Reasons to be happy
Seriously, January: are you STILL here?
Is it just me, or has this been the longest month ever? It’s been one of the hardest, too, and I’m not gonna lie: I’ve been stuggling a bit (OK, a lot) – not just with the weather, and the general feeling of gloom, but with … well, everything, really. I know: I’m a regular ray of sunshine over here, aren’t I?
Anyway, rather than dwelling on all that stuff, today I thought I’d take the advice of all of the relentlessly perky people I’m always coming across on the internet, and focus on the GOOD stuff instead of the Very Very Bad Stuff. So here are some reasons to be happy, even if you don’t necessarily feel like it…
01. The days are getting lighter.
It’s happening veeeerrrrryyy slowly, I know, but it’s still light out (just) at 4pm now, and soon it’ll be lighter still. That has to count for something, right?
02. Pretty Little Liars is back on TV.
And they’re all much better dressed than they used to be, so there are some pretty little outfits to admire, too. No, I can’t believe I said it either.
03. The winter sales are almost over…
… which means that rather than looking at the same old stuff every day, we’ll have lots of new clothes to look at. LOOK at, I said. Not buy. I mean, if YOU want to buy it all, that’s up to you, obviously: I’ll just sit virtuously over here and watch you. Well, maybe just ONE thing wouldn’t hurt…
04. It’s almost Valentine’s day
Valentine’s Day doesn’t actually make me happy you understand: it’s the fact that, once it’s over, I’ll stop getting emails asking me if I’m “working on any Valentine’s day content” that makes me happy. If I can have just a very short break between the end of the Valentine’s emails and the start of the “Are you working on any Mother’s Day content?” emails, that would be AWESOME.
05. This dress exists
I’m not actually going to BUY it, because that would fly in the face of my stated intention to only buy “sensible” clothes from now on, but just knowing it exists in the world is a comfort, don’t you think? Ditto these shoes. (OK, I did almost buy this one. Understandable under the circumstances though, no?)
06. We’re almost as far away from NEXT winter as it’s possible to be.
There’s still a long time to go until people start going, “Only X days until Christmas!” Or, at least, I hope so, anyway.
I HAD intended this list to be a whole lot longer (Because, seriously, who writes ‘Top 6’ lists? WHO?), but it looks like I’ve completely exhausted my “positivity” reserves already, so I’m going to need some help here. What’s making YOU happy today?
Ida
Today I feel like pretty much everything makes me happy, including number one on your list. I mean I finally have a chance of taking photos after 12 o’clock and that’s amazing.
Other than that I’m happy that:
1. I’m getting sushi today and that always makes me happy.
2. My blog is slowly growing.
3. I’m awaiting a package from Boohoo any day now.
Myra
It’s not raining, and that means there is less water in my bedroom, and the newly bought dehumidifier can take out another pint of water.
Picking up my grandson from school so we’ll have a nexo-knight Lego battle this afternoon.
It’s Burns Day, so am going to try and force haggis into him lol.
maria
I always feel happy reading your blog!!!! I am left wondering if though…. perhaps … the “sensible on clause” could just apply to January… give n that it is such a loooonnnngggg month? (life too short for sensible clothes surely… and I for one would LOVE to see you twirling in that chi chi number.. and O. My. Golly those shoes)!
xxx
Amber
I think for me it’s more a case of “life is too short to wear party dresses in the snow”, to be honest: I’d rather be warm! 😉
maria
that is a very fair comment! xxx
Cerys
If it helps, it’s Dydd Santes Dwynwen {Welsh VAlentine’s Day} today! Might help lift the gloom a little?!…or might not. Either way, open that bottle of wine.
CiCi Marie
I was having the same realisation about it getting lighter for longer this morning, when the sun rose on my train into London a few minutes earlier than it was last week. And yes I do notice/cling onto that. What’s making me happy is that, according to my boyfriend anyway, we’ve had the coldest weather of winter and it’s going up from here… I started to argue that February could be worse and he said it hasn’t in recent years and then pointed me at the 10 day forecast where many of the temperatures are now in double figures and not under 5. If he turns out to be wrong I’m going to be hell to live with, but for now I’m clinging to the idea that I might not have to endure so much pain during outfit shoots as I have been doing… Hooray!
Sandra
Since the weather is so bad at this time of the year, you can watch netflix the whole day long while drinking a lot of tea. 🙂
xx
Sandra
TinaD
That bed exists. And tea. And the heat’s working. (Yesterday, the coldest of the year to date, we had a power cut, so heat and tea were impossible. Today I am marginally happier about life.) Very nice outfit, love the bag, but then you always look good in camel. (I wore it on a date once and was told I looked “kind of oatmeal all over.” By my date, not by my mother.)
Stacey
LOL …kind of oatmeal all over. That definitely cracked me up. Who says that?? I bet you didn’t either. Camel is a nice classic colour. 🙂
Jen
Now is the perfect season to go away! No one is traveling so there aren’t a whole lot of crappy tourists to deal with. Also, Shetland ponies. I think they just make everyone happy all the time, no? Adorable, tiny ponies. Come on!
Amanda
Jen I have three ponies (not shetlands, but two Icelandics and one just pony mix thing) at my farm right now, I am horse sitting two, and they are so cute! The little fuzzy wobbles. I seem to spend all my time picking burs out of their hair though!
What Lou Wore 365
I feel like January is RACING by! How on earth is it already the 25th?! This time next week it’ll be February! All the exclamation points!!!
Anyway I am very thankful that it is getting ever so gradually lighter each evening. That plus seeing all the spring bulbs starting to flower everywhere cheers me right up. There are snowdrops, daffs and crocuses all over the place down here but then we’ve not had any snow to kill ’em all off!
Grasshopper
Things are tough now and I needed this post today to remind me that there is still much to be happy about: two furry felines and a hubby to keep me warm at night, the stores are now brimming with bulbs and gardening gear, my job, and the fact that my daughter did her laundry without complaint. Beautiful outfit, btw. I do love the shape of that coat and I wish I could wear camel. It looks lovely on you!
Emma
I feel like January is really dragging as well, but the comments section on this post has made me happy – Shetland ponies and “oatmeal all over” haha!
Amanda
I so needed this post today as a reminder. Things I am happy about, six as well.
1. All my animals are happy and healthy (I have 6 horses, 2 donkeys, 47 chickens and three goats. And a dog and my kitty.)
2. The sun is out.
3. January is almost over.
4. One of my horses, who is very nervous, stood still and let us pick burs out of his fur and hair for an hour. Thats huge progress!
5. The roads I need to be on are clear.
6. No forecast of snow for the next two weeks, and itll be in the 50s this weekend!
karla
My hair is clean and it smells nice. It’s the little things. (Just to be clear, this is a daily occurence, but it still makes me happy)
Heather
It is making me happy that when I leave work at 5:30pm the sun hasn’t set yet! Now for the sun to still be up once I get home 😉 damn hour commute.
Other happy things: kitties are still in the mood to cuddle since it’s “cold”, deadpool and walking dead are happening the same weekend (best valentine weekend ever), and my hair is back to a length where I can do a milkmaid braid.
Shannon Mahony
Even if the list seems small, what matters is the fact that you wrote it at all and that you can find things to be happy with- I am sorry you are struggling and I hope it gets better for you. Winter is hard for me too, feb/march being the worst because it just seems sooo long.
I have noticed it staying light out longer as well! I am happy while I eat my lunch of a homemade meal from my mom, while reading blogs. Happy for a flexible job that allows me to do school while I work, and take a half day on day’s like today when I just can’t. Lol.
Selina
Shopping spree today and got everything in the shops that I needed. All functional and pretty to go with it. Very happy
Moira
Amber, I have the blues today, thanks for this post xx
JennyR
I am feeling so fortunate that Minnesota has had one of the nicest winters in…well, so long that I can’t remember. So nice that I hardly noticed the days getting shorter, and we are headed for above-freezing temps later this week (absolutely unHEARD of!). Sometimes, it’s those little happy things that when added up and compounded, make life so much better. (Sorry the weather seems to have been so miserable for everyone else this year 🙁 )
JennyR
…And also, reading your posts makes me happy! You always manage to make me laugh 🙂
Steph
Noooooo! You MADE me click on the Chi Chi link and now my sidebar is showing me ALL OF THEM! Not fair! Once you’ve seen them you can’t unsee them!
Vickie
Sorry you feel crappy. I hope it passes soon. I’m struggling a bit too, I always do at this time of year. My good things are:
1. It’s almost February, and February is short, which means March isn’t that far away really.
2. I’m SO looking forward to new stuff in the shops. I can’t buy it, because we’re hoping to buy a house soon *hyperventilates* and I need literally all my money and then some for that, but at least it’s something new to look at.
3. Spring seems to be early this year, at least in the south. There are millions of daffodils and I even saw (and smelled!) blossom yesterday.
4. I haven’t died of anxiety yet.
There we go!
Elise
Love this classic camel and black look!
xx, Elise
http://www.sparkleandslippers.blogspot.com
Maria
Love the jacket. Gutted that your link took me to J Crew because their jacket is now on my “want but can’t possibly afford list”. Sigh.
Mana
I’m happy because I don’t have to have another blood draw for an entire year now. And I’m happy because very soon I get to see my hair dresser and go back to having blonde hair. Which I have wanted to have for the last 6 months instead of red hair but have had to save for Christmas instead and it was much cheaper to do my roots.
Not that I’ve minded having the red hair, it doesn’t look bad on me, I’ve just missed my natural color.
Linda A Cassidy
That is like the prettiest dress ever and now I am not going to be able to stop thinking about it…. so very pretty and those CL shoes, well that is just mean. Loving this outfit
Zhenya
Today we have – 7 degrees below zero instead of – 15 we had yesterday in Moscow. And it makes me happy.
lily kate
Funnily enough, before coming across this post I started writing an identically titled one myself, before giving up because I couldn’t think of enough things to make a post worthwhile. And then I came across yours and you’d hit the nail on the head. 🙂 So ready for winter to be over!
Lily x
jolihouse.com