Mindful January - The Happiness Box

This is something I have been using and building for months now. I got some advice from someone who works as a life coach. She recommended that a great thing to do if your feeling low, or struggling to relax, or just need your mind taking away from things, is to create a special box that you get out when ever you feel the need for it. 

The idea behind it is that it gets filled with all your favourite things that can either help perk your mood, or distract your mind, or aid a little relaxation time. It is a box that is all about giving YOURSELF a little bit of focus. When you feel that bad mood coming, or a depressed night coming, you grab your box and have a good route through it to choose how you want to cheer yourself up.

The box is 100% tailored to you as an individual, but I thought I would give you some ideas of things that can be put in and also tell you about my happyness box. 

1. Candles, or Incense 
These are perfect for your box if you don't already light candles or incense. For me candles are all around my house, so wouldn't be in my box but would most definetly be lit while I was using my happiness box. But incense sticks are a great thing to pop in there. They are the perfect thing to light as an extra special treat of getting to smell a relaxing scent and to use something a little bit different to candles. 

2. Photographs
When feeling low, photographs can be something that really help us feel a little better. Maybe you want to put your family in there, your loved one, or pictures of your children. Maybe you have pictures of a good family vacation or one you took alone and really enjoyed. They are great to look through to lift your mood. 

3. Colouring Books or Drawing
I have both of these in my happiness box. I find colouring and drawing so therapeutic and I can really loose myself while doing it. I feel relaxed and it has taken my mind away from any worries. For me, the more complex the colouring, the better. I am more focused on thinking "what colour shall I use" than thinking about my problems. I now have 4 colouring books and a HUGE range of different shades of pencils. They actually don't all fit into my happyness box but I keep them on top of it so then I can choose which I want to use.
The great thing about drawings, is that also after you have finished the drawing, you can keep in it your happiness box. Its lovely to look at something your proud of. Though of corse drawing isn't for everyone.

4. Letters, Notes, Things from loved ones. 
These things could be anything from letters from family, cards from loved ones, or maybe drawings that your children have done. What ever works for you when it comes to making you smile. They are just nice things to look at and also remind you that you are loved. I keep a lovely drawing of Lily and me that she did in my box.
You can also write notes to yourself, they may be positive reminders, affirmations, or lists of why your life is good. Sometimes when you are down it is hard to remember those things you do actually love about yourself or maybe even others. So its great to get these written down when your in a positive mood so then you can read back on them when your not.

5. Foodie Treats (ad - gifted)
Food, is generally something that makes us all happy. It may be your favourite chocolate? Maybe you love biscuits? Think about the thing that always makes you happy when you eat them. For me, I usually put some chocolate in, sweets, and some of my other favourite treats like stroopwaffles, macaroons and amaretti biscuits. I also love to put popcorn into my box. Sometimes it may be popcorn that you heat in the microwave, or I may treat myself to different flavours of popcorn like the Popcorn Shed have.
It is always good to make sure you box is constantly stocked though, nothing worse than thinking your favourite chocolate is in your box and then getting to the box and finding out that its not. 

6. Health and Beauty
So I am not a big Pamper girl myself, but this it totally something that fits perfectly into a happiness box if a good pamper makes you happy. The only things I may keep in my box is nail varnish and foot detox masks. I find the painting nails a good focus activity, and I do actually enjoy my feet being pampered. You may have more ideas on beauty things you can put into the box, but things like face masks, makeup, and any other beauty rituals are great ideas. 

7. Puzzles and Activities
There are so many different things you can put into your box, and puzzles and activities are something that can really help the mind stay focused and switched off from daily struggles. I like quite a lot of puzzle books, crosswords are one, but I mostly love a good wordsearch. I am focused on one thing and one thing only, finding that word. Maybe if puzzle books arn't your thing then you might want to put a jigsaw in there, again it is something that really focuses the mind. What ever you enjoy and what ever makes you happy, is the perfect activity for your box. Do you remember Where's Wally? My boyfriend spotted loads of them in a charity shop and bought them me for my box! I find it so much fun even as an adult trying to find the characters hidden in the crowds. 

8. Drink Treats
Just like your foodie treats, you may also want to think about what drinks you enjoy. Maybe your favourite tea? There are some lovely relaxing ones out there to try, like chamomile. Or maybe you love a hot chocolate, sometimes I have put little sachets of these into my happiness box. Mint hot chocolate is my ultimate favourite. As for Alcohol, I don't fully recommend it myself, alcohol can be a depressant. But I do know that for some, that odd glass of wine really helps them feel relaxed and treated. So if in moderation, the odd glass can't hurt. You can buy really cute miniatures that would fit into a box nicely and also keep that drinking to a minimum. 

I am sure there are loads more ideas of things that could be put into the box, maybe a favourite film that always makes you laugh, maybe your into sewing or knitting, what ever it is that you love, it has a place in your Happiness Box. 

What would you put into your happiness box?