Hello,

 

Since we started planning today’s post, the situation with the Covid-19 pandemic has been developing apace and many of us are facing unprecedented changes to our day to day lives.  There are so many inspiring stories of the ways people are connecting in spite of restrictions on our movement and it seems appropriate that, for today’s International Day of Happiness the theme is, ‘Happier Together, focusing on what we have in common, rather than what divides us‘.

 

It is also the blog’s third birthday and we’d like to thank all our readers for following along with us so far.

Small steps to living life well

At the moment we’re working on another project relating to the blog, so while we’re busy with that we’ll be posting monthly. Given the current situation all over the world, we are adapting our planned posts for the time being and will aim to offer a monthly miscellany which we hope will cheer and help us all through this difficult time together.

March’s Food for Thought

Seeing nature carrying on as normal, with signs of Spring on the way, is very comforting. This extract from Great Expectations sums the weather up well:-

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” Charles Dickens

Did you know?

You can describe the warmth of the sun on a chilly day in just one word: ‘Apricity’.

Something to do –

Look after yourself: if you can, find 15 minutes to switch off the news, sit comfortably and do something enjoyable and absorbing like reading, sewing, doing a crossword or listening to music. You could even use the time for a virtual gallery visit, perhaps to the Uffizi in Florence or the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

If you feel you need a little support, there are some helpful resources on coach Gabrielle Treanor’s Instagram page.

How to make a difference –

Many local schemes have sprung up to help support older people or others who may be unable to get out as normal at the moment, and it’s easy to find one near you by searching online.  Small businesses are also being particularly badly hit, so perhaps you could help them by shopping online or ordering take-away food, especially in the UK, as they will be losing custom for Mothering Sunday this weekend.

Reason to be cheerful –

The promise of Summer: Daylight Saving Time has already begun in the U.S. – and in the U.K., British Summer Time begins on Sunday, 29th March.

That’s it for this time; we hope that each month you’ll find something helpful here and perhaps try out some of the ideas yourself.  If so, or if you have some suggestions of your own, we’d love to hear about them in the comments section. Also, don’t forget that you can follow the blog if you have a WordPress account, or sign up to be alerted by email when a new post appears.

Many thanks to Bethany for the use of her photograph of the daffodils – the traditional flower of March – at Portmeirion, north Wales.

Stay safe, everyone, and we look forward to seeing you in April.

Claire and Sam