I don’t usually write book reviews on the blog, for lots of reasons really, but this is one I absolutely wanted to share with you, and one I am so excited to talk to you about today as part of a book blog tour. Create Your Own Happy is such a fabulous book. It happens to be written by two of my oldest blogging friends, Penny Alexander and Becky Goddard-Hill. Its full of ideas that you can share and work though with your child, or leave them to do independently.
When someone asks you what you want for your children, I think the top two would be happiness and health, don’t you agree?
Happiness is such an important subject, not just for children but adults too. It got me thinking though about how life is so different for my children now compared to when I was the age that this book is aimed at 9-11. I love the idea of taking a step back and examining the subject, and I’ll be honest A ( who is 9) and I have both had a couple of revelations so far.
We’ve already done a few of the activities, including a happy jar, painted happy rocks (which are now hidden in our local area) and an activity where A (9) drew someone she loved 4 times, taking a little longer every time. It was such a great activity, and it was so interesting see how she found her ‘flow’. I repeated the challenge, and totally panicked, it took me far longer to get myself into more of a rhythm.
Make A Happiness Mix
I often think in Music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.
– Albert Einstein
So as part of the book tour I was given the music task of creating a happiness mix. I’ve got to say this is a perfect one for my music loving family. Especially A, who seriously doesn’t stop singing from morning until night, and Nia (16) who seems to be into every music genre ever invented and had now taken to blu taking album covers to her walls.
I asked each of the girls to add tracks onto a spotify list that made them happy, my husband and I did the same. Can you believe there were actually lots that were the same. I’ve always thought that our music tastes was quite different, but maybe the things that make us happy, are actually quite similar? I do think because we’ve just returned from holiday, where we did spend quite a lot of time listening to music this may have influenced it too.
So here it is the 2018 Cottingham Happiness mix:
“FRIENDS” by Marshmello feat. Anne-Marie
“These Days” – Rudimental feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore, and Dan Caplen
“The Champion” – Carrie Underwood feat. Ludacris
“After the Storm” – Kali Uchis feat. Tyler, The Creator and Bootsy Collins
“Til It’s Over” by Anderson .Paak (which has an amazing video by the way)
“In my feelings” – Drake
“Boo’d Up” by Ella Mai
It was a great opportunity for us to talk about what it was about music that made us happy. Tempo played a big part, as well as where we first heard it as well as the words, but strangely that was much lower on the list. I can’t wait to play this happiness mix, I was thinking as we ate breakfast together each weekend, I really love that idea! Also when either of my daughters have had a tough day at school, or feeling stressed, it’s going to be my first port of call to put it on. I’m positive it will make an impact to how they are feeling. Maybe if I can really change their mood, I can try and get them to have a dance too. I can see this as being a great tool for me going forward!
Don’t forget that you can check out lots of other activities from Create Your Own Happy by popping over to the other blogs in the tour – tomorrow its Emily from www.amummytoo, who’s been learning about another culture.
What’s your favourite way to create your own happy?
Find Create Your Own Happy on Social Media
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cyohappy/ and we use #cyohappy
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CYOHappy/
Twitter https://twitter.com/CYOHappy #cyoHappy
Where to buy Create Your Own Happy
Here is the link to Amazon https://amzn.to/2NEeljs
Oh I love you did the drawing exercise…we had a go too and the results were fun and funny..you can’t be very precise in 5 seconds can you! I am going to tell Alexa to play each of your songs this morning for me as i work. Thanks for sharing our book
Oh I love this MIX so much! Few of our current faves on there too. I going to add it to our happy spotify list now. Thank you so much for this beautiful post Amanda, and for trying out so many of the activities! And thanks to the family for getting involved too 🙂