but this blog is my little space so hey let’s do this …
One thing that brings me more happiness than I can even begin to explain, is motherhood. My friends and family know the journey that Rob and I have been on for the last six years. It’s been very challenging to say the least but the bottom line is that we want to have more kids and it hasn’t happened yet. A few years ago this really began to consume me but somehow I was able to switch my focus and choose happiness. I’m not saying that it is always easy or that the desire to have another baby has gone, but I really do believe that happiness is a choice. Instead if dreaming about the life that I wanted the most, I began to really enjoy the life that I have been given. I’ve found a balance somewhere between hopeful and grateful.

So, the reason that I am writing this post today is because it’s Mental Health Awareness week. The word happiness may sound a bit whimsical and fluffy but in reality it is a very important aspect of mental health that we all need to priorities a little more. Actually a lot more. Essentially, I’m asking you to interrogate what happiness means you and not to just accept it as a concept that is being increasingly commodified.

How considered are you when it comes to spending your hard earned cash? How you spend your time is far more important than how you spend your money. In most cases you can get your money back, but you’ll never get your time back.

Make it your mission this week to choose happiness. I’d love to hear your ideas on this so please comment or tweet me @adrienne_ldn Oh and it’s Friday, punch the sky day! This already makes me happy!