Hey friends, it’s time for the next episode of my Five Things on Friday series! The theme of this week’s 5 is ‘happiness.’ I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because of all the major life changes I am going through: marriage, moving, turning 35, swinging out of depression, settling into Atlanta further. It’s a lot! Sometimes so much change can make you feel unsafe or unhappy even if the ultimate outcome of all of those things will be positive.
My way of tackling uncertainty (remember my 5 Ways to Add Positivity post?) is always to go after those things I can control and work on them methodically. So, I like to read books and articles on happiness and practice their suggestions. I also like to focus and daydream about upcoming events that I’m excited about to increase my feelings of joy, and I even take time to purchase something special for myself or to dress up in a favorite outfit (this Victoria Beckham for Target dress is on constant rotation for me) or to do things I love like play with makeup. All these things bring little moments of happiness to me and have driven my 5 picks today.
1.Article – 4 Rituals that will make you happy (according to neuroscience). I mean if Neuroscience says it, it must be true, right?! Haha this is a simply written article that easily explains things your brain responds to positively – like gratitude, labeling your emotions, making decisions, and physical touch – that stimulate feelings of happiness or pleasure. It’s a quick read backed by facts. Also, remember my post from earlier this year about Gratitude? I’ve been trying to practice this for a long time. It ain’t easy but it really helps!
2. Book – The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living. Did you know that the Danish are considered the happiest people in the world? Apparently it’s because of the practice of Hygge, pronounced hoo-ga, which translates to ‘a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being.’ I’ve been thinking about wanting to create an atmosphere of hominess and coziness in our new apartment (we move when we get back from Mexico) so I picked up this little book to see what it’s all about as I continue my pursuit of ‘happiness’.
Image via Google Books
3. Travel – San Miguel de Allende, Mexico! Shit’s getting real, y’all. We are leaving for our wedding in a week and half. For those of you that don’t know San Miguel, it’s a beautiful colonial mountain town in the heart of Mexico, 3 hours or so north of Mexico City. Most people think wedding in Mexico and imagine a barefoot ceremony on the beach. Not so! Ours will be in a Mexican villa with beautiful cathedrals and cobblestones as our backdrop.
Image via Wikipedia
4. Beauty – Clarins Hyrdra Essentials Skincare and Lip Oil. And speaking of playing with makeup, I do it A LOT. It’s one of the things that makes me feel fun and creative. But eeek! I spent a little too much time in the sun this summer and I’m trying to reverse a bit of the damage. Thank goodness for one of my favorite blogging partners, Clarins. Their Hydra Essentials collection from this summer adds a ton of moisture (bi-serum and moisturizing cream are divine) and comes in the most beautiful blue packaging. And the Instant Light lip oils re-hydrate my lips and add a little color so I’m a bit addicted to them. But these aren’t just summer products, you can try them all year round!
5. Style – Bell Sleeves. I bought this shirt for fall at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and I’m so excited about wearing it. Bell sleeves are still major and still here to stay this coming season. Yay! I just love the flair they add to every outfit, and having something fun to look forward to wearing when the weather turns cool makes me HAPPY!
Image via Nordstrom
Thank you to Clarins for sending me these products; All product are 100% my own! Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Belle Meets World up and running!
TRY SOMETHING TO INSPIRE A MOMENT OF HAPPINESS FOR YOURSELF THIS WEEKEND!
