Happiness Fog!!! What is it?

Oh My Goodness! Finally a way to describe it!

So, I absolutely LOVE being a mum. I feel I was meant for it. I enjoy watching them grow and I'm pretty sure that if my pregnancies were easier (long story) I would have a HUGE family. We would have picnics every night for dinner for the sole reason that the table is too small for everyone!

But, I am also constantly worrying about them. I am continuously questioning whether or not I am doing it right, feeding them the right things, educating them enough, setting them up for success in the right way, disciplining them 'correctly', the list goes on (and my kids are all still under the age of 7)!! For an outsider, or someone without kids especially, I can see why they would question me... "are you sure this is what makes you happy?". "But you never switch off and relax?" "all this worrying can't be fun?" "they're so expensive!" "the babysitter cancelled again?!?"... etc etc! Gretchen Rubin describes a study looking into women's daily activities and 'childcare' was only marginally rated higher than 'commuting' which for some reason doesn't surprise me! And yet... I am still totally convinced (just as Gretchen is) that my kids are in fact my biggest source of happiness, without a shadow of a doubt!

Happiness Fog - there it is! The linguistic explanation for this feeling! and it works with lots of things... not just being a mother.

"Fog is elusive. Fog surrounds you and transforms the atmosphere but when you try and examine it, it vanishes." - Gretchen Rubin: The Happiness Project

Happiness fog is the kind of happiness that when you examine the activity it doesn't seem to bring much happiness (before, during or after) but somehow it does! Like going to the gym for some people... getting changed takes time out of an already busy day, the feeling at the end of a run when you can barely breathe, the pain in your muscles the following day, the shower afterwards (actually I quite like this part), and then the extra laundry to get the sweat out of expensive work out clothes - none of that sounds particularly pleasant! and yet... somehow, it makes me and so many other people out there happy!

I am totally in love with this description of this particular type of happiness and I am finding that it fits a few things in my life very well!

Happiness Fog - it is elusive. It surrounds you, but when you try to examine it, it disappears.

GENIUS! Everyday's a school day!

That's it for today,

Signing off as Penny Cook again!