Every morning, without fail, I’m in a rush to get to work. It may be because I’ve been doing chores, my pills make it hard to wake up in the morning (torture, because I’m very sensitive to the seasons generally and like to wake up early in summer), or because I’m tired from the night before. But regardless, you can rest assured I’m rushing the 15-20 minute walk to work. I grab my stuff, head down to the canal, and see all the regular people walking past in the opposite direction. The middle aged guy who always reads his newspaper and is oblivious to every other human being. The guy who looks like a cross between two of my coworkers and is always on his phone. The boat people who are cooking bacon and toasting bread and enjoying the sunshine. The people with the dogs.

I notice the regulars, and I look out for them purely because I know how late (or, more rarely, on time) I am by where on my route I am when I pass them. A fleeting glance, a twinge of jealousy that they’re so leisurely, and then my brain goes back to, ‘What am I doing today? Who do I need to email? What did I need to finish?’

Until I get to the point where I see this boat:

And yes, it may be a bit quaint, or cheesy, but it completely serves its purpose. I instantly slow down, take a deep breath, and become more mindful. That way I don’t miss the mama (papa?) moorhen passing food to its squeaky young. I notice how relaxing the ripples of water are when the light dances off them. I hear the sounds of people and nature co-existing, even in the city. And even though I haven’t yet eaten breakfast and I definitely haven’t had time to do yoga on my decking as planned, I feel calmer and more inclined to think about the things that make me happy, like…

Cuddles. Halo is one of the cuddliest cats ever, and will cuddle anything that’s left out, including blankets, TV remotes, and feet.

Survival against all odds. I’ve blogged before about all my plant failures, but this bad boy has survived a winter of frost and lived to tell the tale. In ‘Jenni’s plant’ years, he’s about 512.

Pretty things. Like shoes, and experimentation of who I present to the outside world. Pretty deep for a bit of fabric, no?

Making geeky cupcakes. Because I now have an edible printer, and I’m a massive geek who loves cake.

Photography. Because last night, when I was taking these photos, I was completely absorbed and joyful. The only thing I was thinking about was how I’m never happier than when I’m behind a camera.

Focusing on the successes and happy things, however small, reminds me how lucky I am. Being happy doesn’t need to mean ridiculous overachieving, carrying on to the point of exhaustion, or thinking so far ahead or behind that you don’t enjoy the present. I’m still learning to do that and reminding myself to do that, but I’m getting there.

What are your happy things right now?