Favourite things

There’s a paradise in my head.

In my own little world

filled with blossoms, spring flowers

little sparks of fairydust

scents of gold roses and peaches

and tropical flowers

I hear the trickling of a fountain

Then a little curtain of ivy

over a small gateway

Another space reveals itself

white tables and chairs

balloons in rays of colours

big cakes and Sunday dresses

people laughing

watching me dance with ribbons in my hair

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There is perfume in the air

scents of heaven

are dancing around the garden

Is there a man called Robin?

He takes me by the hand

I can see the smile on his face

We lie happily

Flowers are growing in our hands

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Hello everyone!

It's been a little while, I have been very busy and will be even more for the next couple of weeks... But for now, a small post to keep us going.

'There's a paradise in my head'... Whenever life can get a bit hard on you and you're feeling down or stressed out, there is one particular way that's very effective. Maria of the Sound of Music already knew it: when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favourite things!

What is even more effective though, is to have a particular place in your mind, where you can always come back to when you feel bad. The imagination is very powerful! It has actually been scientifically proven (as I vaguely remember reading somewhere) that imagining being in a certain place is as good for you as actually being there, because you brain cannot make the difference (we are talking of the mental benefits, not the physical ones; it's natural that your skin won't be able to soak up vitamin D or get a tan).
So start visualising the most amazing place you can possibly think of, make it as real and detailed as possible and imagine wandering around in it... Amazing, right?

Simply thinking of little things that make you happy can already help as well, though, because it can call up nice memories (which is just as beneficial as imagining new places), or it can make you get up and do something nice.

Here's a list of some of my favourite things:

-Fresh dew on spring blossoms
-The smell of roses
-A large cup of hot chocolate or tea after a walk in the rain
- A well-meant compliment by a friend or stranger
-A hug
-A hot bath after a long day
-The thrill of a perfect landscape view
-Going for a swim in the sea during summer
-New books
-Costume dramas
-A cup of delicious frozen yoghurt
-A new shade of nail polish
-Walking into a friend unexpectedly
-Cats
-This language
-Little cottages and lovely gardens
-The smell of oil paint
-When shopping, finding exactly what you were looking for for a bargain
-Ruffling someone's hair
-Colours and prints
-Light
-Tiny things of loveliness
-Getting a text message
-Walking in nature and being amazed at its beauty, having to stop still to drink it all in
-Laughing
-The feeling of sitting on a horse's back
-Looking at someone and realising they are thinking the same thing
-Working in the garden, growing your own herbs and fruits
-The smell of the rain in summer
-Watching an old favourite movie when you're ill
-Discovering new lovely places by accident

Do you recognise any of the thrills these things give me? What are your favourite things?

I could do a more thorough post about the different things you can do to counter negative thoughts or emotions. I got a lot out of Inner Strenght by Anselm Grün, which I have mentioned before already.

Well, time to get back to my thesis now, but I have plenty of ideas already for new, very interesting posts in a few weeks' time, so you can already look forward to that! ;)


Love,

Goedele *