The Happiness Series with Diary of An Imperfect Mum

I’m so excited to welcome one of my blogging buddies to The Happiness Series this week! Catie from Diary of an Imperfect Mum is one of my favorite bloggers to interact with on Twitter & via our linkys. Catie blogs about being a mum, autism & life as an expat in Holland. Catie answered The Happiness Series interview. So without further ado, here is Diary of an Imperfect Mum on happiness…

1. Name three things in life that make you happy. And, please tell us a little about each one.

Family time – I sometimes just have these amazing, goose-pimple moments, like the other week when were all carrying on, singing stupidly in the car and I suddenly looked at my family and felt overwhelmed with happiness, it’s those ordinary moments that creep up and surprise me – yes this is it, happiness!

Going to the beach – we are so lucky to live near a beautiful beach. Going to the beach fills me with happiness all year round, whether it is walking my dog, flying a kite, enjoying the sun or splashing in the sea. The sound, smell and feeling of being at the beach just carries away your worries.

My Dog – I love having a dog. We bought Nova, a beagle/border collie crossa beagle/border collie cross for our son as I had read that animals can help autistic children (and she has) but I never realized how much pleasure she would bring me. There is always a warm welcome when you arrive home and she makes us go out and explore more; I love our walks on the beach and in the woods.  

2. What’s something you do to find your happiness when you’ve lost it? Go to the beach, ring a good friend or blog it out! I find it really cathartic getting all of my thoughts, feeling and worries out on paper/screen it helps me hugely to see things more clearly.

3. What cheers you up after a long, difficult day? Knowing I am driving home to my family, my dog going totally crazy when I walk through the door and my boys smiley faces.

4. Does your job make you happy? If you are a SAH parent, does that make you happy? I can honestly say that I absolutely love my job (a teacher) and I think you should quit immediately if you lose that love because it is a job that demands a lot of you. The best part of my job is seeing the progress that the children make and making them feel happy, confident and relaxed in their learning.

5. Share a happy memory with us.

Staying over at nana’s house when I was young; the smell of fresh bread and toffee, the fire blazing,  icecream sundaes melting quickly from the heat, crisps and sticky sweets, playing frustration or monopoly, Saturday evening TV,  (Love Boat, The Bionic Woman or Starsky and Hutch) feeling safe, happy and most of all loved.

6. Do you think money can bring happiness? No. But financial pressure can bring a lot of strain and anxiety and make you feel unhappy so having money can help relieve that. But money can’t buy your health or teach you the true value of things in your life.

7. Is your happiness influenced by the things you do or the way you think? I think having quality time with your family brings you happiness and I honestly believe the quote by Jon Gordon: Being Positive won’t guarantee you will succeed but being negative will guarantee that you won’t. I have a much more positive outlook than 5 years ago.

8. Which would make you the happiest – a sun holiday, new car or a new job opportunity? The job opportunity – if it was a job working from home or I could do my current job from 9 until 3 so I could be with my kids before and after school every day. Something that would buy me more time with my family.

9. Which wine makes you happier – red or white? Neither. I’m more of a Bailey’s girl.  

10. Share a quote that makes you smile. I love quotes and join in with the brilliant Candid Cuddles link with lovely Becky every week. There are so many that make me smile but if I have to choose one then it’s:

Catie is a parenting and lifestyle blogger and autism advocate at diaryofanimperfectmum.com. Her passion for living positively and promoting acceptance of difference is evident in her honest and thought provoking writing. When not teaching Catie can usually be found at the beach with her boys and Nova the beagle. Find Catie on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

If you would like to take part in the Happiness Series by contributing a happiness post or by answering the happiness interview questions, I’d love to have you! Find out more details on The Happiness Series Page.

#GuestPosts