Your Reasons to be Cheerful in 2021
Happy new year.
With everything going on right now, we thought we all might need a final boost of cheer to see out 2021. To be honest, we didn’t think we’d make it this far. We thought Reasons to be Cheerful might just be a lockdown project that would end with the end of 2020, but here we are. Still needing reasons to be cheerful, every day. It’s been a joy to bring you some cheer this year, and so we thought we’d end the year by celebrating the things that have made you happy throughout 2021. Below you’ll find a list of moments, people, things that brought cheer to our community this year. We hope it brings you cheer to read them, too.
My daughter asking to see her baby brother every morning as soon as she wakes up.
Sweet potato laksa.
My family. My friends. My Peloton bike.
I moved to a new home and a totally new area this year. At nearly 42 I still don’t feel like a grown up (do we ever feel like a grown up?!!) but this place makes me realise how far I have come in the last few years. It is often one of my ‘what are you grateful for today’ items: grateful for my own space, for making it my home, for the new places I am still to explore, for filling it with plants, for my adorable neighbour who makes me laugh. For reminding me that it’s the small things that most often bring a big smile to my face, for spotting one of the neighbourhood cats in the garden, to seeing the leaves change, wandering about and seeing the doors blooming with wreaths and twinkling with lights. For reinforcing the fact that I am the master of my ship, that I am the one who controls the joy and the pain, that I have the power to determine how my day turns out. I still struggle with this and sometimes I feel quite lonely, but sitting here on my sofa, looking at what I have shaped, I feel a sense of calm and realise that everything will be okay.
Most things my 2 year old says.
So many things: the sound of wild geese, handwritten note cards, our dogs tail wagging, morning hugs, dancing in the kitchen with my family, reunions with friends, old photographs, music, warm sweaters, bare feet, morning tea, stars, starting and finishing a puzzle, adventures, hikes, rescue animals, babies, a sense of hope. Gratitude always brings me joy too.
Having the balls to do a podcast
Running alongside so many friends as we pushed beyond the ordinary
Lego sets
Lino printing
Walks in nature
Giving birth to my second son at home in our bedroom. Double dream come true.
Writing. And reading. And hugs after a long time of not opening my arms wide.
Dancing
Qi Gong
My cat, Rupert.
Swimming outdoors with friends, and the chats over coffee and cinnamon buns after.
My kind and steadfast partner who has been there for me loudly and quietly through some very difficult months, and made sure we spent weekends in/on local mountains, forests and oceans.
My sister and the zillion cuppas she has bought me since I’ve injured my ankle.
Gardening studies
Cheese twists and canal walks
My new baby boy
Swimming pigs
My daughter growing, learning and spreading joy to everyone she meets
Roller boots
Birds
Dogs. Shropshires electorate. Art.
Posting postcards
Hugging again
Being allowed back in the homes of friends and family
Astrological birth charts
Watching my son read and blend sounds for the first time
I started a horticultural apprenticeship and I never thought I would have that chance
Seeing my parents for the first time in 22 months
Finding out I’m pregnant!
A huge thank you to everyone who sent in their Reasons to be Cheerful, we loved reading and receiving them! And also a thank you to all of you who have followed, read, commented, bought or supported our work over the past 12 months. The community we have created has most definitely been one of our Reasons to be Cheerful this year. We’d love to know what yours were if you haven’t told us already - leave them in the comments below!