For a long time, I didn’t have the peace of mind to write. I suddenly realised that in only two weeks it’ll already be 2021. This year has flown by. I have reached milestones, but unfortunately haven’t been able to celebrate them due to corona. Besides that, so much was going on and my head just kept on spinning. Ever since a few weeks, I have been missing the balance in my physical and mental health. I have come so far, but the home stretch is weighing on me greatly.

Physical discomfort

Does your body strongly react to stress? Mine does. My body knows exactly how to respond when my boundaries are crossed. I get a stomach ache, eat less, have insomnia and start to dissociate. My initial reaction is always to ignore, turn off my feelings and to keep on going. But there comes a time that I will have to listen to my body. This happened to me a few weeks ago, when I was on the train. I didn’t feel any emotions, it is as if I was living in a blur. Suddenly I realised; this is a bad sign. I recognize this from before. For years I have lived without feeling anything. Eventually, this realisation isn’t a punishment but a blessing. My body warns me that I have to start making changes so that I can get back in touch with my feelings.

Mental health

I’m a thinker. Actually, I’m an overthinker. The last few weeks I have been thinking about what to do with my life and whether I am happy. I still don’t know what I really want to do in life, but I have come a bit closer to the answer by knowing what I don’t want to do. Someone recently told me: “You already know the answer, listen to the voice inside you”. But listening to my inner voice is difficult, because I first need to take down a big wall before reaching my inner voice. 

Happiness

I think I can give a better answer to the question: are you really happy? It’s the little things that make me feel warm inside, such as being with my mom, hugging my cheeky rabbits or hanging out with a friend. I associate this feeling of warmth with happiness. It is a feeling of appreciation and content for the things you currently have. I won’t be able to be happy every single day, but that’s okay. Feelings are like waves; they go up and down. I’m already so happy that I can enjoy these small moments of happiness again. In the meantime I will just keep on going, looking for my place in this world.

Love,

Ghyta

Angelique had a burnout and was already receiving help from her practitioner for a couple of months. She received medication for her complaints and had contact moments with her practitioner every week about her progress. However, after having to switch medication for the third time because of the medication not working or heavy side effects, her practitioner decided she needed more help. He referred her to PsyQ and that is when her treatment via NiceDay started. This is Angelique’s experience story with an online treatment via NiceDay.

What did you first think when you heard of the online treatment?

When I was referred for treatment I didn’t know it would be an online treatment yet, I only found out later. However, because my treatment started in April of 2020, in the midst of the first wave of corona, I was not as shocked. At that moment, almost everything was online.

Still, I had to get used to the idea of receiving an online treatment. I was expecting to have to go somewhere and now all of a sudden I had to install an app.I was hoping that they would succeed in treating my burnout through a screen. At my practitioner’s office I had regularly been crying, but was I now supposed to cry online? That still felt a bit strange to me.

How did you end up experiencing this?

This wasn’t that bad eventually! When you have to cry during your sessions, you are in your own safe environment. An environment that feels very familiar, because you’re always there and do not have to travel to an unknown location. When you feel bad, or don’t feel like leaving the house, you don’t actually have to go anywhere!

The relationship with my therapist was also very good. Even though our sessions were online, I did feel a strong connection. She had endless patience and gave me great tips, which I could use again later.

What did you think of the online treatment via NiceDay?

The thing I really liked is that I could write down my thoughts and feelings in between sessions. While I was writing it down, it maybe didn’t have an immediate effect. However, afterwards I often noticed that it felt good to write down my feelings; it allowed me to move on from them. You really feel listened to, because your professional can read and track everything you write down in the app. This gave me a sense of calm and peace of mind.

Did you contact your professional in between sessions?

I did write things down every once in a while, but I mostly used the “Feelings” tracker. This allowed my professional to constantly track how I was feeling, instead of us just talking about it every week. My professional Chevriyen sometimes responded to my registrations via the chat. She would notice that I wasn’t doing all too well, and took the time to ask me what was going on. This was incredibly helpful, because it makes you realise that there is always someone looking out for you. You can write down your sorrow and feelings at any moment, knowing that your professional will eventually read them. That is very comforting.

How are you doing right now?

I haven’t completely gotten back on track when it comes to work, but I do have myself back on track. Chevriyen has given me many tips and tricks and we have also discussed a relapse plan. I notice that I am okay now, and would definitely recommend an online treatment via NiceDay!

Help

Are you also looking for help and would you like to know more about an online treatment via NiceDay? You can find more information about the treatment and  how you can start via this link.

An online treatment via NiceDay; what does that actually look like? Can you build a good relationship with your therapist? What is so nice about the app and how does contact in between sessions really work? Rosa (22) sought help for an accumulation of problems in her life. How did Rosa experience online help? Read her experience story here.

No long waiting list

“I was talking to a friend and told her that I was looking for help, but didn’t want to wait such a long time. There had been an accumulation of problems in recent years, but especially the abuse by my ex-boyfriend came to the surface again. My friend told me that her sister had sought help through NiceDay and that you could get started right away. ”

Doubt

“When I heard about the online treatment, I had some doubts. What will that be like? Is it just as personal as a face to face session? But, I put my doubts aside and after two minutes I had installed the app on my phone and sent a message to the NiceDay Team. I received an immediate response and we scheduled an intake interview for less than a week later. I really liked that. The process went very quickly and I did not have to wait long for a response. ”

It saves so much time if I can register my experiences and feelings in the app during the week, and my practitioner has already read them when we have another session.

Relationship practitioner

“After my intake interview, I was quickly linked to NiceDay professional Sarah. As I mentioned I had some doubts about the online treatment, but those were immediately taken away during our first session. I felt good and comfortable. The afternoons after our conversations I often noticed that I was much more productive and active! I immediately felt more like doing things. Sarah often sent me helpful articles that I could read to become more active. This also kept me working on my recovery between our sessions. ”

Previous treatment vs NiceDay

“I think it is a great advantage of a treatment through NiceDay that I don’t have to repeat my story over and over again. I have previously been in treatment where I had less contact in between sessions. Of course you can send your practitioner an email when things aren’t going well, but you can’t do this every day. I also had to repeat everything during the session. It saves so much time if I can register my experiences and feelings in the app during the week, and my practitioner has already read them when we have another session.” 

NiceDay

“Thanks to this treatment, I have gained more insight into how I am doing and what I can do about it. It has helped me to communicate better with my current partner. Plus, I have received enough tools to be able to continue working on this in the future! ”

“I would therefore definitely recommend a treatment through NiceDay. The biggest reasons for this are being able to start treatment quickly and the contact in between sessions. During your journey, there is one person for you who you can always chat with when things really go wrong. This makes this treatment, despite being online, a lot more personal.”

Rosa received online help through the NiceDay app. Would you like to know more about NiceDay or about how you can start treatment? You can find more information about this here or directly download the NiceDay app.

The worst case scenario, a scenario that I think about and that worries me a lot. Some events in my daily life can suddenly give me all kinds of insecurities and negative thoughts. Sometimes I think this is something that everyone has from time to time and that is actually quite normal, but it still remains very difficult for me to deal with this. Do you often fear the worst case scenario?

Talking about it

I see myself as an anxious person, especially socially. For me, the worst scenarios are often about the social situations that I dread. Or, they may be about the social situations that have already happened, but from which I think I should have tackled differently.

One of the coping styles that I have been taught through NiceDay is talking to a person I trust about these negative thoughts and feelings. This won’t completely solve the problem, but it can help to somewhat relieve the anxiety. Talking can provide a different perspective on the situation. This is something that I really need; sharing my thoughts and feelings with someone and talking about my problems. But at the same time I find it terrifying.

Negative thoughts

When I constantly have negative thoughts and feelings they can continue to get worse. They can convince me not to share anything with others around me and to bottle up all my feelings. Obviously this is very counterproductive and can even lead to self-destructive thoughts.

“I don’t have any friends to share this with. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone or want to act like a bitch. They will think that I am overreacting and that it makes no sense that I feel that way. Soon I will drive people away from me if I talk too much about my negative thoughts and feelings. What if they think it’s stupid? What if they think I’m stupid? Soon they will find me annoying. ”. These are some of the thoughts that can constantly run through my mind at such times.

Fear of rejection

You may have already noticed, but at times like these I’m really just scared. Afraid that I will not be taken seriously. Afraid that I am a burden to other people. However, I think my main fear is rejection. A problem well known to me, and that I am trying my best to work on. I try to trust that the people around me won’t just get up and leave me and that they hang out with me because they genuinely like me. Not because of how I look, what I say or what I do, but because of who I am. It’s very difficult, but I try to take baby steps, for example by sending a message to a friend or family member that I am not feeling well. That goes against my feelings, but taking these steps is necessary to beat my fears and live a happier and more comfortable life.

A helping hand

If I am realistic, I never mind if someone comes to me with their problems. I like it, because it shows that this person trusts me and that we have a good relationship with each other. I enjoy helping people, so why do I find it so difficult to give others the opportunity to help me? Well, that’s a question I don’t have an answer to. But that is okay! Most importantly, I am aware of the things that are happening in my head and slowly try to break through this “negative” pattern. And I believe you can do this too, at your own pace!

Daily dose of positivity

I hope I was able to give you a little insight into what my patterns are and how I am slowly trying to turn this into something positive. And that if you are bothered by the same thoughts as me, this blog will benefit you and hopefully you won’t feel as alone anymore! Are you looking for some extra positivity and mental health tips? Follow NiceDay on Instagram. I also share my experiences on my own Instagram and try to spread positivity. Curious? Take a look at my profile!

Thanks for reading and see you next time!

Love,

Anouk

Margriet * is 31 years old, remedial educationalist and has her own company. In many aspects of her life, things are going well, but an old ailment is recurring more often. Since she was 18, Margriet has suffered from severe fear of commitment and although it has diminished somewhat over the years, it has remained present. These fears arose from perfectionism; everything had to go well and feel good. This was mainly expressed in her love life; if someone didn’t text back, she could be very worried about it. When another date didn’t end well and again caused her a lot of stress, she knew it was time to talk to someone. She couldn’t keep going on like this and reached out for online help via NiceDay.

A push in the right direction

“A friend advised me to take a look at NiceDay; she herself had attended a number of sessions there. “Just a little push in the right direction!”. I had heard of it before and visited psychologists before, so it was not very hesitant to take the step towards help. As my doctor said: “If you want to work on your body and you see a doctor, nobody thinks that’s crazy. But if you want to work on your mind and you see a psychologist, people think it’s strange”. I knew I wanted to work on myself and no longer wanted to live in fear, so I took the step to download the NiceDay app.”

Online treatment

“I really liked the fact that the sessions were online. It was very accessible and a reassuring feeling to have someone who reads along with you. I was very busy with my own business at the time, but didn’t have to leave my house for the sessions. That worked out very well!

Online help via NiceDay was very accessible and I did not spend any time traveling for my sessions. I also really liked that I could keep track of things in the app. My practitioner could go through all of my registrations before our session, so we could get started quickly. I made sure to update the app at least once a week. I then described how I experienced the things we discussed earlier, or registered my “aha” moments. Sometimes when I just had to get something off my chest, and I could immediately write it down. Writing down your thoughts can already help you process things, but you also know that someone is going to read it. This was very reassuring and is a lot different from writing it down in a diary at home.”

Contact between sessions

“When I wrote off my concerns via the chat functionality in the app, I would receive a message from my therapist Sarah within a few days. She often asked me some questions about what I had just written down, or brought me back to something I had learned earlier in our sessions. What do I really want, instead of what some guy does or doesn’t do? Because of this contact between our sessions, I could usually reflect on an event as it occurs to me every day within 1 or 2 days. You get instant feedback on something you are experiencing, and I think that is very valuable!”

Would you recommend NiceDay?

“Yes for sure! I have already done that actually. Help via NiceDay goes with you wherever you go, in your own mobile phone, as it were. It isn’t in a clinical room, where you work on your problems and when you finish the session you no longer think about the things you have discussed. Because you keep track of things and have contact with your practitioner in between your sessions, online help via NiceDay is woven into your daily life.

Margriet received online help through the NiceDay app. Would you like to know more about NiceDay or about how you can start treatment? Click here for more information about online help via NiceDay.

*Margriet’s real name is known to the editors.

Hi, my name is Bibi *. I am 23 years old, study medicine and I am gay. The fact that I like girls is a bit sensitive in my family; my parents are very religious. That, combined with a bit of culture, makes them not open to the fact that I am gay. It is a very difficult situation and I found myself needing help to deal with this. I received online help during my coming out, and this is my story.

Sorrow

For 4 years already, my mother has known that I like girls. I have a very close relationship with my mother; we talk about everything. I know my parents love me very much and I love them too. They don’t mean bad, but their beliefs make them genuinely afraid that I will go to hell if I get in a relationship with a woman. That makes them anxious and sad, which left my mother crying on my bed for weeks. It was so difficult to see my mother like this. So I decided to give it one more chance and go on a date with a guy.

I am gay

That date ended in a relationship. In the end I caught myself liking him too; he was a sweet boy. But I think I mainly liked him because we looked picture perfect together. I kept it up for 1.5 years, until I could no longer fool myself. I fell madly in love with a girl and decided to come out to both my parents, again. My parents had a hard time dealing with it, but my sister, who was my rock and was always there for me, supported me in the beginning. Unfortunately, she eventually changed her mind. I was sad and felt very alone. I have felt bad before, but I always knew how to deal with those feelings or how to put them away. Now they were unavoidable and I knew I had to do something; I had to talk to someone.

Anonymous but personal

I started looking online for help, for someone who could listen to my story. There were a number of helplines, but those didn’t feel right. One day, I came across NiceDay and soon felt a slight relief; I had been searching for so long and the anonymity of the NiceDay treatment really appealed to me. I downloaded the app and sent an instant message to the NiceDay Team. Here I quickly received a response in which they asked me how I was doing and what I would like help with. As a result of that information, I was linked to a psychologist. This felt so personal; the only doubt I might still have was immediately taken away.

Remote treatment

I was not sure what to expect from an online treatment; how well would it really help through video calling? It may be 5 sessions with the same person, but how personal can online be? I noticed that the treatment being online doesn’t matter at all! I really liked the fact that there is a balance between being treated anonymously and regular personal contact.

Relationship with practitioner

I was linked to NiceDay psychologist Maaike and we clicked. I thought it was very clever of her that she could highlight different perspectives so well, even though my parents come from a different culture than her. She was able to explain to me where their concerns and actions came from, which helped me a lot. I also really liked that when I said something related to 3 sessions ago, Maaike still recalled that and could respond well with the right advice!

Contact in between sessions

The treatment via NiceDay was very accessible and my practitioner Maaike told me that I could always send her a message, so that I could talk about what I was dealing with. I was able to process these feelings through a registration or a note in the app, or by just sending her a chat message. I really liked that; when you write down your thoughts and worries you already kind of process them, but the fact that someone is also looking at and responding to these thoughts felt very reassuring. So, I also benefited a lot from the registrations and mood tracker. This made me take the time to reflect on how I really felt; whether this was happy or sad.

The right tools

Via NiceDay I was able to tell my story by having regular sessions with my practitioner, but also by processing my thoughts and feelings in the NiceDay app. When I now end up in risky situations, I immediately notice that I hear Maaike’s voice in my head reminding me of all the tools she has given me. I would 100% recommend NiceDay to everyone, and I have already!

Bibi received online help through the NiceDay app. Would you like to get in touch with a professional? Click here for more information about online help via NiceDay.

*Bibi’s real name is known to the editors.

Madelijn * (27) has been dealing with her relationship with men for years, something that has taken her to a psychologist in the past. Her constant need for reassurance caused her to put men on a pedestal and to neglect herself. The fear that otherwise she would not find happiness and wasn’t worth the effort, was something she could lose herself in completely. She decided to go into treatment with NiceDay and this is her experience story.

Relapse

“A few years ago I received treatment for my mental issues, after which I was doing good again! After the completion of my treatment I remained single and mainly focused on what I wanted in life. I decided to travel, but as soon as I returned I fell into a negative spiral. I started to get involved with men again and started to value them more than I would like. That feeling terrified me; I didn’t want to fall back into that same pattern. I knew I had to do something, but I didn’t want to go back to a full therapy program. When a friend told me about the NiceDay app I decided to download it. ”

The step for help

“My friend wasn’t undergoing treatment at NiceDay, but used the app for herself. She registered her feelings and thoughts, but told me that you can also start treatment.

When I downloaded the app I had mixed feelings about the online treatment. The app made seeking help easy and accessible. However, I wasn’t sure if you could really express your feelings through video calling. It had its pros and cons, but I decided to try it; it doesn’t hurt to try. ”

The first contact

“Before you get into contact with a NiceDay practitioner, first you must fill in a few things. That took some figuring out, but as soon as I started doing this I noticed that it felt good to write down my thoughts. I really liked writing down everything that goes on in your head, with the idea that there is someone who reads and thinks along without judgment!

The NiceDay Team linked me to the therapist Sarah, based on the information I entered. I had a good relationship with her and I really appreciated the contact we had. She was always calm and listened carefully. In the end I also liked the video calling; you can simply have the sessions from the comfort of  your own home and schedule them at a time that suits you. ”

Registrations in the app

“During the therapy that I had before, I also had to do assignments, but it sometimes felt like I had to do homework. Back then I didn’t feel like doing that at all. I found writing via the app a lot more pleasant; this time I really did it for myself, because I knew and felt what I was going to get out of it. It didn’t feel like a huge task or assignment, because you can easily fill in a few things on your phone. It felt like I could write about whatever I wanted, it didn’t matter that much!

I regularly used the registrations in the app: I tried to fill in the diary every day, but I also used the feelings tracker when I could not find the words to write it down. The writing itself already helped me with my complaints. I also really liked that you can adjust the registrations at any time; whether you fill it in today, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”

Would you recommend NiceDay?

“NiceDay was the helping hand I needed. I wasn’t looking for a full treatment, but wanted to discuss the things that I actually already knew with someone else. The writing and registration is very much up to you, so you have to have a certain discipline to keep up with that. But that also means that you can help yourself very well. I would definitely recommend the app; I’ve even done this several times! ”

Madelijn received online help through the NiceDay app. Would you like to know more about online help via NiceDay? Click here for more information.

* Madelijn’s real name is known to the editors

Hi everyone! My name is Anouk and a little while ago I finished my treatment with NiceDay. I was very happy with how this all went and would like to tell you more about my experience with NiceDay. I hope that if you are going through something and have doubts about using the app, my experience can help you visualize what such a treatment might look like. And, that it helps you make the decision to look for help, or maybe not, because you don’t have to do anything!

Anxious thoughts and depressive feelings

Before I started my treatment through NiceDay, my anxious thoughts were getting in the way of life, especially my social life. In addition, I struggled with anxious thoughts and depressive feelings, and I wanted to learn how to deal with trthese. This eventually led me to NiceDay. I felt like my issues weren’t bad enough for a psychologist. But I still wanted to work on them and talk about it with a professional. So, NiceDay was the perfect option for me.

Sessions via the chat

The NiceDay team matched me with my practitioner soon after I signed up. You can choose whether you call or video call your practitioner, but my anxiety affected calling with other people. Their response was very understanding and we did my first 2 sessions via chat. This was very nice for me, but I also noticed that the sessions flew by and you couldn’t discuss a lot this way, since typing takes longer than talking.

Acknowledgement for my fear

After the second session I decided I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and to start doing my sessions via calls. I asked my practitioner and he thought it was a great idea. He also assured me that he would do everything to make me feel comfortable, which was very nice for me to hear. My fear wasn’t dismissed, but it was understood and acknowledged.

From then on, I called my therapist for every session. Sometimes this was very difficult but good at the same time. We were able to discuss more and my practitioner was very understanding when sometimes I didn’t get an answer right away.

The right tools

During my sessions we worked on my social anxiety, but also on my self-criticism, which turned out I do quite a lot. In addition, we also discussed things such as emotions and how to deal with them, the different coping styles, where fears come from and why you can have them.

I have learned a lot from the sessions and still try to deal with this. Because even though I have learned a lot, I am not quite where I would ultimately like to be. But I feel that I have now been given the tools to start working on my personal development. I believe that this will make me happy, something I wish for everybody and hope you will be too!

Social media

I am not quite where I want to be, and I am still working on developing and improving myself. On my social media accounts I share what I go through and what I have learned. If you would like to receive some tips and positivity every now and then, follow me on Instagram (@anouk_van_ham) and Youtube (Anouk van Ham). And, don’t forget to follow NiceDay op Instagram, because they share even more positivity and tips than I do! 🙂

I can share a lot more about my trajectory and my own process, but I think I have described the big picture now. I hope that you will experience the same success with NiceDay as I do, or that you choose a different path that works just as well! Thank you for reading, good luck with your own journey and who knows until next time.

Love,

Anouk <3

Anouk received online help through the NiceDay app. Would you like to know more about online help via NiceDay? Click here for more information.

Sifra (25) had graduated from university and was just starting her new job. Her job was fun, her new colleagues were nice and she did her job well. Still, Sifra noticed that she wasn’t feeling well. By her employer, she was given the opportunity to do a PMO study, which included both physical and mental tests. It turned out that she suffered from anxiety and nervousness, something that was very recognizable to her. She was advised by her coach to look in to help from NiceDay, for a treatment in the safety of your own home. She did, and here you can read her experience story.

Constant nerves

“I have always been sensitive to gloomy feelings and insecurity. From the age of 15 I regularly have the feeling that I do not belong, or I experience feelings of sadness. During my studies I wasn’t as prominent, but this changed when I started working. I felt so much tension in my body and was constantly bothered by nervous feelings. My neck and shoulders started to hurt, but I didn’t know where this was coming from. Despite having a great time at work, I felt restless. I dreaded everything, even my korfball matches; a sport that I love to do for 15 years! ”

Accessible help

“I knew it would be good to talk to someone, but I wasn’t ready for that yet. I have sought help before in the past, but I hadn’t had a good experience with this. The step to go back to the doctor, put my heart on the table and admit that you need help, felt too big. I thought it was stupid and thought that my complaints were not severe enough. Until, after my PMO investigation, I was referred to NiceDay. On the website I saw that there is an opportunity for online help, which felt a lot more accessible. So I signed up. ”

Safe environment

“The help through NiceDay gave me the opportunity to talk to someone from my own safe environment, and I didn’t have to tell my story to a doctor. It felt safer, more comfortable and less nervewrecking. I quickly came into contact with the NiceDay Team and was linked to psychologist Sarah. ”

Sessions over the phone

“I chose to do all sessions over the phone, because it felt the most comfortable to me. It is very nice that you can choose how you conduct the sessions; be it video calling, calling or chatting. When someone looks at me when I tell my story, I get nervous and blurt things out. I get the feeling that they are waiting for an answer and don’t really think about the things I say. I liked having a conversation over the phone a lot better. The online treatment felt safe; I didn’t have to go anywhere and could stay at home. ”

NiceDay Community

“I had a good relationship with Sarah. She often sent me relevant blog articles from the NiceDay Community, which I really liked. She then advised me to read the article, see what I think about it and check whether it is recognizable to me. Sometimes the article was terribly recognizable, other times it was less. But I got a lot of new insights from reading all of them. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me, but reading articles in which I recognized myself, helped me identify my issues and cleared up where they came from. ”

Tools

“I’m doing a lot better. I have fewer physical complaints because I now know how to relax my body. In addition, the conversations with Sarah, the useful tips and articles have given me the tools to better deal with my anxiety. Sometimes I still have some nerves before I go to korfball, but Sarah has taught me that despite the nerves I just have to go! That is the way to fight my fears. I used to go to korfball class, but I did it for my team. Now I do it for myself. ”

NiceDay

“The NiceDay treatment really helped me a lot and I would definitely recommend it! I think a lot of people walk around with psychological complaints, without doing anything about it. Treatment via NiceDay is accessible, easy to use, flexible and for everyone. ”

Sifra received online help through the NiceDay app. Would you like to know more about online help via NiceDay? Click here for more information.

“Am I truly happy?”. That is a question I have been asking myself a lot lately. I mediate, looking for happiness and hoping that I can find the answer somewhere inside of me. Sometimes I feel like meditation creates more air and space in my body. Is this the feeling of happiness, I ask myself? Is there even a definition of happiness? A little while ago, I had a conversation with a good friend. It was his birthday and someone asked him what kind of goals he set for the coming year. I was truly amazed by his answer. He said: “I am actually really content with my life and I’m happy. If I were to die right now, I can honestly say I’ve had a wonderful life.”. I looked at him and got so inspired by his words. I admire him greatly for being able to say this on his 26th birthday. Meanwhile, I keep wondering if I will be able to say the same thing about my life.

What is happiness?

I wonder what happiness is and whether it depends on the expectations and demands that people place on it. When I think of happiness in its truest form, I think about children. A child is happy when they’re allowed to play at the playground or when they get an ice cream after dinner. Most children don’t have all these worries adults have, which allows them to happily live and enjoy being ‘little’. I believe that the older you get, the harder it gets to be happy. The way I see it, is that people are constantly looking for that moment of ultimate happiness. Once they’ve found that happiness and have experienced how it feels, they want to feel it again. The same feeling of happiness doesn’t feel as the ultimate happiness anymore, and as a result, people are looking for a new ultimate moment of happiness. The bar is constantly being set, as it were. Another belief I have is, other people can’t make you happy. They can affect your happiness, but you are the only one who can make yourself happy.

So: am I truly happy?

That being said I’m still trying to come up with an answer to the question: am I truly happy? Now that I have almost reached the end of this blog, while listening to acoustic music and the cute lights hanging around my bed, I feel relaxed and satisfied. Is this happiness, the feeling of satisfaction and being able to express yourself? Are these small moments that contribute to my happiness? What I also notice is that meditating daily also contributes to my happiness. It helps me to be less hard on myself and to reinforce feelings of self-esteem and self-compassion. I believe that if I can look at myself in a gentle way and embrace all the “imperfections” that come with it, I will soon be able to answer the question “am I truly happy?”, with a resounding YES!

Love,

Ghyta

Did you like reading this blog? You can find all Ghyta’s experience stories here.