A Happy Box

I’m trying to work myself up to being a dedicated student again (honest, I am). Playing catch up with my course has been hard and I will confess to not feeling secure in striving to find the balance.  I also seem to have had to write off study time at home.  There is one main reason for this – I’m sharing my study space with my son.  How can I put it, he chats about everything and anything he likes to use this time to catch up with me.  Actually I know I’m blessed that my son enjoys sharing his world with me, but it does nothing for my concentration.

This surprised me.  You see I’m used to working in open plan offices with everything going on around about me.  I have, over the years, perfected the art of being able to ignore the chaos around me and this oblivion allows me to easily be fully engrossed in my work.

Jacqueline wondered why it was so quiet at work today

Not so with my study space. Strange, isn’t it?  Maybe not so much, I like to listen to what my son has to say.  This also provides me with the opportunity to offer my share of support, which I hope helps him cope with his own challenges in this life.  It just ain’t helping my study progress. I have no solution to this as yet, but I’m sure one will come along.

Capitalising on the wonderful Scottish winter's Jacqueline's new study space was just grand - now all she had to do was find the heating switch.

So yes I do feel anxious of ‘study me’ present in my life and sometimes this makes me feel a strange mix of anxiety and exhaustion.

One of the things I’ve been ploughing through recently has been research relating to the impact mental health on society.  My particular area of interest, for obvious reasons, is how being a carer can impact on the health and well-being.  There are oodles of information in this field and I’ve dutifully selected the information I feel have relevant to my next assignment.  In the process however I came across something that I thought was pretty sweet.

Carers were asked to provide tips on beating low mood and one jumped out at me.  Create a happy box.  A happy box contain things you love and if the low mood monster seizes you it is suggested (amongst other things) that you take time out, open your box and enjoy the contents.  You decide what’s in your box.  It got me thinking what would be in my Happy Box?

A bar of Galaxy Chocolate

Scottish Music

A recording of Jimmy Shand.  Yes I really do love this stuff – and not just because I’m Scottish – for me anyway it is impossible not to feel better after listening to a jig, polka, waltz – but the Dashing White Sergeant is my favourite (hey and I’m pretty good at the dance too!)

A bottle of Clinique Elixir perfume – my perfume of choice and I love it.

My Running Shoes  - I know that if I run I feel better, exhausted granted, but always better.

A Note to Myself - reminding me that I can only do what I can do and tomorrow is another day.  A cliché I know, but true – always!

Laughter Therapy - An oldie but a goodie.  I dare you not to smile and feel better when you watch this….

So what would be in your happy box?