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“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”

Dalai Lama XIV

Do you ever think about what makes you happy? Out of all the things in your life, what are the few things that simply put a smile on your face? Aside from your to-do list, what are things that you want to do?

When was the last time you made enough time to do the things that make you happy? Work, school, home life, and other obligations tend to get in the way of finding time for the activities we enjoy most.  

Living a simple lifestyle is important to me. It helps create more time for doing things that make me happy. It also allows me to spend time with the people I love! I strive to cut down on my busy schedule and create a simple lifestyle so I can spend my extra time doing things that I love with the people I love. 

Even in the busyness of life, we can find time to squeeze in the things that make us happy.

What are some things that make you happy?

If you ask some people this question, they may say spending quality time with their families, others may say spending time reading a book or golfing, or you may get many other answers!

The point is that we all have different things that bring us joy and happiness, and those things should not get put on the back burner! 

It’s easy to get burnt out on life when we are constantly on the go, never making time for the important things and making ourselves happy. 

How Do I Make Time for the Things That Make Me Happy?

To make time for the things that make you happy, you will need to figure out where all of your time is going!

Start with evaluating your commitments. It’s important to evaluate the activities that are taking up our time to make sure they are needed in our lives. 

It’s also important to schedule time for things you want to do. It’s exciting when we get to be carefree and do what we want, whenever we want, but life usually doesn’t let us be carefree all the time. 

Scheduling time for things you enjoy will ensure that you have time to do it.

A proper work-life balance will also create more free time for you to do things you enjoy. 

How Do I Prioritize Things in My Life?

There are important tasks that each of us has to tend to each day. 

There is only so much time in a day to get everything done that you need to do, and that usually leaves little time for things you want to do. 

Learning how to prioritize different tasks will help create time for doing more of what you want! Getting the important things done means you can always leave the lesser important tasks to be done at a different time. 

I always like to group similar tasks so they can be done quickly.

Write down all of the everyday life tasks you are expected to do, and prioritize them by what needs to be done daily or what tasks are most important to be done. 

Then, make a list of things you want to do (self-care, going for walks with your family, etc.) and prioritize them by how important it is that you do those things for your mental and physical health. Figure out how to work these priorities into your life alongside other responsibilities. 

It all comes down to what’s important, what needs to be done promptly, and everything else can be saved for another day. We live in a culture where everything feels so rushed and like everything in our lives is important.

When we take a step back and evaluate what’s going on in our lives, that is when we truly see what’s important and what isn’t. 

Related Post: Simple Life: How to Evaluate Your Personal Commitments

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Five Things That Make Me Happy

Here are five things that make me happy, and striving to live a simple lifestyle gives me the ability to enjoy them more often.

No matter the amount of time you have to focus on what makes you happy, there are ways to fit it all into your schedule. Your future self will thank you for setting aside time to enjoy your life. 

Baking

Being in the kitchen brings me such happiness! I enjoy cooking when I’m in the mood for it, but I love to bake anytime. I love to try new recipes, but my favorite is my pecan pie recipe. It always comes out perfect, and it tastes so yummy (insert heart eyes).

Baking brings me a sense of peace and happiness. I love to throw in my headphones, dance around the kitchen, and add my own flare to a recipe depending on my mood.

When life gets a little busy, I can always count on the holidays for some free time for baking. My family likes to make requests, and I love to fulfill them.

Even when I don’t have much time to get in the kitchen and play around, I enjoy cooking dinner and it’s also the perfect time to have my husband help me so we can spend some time together. 

What’s your favorite thing to bake?

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Reading a Good Book

I have been a book lover for most of my life. As a little girl, I loved reading stories with my mom, and we usually spent summers at the library and reading together. It’s a memory with my mom that I love to think about.

I still enjoy reading. There’s nothing better than curling up with one of my favorite authors (James Patterson, Charlaine Harris, or Gemma Halliday) and spending an afternoon getting lost in one of their books.

It’s a good way to spend an afternoon or evening when I don’t have much going on.

I also love to buy new books! Going to the bookstore is one of my favorite past times. 

Coming home from a long day at work and relaxing with a good book will calm my nerves and help take the stress from the day away. 

Who is one of your favorite authors?

Related Post: The Simple Gift Guide for a Book Lover

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Spending Time with Family & Friends

Who doesn’t love to spend time with their family and friends? I’m sure we all have some family members we would rather not spend time with, but overall, spending time with family is something that we should cherish.

I very much enjoy my alone time, but it’s also nice to have the time to spend with my family and friends when I want to. I enjoy going out with my friends a few times a month and seeing my family when we have the time for family dinner or just swinging by to catch up.

I want to spend my time with people who make me laugh, smile, and have feel-good vibes. Being with my friends and family always brings laughs and smiles.

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Writing

Writing is something I have come to love in just the last few years.

In school, I always enjoyed English class, but I never loved writing papers on the subjects that were assigned. The idea of writing was something I enjoyed, but I wanted to write about topics that were interesting to me. I didn’t want to write research papers or a paper on some book I was forced to read (I’m sure some of you will agree!).

As I have gotten older, writing has become my creative outlet. I can get lost in writing about things I enjoy talking about, and I love sharing my ideas with all of my wonderful readers!

It’s always a good idea to have some kind of creative outlet we can indulge in when we have the time. 

What is your favorite creative outlet?

Spending Time in Nature

Being outdoors brings me so much happiness! Breathing in the fresh air and hearing the peaceful sounds of nature always calm my soul.

I enjoy any time outside, from working in my garden to hiking to sitting on my front porch! Just being outdoors makes me happy. My favorite thing to do is watch the birds come to the feeders I have set up and watch the little chipmunk I have in my backyard (his name is Chester).

When I first met my husband, we spent a lot of time outdoors. He took me to many fun and very beautiful places. He helped me develop the love I have for nature and being outdoors. It’s also something we enjoy doing together.

Go for a bike ride, take a walk with your significant other, or simply sit on your porch and enjoy the sounds of nature. 

What is one of your favorite outdoor activities?

Related Post: The Benefits of a Self-Care Routine

Do you have goals of making more time for things you love?

Grab this free printable to keep track of your goals and place them where you can see them every day! 

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Finding the time to do the simple things in life is so important for our happiness, our mental health, and simply bringing joy into our lives.

Sit the phone down, pause the responsibilities for a few, and enjoy your life. Take a much-needed break from the everyday responsibilities, and screen time, and focus on your personal life for a bit. 

I hope you take some time this week to reflect on some of the things that make you happy in your life! Then, I hope you make time to be able to enjoy some of these things this year!

Until next time,

Catherine

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