Sorry for the silence, but I've been occupied!

I find the time of year between Xmas and New Year particularly busy. It's the time us northerners have to sort out & finish all last year's business/paperwork/bills etc, so we can start the next year with a clean slate!

For me, this means looking through all my paperwork meticulously. Because, although I bought lots of notebooks all through 2017 to jot down ideas for pics and ideas for stories, when an idea sprang to mind, more often than not, the said notebooks couldn't be easily found! Then I had to resort to scribbling down random ideas on any bit of paper - even the backs of envelopes or receipts. So, come the end of December, every scrap of folded paper needed investigating - just in case a wee gem ended up in the back of my fire!

So that's how I stumbled across the 7 Steps to Happiness. I wrote it down as being useful advice so I will share it with you:

Step 1) Make good friends. Make real friends & you'll live a longer happier life.

Step 2) Actively express thanks. Expressing thankfulness is good for the recipient and good for you.

Step 3) Actively pursue goals. Goals you don't pursue aren't goals, they're only dreams, and dreams only make you happy when you're dreaming!

Step 4) Do what you excel at as often as possible. This is called the 'Happiness Advantage'.

Step 5) Give. Giving can be more beneficial - happiness-wise - to the giver than to the recipient.

Step 6) Don't chase 'stuff'. Money is important but doesn't always bring happiness. Owning new 'stuff' soon becomes the new 'normal'. Chase experiences instead.

Step 7) Live the life you want to live. Be true to yourself, don't only do what others expect of you.

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So, now I can more confidently wish you a very HAPPY New Year!!