Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop!

What is on your joy list?

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Before this week’s theme came up, I’d actually never heard of a joy list, so I had to look into what one was before I could tackle this Open Book Blog Hop. A little delve into the wormhole that is Google shows me that a joy list is not just another “to-do” list, but something designed to help you, and your mental wellbeing, through things that bring joy. One suggestion I’ve seen says your joy list could include sensory experiences, activities and connections.

With that in mind, I’ve had a little think about what I might consider to have on my joy list:

Sensory

• The sound of rain and/or thunder
• Crackling fire
• The smell of coffee
• The smell of rain after a prolonged dry spell
• Listening to music
• Listening to the birds from my garden

Activities

• Reading
• Watching a film
• Playing video games
• Building a LEGO set
• Day trips/holidays

Connections

• Spending time with my wife and cats
• Catching up with friends near and far
• Sitting outside on my deck

I like the idea that this isn’t a list of things you have to get done, and it’s not a list of things you can only do once you’ve “earned a reward” either. It’s all about the things that help you be the happiest version of yourself. They don’t have to cost money, and I’d even say it’s better if they don’t. This is a fairly quick version of how my joy list might look, but I may just give it a bit more thought.