“THOSE were the days.” Do you ever find yourself saying this?

I was thinking the other day, when it was pouring with rain and the shed roof had just flown off down the road, how sometimes it can be hard to remain positive and feel happy all of the time. Then I felt like a fraud! I am always spouting about positivity etc.

I was trying to find my ‘happy place', my 'mojo’. Then it came to me, in the form of a late night message from my sister, June. She randomly sent me a YouTube clip of a kid’s TV programme we both loved when we were growing up in the 60s. It was the opening sequence of Here Come The Double Deckers (Have you got the theme tune in your head now? Google it!). The memory really made me smile and feel warm and fuzzy inside. I immediately sent her a clip of The Hair Bear Bunch and we both said how the memories took us both back to our happy childhood.

This set off my thoughts about other things that take us away from current worries - a smell, a piece of music, a photo etc. All of these can trigger happy memories. Our brain is so powerful, I learned this when I found Mindfulness Meditation. Our own thoughts can cause extremes of anxiety and stress. They can also offer the tools to sooth and calm.

We can all do this. Do you have a favourite song or two? Write them down. A favourite smell that evokes a happy memory? For me, the smell is a certain hairspray that my mum used to use. These memories can take you back to a happy place and help you feel more positive.

When I started to think about this column I was concerned this may only appeal to people of a ‘certain age’ but my husband and I started thinking about our own children who are now in their 20s and the things we know would take them back to their own childhood too.

I am pretty sure I will come back to this subject again as it has really cheered me up and I could write for hours about happy stuff! Please try the above if you are having a tough time and let me know if it has helped? I would love to hear it.

See you in a couple of weeks

TRISH CALLER
Genius PR & Events