Happy Happy Joy Joy! How do you get Happy?

I woke up today and while watching the news found out that today is the International Day of Happiness! It was established on June 28th 2012 by the United Nations General Assembly and is celebrated throughout the world on March 20th. To honour this great day, I wanted to share a few ideas and things from my life that make me happy!

1. Dance like it's 1999

I love to dance and it will happen anywhere, in the car, in the aisles of the grocery store, in a change room and the more obvious places like a club, a dance or a family party.  What I LOVE about dancing is that it instantly makes me happy.  It will be rare to find someone on the dance floor who dances with a non smiling face, rather, it will be rare to find me dancing on the dance floor and not smiling! Here are some dancing photos below. Even looking back at these pics, they make me happy!

I was dancing like I wrote the song! I was in between smiles ;) LOL! 

Family Party in the UK - Always a blast and a great time :)

2. Pretty Decor & Flowers

With amazing apps like Instagram, we are exposed to a world of images and photos that are amazing, gorgeous and are happiness inducing. I love pretty decor and whenever I am at a party, wedding or at an event in the city, I am constantly taking photos. Here are a few pretty ones from this category:

Amazing and Romantic decor from a family wedding!

Window shopping with a dear friend :)

Decor Ideas at a Beauty Event

3. Chocolate

I love chocolate, whether it's fancy to the candy bar from the local convenient store. Nothing reminds me more of my childhood with my family and friends as much as Chocolate does. Ithink that is why I crave it so much if I am feeling blue. Sweet items are usually tied to a celebration of a positive kind which I am happy to enjoy!

Oh my gawwwww! 

A lovely chocolate Mousse dessert!

Halloween Candy - All Day!

4. Last but not least - Food

Food is a celebration and is a time for when the family will gather, especially at my house. There is 1 dish that is my all time, ultimate, amazing and is one of the best dishes my mom makes and has taught me to make which is the ultimate Punjabi Curry Chicken with Rice. Nothing makes me happier than smelling that intoxicating aroma from the kitchen! I have posted that and other great dishes that bring happiness to me!

Home cooked Curry Chicken = Happiness & Love :)

Spicy Thai Chicken & Vegetables :)

Jamaican Curry Chicken, Coleslaw with Rice & Beans :)

Trinidadian Barbecue Chicken, Macaroni Pie and Rice! 

Writing this blog taught me that there are so many amazing things that make me happy. I shared a few things that always guarantee happiness from within me.  Feel free to share what  makes you happy in the comments below!

Always Smile :)  - Sand

Lifestyle: DIY - Thoughtful Valentines' Day Gift Ideas

February 14th is just around the corner and for those of you who are celebrating, please keep in mind that this day can also be about all of the relationships that you have, not just with your special loved ones.

Therefore I wanted to put together a list of ideas that would work for anyone who is single or in a relationship. The ideas are simple, DIY and will not break the bank. I think that it's important to share how you feel about someone not by spend level but rather how you can show them they mean something to you and matter in your life.

1. PHOTO SLIDE SHOW - Walk down memory lane

This is one of the easiest ones to put together. You don't have to make it fancy or complicated. Choose the best pics of yourself and the loved one.  Put them into a folder.  On Valentines day, send the photos to the special someone and caption each photo.  Rename your pics by Numbers and then in the body of the email, make a numbered list and write your thoughts about the photo.  If you are skilled, you can always create a PowerPoint slide show that includes the text.  A walk down memory lane will always put a smile on anyone's face. 
Switch Up: You can send this to your best girlfriend, cousins or any loved one!

2. LOVE NOTES/LETTERS

Stock Photo.

The art of writing letters is fading, but nothing feels more special than finding an envelope with your name hand written on the front of it.  Be creative, slip these notes or letters in his/her bag or wallet, in her car under the sun visor, in the lunch bag, coat pocket etc.  Pretty much any place the person would naturally reach for their day to day things, to find a surprise love note.  With social media and technology, send the person texts on where to find the next love note.  Nothing is more romantic than having a secret scavenger hunt of love notes. 

Switch Up: Send your parent or grand parent a loving note on how much they mean to you. This gesture is timeless and will mean more to them than you can imagine.

3. COOKING DINNER... with a twist

If you are the one that is the main chef or not, either way this idea warms the heart! Pick a date or a memorable event that is special for you and a loved one and recreate the meal that you had. A nostalgic twist will be very appreciated and the thoughtfulness of cooking the dinner vs. going out will be romantic.  If you want more togetherness, opt to cook parts of the meal together as you reminiscence about that particular night or event together.  
Switch Up: Taking a good friend out for a lunch or a brunch to a favourite place from your past will make for good laughs and new memories.

All of these should hopefully get you to think past the $ value of the day and rather what this day and any day of the year should be about:  LOVE!  Never stop telling people you love them and pay attention to the small details.  Also, who says Feb.14th is just about the ladies, be sure to show love to the special man in your life. 

Happy Valentines Day!

Always Smile :) - Sand