How to have a happy Christmas even if you don't have a lot of cash.

Is happiness at Christmas related to how much money you spend?  This year I have been very aware of how much things cost and with almost everyone feeling the pinch it's good to know that money and material things only account for 10% of our happiness. 

Great I hear you say - I'll tell my kids that Santa said it's the actions you take and the people you spend time with that will make you happier so that's why you don't have the latest gadget, phone, toy etc.  

I am a parent too and have spent many years searching for that must have item on the Xmas list, the one thing that my kids really really wanted but seemed to be forgotten about by New Year.  I also know now looking back over the years the things I remember most about Xmas are the fun times, the laughs, making decorations, baking cakes, making sweets, our Xmas traditions that we created together. I like to give memories as presents - no I don't have a memory bowl from Harry Potter!  I like to give gifts of experiences rather than things.  There is a whole range of experience days out there to purchase - spa days, falconry, driving, chocolate making to name a few.  Great presents but they can also be expensive so here's my plan for this year - make up your own experience days. 

Give your time and energy to share something they enjoy.  My list includes - baking cakes then home made afternoon tea, photography day, craft days - candle making, sewing bags and cushions and filling jars with interesting things, shells, sand, buttons, story writing days, book swaps and reading days, music days - creating playlists and making music, film days, outdoor adventures with winter picnics.

I know that the memories created by these experiences will last a lot longer than the immediate burst of joy from a new gadget or toy.  I am giving my time, my love, my energy and my imagination to people this year. I won't still be paying for Xmas in July but I can call on the memories of the happy times that are created whenever I need them and so will the recipients of the gifts too. 

If you have any special ideas for creating happiness without spending a lot of cash I'd love to hear about them.

Be fabulous start a kindness wave and beat stress

Be kind on National Stress Awareness Day

SO today 6^th November is national stress awareness day.  Are you aware of your stress?  Are you thinking about it, worrying about it and focusing on it?  STOP ! 

I understand the need to highlight the difficulties that stress creates in our life, I know the impact it can have on your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.  But focusing on the problem creates more of the problem.  What would you like instead of the stress?

What can you do today to shift your thinking, to change how you feel and move towards a happier and more positive life?  Breathe – take some time out and imagine what the difference your life would be like if you felt happier and more positive?  What if you could change how you feel now?

You can – your circumstances are not controllers of you.  You are the controller of you.  You have a choice about what you think and how you react to any situation.  If you choose to focus your thoughts on feeling good for even a few minutes you will feel less stressed.

The quickest way to feel good is to do something for someone else.  Be kind and help another person. It can be the smallest of things – smile, hold a door open, make someone a cup of tea, say hello, there are an infinite number of ways to be kind.  Go on give it a try for today see how many people you can be kind to and then notice what a difference it makes to how you feel.

Your acts of kindness create ripples and you will have a bigger impact that you may ever know.  Go on de stress, be fabulous start a kindness wave today.

My Inspiration behind Scotlands Happiness Day

Tragically, in October 2007, just a few weeks short of his 13^th birthday,  my son Calum lost his life to meningitis.

The impact of Calum’s death shook me to my very core. The grief, depression, panic and anxiety were overwhelming.  I questioned so many of my values trying to make sense of what had happened, but I vowed that I would be happy again, that our family would survive this tragedy. I wanted Calum to be proud of us and to recognise us as the family he knew if he could see us.

It has taken time, energy, the kindness of others and a focus for happiness to go from the darkness of grief to Scotland's Happiness Day.  A journey I have now shared in my book From Heartbreak to Happiness  which is launched in paperback on Scotland's Happiness Day 2 November 2013. 

We had World Happy Day in February 2012. It started me thinking – Scotland should have its own happiness day. So Scotland’s Happiness Day was born on 11^th November 2012. 

This is our second year, it’s on Saturday 2^nd November and we have gone even bigger. With Smile Awards program to thank the happy and positive people in our lives who help us to smile. A fab conference with excellent speakers, laughter, comedy and music which is a great day out where people can learn about creating more happiness for themselves and then share their happiness with others.

I am encouraging the country to get involved beyond our conference – to take a day to focus on your own happiness and to share it with others. (www.scotlandshappinessday.com)

Find your reason to focus on happiness, small steps work.