The impact of pets on our happiness

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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„A house is not a home without a pet”

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Dogs have long been known as man's best friend, but their influence goes far beyond being just companions. It's not only dogs, though, other pets such as cats, rabbits, hamsters and birds also enrich our lives in a unique way and provide a source of happiness. This positive impact on our emotional and mental well-being has been increasingly recognised by science as well. A recent study by two British researchers entitled „The Value of Pets” even investigated the impact of owning a pet on life satisfaction. They found that having a pet has the same positive effect on life satisfaction as meeting friends or relatives.

Source: Freepik

Pets give us unconditional love, which can be particularly comforting in difficult times as it provides a source of emotional support. Interacting with pets also reduces stress and therefore has a calming effect that lifts our mood. Just think of therapy animals, especially dogs, but also cats, horses or rabbits, they are well trained and provide professional comfort and emotional support for patients and even staff.

Source: Freepik

Pets, especially dogs, are also a great incentive for physical activity as they need regular exercise, which is known to release endorphins. Pets can also help to create social interactions. Dog owners, for instance, often meet other dog owners on walks, but pets can also encourage conversation and create bonds between people with common interests, thus providing a sense of community. 

Source: Freepik

Having pets of course require a lot of time and responsible attention, but they seem to have a remarkable ability to bring joy and laughter into our lives. Their playful nature encourages us to engage in fun activities and reminds us to enjoy the simple things in life. Playing with pets can bring moments of pure joy and laughter, and these interactions contribute significantly to our overall happiness, making our lives richer and more fulfilling. So cherish every moment with your pet, as it may even be the key to more happiness and emotional stability in your life.

🠊 Share in the comments what pets you have or if you don't have any, what your favourite pet is. I look forward to reading your pawesome comments.  🐶🐱🐰🐴🐹🦜

Lots of love,

E

Set your goals and make them happen

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible."

(Tony Robbins)

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I believe that a positive word or action - received or given - can change your entire day. Every little step counts, a smile, a door kept open, a beautiful note or a friendly word.

If you've read my article about the kindness and happiness challenge, this article might also be of interest to you. And if you haven't read it yet, I suggest that you read it and, if possible, even take part in the challenge.

I love any kind of stationery. If they spread a bit of kindness, it's even better, and I've always wanted to try happiness diaries and similar things, but I haven't found a suitable one yet. When I was contacted by a small, UK-based company that published their first planner, of course I visited their website, and after seeing their products, I immediately said yes to participate in their journey.

The planners from Mål Paper are available in 3 colours: black, grey and pink (like peach flowers).

The cover is very simple and clean, just a title with small golden letters breaks the colour.

The notebook contains some quotes, a few at the bottom of the pages, while others have their own pages. They can help you look at the situation from a different angle, or just to make you smile.

In the planner you can list your long and short term goals and the things for which you are grateful. You have the space to review your month and week, you can even rate your day (1 to 10). The notebook gives you the opportunity to list today's tasks, add notes, and at the end of the planner there is space for notes and calendars, and even a small envelope to add your little memories, like a ticket. 

The Daily Goal Setter is a gratitude journal and productivity planner in one. It helps you to focus on the positive things in your life and become more mindful and productive. 

It has a PU faux leather softback cover with gold embossed details. The size of the planner is approx. 142x205mm and has 256 pages. To check it out, just visit their website. 

What do you think of this planner? Do you have one or something similar?

As always, please feel free to share your thoughts on the topic in the comments section below.

Wishing you a great week.  :)

Lots of love, 

E

Kindness challenge for a happier You and a happier World – 40 acts of kindness & happiness

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

 

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"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." (Aesop)

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Being kind does not cost you anything and takes no time, but it can mean a lot to someone on the receiving end.

Today, my blog turned 7 years old and to celebrate it, there is a special post today.

It is pretty easy to lose your positivity, your brightness in this fast-moving world. Everything and everyone is online, we receive so many information that we hardly know how to deal with all of them. We know almost "everything", including information, we didn't want to know about. We see crimes and violence happening not only in our own country, but also on the other side of the world. We see false realities and we experience stress, making it harder to stay focused and look to the bright side of life. Everyone struggles from time to time and needs some motivation and inspiration every now and then. But I do believe that if you make a small difference yourself, then we can make a big difference together. This inspired me to create this challenge of kindness & happiness. 

 

Some of the actions in the list can be performed anywhere and anytime, while others either require scheduling or depend on a situation. There are a few that cost you a bit of money, but I always added an alternative that cost you less or nothing at all but still makes the world a better place.

You don't need to do anything big, it is about small actions and gestures that make you feel better too. You probably already do little acts of kindness on a regular basis, but you know, that kindness never becomes enough and you never know, how much it could mean to somebody, you could make someone's entire day.
Since it is easy to forget about oneself when we think about kindness, some of the points on the list are kind acts for your own happiness.

I challenge you to perform as many kind deeds as you can using the checklist below. Cross of each one as you do them and after you've made your list, post a picture with the #HappierYouHappierWorld hashtag on Twitter.
There is no time frame, no deadlines, you can do it at your own pace, just have fun, be happy and spread kindness. ♡

Download your own checklist here.  :)

 
Wishing you a wonderful day,
E

Quote for the Week