QUICK I Need A Happiness Box Fix!!!

A what???

A happiness box! 

What's that?

I thought you'd

NEVER

ask!! 

Years ago, a dear friend of mine was struggling with depression and was working through it without medication. Let's face it, years ago it medicating your pain and angst away, wasn't nearly as acceptable or commonplace, as it is today. You either sucked it up buttercup, went to therapy, or worked through it on your own. But the huge percentage of individuals, both adults and children, on psychotropic meds, was much lower back then.

So this friend - she told me what she did to cope on her really sad days. She told me about her "Happiness Box". And I fell in love with the idea. I have shared it to countless individuals over the years, and was inspired recently to write about it and share it with you as well.

So what exactly, is a "Happiness Box"?

My friend described it as a box that you decorate so that even just looking at the outside makes you happy - mine would be purple (I know, shocker!!). You could cut pictures out of magazines, of all your favorite things - horses? motorcycles? kittens? flowers? and glue them all over the outside, just like when you were a kid in art class.

So what do you do with it after you decorate it?

You find those special things that always make you happy - no matter what.

Your favorite CD

Your favorite incense (and a burner might be a good idea too... and something to light it with....)

Or if that doesn't work for you, maybe a candle of the same scent...

Do you have a favorite book? One that you could read over and over again, or even just pick out a random paragraph from, that could bring a smile to your face?

Or a movie that you could watch over and over again? You know, the one where just the opening credits give you a warm fuzzy!

Maybe the toy you bought your first day of college to keep you from getting "bored" while studying?

Photo albums?

Love letters? The first picture your child brought home from kindergarten? Your favorite chocolate bar? (mine was always whatchamacallit).

So all these little things that can make you smile - you put them inside your pretty decorated box that already puts a smile on your face because it speaks to your heart's most joyful spot. And then - you put the lid on.

Slide it under your bed.

You don't need it right now - you're really happy right now; you've just made your happiness box. You're seriously in touch with your happy because of it, aren't you? You may have even read a few paragraphs in that book, and taken a good whiff of your candle. 

So just tuck it away, remember where it is, and as you walk off to be an adult again (dishes? laundry? groceries? work? carpool?), you might even whistle or skip a little because your box just made you so happy.

And next time you get into a funk? Next time adulting feels like "too much"? Next time you wish someone slipped some prozac in your water supply? Next time you lose your happy?

Go take a peek under your bed.... behind the dust bunnies... and pull out your happiness box.

Open it up.

And find your happy again.

In a couple weeks, a few friends of mine and I are hosting a five day "Happiness Box Project" group. We're all going to get arts and crafts virtually together, and build our own Happiness Boxes. Bring your inspiration, your glue sticks, and your favorite fuzzy socks! And join us here for five days as we all help inspire the hell out of each other to build the happiest happiness boxes ever!

The Happiness Box Project

Want to know more about this or just feel like creeping me on social? 

sandirides@gmail.com

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/BuildingYourBetterBody

And once you're done there, come get happy with me!